From my Perspective: Old Man Winter Comes Knocking

It's October, almost November, and what that means for most of the country is fall, autumn. Pretty leaves changing colors and a briskness in the air. For those of us in Lincoln, Montana, and surrounding areas, what it really means is that Old Man Winter is knocking at our door.

We were all reminded of it last week when we had our first "official" snowfall of the season. I happened to be traveling for my annual North Carolina trip and teaching at the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, so I missed it. I won't lie, I was okay with that - for now.

There was a time I completely dreaded this time of year, and winter in general. My first year in Montana comes vividly to mind, and if I'm being honest, probably my second and third years as well. I'd never experienced winters like the ones in Montana before, and to say I was less than thrilled is the understatement of the year. "I hated winter" was probably the more accurate statement. I found myself complaining every day about the weather. But over the years, something changed and I find I don't mind winter all that much anymore. Dare I say, I might even look forward to it a little.

I can't pinpoint the actual time, but what I recall is this: for me, winter is a time for slowing down, for appreciating the fruits of labor of summer months (think garden harvests, wood gathered for the wood stove and non-stop summer activities). Everything just seems slower in the winter. The nights seem longer as darkness begins earlier and ends later. It reminds me that every season has a time and place.

For some, the activity doesn't stop because winter comes. They actually prefer the winter sports and activities like skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and more. I completely appreciate that people like to be out in the cold. I don't mind a little snowshoeing or ice-skating now and again, but I'm more of a homebody come the winter months. I'd rather be curled up on the couch in front of the wood stove with a good book or some knitting project, and a hot cup of tea or cider. Come to think of it, I have a whole stack of Christmas (yup, I said it) books all lined up and ready to be read by the fire.

For others, winter means time to "get out of dodge" and to warmer climates. Our snowbirds begin leaving in late September, and they'll come back in May or June, when the weather is a little warmer and the threat of snow is less of a threat.

We all have our preferences. Some prefer the long days of summer and camping, floating, boating, fishing, hiking, biking, and more; some prefer the winter activities - or in my case, winter slow-downs.

Old Man Winter has put us on alert. If we don't have summer things buttoned up, now is the time. Time to put the hoses away, close down the gardens and get our slash piles ready to burn. This year, I'm a little behind on getting wood split and stacked, my herbs dehydrated and my canning completed - but I'm getting there. I know my time is pretty limited now, so the hustle is on, but what comes at the end of the hustle is some downtime, some quiet time and some time to open the door and welcome Old Man Winter for the next several months.