Signs of the Times

Our downtown farmer's markets ended a week ago. The calendar turned over to November last Thursday. The clocks pushed forward an hour over the weekend.  The once-green vegetation is brown or gone. The air has that musky, decaying smell so typical of this time of year.  All are signs of the times.  In some ways, it feels like a wistful time of year.   The warm weather is gone, the flowers have faded, the leaves have left the trees, many of the birds have flown south.  But, it's actually a lovely time of year as we move into the quiet, the stillness, the time for moving more slowly, the time to be able to reflect and think.  This time of year can be restorative, providing that necessary opportunity to refuel ourselves so we can face the busier pace that spring, summer and fall invite.  Bare trees, crisp days, and the end of the growing season may all be signs of the times, but the signs are good and so are the times.