Edge of Winter

Moving beyond cool, morning air has become cold. Heavy frost and patchy snow border my trail. Insect populations mirror dropping temperatures; their winged predators fleeing towards warmer climates. Life is leaving, fall colors are fading and foliage, that once gave voice to the rhythm of the wind, has settled beneath my feet. Its voice is now brittle, revealing my progress through a changing landscape. Ice crystals decorate grass, replacing the healthy sheen of summer, bare branches seem ready to shed the weight of winter snow. I have adapted, I wear layers, protection against late fall air. Nature is preparing for the inevitable, I can see but a small fraction of her preparation, her massive retreat before the onslaught of winter. But I know she is looking forward, she will quietly rest, waiting for the warmth and the abundance of the coming thaw. For the renewal, the return of life. Waiting for the promise of tomorrow and the soft edge of Spring.