But, Soft!

Gossamer haze dims the stars tonight, and renders the moon indistinct. The haze is late, it seems. My dictionary says that the word gossamer is derived from a Middle English word meaning goose summer, referring to a period of mild weather in November when geese were eaten. Whatever the origin of the word, it well describes the air on this late December night here in the California mountains. For the second night, treetop winds are playing their song in the pines, whose tips sway slightly in silhouette against the barely brighter sky.

It is less cold than it was a few nights ago, and I can enjoy standing outdoors a bit longer. The air is not only gossamer, but even feels a bit downy -- another word with avian connections, but without the sanguinary connotations. I saw a pair of large birds a few evenings ago, flying south just above the treetops as the sun was setting beyond them. They were dark, and their calls rang through the forest with a sense of delight. I don't know if they were geese or not, but I don't think I'd want to eat them either way. I'm sure my cats would, of course. In the unlikely event that they were to catch one, though, I wouldn't mind a pillow stuffed with its soft feathers. Mmmm, downy.

Winter Arrives

The window is open, admitting a steady flow of cold air and the sound of rain. All the gray, still afternoon, I waited for the rain. It finally arrived just after what would have been sunset, had the steely ceiling of clouds been less dense. It is the onset of winter. The rain splatters on roof and ground, but the leaves are all but gone. The rain sounds different without them. This is the first truly wintry storm of the season. It smells good, and I don't mind the chilly air entering the window as long as it carries that rich, damp scent. It is like the last exhalation of autumn's decay mixed with the breath of fresh growth that will emerge with spring. The season turns, right on time. Tomorrow, the daylight will lengthen.

Update: No, of course it won't. I've forgotten what day it is again. Sunday is the Winter Solstice. Monday the daylight will lengthen. Sheesh. I can't even operate winter properly anymore.