softly the petals of a flower falllanding upon the slowly browning eartha chill starting to take hold in the airthe last vestiges of summer drifting away one lone bloom fighting to remain uprightit’s not death it resists, but the long days of sleepthe forced hibernation the cold weather bringsthe endless cycle of rising and falling ...

Leaves keep accumulating under trees. Naked branchesgreet me unabashedon my way home. Their canopy touches the skywith delicate extensions, whispering –“being bare indicates strength.” I expose myselfand riselike a naked branch.

Still Blessed  I am always stressedI’m completely a hot messBut I still feel blessed Your Star  I hope you still knowYou always make my heart glowYour star in the snow

There is a chill in the airCrisp and freshScented with pineSoft sounds of the world falling asleep Winter calls to usBeckons us to start anewTo sleep the pain of the past awayAnd awaken fresh It sometimes seems like the world is frozenIn a moment in timeThe white that covers the landAnd the ice that hangs ...

Snow runoff flows downHill from my driveway to theCow pasture. I standIn the middle and watch winterWash away around my shoes.

The old man has always been there. There was never a time in my life when he didn’t show up. True, it was always according to his schedule. Time meant nothing to him. He would show up when he wanted to and leave when he jolly well pleased. No glances at the wall to check ...

“Ugh, winter.” A queasy moan yawns from the mouths of locals in northern climates. They know what’s coming. They have been through it all before;  frigid temperatures, darkness, isolation, and boredom. Winter is a time when many people experience an occasional low mood or prolonged Seasonal Affective Disorder – depression symptoms caused by lack of ...

But when Spring begins, the days start to get longer, and the world begins to thaw. This is the true turning point for me. Both plants and people are coming out of hibernation. We’re all waking up and ready to clean out Winter’s leftovers and replace them with hope.

Hello there squirrel, staring at me out in the cold. Are you looking for some warm place to be? Oh no! Silly squirrel, you cannot go through my window! Photo by JD Bergstrom

|Part I| I can remember it so vividly. We tied our skates on the old bench that sat next to the lake. We took each other’s hands and, on wobbly little legs, touched that icy frozen water. My sister lost her balance and fell backwards onto her backside. A smile formed on my lips, remembering her giggle as she ...