Mighty Ones

As promised to calendar holders. I am writing the story behind each month's calendar photo this year.

NOVEMBER

I wrote the story of this year's November calendar image a year ago.  I did so before I had the thought to write these for each of the 2014 calendar images.  Or maybe doing so gave me the idea to write the others, I don't remember.

But here it is, here we are again dancing the dance between warm and cold.  One day the doors and windows are open, the potted plants are back outdoors soaking up sun and rain, and I'm hearing happy, spring sounds from the birds.  The next day or so, it's twenty-something farenheit by 2 a.m.--or snowing (in the case of last Sunday)--and I'm scurrying to cover or drag them all in once again, those In-Betweens (not houseplants, not winter hardy) who will winter indoors in a cold, bright room.

The in-ground dwellers are another story. I can only look on and hope, cross toes that the fingers of the killing frosts won't touch them until late November at least, or even December. Not to hold on, but it makes for a very long winter when we (humans, moths, bees) lose the fragrances, color and company of the flowers in October, or even early November. 

Still, facts are facts: the dahlias will go. The roses will go. The cosmos will go--probably last of all. Which amazes me. These, the seemingly wispiest of all the garden's flowers and leaves, somehow withstand the back and forth, the 20s one night and the 50-something the next. I don't know how they do it, but I'm so glad they do. They're my heroes of the moment for that. Mighty ones, they inspire me with their fortitude:  passionate, bright, cheerful to the end.

Mighty and also wise: they know.