Calm Before the Storm

Weather- wise, I think nearly everyone in the country can agree that it was wacky this weekend. 

At least for the mid-west. In the 70s and tornadoes in mid-November? That's crazy talk, yo.

However, before it got too crazy, Saturday morning was wonderful. The calm before the storm if you will. 

There's something beautiful about a melancholy autumn day. There was a bleak wetness in the air and gray clouds covered the sky signaling that rain was coming soon. All of the colors were muted. The bright reds and purples and oranges the leaves had only a few days ago were gone and had fallen to the ground. 

The trees now have hardly any leaves on them. Some are hanging on for dear life, avoiding falling to the ground at all costs. 

Yet, it's oddly beautiful in it's quiet, sad, and muted way. It's that odd transition time between fall and winter. The time between the crazy of Halloween and the crazy of Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's the perfect time to catch your breath, read a book, (or write one in my case), and take in the last few moments before the storm hits.

 Maybe I like it so much because it fits the mood of my NaNoWriMo project so well and it feeds into the feel I want for my story. Maybe I like it because it's the signs of change coming and we all know my life is in for some huge changes the next few weeks. Maybe because it's calm and I can catch a breath. Maybe I just read too many books and find romance in weird things.

Maybe it's all of the above.

But it won't last. Eventually all of the leaves will fall to the ground and the branches will be covered with snow. The winds will howl and people will hide in the basement and wait for the weather man to tell them it's okay to come out again. Crunch time for NaNoWriMo will arrive before we know it and writers everywhere will lose sleep trying to get their word counts in. Thanksgiving will be here complete with traffic, family, and food. Then right behind it we'll be at Christmas and  before you know it none of us will know where the weeks went.

Change is coming. But for now, enjoy the beautiful and melancholy calm.