Gray Sky

Today was one of those warming-up days that happen after a cold snap.  The first day of December.  A thick gray-wool sky with patches of blue shining through.  A dampness in the air that had a hint of moisture.  Heading off toward the southeast, we walked to get the cobwebs out of our brains before we cleaned up to go to church.  Last spring we decided to plant pine trees in some fairly steep patches of our field.  Rocky and inhospitable, it grows scrubby brush, sparse grass, and cedar trees.  We bought some seedlings from the Missouri Conservation Department and planted them down the more fertile looking part of the sloping field.  We check on them regularly and note that they have grown some, even with the drought this summer.  Moving on down toward the neighbor's fence line we checked on the cherry and holly bushes that had not fared so well.  A few of them have survived, but not many.

I looked over to the neighbor's pasture.  His cows looked back at me, placidly chewing their cud.  As we walked back up the hill we found a new den where some varmint has his home.  Armadillo?  Ground hog?  Fox?  Who knows. 

Making our way across the winter pasture we could see a marsh hawk swooping on ahead of us, ever vigilant, looking for the unwary mouse or rabbit to dine on.  Crows cawing.  No wind.  Just gray sky and silent nature. 

It is good to take a walk every now and then and check out what is happening.  Or not happening.  In the spring we look for budding plants.  In the summer we try to find the thistles and other weeds that we don't want to spread.  In fall we plan what we will plant in the spring after taking an inventory of what survived the summer heat.  But a walk in early December is just a walk.  Nothing spectacular.  Nothing noteworthy.  Just a gray sky with a promise of moisture in it.  Just a time to let your mind rest.  Just a chance to be.   

Nothing more...and nothing less.