The farmers have put their land to sleep and the time for reflection begins. We turn to the mountains around us, again. We have taken parts of the months behind us and put them into canning and preserves. We are seeing the growers of beef, venison, chicken, duck and turkey more and more. We reach beyond our region for those careful fishes that seem to want the mountain to pair them up. We accept their challenge.

The last leaves drift downward and at any moment may be joined by the first snow. The earth sleeps but damn, the fireplaces lit feel amazing inside. We take our hikes through the woods now with more to see on the horizon. And our warm kitchen is a great place to be.