A Year in the Forest; Looking Back, Part Four

closing out my reflection on the year, October through December of 2023

Hello again, quiet seekers, and welcome to all the new faces who have joined me since my post was featured in Substack Reads (I am so grateful to have been mentioned and so happy to have you here with me).

We’re here today to close out our journey through last year’s forest.

We finished things last week as September faded, just as the wildflowers and vibrancy of summer faded. And we begin our reflection today in October's beautifully rainy, misty days.

Bright bursts of yellow began to dot the mountainsides, ferns retained their shape but started turning to a beautiful rusted orange, foliage drooped and leaves fell, littering ponds and rivers and becoming rain catchers on the forest floor.

A special sighting became the highlight of a walk in October; a beautiful owl curiously studied the humans in its midst as we wandered by.

The temperatures slowly fell and the bright colours of autumn faded even further, dulling to varying shades of brown.

But then, the first frost arrived — cold and brisk, fingers freezing and nose stinging. Ice crystals danced in my dreams and the forest glittered in the late autumn light.

For a few delightful days, thick layers of icy formations coated everything; from the fallen summer grasses to the stiff stalks of the marsh to the bare and leafless branches.

Finally, December arrived and everything slowed; feelings of winter hibernation began creeping in — walks became more sporadic, photos ever more so. The snow was also slow to arrive, with only a few dustings throughout the month.

And so, the year inched toward its end. As this series now also reaches its end.

Thank you for joining me for a year in the forest — I’m excited to dive into spring here now, with our snow melting quickly and buds beginning to show themselves after the long sleep of winter.

I’ll see you next time.

♡ Whitney

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