The Winds of September Have Started
The winds of September were upon us and with them the thick moisture that clings heavily to air from now until we see another summer.
We have been blessed with 2 summers in a row these past 2 years. That was more summer than I have seen since we moved here. It made me wonder about the changing of the planet and how my it will affect my fortress of solitude in the years to come.
These past few days I have been home sick, as I normally am this time of year. Finding myself longing for the crisp apples that hang on the wild fruit trees scattering the ditches of the West Kootneys, and the cold crunch of the frosty mornings that sweeten them.
Realizing however, that I am homesick for a land that no longer exists, at least not like it does in my mind. The earth is now scorched in many of the places I used to call home, and the land has begun to dry up as it slowly becomes more barren with each passing summer.
Our Farm, on Haida Gwaii is tucked away in a little pocket of land near the end of the pavement in a quaint little town called Port Clements. Nestled near the center of the big island that makes up the archipelago.
My days however are mostly spent in Masset, a village 45 minutes North of Port Clements. 45 minutes might seem like a short time distance to travel, but on Haida Gwaii it's a world apart.
The winds of September have begun their decent on the Northern tip of Haida Gwaii, making me wonder what was happening at home. The winds blew softly as I walked and enjoyed the few moments I got to enjoy in my day, ever aware of the presence of time walking behind me watching my every move.
Dandelions left behind in the tailings of summer clung to their seeds as the gentle wind breeze teased their commitment. I watched for a moment as their descendants held strong to their place of birth, not yet ready to fly into the future and start lives as their own plants.
The ravens were active this afternoon with lots of opinions. The rest of the summer berries clung to the bushes in clumps of dried up regret. I wish I could have had more time and energy to devote to harvesting wild foods. My thoughts slid into a slurry of would of could of's as I looked at the berries shriveling up on the bushes.
What as waste, I thought to myself, thinking about all the berries I will end up buying this year.
The Next day the wind blew harder, but in all respects to the winds of September, it was still fairly gentle.
The grass wiped and bent under the pressure of the turbulent breeze. The trees rustled and readied for the season ahead. The summer had been restful for them and they we’re going need to need the new strength they had built to overcome the challenges of winter winds.
Winter is a dangerous time of year for trees on Haida Gwaii. Many strong trees have lost their battles with the hurricane force winds that visit our misty islands every winter often taking power lines with them and leaving us in dark to listen the howling winds.
The whispering winds of September were a far cry from the wild howling winds of winter. Right now they were civil, civil enough to walk with during my few private moments in the best part of the day.
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