Large heavy flakes, sticking just a little now, but it's pretty wet snow so it won't be around for very long. It'll be gone by the time I wake up tomorrow, but it's a reminder that winter is quickly approaching.
There's a lot to do before then. First, on the physical level, there are things that need to be done around the home. The heaters need to have the dust cleaned off of them, and be turned on for a while to make sure they work without any issue. Time to put the winter quilts on the bed. The winter jackets, boots, hats, scarves and gloves need to come out of storage. A winter kit for the car (in addition to the usual items, flashlight and such, extra gloves, scarves, blankets and snacks are stored in the car). It's also time to sort through all the stored food, see what needs to be eaten soon, needs to be replaced. (I've been called paranoid, but it's not like power outages that last a few days are uncommon here in New Hampshire. Better safe than sorry - and hungry!) Soon it will be time to get the car checked up for winter, and the snow tires put on. A last good cleaning of the house while the windows can still be open for part of the day, without it getting too cold...
It's a lot of work, physically speaking, but spiritually speaking the time after Samhain is a time of rest and reflection before the rebirth of the year at Yule. We look back on the year that's just passed, and at the death of the year we make an effort to let go of old habits that have held us back or harmed us in another way. As we head into winter, a time to draw back into the home with family and friends, it can also be a time to evaluate our relationships. Which would we be better off without? They are not easy questions, but we need to decide what we do not wish to carry through to the birth of a new year.
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