Last week, when our fall colors were still alive with the song of Fall, we were reminded of the fickle emotions of Mother Nature – that She still rules all.

We were hit with a meteorological slap in the face if you will, with snow. I know, I know – it’s a four letter for many of you (I call out my husband in that bunch).

But let’s look at this realistically.

Mother Nature was just tapping on our window, hinting at how things shall soon be. And She timed it to the preparations of the Holidays. Sometimes I think She takes a Florida vacation in the winter because we could have three inches of snow for Thanksgiving, but green grass present for Christmas.

What I can’t forgive Mother Nature for is the killing of our fall colors.

I just returned from a ‘Fall Colors’ trip and I took lots of photos that recorded them. All the while I worried that I would miss what palette would await me back home. When we arrived in Chicago, I was relieved that we were in time to see the Midwest catch up with the East Coast. For a couple weeks I basked in the canopy of yellow, green, rust, brown and vermillion as I drove to and from work. My drive is along Green Bay Road where at parts of the drive, the trees grow across the sky, giving oneself a feeling of cocoonment. (Yes, I did just make up that word – what’s your super power?)

This morning on my drive, I noticed that since Mother Nature’s nasty gift of the white stuff, all the colors are now dreary, muted past their prime. Yet many stay defiant, clinging to their branches lest they fall to the ground in a tragic death; their afterlife to be disturbed by the roar of leaf blowers. Its then they are momentarily lifted into the sky again, only to fall in a heap.

I am bereft at the loss of our colors! This was probably one of the best autumns in years. Even on our gloomiest days the explosion of color took my breath away. Now I am greeted in muddied colors of the season. I must come to terms with the changing of the guard – Winter replaces Autumn. I must tell myself there are other colors to be excited about – red velvet bows, forest green Christmas trees, the shining of gold, silver and brass. There is vibrant blue and hushful white (yes, I did create another word – get used to it) adorning Hanukkah-celebrating homes as well as the landscape after a snowfall.

In fact, now I’m reminded of stick figure trees laden with heavy snow, a brilliant azure sky backgrounding (yes, that’s three) a squint worthy sun. Those days are reserved for only the day after the gray skies open up to sprinkle snowflakes on us. It’s like being in a snow globe and you’re not able to tell what you have until the last of the snow has fallen.

So now that I remembered the romance of Winter, I’ll bid a sad farewell to the best Autumn ever, and hope She makes another appearance.

In the meantime, I’ll be counting the pages on my desk calendar until She does!