Good morning! I woke up a little while ago, warmed up a mug-full of apple juice, and now I’m seated at my desk writing this post. I enjoy my routine, especially during the late fall and early winter months in Maine. There’s something special about this time of year, so I thought I’d write about it. By the way, since I’m running low on decaf tea, I’ve turned to drinking hot apple juice in the morning. I don’t like to drink caffeine on an empty stomach because it makes my head spin. The alternative has proven to be especially scrumptious and sweet and when combined with the chilly air outside, simply perfect. Small mug, microwave for two minutes, done.
This November marks the 11th I’ll experience in the state. When we arrived from Florida in 2013, I honestly had no idea what to expect. While I had grown up and had spent most of my years fairly close to the mid-Atlantic portion of the east coast, I had yet to experience a late-fall/early-winter in northern New England. What were we to encounter? Rain? Blizzards? Sunshine? Who knew? I can actually remember speaking with the realtor on the telephone from my front lawn in Palm Coast. I told him we’d arrive in Maine toward the middle of the month. He didn’t seem phased by that. I thought there’d be feet of snow on the ground already and that we wouldn’t be able to access the driveway. I was wrong, but we did drive through a few inches in northern New Hampshire. That’s all was saw for at least a few more weeks.
November has become my favorite month of the year. Laura likes October best because of the foliage, but I’ve always preferred the trees after the leaves have fallen. There’s a certain level of loneliness to it and apparently, that seems to be what I’m attracted to. The leaf peepers have come and gone, the air becomes so much cooler, and Maine reverts back to what it was always meant to be – a place to get away from it all. It hardly ever snows in our area in November. Sometimes, we experience a brief cold snap that allows for coverage of the highest peaks, but in general, if we do get a flurry or two, anything that has fallen will melt soon enough. Remarkably, there’s also a lot of sunshine during November, which is something many folks wouldn’t expect. As I sit here and type, the sun is shining down strongly without a cloud in the sky. And most of the week is forecast to bring the same. So yes, November is a lovely time of year in Maine.
The thing is, November also brings with it wind. While we don’t experience much of it at all during the warmer months, it begins kicking back up in late October. We go from daily breezes of about 3-4 miles per hour to a regular speed of 8-15 miles per hour. It’s nothing terrible, but it’s certainly noticeable. Also, November brings with it unpredictability. While the weather is oh so perfect for hiking, you’d certainly want to check the forecast closely to be sure you won’t get stranded someplace in a snow squall or wind storm. One never knows, so it’s best to be prepared.
Overall, November’s colorful purple and deep orange sunsets, crisp, clean air, shorter days, and its element of eeriness bring it to the top of the list of favorites for me. I’m sure most people wouldn’t share the same affections, but that’s what makes life so interesting. We all get to pick and choose from the best of what nature offers us.
Have a great day!
