As I stepped outside this evening, the light was incredible. The leaves are slowly leaving the trees and squirrel nests are visible from the ground. I walked outside to be inspired to write something. Like the fall season, it’s like my mind is slowing down and wanting to hibernate for a bit.

The scent of the leaves and the sound of the trees rustling gently in the evening light was just what I needed, actually. I love how the light disperses around our home. The shadows are cast and the highlights that stream through the trees always blesses me.

Our maple tree is slowly turning red and soon the branches will be bare. It will be a slow journey and eventually the wind will hurry up our road bringing a chill to my walks.

The grape vines are succumbing to the end of summer and they too will soon shed their leaves and wait to be pruned next spring. It seems like the world is slowing down, resting, preparing for a long winter’s nap.

All of this speaks to me, stirring up a yearning for me somehow. With some of our trees being cleared this summer, the pathways through are woods fascinate me. One of my favorite poems is by Robert Frost. It is written about the winter and yet, each time I look into my woods I hear it in my mind.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Robert Frost – 1874-1963

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Our woods call to me each time I see them. Each time I hear, ” Whose woods these are, I think I know”. I smile to myself, I know whose woods these are, they are ours. Our Lord has blessed us abundantly with this property. When we moved here, we promised ourselves and our Lord to take care of this place and have it be a place of ministry to any who visited us.

So, yes, I do have promises to keep and as every housewife knows, and miles to go before I sleep.