First Snow

The first snowfall always signals for me the end of a year and the start of planning and preparation for the next growing season.  Work on the farm slows to a trickle, but I am still repairing things I didn't get to during the summer.  This time of year our tasks are keeping the fire going in the wood stove heating our home and making sure our animals have the water they need. The blanket of snow silences the noises that you hear the rest of the year allowing for a peaceful calm that I can appreciate at the beginning of our winter season.  I know that by March I will be just as anxious for another growing season to begin.  For now I can sip my tea by the fire while watching the snow shroud our lavender, keeping it safe till spring.