For Everything There is a Season

Long before the first flakes

started their long fall from the heavens

snow... the feel, the smell, the texture of the air

feeling the falling barometer,

the shift in the weather

Falling lightly at first, while I stood ,mesmerized,

watching their dance downward

Accumulating white, flake by flake on the ground,

a film of white, cell by cell

cleaning the world in white
-Raymond A. Foss

-photos taken at Klondike, Iowa

The time has come to put away the old and take out the new.

The time has come to say goodbye to warm weather, lazy days and fallen leaves.

The time has come to be thankful for the harvest and be thankful for the change in season, the change that allows a slower pace and a brand new outlook on the world.

The time has come to observe the beauty of new fallen snow, "cleaning the world in white".

The time has come to take out the tree and the baubles and sparkles, to crank out the carols, take out the blankets and the hot chocolate, and enjoy a closer time, indoors, near the home fires, in anticipation of birth of the Christ child. For everything, there is a season.............

and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3

* update- Not sure how, but the poet himself has found my blog! His is the first comment to this post! You can see much more of his poetry at his site: http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com/

Mr. Foss, I enjoyed just tapping the surface of your talent. I will visit again. Thank you for your work.