Late October Shadows...

October Night Stillness

The day grows late and the darkness begins to creep in. Most of the fields have been harvested and lights begin to come on in farmhouses and barns across the now-cleaned fields. A kind of quiet peacefulness now rests over the land and only the sounds from the nearby Interstate break the silence of the twilight. Far off to the east, the water tower stands sentinel, its hulking shape overlooking the freshly-cut fields. Another day has come and gone, and quiet envelops the small town.

A month or so ago, the sun would still be setting, kids would be playing and shouting at one another in back yards, and couples would be enjoying an early-evening stroll around the streets of the quiet town. Now, the sun has long since vanished, the kids are having their bedtime baths, and the avenues and byways are empty--devoid of any walkers. The late-October skies are clouded and ominous. Sometime overnight there may be rain storms. The Shadows of the night grow darker--and spookier!

There has always been something I've enjoyed about this particular time of the year. Perhaps it's the realization that summer has truly said farewell for awhile. Perhaps it's the sun-filled mornings that so quickly give themselves up to sudden shifts to cloudy skies, strong winds, and chilling rains seemingly out of nowhere. And perhaps it's simply the many changes that repeatedly go on all around us--especially out here in farmland--that we fail to notice completely or to which we pay very little attention.

Inside, it's warm and safe and comfortable, perhaps a nice fire going in the fireplace; perhaps an annual viewing of Halloween for the millionth time! All around are strange sounds and little quirks of the night. The shadows of October are in full force, doing what they do so well. As always, the feeling that things "out there" are different now are ever with us. Before bed, we make sure that all doors  and windows are securely locked, and one final glance to check out the mysterious shadows of the October night is in order. It's a strange and wonderful time...MLA