After nearly a week of clouds, rain and fog, the sun broke through in central Missouri this afternoon and, as the sun set on the western horizon, a clear sky stretched above Columbia; its pale, blue expanse was broken only by a crescent moon to the southwest and sparkling Jupiter to the south. As I trudged home in the fading dusk, it was easy to appreciate that winter is winning its battle with fall.
The cool, dry air was invigorating but the quiet season is clearly taking hold. Sparrows and mourning doves drifted into stands of pine and cedar for the night and only the sharp chirps of cardinals rang through the neighborhood. Squirrel nests, back lit by the red glow of dusk, harbored their industrious tenants while timid cottontails ventured into the fading light for their nocturnal feast; if they escape the gaze of our resident owls, they'll spend tomorrow in their dens.
November takes us from bright October to dark December, from warm days to cold nights. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is, indeed, the dusk of our year.
