Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, I recall thinking of November as a cold, gray, windy month, redeemed only by the Thanksgiving Holiday; over the past week, that nostalgic image has been confirmed here in central Missouri. To borrow a phrase from the Eagles, "the sky won't snow and the sun won't shine."
Of course, as children, we pay little attention to the weather, not intimidated by forecasts or conditions; if it's not a school day, we're out with friends, active enough to ward off the late autumn chill. As adults, we are much more aware of the weather, heeding the warnings of local or national meteorologists and perhaps influenced by the memories of Novembers past.
But some of us, attuned to nature's cycles and stirred by the spectacles that November often brings, are inclined to seek solace in the great outdoors as the days shorten. We know to dress for the experience or we conduct our exploration from the comfort of a heated vehicle. After all, we are no longer children; compared to them, we are a cautious bunch.
