November 2, 2025: Resilience

A good friend pointed out this birch tree we came upon while walking in the Hamlin Forest a couple of weeks ago.  I was struck by the lesson it provides. 

Nature provides a lesson on resilience.

It had clearly been bent over backwards, but it didn't break.  And it didn't give up growing.  It accepted its new lot in life and sent new limbs skyward toward the sun.  It might not live as long as its friends in the neighborhood as an ice storm or wet, heavy snow may ultimately do it in, but the size of the vertical branches show it's made it a long time already.  It's a good example to follow.

Most of the wasps and hornet from nests discovered this fall have succumbed to the cold by now, but not the bumblebees.  Their thick furry coats keep them warm enough to remain active well into the colder weather.  

This one was working feverishly to collect the last bits of pollen from a still-blooming patch of asters.

I expect the butterflies are also gone for the summer; I never found any monarch chrysalises this year, but the milkweed plants are doing their thing to make sure the monarch larvae will have plenty of leaves to munch on next year, and when they mature, there will be real estate for their pupae.

Milkweed seeds waiting to be carried far and wide by the wind.

We've had regular visitors to the compost pile this summer even though we don't compost meat products.  The assumption has been a raccoon because it started with corn season and the critter's clear favorite is corncobs which are pulled out of the pile and stripped clean of every last bit of corn husk. This week I set the trail camera to confirm the assumption. 

Old Rocky on the compost pile.

Unfortunately for Rocky, corn season is over now. He poked around a bit, did find what he was looking for and went on his way.

I also caught a picture of what I assume is mother white-tail and her mostly grown offspring. 

As a reminder, archery and muzzle loader season for deer are underway, and firearms hunting starts November 12th and continues until December 7th.

Despite strong wind and heavy rain which stripped most of our leaves off the trees, there remain a few holdouts. 

The last vestiges of color will be the blueberries and huckleberries growing all around the shores of the lake.  These benevolent plants bestow us with joy from spring to winter and will provide the last bits of color to the world before the gray of November takes over until we get the next burst of beauty with the first winter snow.

November can be a long month at the lake.

Now, a shameless plug for the Lakes Region Symphony Orchestra:  They put on a fabulous concert in Plymouth last night, and if you missed it, your next opportunity is the holiday concert on December 6th and 7th with performances at the Colonial Theater in Laconia and the Inter-lakes High School Auditorium in Meredith.  We have a fantastic vocalist singing holiday classics made famous by the likes of Barbra Streisand as well as classical favorites including Sleigh Ride and selections from the Nutcracker.  I hope you can make it!