I saw the lovely arch
Of rainbow span the sky,
The gold sun burning
As the rain swept by.
~ Elizabeth Coatsworth
Ah, November is now upon us. I tried to find some really sweet November quotes on the web, thinking I would find a lot of poetry and quotes depicting the glory of this great month. How shocked and depressing to find literature filled with so much melancholy and gloom.
I suppose in many parts of the world the climate lends itself to melancholy in November. Around here, as October slips quietly into the sunset, November carries on the work of autumn slow and magnificent. And for me personally, November is neatly sandwiched in-between the end of Indian Summer and the bustling holidays. When you think about it, don’t the holidays serve as a huge distraction as the bleakness of winter rolls in? We wake up in January and it’s like, “Wow, it’s winter!”
But back to November. While I sat perusing the poetry, how fitting a chilling rain should suddenly befall the midst of all the gloom and doom. Great! Dear November, you just confirmed what I’m reading! Stop the madness!
But suddenly, a voice shattered the madness. My husband was off in the back field calling to get my camera and come running. And to my great surprise, what I saw proved those writers and poets dead-wrong. What began my November was this glorious arch spreading over the sky. Yes— a RAINBOW! Far, far from melancholy. Oh, how I wish you could have been there! Just amazing.
Rainbows usually conjure images of spring freshness and oh, how writers praise, praise, praise the endless wonder, relieved to the nth degree that all the bleak and blah of winter is finally gone. But just to prove those highbrow writers wrong, nature decided to blast forth this November with a rainbow. No room for gloom this time!
So what do you think about November? Rather than leave it up to famed writers and poets, perhaps it’s now up to the world of everyday bloggers like you and me to change that reputation. Even if your climate is cold, bleak, and cloudy, is there not some glimmer of magnificence? You may not get a rainbow like I did but November holds plenty of surprise. It’s there, to be sure.
You might have to do some searching to capture the beauty in the bleak. But even in the worst of times, there is always a place, a space of sanity and glory, that silver lining of hope—possibly even a rainbow. With November ushering winter at our doorstep, together let’s find that surprise. I’m ready. How about you?
SimplySage 
Apple Hill Cottage
/ November 9, 2013Just lovely! The leaves around here are still hanging on — so November is lovelier than before. And the sky has been magnificent — grays, whites, blues, pinks all mixed together! The light is good too!
When you look for it, there is always beauty.
The light on the trees in your last photograph — how marvelous!
Tina Schell
/ November 10, 2013Love both your photos and the comments on this one! November happens to be the month of my birthday so there is always a ray of sunshine in there for me 🙂 And even as I hate to grow older, I know it beats the alternative so I still celebrate! I like your sandwich comment about summer and the holidays – a great perspective!
SimplySage
/ November 11, 2013Glad you liked, Tina. November is my birthday month, too! Was going to make the same point as you but it’s already long enough and would send me on another tangent. 🙂 Happy birthday to you!
pattisj
/ November 10, 2013Lots of great color, and I love surprises like your rainbow.
SimplySage
/ November 11, 2013Thank you. It’s one week later and the colors are more muted. Still lots of beauty, though. A rainbow in autumn was such a delight. Yes, an unexpected surprise.
Amy
/ November 11, 2013November rainbow! What a magnificent capture. Thank you for sharing
SimplySage
/ November 11, 2013It was magnificent to be sure. Indeed a surprise. Glad to bring you a smile!
SimplySage
/ November 11, 2013Thank you, Amy. It was truly magnificent, a surprise indeed. So glad you liked it!
micey
/ November 11, 2013Well hmmm. November. I’m in Pennsylvania at the moment and I have to agree the light, the changing leaves, it’s beautiful. But then again, I’m only here temporarily, soon to be flying south for the winter. That makes a huge difference for me. It’s far easier to appreciate the seasons when I visit them. 😄
SimplySage
/ November 11, 2013I’ll bet its beautiful there right now. Enjoy the warmth in the south! 🙂
Lori Hamilton
/ November 12, 2013LOVE THIS!!!! Lori Hamilton
American Heart Association
CPR INSTRUCTOR
http://www.Heart-SaversCPR.com
Island Traveler
/ November 12, 2013That is a beautiful sign of better things to come. Something I wish a lot of my countrymen can feel in the hearts. Thanks you. A blessed day to you.