Schism

I've mentioned this before, but late autumn leaves me feeling deeply divided.

On the one hand is the cold and the grey and the fog. These are unwelcome enough by themselves, but knowing they are merely a mild harbringer of what's to come makes them even more unpleasant. My thoughts don't easily skip to joyful anticipation of snow and skiing and chalets and wood fires - which is kind of sad, as I love all of these. Instead, I find myself hunkering down, steeling my mind for the long wait until winter is over. Or else actively planning for spring:

But then, when the sun finally clears the fog, the sheer beauty is undeniable. And for a couple of hours - or even a whole day if we're lucky - I wouldn't change anything for the world.