The wind that makes music in November corn is in a hurry. The stalks hum, the loose husks whisk skyward in half-playful swirls, and the wind hurries on. – Aldo Leopold

The Moon: The Pumpkin Moon wanes throughout the period, becoming the new Gourd Moon at 4:27 a.m. on Nov. 13. Rising in the morning and setting in the evening, this moon passes overhead in the middle of the day.

The Sun: On Nov. 10, the day’s length is the same as on Feb. 1. This week, the Sun rises earlier than its counterpart in February, but sunset is half an hour later.

The Planets: Saturn in Aquarius sets in the west before midnight. Mars is not visible this month.

The Stars: Summer’s Hercules is setting in the west by 10 p.m., and the Great Square of autumn is moving in behind it. Cassiopeia lies due south of Polaris, its deepest intrusion overhead. Aldebaran leads Orion higher each night. Procyon of Canis Major is just emerging from the east; watch for it at midnight.

Weather Trends: Highs just in the 30s or 40s were relatively rare during the final weeks of October, but with the New Moon on Nov. 7, chances of such cold rose to over 40 percent per night. In addition to its chilly winds, this week brings in the snow season for the region, flurries or accumulation emerging into the realm of possibility, at least a 10 percent possibility per day between now and March.

As most of the leaves are down, the countdown for April gets underway. There will be about 50 days of rain or snow between now and the first daffodils. Something else to count is the number cloudy days; there are rarely more than 75, but rarely fewer than 60. And there are usually 27 totally clear days (with a 9-day margin for error) between the final goldenrod and the first hepatica. Another way to gauge the progress of winter is to count major cold fronts. There should be 30 in all, 20 of which will coincide with changes in the phase of the moon.

The Natural Calendar: This is the middle of the infra-season of Second Spring in the Lower Midwest. When the temperature reaches 60, and cardinals are singing, and the starlings are clucking in the trees, November can seem like April. Waterleaf is strong on the slopes. Celandine is blooming in the alleys, along with a few dandelions, some chickweed, some violets. Seeds sprout in rotting logs. Deer are mating. Now is the time to check the weight of your bee hives to make sure that they have enough honey for the winter. Woolly-bear caterpillars, the latest of the year, hurry across the roads when the sun shines. Sparrows fight for seeds and space. Crows congregate for winter. Bats hibernate when insects have been killed by frost.

In the Field and Garden: Mulch strawberries with straw. Fertilize trees after their leaves have fallen. Photograph or sketch the appearance of your property at this point in the year. Place markers in the different areas of your garden to help identify which perennials grow where. Remove dead stalks from annuals, and mark the areas where they grew, too. Clean up all around the yard. If the weather has been warm, mow the lawn for the last time. Check outbuildings and fences. Set out water warmers for chickens and pregnant animals.

Mind and Body: An overview of the possible effects of seasonal changes on many people:

Late August through middle October: Emotional high, a surge of autumn energy and determination

Late October through November: Gradual breakdown of optimism and excitement about fall

Late November through December: Preoccupation with the Christmas season – sometimes positive, sometimes negative

Late December through the First Week of February: A welcome calm period of winter stability and plans for spring

February through March: Breakdown of winter equilibrium, adjustment to the expectations of spring

April through mid June: Strong mood swings, sometimes as violent as the changes taking place in the landscape

Late June through July: A time of relative stability similar to that experienced in the middle of winter

Late July into early August: Nostalgia about the end of summer, transition to an increase in energy

ALMANACK CLASSICS

Afraid of the Dark 

By Jamie Roof, Kansas City, Mo.

I have only one or two bottle lambs a year. I keep them in the house with diapers on. I’ve learned it’s easiest to let them sleep on the bed with me. They instinctively lie quietly next to me until I get up in the morning. No crying or adjusting.

Or, so I thought….

A black ewe lamb I named Coffee Cake curled up next to me her first night. When I snapped off the bedside lamp, Coffee Cake jumped up and gave an alarmed cry.

I turned on the light to see what she was doing. She looked at me and lay down calmly. I turned off the lamp again, and Coffee Cake nearly fell from the bed in her panic. Lights on restored the peace.

I proceeded to try talking to her and holding her in the dark, but she wouldn’t have it. Only visual confirmation that I had not abandoned her would do. She wanted to see me. I slept with the lights on that first night.

Over the next few nights, I tried in vain to condition the little lamb to sleep in the dark, but it was like arguing with a toddler about the monster under the bed. With a strong nightlight, she slept like a lamb until she was big enough to stay outside.

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