“Oh, Canada …”
Just kidding. N, my friends, is for North. North America, northern hemisphere, northern lights, north pole, mountains, snow, winter white, the element of earth, the tarot suit of the pentacle.
Here in Canada, north is Arctic. It is the land of the midnight sun, icebergs, polar bears and the Aurora Borealis. Winter lasts a long time in the north. And as I now know from my adventures outside of the lovely temperate pocket of the Pacific Northwest, snow is something the rest of Canada sees for more than just a few days.
It makes me think of bundling up against the cold; of warm sweaters, thick blankets, hot chocolate and comfort food. I think of cozy fires, and gatherings of family and friends around large tables of hearty food and hot drinks.
Animals of the north include hares, foxes, bears, wolves, whales, seals, and various varieties of birds. Our plants are evergreens such as holly, pine, cedar and ivy.
The Greeks named the north wind Boreas. And that is as far as I’m gonna go with correspondences.
I’ve been told to expect that snow will come to Calgary by mid-late October (where I’m from, winter doesn’t really arrive until late November). Soon summer will fade and autumn will come rolling in. When the days start to grow cold, I think I will begin getting the knit-wear for this winter made up. Toques, scarves, mittens and socks are top of the list. And then perhaps some solstice gifts and stockings.
A Less Travelled Path 