Stick Season

Stick Season

My husband and I moved to Vermont about a year and a half ago. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. We love the sense of community and appreciate the slower pace of life. Living in such a beautiful state filled with natural beauty is lovely.

We are learning so much about the traditions, history, and terminology that belong to this dear state. This time of year in Vermont is called “stick season .”It is the time after the gorgeous fall foliage falls from the trees and before the snow covers the ground. Although there are some bright sunny days, there are more days that look (and feel) gloomy. You can hear the musical Noah Kahan sing about this in his song “Stick Season.”

“So, stick season is more or less a literal season in New England, marking the hushed moments between the last fall leaf and the beginning of the winter snow. It is also a reflection on loneliness and introspection, of being left behind and found again.” Lauren Boisvert

As someone who tends to sit in the gloom a little too long, this time of year can be difficult. It is especially hard as the holiday season approaches and the grief of loved ones lost tangles in and out of your heart. The one thing that always seems to pull me out of these feelings is watching how young children have their own way of celebrating each season.

I’ve never met a young child who did not see the magic in an ordinary stick. Adults, on the other hand, tend to walk past them or fret as they see a child swinging them around. For a young child, a stick is the perfect building material for a fairy house, a wand to cast magical spells, a sword to fight a ferocious dragon or something to poke their sibling with. Did you know the National Museum of Play (New York) put a stick in their National Toy Hall of Fame?

If you, too, find yourself sitting in a feeling of gloom for too long, take a little walk outside, fill your lungs with some fresh air, find a stick, and remember what it feels like to be a kid again…