Back in September, I talked about the change of seasons here in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Well, it took more than average time to get from “Old Green” to full fall color. September was much warmer than usual—more like August. October finally had nights cold enough and days short enough to prompt a brilliant color season. Vermont, eat your heart out. Even in a national pole, our sparsely populated U.P. beat you in the “election” of the best color in the nation. I didn’t hear any complaints—at least not in the media—from Vermonters crying that the pole was rigged and they actually won. I’d like to hope that people will not rail against the process when the results of a much more important election come in this week.

I also hope that neither side’s “worst case scenario” of fear mongering about what will happen if the other side wins, happens. I’d like to think that Americans can be bigger and better than what they have been recently. But I’m an optimist. My prayer is that the winners will be humble in their victories, and that the losers will accept the outcome and ride quietly off into the sunset.

Meanwhile, November is the month of gray branches and the dark green of trees with needles. Everything else tends to be gray or dull brown. Sleeping, waiting for the snow to come, and come it will. Hopefully more than last winter’s drought of closed ski hills, cross country ski trails, snowmobile tracks too muddy to roam on, and cancelled dog sled races. Yoopers are a hearty bunch. We love our winter sports as much as the summer ones. Only the “between” times of gray before the snow, and mud before the green of spring depress us. An outing on a cold crisp day with bright sun casting long shadows at noon, because the sun is low in the south across a short arc, is every bit as wonderful as a day swimming in Lake Superior. This is the weather of layers: thermal underwear, sweater or sweatshirt, down-lined jacket, hat, and gloves.

I know how to dress for a winter blizzard. But how does one dress for a political “blizzard”? I don’t want to think about that answer.