Seasonal Living: Autumn Edition
"Our very being, essence, health and happiness depend on Mother Earth." - David Suzuki
For me seasonal living may mean
something different than it does for you, but we can all live with intention. For
me seasonal living means filling my home with touches of autumn, switching out
my wardrobes, eating warm and nutritious foods, and slowing down. For me it
means wrapping up in cozy sweaters and boots. It means doing outdoor
activities: pumpkin patches, corn mazes, farmers markets, etc. And as you read
last week it means making herbal remedies in preparation for the colder months
which it turn means more hot herbal tea to keep my immune system in check.
The remedies I made last week
are coming along nicely; they still need more time to macerate, about 3-4 more
weeks until I can strain them and bottle them up.
For me autumn means turning
inward, refocusing my attention on me. It means being more mindful and living
in the present moment. It means harnessing the energy of season, embracing this
energy and realigning myself with Mother Earth. It means listening for the
lessons she is offering us. It means being aware of my surroundings. It means re-calibrating my system to come into balance with this new season. It means
slowing down and living with intention.
Let nature be your daily
guide this autumn. Embrace all five of your senses.
Go outside.
Breathe in the air.
Feel the temperature on your
skin.
See the Sun’s shining rays
through the trees or buildings.
Listen to the sounds happening
around you.
Take it all in and notice how
it makes you feel.
“Look deep into nature and
then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein
We can all see the changes in
nature that comes with the season of autumn. There is constant cloud coverage,
we can feel the moisture in the air, that sometimes breaks way to blue skies,
but mostly it just leaves us with the question: “Is it going to rain today?”
The ground is constantly damp
and covered with fallen leaves, yet the leaves that still cling to their tree’s
branches are radiant. There is a crisp, wet chill to the air that has us all
reaching for our fall sweaters. Earlier in the week I took one night to swap
out my spring and summer clothes for my fall and winter clothes. Away went the
summer dresses, shorts and bathing suits and out came the sweaters, cardigans
and scarves.
With the cooler weather I am
more inclined to go out and do fun outdoor, fall activities before it gets too
cold. I also believe that autumn is a time for yourself and your immediate
family (and for me that includes some immediate friends who are basically
family). This autumn I wanted to be active in making plans to do fall
activities, so I made plans with some friends and family members to explore
different places and participate in the traditional fall activites. As the
months get colder the less and less I will want to venture outside of my home in
search of activities to do. Are you the same way? When the temperatures drop do
you stay bundled up inside?
This morning I went through a
corn maze over at Szalay’s Farm in Peninsula, OH. We twisted and turned our way
through the spooky maze, where each numbered pumpkin was a different haunted
scene. Every new find was a victory in our books. Eventually and successfully,
I might add, we were able to find our way out after finding each numbered
pumpkin.
Pumpkin selecting was the fun
part. After making our way through the semi-crowded isles of the market we each
found our perfect pumpkins. I opted for a couple of the mini pumpkins and two
smedium sized pumpkins and a gourd for my kitchen. I recently added a witch’s
broom and cauldron to my hutch decorations and thought a couple of pumpkins on
the floor may make it seem a little witchier! <Grin>
Just taking a walk through the bone yard, I hope they rest in pieces...
Autumn is also a time to slow
down and take stock. What is it that you want to accomplish? When I ask myself
this I have to sit down with my notepad and favorite pen and make a list. I am
a notorious note taker. Constantly running through lists and jotting items
down. There are lists scattered all over my house, my job, and even my phone.
So of course when it comes to making monthly goals for me I have to make a
list.
I have been reading this
business plan book on how to formulate and write a business plan. It has definitely
been an interesting read. One thing I have learned from this book is that goals
need objectives. Not only do you need to set goals for yourself but you also
need to have a plan in place to achieve those goals; a tangible plan, one that
is laid out in front of you and will get you to where you need to be, a road
map of sorts. When you can look down, read the goal and flip the page over and
know how you plan to get there. Having clear, defining objectives set alongside
my goals has been a game changer for me. I accomplished many of my goals last
month. The other day I sat down and worked on my October goals and those are in
place, along with a plan on how to achieve those goals.
Slowing down for me means turning my attention
inward and practicing more restorative and slow flow yoga routines. My body is
getting stiffer as the season changes. I can already
feel my back muscles beginning to stiffen with the changing of the weather. I
walk and bend over all day caring for small children and this leads to back
stiffness and soreness. To help this I've slowed down yoga routines and
practice with intention, minding my stiff muscles and move in a way that makes
me feel good (even if that means I change up what I am doing as opposed to
following along with the instructor). My foam roller has made its way into more
of my daily routine. After work I take about 5-10 minutes, while I watch TV, to
roll out my back and legs. This feels oh so good afterwards and for specific
pressure points I lay on an old lacrosse ball, from my lacrosse playing days,
and breath into that spot. I focus my energy and breath into those specific
sore spots and wait for relaxation to melt in. I also make it a point to lay
flat on my for about 5 minutes every night, to help realign myself... plus it
just feels good. In yoga this pose is done at the end of the practice and is
known as Shavasana or Corpse Pose. Put on some relaxing music, calming smells and melt into the mat; allow the earth to support your back, feel its energy
flowing through you.
Now that I am back to work I
have limited time to fit in a daily practice, so I have opted to add in either
a mat Pilates or slow flow yoga routine as part of my morning routine. They are
15 minutes in length and are just long enough to get me moving in the morning.
Plus they help out in my goal of shredding some pounds. Then I will also fit in
a nightly meditation of reading a spiritual book and doing a slow flow yoga
routine. My girl Adriene has videos of all sorts that are perfect for these
changes. I also throw my own routine into the mix; consisting of twists, folds,
three rounds of Sun Salutations (because things come in threes), a low lunge
sequence, a few bridges, cobblers pose, supine twists and to end if Shavasana.
These routines have been a blessing to my morning routine and for my days. Some
days I struggle through them (I’m beginning to blame the gloomy weather on
this), some days they leave me energized and ready to begin my day.
Autumn for me is a time for a
more natural way of living.
Over the course of the past
four years I have turned to a more natural way of living. God put plants on the
Earth to help us. Now not all plants are friendly, some are poisonous, but a
lot of them are there to help us. They can be made into tinctures (potions),
tonics, infusions, and teas; as well as be used for nutrition and put into many
dishes that we eat. I firmly believe natural medicine is the way to go, as long
as it is done in a safe and knowledgeable way. I have done much research on the
subject of natural remedies and natural living, but by all means am I not an
expert. I just like sharing my journey with you, in hopes that it will inspire
you to do your own research and turn to a more natural way of living.
According to the Farmer’s
Almanac website the autumn seasonal vegetables include:
Broccoli tomatoes
Green beans peppers
Eggplants summer squash
Corn and I added butternut squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash
to the list
Seasonal eating means eating
seasonal fruits and vegetables and buying these items from locally grown food sources throughout
the growing season. It also means incorporating wild plants into your seasonal
dishes. Not only does seasonal eating and buying locally contribute to the
local economy it is also better for the environment and provides more
nutritious and flavorful food for your dinner table. I am still working my way
through the foraging course, I’ve moved on from wild plants to wild herbs and
it is quite fascinating. I believe I mentioned previously that the course has a
unit on incorporating these plants into prepared foods. I have not tried any of
them, but I promise to update you when I do.
One way to get more in tune
with wild plants is to get out more and pay attention to your surroundings,
notice things and spot the changes to nature. Another way is to learn how to
identify wild plants and maybe even learn to cultivate them and use them in
your own meals. Purchase reputable field guides and use them on hikes, in your
back yards or just wandering the open fields. I like Peterson and the Herbal
Academy also has some lovely resources.
"Take a quiet walk with Mother Nature. It will nurture your mind, body, and soul." - Anthony Douglas Williams
I’ve been going on quite a
bit more hikes recently, as it was basically the only thing to do all summer. I’ve
been going on these hikes with one of my very close friends who grew up in the
area and hiking the trails many times. She is very knowledgeable in identifying
certain plants and she has been helping me to identify some of the plants we
begin to see in autumn. It has been not only a fun time, but also a great
bonding time for us.
Margaret Boyles states over
on the Farmer’s Almanac website that “By
seasonal living, I mean fully inhabiting your natural environment and letting
your environment inhabit you. You can live seasonally even in urban settings,
even if you spend your working hours in an office cubicle without windows.”
To eat seasonally prepare
dishes that best suit the use of these seasonal vegetables. This week I will be
making Pumpkin ravioli in apple sage butter sauce with roasted brussel sprouts
and Moroccan butternut squash soup. I picked up a couple of apples and the
brussel sprouts for the first meal while we were at Szalay’s. I will get the
ravioli and sage from Aldi. In the past Aldi has had a prepackaged pumpkin
ravioli around this time of the year, I hope to find it again this year. I will
pick the other items up at Kreiger’s and Aldi as the time comes to make them. I
have this is better than purchasing everything at once and having stuff go back
before I even get to use it and it seems to be working better.
Also as the months get colder
I will begin to eat more homemade vegetable soups, using organic produce,
organic stocks and broths, and organic herbs and spices. I use clear broths (vegetable
and chicken) or beef bone broth, a variety of organic seasonal vegetables and a
variety of herb spices. Throw them all into a pot together and cook thoroughly.
Enjoy nutritiously.
Fire Cider
is another recipe that I have come across quite a bit this autumn, so I thought
I should include a blurb on it.
Fire cider is a tonic that
has been used for generations as a remedy to ward of sickness and promote
optimal health. It is made with a plenty of healthful herbs that macerate in
unfiltered apple cider vinegar for a week or more.
Ingredients:
1 quart unfiltered apple
cider vinegar 5% acetic acid (with the mother)
1/3 C each of grated
horseradish and ginger
2 Tbsp dried, powdered
turmeric root
½ dozen cloves, minced garlic
1 small chopped onion
2 dried hot peppers (or to
preference of heat)
1 large lemon, sliced
Variety of dried or fresh
leafy herbs: oregano, rosemary, sage, parsley
Whole spices: cinnamon stick,
allspice berries, whole cloves
Dried fruits or sliced citrus
fruit
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a
large canning. Liquid should cover herbs by an inch or two. Seal cap tightly,
if the cap is metal place a piece of parchment between to keep the cap from corroding.
Let mixture sit for a few weeks to soak. Strain off plant matter from liquid.
Sweeten the liquid with honey to taste. Honey blends the flavors nicely.
How to use*:
- Some herbalists recommend taking a tablespoonful of cider tonic every day throughout the winter months, swallowing it right off the spoon, or adding it to a cup of juice or hot tea, perhaps with a bit of honey. If you take it neat, remember that the acidic vinegar can erode teeth enamel, so swallow it quickly and rinse your mouth afterwards.
- Others use it as a gargle at the first sign of a scratchy throat.
- Mixed half and half with honey, it makes a good cough remedy. (Don’t feed honey to children less than a year old.)
- Use it as you would plain vinegar in dressings for salads or cooked vegetables, in marinade and vinegar-based sauces.
* This section was taken directly from the Farmer’s Almanac website. See the full article here.
“My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature.” – Claude Monet
So folks in closing tend
to your body, mind, and soul this autumn. Take afternoon walks which will aid
in digestion and allow you time to recharge your batteries for the rest of the
day and provide you with physical , take naps which are in my opinion beneficial
to your overall mental health and they help with brain fog, and read which for
me helps mend the soul and nurtures the mind. Just make sure to get
outside and be more aware of your surroundings, identify plants watch a plant
grow and this just may make you begin to care more about these things and
understand the impacts that we humans have on the earth and other humans and
critters.
Love yourself. Love your
family. Love the planet. Live seasonally.
Namaste, my friends.
xo
Kelly
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