Embrace this season of cooler nights, changing leaves, and pumpkin spice everything.
Autumn here in Upstate New York is a spectacular season. If you haven't experienced autumn in the Northeastern United States, I encourage you to do so. We're currently in the early days of autumn here. Dry, warm, breezy days mix with a few cool, damp and rainy days. The leaves are just starting to change color where I live. The general appearance of the landscape becomes a little warmer in color day by day, as the lush greens of summer start to take on hues of yellow and orange with little pops of red.
In addition to appreciating the beautiful sights, smells and vibe around me this time of year, I tend to start making a natural change in what I eat and my daily routines. Here I'll share with you some of my routines and practices for this early part of autumn, for where I'm located in the Northeastern US.
Food
I tend to eat according to the time of year as much as I can. Since it's still mild during the day, I'm enjoying cooler foods and things I don't have to spend too much time cooking, like fresh salads, smoothies, pasta salad, and oatmeal with berries or apple and pear compote. During the cooler days, I enjoy warming foods like soups, chili, roasted vegetables, and warm freshly-baked breads. This time of year I like adding the warming spices of autumn to my food and drink, like cinnamon, pumpkin and apple spice blends, and ginger. There's a reason it's the "pumpkin spice everything" time of year - these spices are a natural complement to fall here. The farmer's market is bursting with the harvest of the season, and I naturally start eating what's in season. Throughout the season we'll see squashes, apples, greens, zucchini, onions, cranberries, herbs, broccoli, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, root vegetables, and cauliflower (I can usually find beautiful orange and purple varieties, too). Squashes like butternut, acorn, honey nut, brulee and delicata, and many varieties of apples along with apple cider are popping up at the stores now. These are some of the foods that let us know fall has arrived.
Drink
During the warmer days, I like to infuse my water with cucumber, mint, berries and lime juice. Pumpkin spice flavored coffee has also made its way into my mornings, and my daily chilled matcha tea remains. As the days become cooler, I enjoy warmer beverages such as chai tea, herbal teas, and warm matcha tea in addition to room temperature water. I may start to add lemon and ginger slices to my water or brew a warm tea from them, as we start to approach the time of year when respiratory illnesses increase.
Daily Movement
I really enjoy my daily outdoor walks right now and I go on several a day. I enjoy the temperatures and weather this time of year, and when I'm outside I can smell the leaves. Dry leaves and wet leaves have their own distinct smells. Hearing the crunch of dried leaves beneath my feet, or noticing how the colors change each day on the trees brings me joy. I stay active all year long, but particularly enjoy my outdoor walks and do them as much as I can.
Nature
My daily walks put me in touch with nature, but I also enjoy going to local parks or orchards, or anywhere I can be among trees, all year long but especially this time of year. Being among the autumn colors feeds my soul, and it's a time of year I truly cherish. I also really like being at the farmer's markets, apple orchards and pumpkin patches, to be among the beautiful plants that nourish us.
Daily routine
My routine as far as when I wake doesn't change a whole lot during the year because of my work schedule and that I have a dog to care for. During the summer we have over 15 hours of daylight, and I feel much more energized up until 9 pm. In summer, I can still be outside walking or just generally being active well past 8 pm. During autumn, my energy starts to wind down a bit earlier each evening as the daylight hours decrease. I don't fight this, and instead do things that I find relaxing, such as cooking, reading, writing, having herbal tea, or soaking my feet in the evening hours. I wake and go to bed at roughly the same time day each all year long, but I naturally do more relaxing things earlier and earlier in the evening as daylight shortens.
Skin Care
My skin care is actually quite simple all year long, but it does change with the seasons. I still make sure to wear sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and long sleeves and pants when I'm outside for my walks or any length of time. I use a gentle cleanser on my face in the morning and before bed, and transition to a more substantial facial moisturizer this time of year. If you're interested to know what products I use: Pacifica products for sensitive skin (I'm not sponsored by or affiliated with Pacifica). Because this time of year can be drying, I maintain good hydration and nutrition, to feed my skin from the inside out.
Indoor Environment
Soft indoor lighting makes a cozy environment for me, so that's a must this time of year. Around the autumn equinox the sun sets around 7 pm, and by the winter solstice it will be dark around 4:45 pm. So cozying up the house with soft, warm-toned lights is really nice. The fall decorations have come out, so the house is full of pumpkin- and harvest-themed decor. The early fall days are so beautiful that I leave windows open as much as possible to let the fresh air in. I start simmering herbs, fruits and spices on the stove to create a comforting, natural aroma in the house.
Cleaning
Early fall is a great time of year to clean the house and get ready for the winter season. I declutter rooms, thin out the pantry and make food donations, get winter accessories and coats washed and dried, start putting away summer clothes, wash the bed quilts, and do some general dusting and cleaning throughout the house. I love keeping windows open to freshen the indoor space.
As the fall season moves forward, I'll try to do another blog post on my routines and practices then, because I try to live in harmony with the seasons as much as possible.
Jeannette
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