Living Seasonally- Day 5

 

When I first began researching seasonal living it was near the end of summer. The first thing I decided to do was to start observing the changes in nature that were occurring around me. 

The first thing I noticed was the change in daylight hours. We were still in daylight savings time, and as the evenings turned darker earlier I also noticed how dark it was in the morning.

When we switched over to regular time, although it was dark by six, I was happy to see the sunlight when I woke up in the morning. 

The next thing I noticed was our hummingbirds had left for their migration south. I was sad to see them leave, but anticipated their return in the spring. 

Next, the cooler weather began, which is always a nice reprieve from summer. Although, to be honest our summer was quite mild this year. Now we are moving into winter, and Chuck has begun burning wood in our wood stove.  It makes for cozy evenings. 

I’ve found myself drinking more hot tea and hot chocolate in the evenings as well. Now that we are into December my house is decorated for Christmas. However, I did wait until after Thanksgiving to decorate, and enjoyed my pumpkins and turkeys throughout October and November. 

The leaves are finally changing colors, and I’ve even enjoyed watching them fall from the big oak tree in the backyard. 

As I anticipate spring I’m looking forward to seeing that first daffodil pop up in late winter as a tease to more to come. I always enjoy the bright green of new growth on the trees during spring. The wildflowers that fit the roadside are quite breathtaking as well.

I must admit that summer has become my least favorite season here in Texas. This past year I decided not to bemoan the summer heat, and get on with living. Remarkably we had a delightful summer with less intense heat waves. 

I think for me what I have enjoyed about living seasonally is that I spend my time looking for the value of each season, and less time wishing things could be different. It also adds to a more interesting life as you embrace the changes each season brings. 

  

Living Seasonally -Day 4

On the  website Gather and Grow in the posting How Living By the Seasons Drastically Improved My Life the author introduces the idea of rewilding. 

In the natural world rewilding is “a form of ecological restoration.”

“I do this by turning to the natural world to reconnect to ways of living that are more in sync with the way humans are designed to live as creatures in nature.”

This includes making nature more a part of daily living. Being more in tune to the natural changes results in improved “ health and happiness.” 

In Beginners Guide to Seasonal Living by Susan Turvey she gives ideas for how to incorporate specific activities for each season. 

Summer-This is a time to “try new things, embark on adventures, and let things come to fruition.” Summer should be a time of “lightness, high energy and movement.”

Autumn- This is a “time to start slowing down, and taking stock.” It is an opportunity to “integrate all of the beautiful things you cultivated in spring and summer.”

Winter- This is a time for reflection. It’s a “time to take stock of your life; what’s working and what ‘s not.”

Spring- This is the time “to start taking action to become a newer, better version of yourself.”

Living Seasonally-Day 3

 

When you think about it you will recognize how cyclical nature is. Whether it’s the phases of the moon, menstrual cycles, sleep cycles, and of course the changing of the seasons, nature never remains static. 

How to Live in Tune with the Seasons:Benefits of Seasonal Living by Alex G. Shearer in the October 24th posting of Health addresses these natural cycles. 

We cannot function for long in high periods of activity without taking time to rest. Our modern world pushes us to constantly be on the go. We need to spend time outdoors in natural light, but most of us spend the majority of our time inside. 

We stay up later due to electrical lights, and set an alarm to wake up earlier to meet the demands of our day. The result being that we are totally out of touch with our natural rhythms. 

According Helen Carefoot in her article Living Seasonally is a Great Way to Reap Longevity;

“Modern technology has made it much easier for us to adapt to the seasons, ensuring we don’t have to change our behaviors too much as the seasons shift.”

Shearer points out, “We live in a society that values productivity, efficiency, and constant progress…” However, there is a value to “…allowing the ebb and flow of nature to influence our lives.”

Some of the benefits mentioned are:

Escaping monotony 

Connecting with nature

Embracing change

Sleeping deeper

Reducing anxiety 

How can this be accomplished? Shearer recommends things like eating seasonally, embracing cozy winter nights, creating seasonal rituals, and aligning our sleep cycle with the sun.

Living Seasonally- Day 2

 Seasonal Living for Better Health, by Brielle Kelly points out the benefits of incorporating the different seasons in your life as a model for living. 

“By using nature as your guide you can learn how to attune your body to the seasons for optimal health.”

The natural world does not remain the same. Change is always a constant, and nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the changing seasons. 

Good mental health includes the ability to adapt to change without too much difficulty. Plants and animals do this instinctively, but in our modern world we have lost touch with our own instincts. 

Kelly takes each season and assigns it a theme:

Spring- birth and rebirth

Summer- heat, motion and activity

Autumn- harvest

Winter- peace, reflection and rest

Kelly claims that when you align your health with the season, “Your body follows the same patterns and rhythms as the natural cycle of seasons.” 

Living Seasonally- Day 1

 

In learning about the Japanese philosophy of Wabi Sabi I came across the idea of living according to the seasons. Apparently there was a benefit to doing so. Did I actually live according to the seasons or was I guilty of living the same life year round?

What I found was both eye opening and inspiring. I thought I might share some of my findings. 

According to Rachel in her article 7 Powerful Ways to Live With the Seasons Any Day of the Year, “Living with the seasons is the most natural way of living out there…However, most people have fallen away from seasonal living and no longer remember what it means.”

So what would the benefit of living with the season bring? When you begin to notice the changes that each season brings, and adjust your life accordingly you may find yourself more in sync with your own rhythms. Your mental health may benefit from the small changes you make. 

Learning to “live slightly different” with each season whether it be adjusting your diet, your routines, and even your sleep will pay off in your quality of life. 

Taking the time to notice the changes in daylight hours, the differences in temperature and even the type of foliage each season brings will help you to become more in tune with the world around you. 

Let’s continue on this journey as we investigate how living seasonally is beneficial to living a more fulfilling life. 

California Day Six

 

 The day began early as we woke at 6:00, got ready and then went down for breakfast. What would have normally been a less than 30 minute drive took almost an hour. The LA traffic stayed true to form, and we were basically bumper to bumper on the way to the airport. We dropped off the car effortlessly, and made our way up our terminal. Burbank is a small airport easily maneuvered. We had about a three hour wait until our flight. We grabbed a $42.00 sandwich meal (one sandwich, two chips and 2 waters) and boarded the plane in time. You have to actually board the plane from the tarmac at Burbank. Well all went quite well until we returned to DFW and were never picked up by our shuttle. After two hours of waiting, and several calls to the hotel we ended up taking an Uber to get our car. We arrived home close to ten. It had been a long day of travel. 

California Day Five

 Today we traveled to Santa Monica to visit the iconic Santa Monica Pier. After battling the traffic we found very convenient parking across the street for only $10.00. We enjoyed walking the pier, had a yummy lunch at Bubba Gump’s and I even got to dip my toes into the mighty Pacific Ocean. As the day progressed the pier became more crowded so we made our way back to the car. We topped the car off with high priced California gas and returned to our hotel. 

 

California Day Four

  Well as expected we were up by 6:00, but since breakfast wasn’t until 7:00 I went ahead and took a shower and washed my hair. We headed out after breakfast to Yorba Linda to visit the Nixon Presidential Library. Because it was Sunday morning it only took an hour vs an hour and forty-five minutes to get home later that afternoon. I must say that I absolutely fell in love with the museum and was near tears so full of emotion by the end. My mother was no fan of Nixon so it was good to see his life from a different perspective. So many important decisions about our country were made during his term. We also got to tour his childhood home which I always enjoy. After we left we grabbed a bite at KFC and then made the longer trip back home to the hotel. We heated up some left over pizza for dinner and called it a night. 

California Day Three

 

Well the plan today was to drive three hours to the Sequoia National Forest to see the sequoia trees. Well unfortunately like the saying goes, “The best made plans…” When we arrived at the gate we were met by a ranger asking whether we had snow chains. Apparently the only way to view the giant trees was up at the top of the mountain where it had been snowing. Sadly, we along with pretty much everyone else turned around and left the park. We were able to stop by a sequoia sculpture garden and faked a few sequoia shots. We got a good laugh out of it. Not wanting to chalk the day off as a wasted effort we focused on the variety of landscapes we saw along the way-mountains to flat lands to mountains again. We saw cattle, oil wells, and miles and miles of orange groves. We saw vineyards, lemon trees, and olive trees. We stopped by Blaze Pizza for a build your own pizza, returned to our room, ate a snack dinner and were ready for bed by 8:00! We know we will be up by 6:00 rating to go. Except breakfast won’t be until 7:00. LOL!

California Day Two

 We woke up around 6:00, but to our bodies it was 8:00. We went to eat breakfast first, and then came back to the room to get ready. Luckily the Reagan Library in Simi Valley was only about 40 minutes away. Simi Valley is a beautiful community, and the presidential library didn’t disappoint. We arrived around 9:15 and didn’t leave until around 3:00. It was a full day, including lunch at The Gipper’s Grill on site. We both agreed how similar the world was when Reagan took office compared to today. We were very impressed to get to board the official Air Force One, and learned that the Reagan Library was the largest of the presidential libraries being 400 acres. I was also happy to find a souvenir thimble in the gift shop. We returned to the hotel and ate dinner in the room.