Autumn Equinox

Happy Autumn Equinox!

I love autumn, the chilly mornings and colder nights, the fading and changing colors, the hearty vegetables that come into their own. I am excited to cook all the soups and stews I can dream up, drink all the chai teas, and add a warm layer when I dress in the morning. It feels like a fresh start and I’m already planning projects to work on throughout the season.

Autumnal weather is usually relatively short-lived here in the mountains, where we may see snow by mid-October. This adds a bittersweet tinge to the season for me and I try to soak up every warm day we have. I tend to be cold throughout the year anyway (vata dosha) and so I find autumn and winter particularly challenging. I feel better prepared this year for some reason. I’ve already sorted my wardrobe, rearranged the entryway for better retrieval of gloves, hats, and scarves, and swapped the contents of the coat closet to accommodate bulkier pieces and room for boots and skis. I’ve vacuumed the baseboard heaters, stocked up on bath salts and potions, and am shopping for new cozy slippers (why are they all so ugly?).

In the past, I’ve often felt a season behind and never quite able to catch up. Today though, I feel really happy to be where I am right now.