Deni Krauss
It’s October and autumn is here! Many of us are looking forward to cooler weather and the fruits and veggies that fall brings. There’s also Halloween at the end of October and Thanksgiving in November — our fall celebrations.
It’s a time of preparing for winter and “hunkering down” for a while.
Autumn, or fall, is about transformation, transition and letting go. The last of the garden fruit, vegetables and flowers are picked and the garden is bedded down for winter.
The crops in the fields are harvested and the soil is turned. The thriving growth of summer is transformed into a slower energy. We are letting go of summer and are moving into preparation for winter.
A time of change.
What do you do to prepare for winter, the holidays, celebrations and cold weather?
Autumn is a time of change; from summer to winter, from hot to cold, from being outside to being inside. We switch our short sleeves for long sleeves and light jackets to warmer sweaters and coats. The days gradually become shorter. And many of us prepare for the holidays that are on their way.
As the shorter days set in and darkness stays around longer in the morning and arrives earlier in the evening, there is a “settling” that happens. We don’t spend time outside in the evening or working on outside projects. We tend to stay inside, and dinner is closer to the end of the day than it was in the summer.
There’s a bit of a slowing down, even though school may have started and it seems as if the kids are to be everywhere — at the same time. There’s more routine in autumn as opposed to the lots of free time and “what do we want to do next” type of thinking.
Living in the country, we often see things like a change in the types of birds that are around. We notice them arriving and leaving — they’re headed south for the winter.
The animals all have their own routines and ways of preparing for winter. Squirrels and blue jays have been storing acorns for months.
Snakes begin to disappear and go into brumation*. Babies that were born in spring have grown in size and many are ready to be on their own. Antlers will begin to drop in the winter.
Our meals change. Fall and winter we eat root vegetables and often make soups, chowders and stews. We also enjoy apples, cranberries, figs and citrus fruit. In the spring and summer, we enjoy more salads and lighter fare.
What changes are you making this fall in preparation for winter? What are you letting go? It’s an interesting inquiry, don’t you think?
Deni Krauss is a transition and grief coach. She can be reached at deni@denikrausscoaching.com, facebook.com/DeniKrauss, linkedin.com or at (415) 516-3035.
*Brumation: What Is Brumation?
Brumation is a dormant state that cold-blooded animals, like snakes, enter to survive winter. As temperatures drop, a snake’s metabolism slows, reducing its energy needs.
Unlike hibernation — which induces deep sleep — brumation keeps snakes inactive but alert, allowing them to conserve energy while remaining responsive to their surroundings.
Snakes brumate in sheltered places like burrows or under the frost line to avoid freezing temperatures. On a relatively warm winter day, a snake may briefly emerge before returning to one of its protected spots.
Credit: Do Snakes Hibernate? Technically No, Functionally Yes | HowStuffWorks
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