Welcome Autumn

It's Knitting Season Again!

Ahh, it's in the air... eh, you know all the cliches. Actually, for me, it's in my lips! Last week, in the middle of the day, suddenly I knew the season had shifted and WHERE IS ALL MY LIP STUFF??

All summer I was finding assorted Burt's Bee's Peppermint and Bloomsburg Fair Maple Syrup lip balms (anybody going to the fair? Will you pick me up a new Maple Syrup balm, up the aisle to the left of the main gate?) and tossing them into the dish on my dresser, wondering where they all came from, happily forgetting the desperation I would feel when first I needed them again. And then snap! The need was at work, the lip balms were at home, and I realized autumn had arrived.

Last night was the Autumnal Equinox, so I included a little essential oil and Autumn Intention observance in pilates classes yesterday and today. We sniffed Black Spruce and/or Sweet Orange, and I posed some questions during class such as:
* What have you been sowing all summer, that you can harvest now?
* What are you missing, that you can look for, or forage for?
* What do you appreciate?
* What do you long for? 
* What do you want to purge or cut away this season? What won't store well over the winter?
* After Samhain/Halloween, we're done with the harvest. What kind of energy do you want to take into the rest of the season until Winter Solstice in December?
* What do you want this Autumn?

Another thing that comes with Autumn besides chapped lips and intentions are colds. Yucky, cold, drippy colds. Sheesh. But there are lots of things you can do to help move them along:

• Blow your nose! MUCH better out than in.
• Breathe Easy tea by Traditional Medicinals was very helpful during my recent congestion
  
• Neti Pots, if you don't have an upper sinus infection. You don't want to introduce moisture to sinuses that can't drain.
• Face steams: pour about a pint of boiling water into a bowl, drape a towel over your head and lean in to breathe. Even better, add 1 single drop of Eucalyptus essential oil to the water before you do the towel fort thing.
  
• Spicy food can really open up sinuses! So can hot soup.
• Try Fire Cider, it's awesome. (That's a link to making it) If you're prone to respiratory things, put some of this up now. If you want to buy it, I strong urge you to avoid the brand Shire City. If you want to know why, read more here.
  
• Lots and lots of water. The body needs fluid to flush out the debris created by our immune systems.
  

So harvest up the last of your tomatoes, pull out your ankle boots and long sleeved t-shirts, and let's welcome our next season. I'm sure there will be some warm days ahead to say goodbye to Summer, but there are pumpkin whoopie pies and fresh apple cider (spiked with a little caramel vodka!) waiting for me. Welcome, Autumn!

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