Garden Appreciation

Thursday is garden day, for re-envisioning and planning next steps to create a sanctuary here for nature and my family. This is also a day when I have both my grandsons, and I want to be sure to get them into the garden and into nature. 

November is a significant month for a wildlife garden because it's generally the turning point for the first frosts of winter. This fall has been VERY warm, as was last year - we still have roses and raspberries in mid-November - but the rains have begun in earnest.

I've been enjoying an extended new moon cycle, the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new. 

 

Today:

1. Read "Focus on the Good Stuff"

2. Bird and squirrel watching

3. Feed the birds

4. Add to my wildlife garden habitat

5. Regenerative vegetable garden tasks

6. 

Nature-Culture flow and kid projects

7. Education and advocacy plans

8. This week's garden plan

St. Martin's Day

Martinstag, November 11, is the day of St. Martin of Tours, patron saint of beggars, soldiers, and conscientious objectors.

Martin was born in Hungary in 316 A.D. As a teenager, he joined the Roman army, becoming a soldier like his father, and traveled to what is now Italy and France.

The most famous legend of St. Martin is of his time as a soldier: One snowy winter evening, Martin and the other soldiers were returning on horseback to Amiens. A freezing beggar was sitting at the city gate. Martin didn't have any money or food to give him, so he used his sword to cut his heavy red soldier’s cloak in half, and gave half to the beggar. That night Martin dreamt that Jesus thanked him for giving Him his cloak. This dream convinced Martin to become a Christian and be baptized. 

Martin remained in the army for two more years, but then he decided that his faith prohibited him from fighting, and he was jailed as a coward. He was eventually released from prison and from military service, and went on to become the bishop of Tours in France. He died peacefully on November 8, 397 A.D., and was buried on November 11, among the first non-martyrs to be venerated as a saint.

Originally Martinstag was celebrated only in the Catholic areas of Germany, Austria, Flanders, Netherlands, and Portugal, but it has now spread to Protestant areas as well.

Wednesday is my day to re-group and re-define my week. First I make a plan for getting over the bump of the mid-week, then I re-envision my emotional tone and perspective.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new. (After a socially overwhelming weekend I need to retreat!)

Agenda today:

1. Re-group plan

2. Read "The Exquisite Risk"

3. Problem-solving

4. New narrative for generosity

5. Writing themes

6. Gift list brainstorm
7. Bake Weckmänner (Bun Men)

Holiday Mindset

The holiday season is upon us. I'm planning for Thanksgiving, making Christmas gifts, and preparing for advent.

My top four tips for keeping these next months special are:

• Keep the main thing the main thing: Be clear on my holiday intentions and set priorities each week.
• Focus on savoring experiences like good meals, nature walks, and decorating together.
• Communicate early with everyone involved to confirm  schedules and priorities. 
• Don’t overspend on gifts; instead, make as many as possible and buy used books and toys.

Tuesday is my receptivity day of the week, when I look at my social and emotional self and make an effort to shift my perspectives around how I view and treat the people in my life.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new. (After a socially overwhelming weekend I need to retreat!)

Agenda: 

1. Holiday mindset

2. Read "How to Deal with Anger"

3. My anger journal

4. Family Teamwork

5. Abundance journal

6. Squirrel plans

Retreat for Home and Body

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and how I will step up for the Natural Living Challenge.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new. (After a socially overwhelming weekend I need to retreat!)

Agenda:

1. Read "Simplify Your Space"

2. Giving each thing a home

3. Health habits

4. Set intentions

5. Abundance journal

New Kindly Moon and Diwali

Tonight is the night of the new moon. The Chinese call this tenth new moon the Kindly Moon. In China, this is the season for winter crop planting, and this month brings the first “little snow” which gently (and kindly) moistens the winter wheat seedlings. We don't have snow, but we've had a kindly bit of rain.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new.

In late November everything begins to slow down, and I try to remember to be more aware of time flowing; to find the right tempo for each activity; and to transition calmly. Advent will bring a wealth of activity, so take time this week to savor the changing season. Remember, as Waverly Fitzgerald says in Slow Time, that time is "much more fluid and mysterious than I had imagined."

This is also the start of the five day Hindu Festival of Diwali, which falls on the new moon of late October or early November. Diwali is the festival of good luck and prosperity- one of the most important festivals of the year for Hindus. On Diwali, people wear new clothes, clean and decorate their homes, go to fairs with music, dancing, fireworks, jugglers and snake charmers, and give gifts to each other.

1. Retreat Day

2. Choose a month theme

3. Puja for prosperity

4. Read "Focus on the Good Stuff"

5. Start an Abundance Journal

6. Make almond katli

7. Write a gratitude

Saturday for Brainstorming

Saturday is my day for proaction: Proaction is taking initiative to anticipate and shape future events rather than simply reacting to circumstances as they happen. Some people think Covey should've just used the word ACT, but proaction requires a thought: "I could do this or I could do that; I choose to do this."

This is the time of the waning crescent "balsamic moon" - the final yin phase, a pause that marks the end point in this cycle. Now we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work, renewal, and self-care. This is when I dream and brainstorm about the next moon theme, renewal, and goals.

Agenda Today:

1. Brainstorm for next moon

2. Weekly "First Things First"

3. Proaction and reciprocity plans