Health

Most animals have three choices to survive winter: migrate, hibernate, or cope with freezing temperatures. Many birds (and some humans) choose to migrate south to warmer places. Bears fatten up and sleep through winter in their dens. But aquatic animals have an extra challenge: freezing water. Few animals can withstand being frozen because the forming ice destroys cell membranes, so aquatic animals have “cool” adaptations.

October, for me, is a month of winding down. Daylight hours are dwindling - if we’re lucky we can follow nature’s cue and pare back our to-do lists. I love autumn in the garden: summer’s frenetic pace is replaced by a gentler tempo, and all that remains to do is tuck everything in for a long winter nap. With the theme of slowing down in mind, I try to strike a balance between relaxing and preparing for next year. I like to keep it simple and do just enough to set the garden up for success.

Most people are not big fans of change. We often consider those who do not make efforts to change their lives unmotivated or lazy. In reality we often do not consider that change takes effort, our brains like  to do things involuntarily and based on previous patterns. When we try to make changes increased brain power is required thus uses more energy. Additionally, in some scenarios the need to change can make us feel like we are doing something wrong, that our way is not good enough or no longer needed. 

They’re wrong… it’s not… don’t listen… to whom? Those glass-half-full people who have gleefully been telling you since June 21 that ‘the days are getting shorter’ and now that September has arrived, ‘summer’s over.’