In the midst of so many changes and transitions, I will always love Autumn in New England, even a bit north in our new digs in New Hampshire, and half the week working up in Vermont.
Here’s some of what I have been loving, some old forever-favorites, some more recent additions to the list.
1. The Smells…of fallen leaves. That particular scent takes me way back to every year of my childhood, to so many memories, walking home from school on sidewalks piled with crunching leaves. Seeing the individual red and yellow, orange leaves laid out individually on the ground at times.. looking like they were put there for a movie set. The visuals, yes gorgeous, always. But the smell evokes so much. A montage of memory of so many years, places, people. The nostalgia from the olfactory is physical, it’s in my heart.
2. Macoun apples. The ones I wait all year for. The crunch, the tartness, the whiteness of the inside. A short season when I eat more apples than anyone I know. It’s a little ritual. This is my first apple-season away from our orchard next door to our former home.. a town of four apple orchards. I miss it. Being able to wander over and pick apples as often as I wanted, the clear blue sunshine, the smell of the apple trees everywhere (back to the pleasure and sentiment of scent again). Being amongst so many gnarled trees heavy with fruit.. the smell of the fruit that had dropped that was baking in the sun.. like pie. The best days in that orchard. I still have the Macouns.. they completely fill my crisper in the fridge and every day starts with 2 large apples, my perfect seasonal breakfast.
3. My brand new Kindle Paperwhite. Yes…I love it. My last Kindle, the 2nd generation was a miracle. For a reader like me, a true miracle. Books at the push of a button, being able to carry hundreds with me everywhere. Pure pleasure of reading as much as I wanted, back and forth, underlining, learning new vocabulary words.. such ease. The new Paperwhite.. means reading in the dark. No other lights on. Bliss. I have 7 books going- one of the things that makes me feel most secure is a pile of books (now in different physical form) waiting to be read.
4. The commute between New Hampshire and Vermont. The morning ride every Tuesday around 7 am has been beyond beautiful. The color, the sky becoming lighter and clearer.. fog at certain lower junctions. Singing with my i-tunes sometimes, other times just the quiet and the views. The ever brightening foliage until peak this past week, driving between mountain ranges.
I feel like I am in the arms of the Divine. I know I am. I say prayers of thanks and breathe in the blessings of it all. Living in my senses is both grounding and uplifting.
5. Butternut squash. It’s that time of year to eat orange foods. Thursday night Andy made a new version of his Butternut Bisque.. this one had carrots and apples blended in and was a little chunkier than the old standby. With some Sriracha. And nutmeg and sprinkled with toasted nuts. With a few dry-rubbed ribs on the side. I was just rolling in from Vermont trek and this was everything I could have wanted on a plate, in a bowl.. so nourishing and hit every taste/flavor/sense..
6. Back to black. My little suede boots that go under all my pants. And… a new pair that go higher, scrunch down a little, perfect for skirts, and are made by same manufacturer which means they will also last forever and are completely comfortable. I can never really sacrifice comfort for vanity.. have to have both. Something about black suede boots that pull everything together, every time. Trust me on this. Simple, comfortable, but it all works.
7. Adding weight. No, not that kind. I mean as in burrowing under more blankets, pulling out my favorite sweaters. Andy’s woolen socks for cold mornings. It’s that time. Even though the days are still reasonably warm and the weather has been truly glorious for weeks and weeks, the nights are cool and it’s perfect sleeping weather. Without having to spend a fortune on heating costs. All good.
8. Bright green mat, bright pink mat. If the yoga mat is green, this must be Vermont. Pink means I’m at home. Either way, when the mat is rolled out, everything feels better in the 20-40 minutes of my little self-styled slow flow yoga sequence that is most of what I do to keep strong, flexible, cardio-vascularly fit. It’s just-right, right now. I adore my own yoga playlist on my computer, and the whole routine.. the RITUAL is really what it is (A Daily Essential to speak my Intuitive Body language). And Rituals or little daily ceremonies, things we know we can count on to nourish ourselves are truly essential. They ground us, celebrate us, purify and move energy from every part of us. So much goodness.. early morning for me is a truly beautiful time of day.
9. Walking the dogs. This is brand new. In our old house and town, the dogs had 2 acres of land to explore and prance around in. They had no idea what a leash was. And there were no sidewalks in town, so we never bothered walking them, it was a pain. Here, in our new town, we live in a very walkable town, right outside the center of everything on the main street of shops and beautiful green spaces and parks. And rivers. And waterfalls. And so green vest, and pink vest.. our two little terriers and we head out, our route thru town and up thru the park, above the river way to the top so we can watch the river and the falls. It’s like sacred ground up there. Quiet but for the moving water. Beautiful. I love watching the dogs’ happiness in being out and about, exploring new places. Yesterday we took them “out for breakfast”. One lovely outdoor cafe that serves breakfast allows dogs to be with owners- my little girls happily hung out on their leashes by our feet, enjoying tiny bits of scrambled eggs in the shade, and getting tons of attention from all sorts of nice people.
10. Art and more art and antiques. We live in a town of artists, galleries, an artist colony, and many antique dealers. Strolling through any or all of them whenever I am home, is a luxury. I am very visual, and love the changing array of things to look at and appreciate. Love being surrounded by so much talent and creative juice. This is a gift, and I know has contributed to the increase in creative flow I have felt in many areas of my being, bubbling consciously in certain areas, and just beneath in others. I am always happiest around any creative energy- was raised by two talented creatives, and when my own being is lit up by ideas, and inspiration, I am truly filled with happy life-force energy. Seeing some potential outlets and channels. And lovingly touching all of the beautiful pastels for sale at the local art supply shop. There will be “coloring”.. maybe some sketching.. I have so many pads that I found during the move.. mostly empty, waiting to be used. And here we are, in this town, amidst so much color and beauty. What will emerge from all of this artistic energy, I will allow to unfold in its own way.
And you? What are you loving right now? Is it seasonal or something else? What’s your favorite from the list above? Tell me.
And of course, I am loving, always loving and always inspired by my work. Which is taking all sorts of new forms and expression, including single session consults, and customized plans to fit your needs. Please feel free to email me at Lisa at IntuitiveBody dot com. I will respond usually before 48 hours. Let’s talk.
With love from my heart to yours…
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