My autumn... well... datewise it's from Lammas to Samhain. But August doesn't feel like autumn :-D And I am divided because I do feel Mother knows best, better than our calculations, traditions, and calendars. Basically... one could think that autumn is when most trees have changed colors. But... that seems to be happening later and later every decade, and I am not going to wait for October to celebrate Autumn. I would miss Mabon! So - from Lammas to Samhain it is, and I am going to explain August as "the first days of autumn that feel like summer still", just as the first days of spring feel like winter etc.
Different definitions of autumn:
- astronomical - begins at Autumn Equinox, ends at Winter Solstice
- meteorological - here it's "Summer is when the median temperature of days is over 10°C five or more subsequent days", so when the median temperature sinks below 10°C. In the USA it's "June, July, August"
- write an autumn bucket list
- write a list of 92 things you love/like about autumn
If you don't get 92 things on your list, don't worry. Write as many as you can think of.
- commit to taking a photo on each day of Autumn according to this list of your personal favorites. This is why the number is 92. If you didn't get 92 things, don't worry about it, just take more photos of some of your favorites.
- clean your home for winter. There are several "fall cleaning" checklists and suggestions online.
- decorate your home
- prepare your wardrobe for the transition.
Create a fall capsule wardrobe fit for your lifestyle, activities, and purposes.
On my list is "tweed promenade suit, 40's felt hat, plenty of patterned tights, brogue oxfords with a heel, leather gloves"
Check the sweaters and cardigans, let them air in the crisp autumn air, and start wearing them.
Get a pair of good, comfortable, classic fall boots you will be wearing for the rest of your life, and a pair of boot socks.
- Knit something. Learn to knit. On my list is a white, soft Aran sweater and a fair-isle set of a vest and a cardigan. And a tam.
- Take the "week of dressing dangerously" challenge.
Look at all the clothing styles people have, all the costumes, all the tv-series and everything where people wear clothes. Pick five favorites. Pick five of the costumes or outfits you wish you had or could wear or would wear "if..." If you were skinny or curvy. If you were tall or short. If you were a man. If you were in your favorite fantasy world. If you were your favorite superhero. If you were a rock star.
Get yourself these outfits/costumes.
Wear them a whole day, as if it was your normal attire.
On my list
I do have the Japanese "oil from plastic" machine on my shopping list... and then I will be making oil. But until I get one - or build one - there are other things to do.
There was a list of some 25 things you could do this fall with your husband, but I can't find it :-( There were really nice ideas.
There are also "fall dating ideas" lists. Go through some and pick things that sound reasonable to do with your spouse.
Go on a date every week in the Autumn
* build a home theater (within our resources, naturally. It might not be much more than rearranging the living room so that the television and comfy chairs are "strategically" placed with the coffee table - but that alone would improve the movie and tv watching time together.)
* build a fake fireplace (to be able to cuddle in front of the fireplace and to decorate the mantel)
* make a "cuddle kit"
Compile a collection of spooky stories
Host or attend a fall festival with fun games, crafts, and prizes!
Invites friends over for chili night
Have a sock knitting bee
Learn orienteering
Learn the Thriller dance
Make 30 autumn cards and send them to people
Make a pinecone weather station
Have a board-game night
Play hide and seek outside
Play pumpkin bowling
Prepare the balcony for winter
Find five scents that feel like autumn
Learn to solve puzzle cubes
Surprise someone you love with a fall-colored mum
Take a walk in the rain, without an umbrella. Don’t resist the urge to jump in puddles
Visit a craft show with friends
Visit a haunted house
Visit Skogskyrkogård
Celebrate National Potato Day, 19/8
Celebrate the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival 15/9
Stay up late and watch the harvest moon 16/9
Celebrate Oktoberfest 17/9-3/10
Celebrate Mabon 22/9
Celebrate Rosh Hashanah 3-4/10
Celebrate Yom Kippur 12/10
Celebrate Sukkot 17-23/10
Have a teddy bears' picnic 27/10 (The International Teddy Bear Day)
Have a Halloween bonfire with hot apple cider
Have a Halloween masquerade party with apple bobbing
Build a Dia de los Muertos altar
Collect autumn leaves
Plant Lily-of-the-valleys for Independence Day
Create an autumn nature table
Enjoy autumn
Go apple picking in an apple orchard
Go indoor apple picking
Go for an early morning walk and watch the sun rise on a cool, crisp day
Go to a leaf hunt
jump in leaf piles
Make a fall leaf maze
Make a nature shadow box
Make land art with leaves
Play conkers
Play with a fall sensory bucket
Look for signs of fall
Play fall "I Spy"
decorate an autumn cake
Get 8 Sabbath boxes and start filling them. (I want 8 big boxes with all the Sabbath associated stuff in, and nothing more.)
Do some Autumn crafts
The following is from my personal bucket list, so not autumn related
Write - I have a couple of books I need to write on my list
Paint china
Improve my French
Improve my German
Learn the basics of all Celtic languages
Learn Latin
Learn hula-hooping
learn whip cracking
learn baton twirling
learn herping
learn juggling
learn to brew cider, mead, ale, wine
illustrate
translate
reconnect with high school friends
build a baker's cabinet
make 3 baskets in different ways
make 3 beaded works
learn leather work
learn flower work
learn bone carving
create a cactus tray
create a terrarium
create a bonsai tree
make 30 books in 30 days
make 10 different kinds of candy
Different definitions of autumn:
- astronomical - begins at Autumn Equinox, ends at Winter Solstice
- meteorological - here it's "Summer is when the median temperature of days is over 10°C five or more subsequent days", so when the median temperature sinks below 10°C. In the USA it's "June, July, August"
- write an autumn bucket list
- write a list of 92 things you love/like about autumn
If you don't get 92 things on your list, don't worry. Write as many as you can think of.
- commit to taking a photo on each day of Autumn according to this list of your personal favorites. This is why the number is 92. If you didn't get 92 things, don't worry about it, just take more photos of some of your favorites.
- get better at photographing.
- Search "[name of the month] photo/photography challenge". There are dozens of suggestions online. Pick your favorites, print the list and cut it into strips, and put the strips in a bowl. Every day of Autumn, pick a strip and take a photo.
Yes, it's a lot of photos. But it doesn't take more than a couple of minutes top most to snap a photo of a thing. It doesn't need to be the greatest photo in the history of photography. It doesn't even need to be a good photo. Or a photo you are proud of. Or a photo you like. It just needs to be a photo of something.
- Start an Autumn journal
- a bit like "December Daily", though this is "August/September/October Daily"
- illustrate it with your photos-a-day.
- make the pages like an art journal, "Project Life" page, or a scrapbook page.
- make a page every day
- there are different journal prompts around, "project life" prompts, etc. Use them.
- write down the best part of each day. This doesn't need to be perfect, amazing, inspiring or even good. "best" means "the least bad".
- start a gratitude journal - write this, too, in your autumn journal
- start writing morning pages. Write these to separate pages and add them to your journal.
- keep a nature journal or notebook. Write down the weather and nature phenomenon you observed. For this you need to take a nature walk every day with your camera... so we'll get both practice with the camera and exercise in the list just like that :-D
- Pick a beautiful tree and take a photo of it once a week from the same spot, to see how the seasons change. Pick a tree with beautiful autumn colors, like maple or aspen. Rowens are nice too, with their berries.
- "Sharpen your Observational Skills through Drawing" - again, it doesn't need to be good. The point is to sharpen your observational skills, not to make art... and that you will get better with drawing is just a bonus. ;-)
- "Think about the “seasons” of life, and write a letter to yourself about what you will savor about this season"
- clean your home for winter. There are several "fall cleaning" checklists and suggestions online.
- decorate your home
- prepare your wardrobe for the transition.
Create a fall capsule wardrobe fit for your lifestyle, activities, and purposes.
On my list is "tweed promenade suit, 40's felt hat, plenty of patterned tights, brogue oxfords with a heel, leather gloves"
Check the sweaters and cardigans, let them air in the crisp autumn air, and start wearing them.
Get a pair of good, comfortable, classic fall boots you will be wearing for the rest of your life, and a pair of boot socks.
- Knit something. Learn to knit. On my list is a white, soft Aran sweater and a fair-isle set of a vest and a cardigan. And a tam.
- Take the "week of dressing dangerously" challenge.
Look at all the clothing styles people have, all the costumes, all the tv-series and everything where people wear clothes. Pick five favorites. Pick five of the costumes or outfits you wish you had or could wear or would wear "if..." If you were skinny or curvy. If you were tall or short. If you were a man. If you were in your favorite fantasy world. If you were your favorite superhero. If you were a rock star.
Get yourself these outfits/costumes.
Wear them a whole day, as if it was your normal attire.
On my list
- tree
- Victorian femme Doctor Who
- goth
- gypsy
I do have the Japanese "oil from plastic" machine on my shopping list... and then I will be making oil. But until I get one - or build one - there are other things to do.
- have a “earth day” every day – 1 hour of no electricity
- use water as if it was a rarity
- use electricity as if it was a rarity
- get a bike
- start walking at least one hour every day
- get a monthly bus pass and get to know your town.
- get good curtains for every window – black curtains and thick side curtains
- turn off lights
- unplug items not in use
- get more houseplants
- plant more trees
- keep the electric appliances clean
- learn to use no fire cookers
- minimize your belongings – take the 100 things challenge. Only keep things you love and that make you feel good
- eat more veggies and fruits. Have at least one vegetarian day every week.
- eat more locally produced and organic food
- write a food plan and keep it
- stop throwing food away
- cook from scratch
- eat less
- shorter showers
- take the stairs. Elevators and escalators use electricity.
- get compost and start composting everything that can be composted
- recycle all your garbage
- start cleaning your environment. “roska päivässä” movement
- change electric appliances to man-powered, crank, or treadle powered
- use fewer dishes and wash them by hand, air dry
- use fewer clothes and use them wisely. Get work clothes and use clothes-protecting items like aprons and sleeve covers. Air your clothes often, and wash them less.
- buy minimally packaged goods, and make things of the packaging
- eliminate disposable products - make reusable pads, reusable produce bags, reusable handkerchiefs, reusable shopping bags, sandwich bags, reusable bowl covers for the fridge etc.
- check how to use cloth instead of toilet paper (this is VERY EXTREME)
There was a list of some 25 things you could do this fall with your husband, but I can't find it :-( There were really nice ideas.
There are also "fall dating ideas" lists. Go through some and pick things that sound reasonable to do with your spouse.
Go on a date every week in the Autumn
- spend a whole morning in bed
- write a fall bucket list together
- go reading together in a park with sammies and wine
- go tossing a frisbee
- make a kite together and go flying it
- build a fort in the living room and have a movie night
- have a ghostbusters movie night
- have a scary movie marathon
- have a Harry Potter movie marathon
- read ghost stories to each other in candlelight
- make a quilt together for snuggling
- have a game night
- go to a market, buy things and come home to cook something with those things
- cook a romantic dinner together
- bake together
- go to a flea market, secondhand, etc. buy a piece of furniture and fix it together
- go on a bookstore date
- go on a sunrise or sunset date
- go shopping for some fall decor and things
- go picking some natural elements that can be used to make fall decorations with, and make fall decorations together
- make an autumnal gingerbread house
- go to a picnic in a romantic place and play in the leaves
- get bicycles for both of us and go on a biking tour with a picnic basket
- go bowling
- go play pool
- go hiking and camping, spend a night in the wilderness and watch stars together, by a fire, in a blanket, and make s'mores
- get a new hobby together (I chose cabinetmaking:-D)
- learn a foreign language together (I chose French)
- learn to dance with my spouse and go dancing
- learn to give massage and give each other massage
- paint each other's portrait
- go tour your home town; either take a guided tour or find out information to share with each other
- learn to play an instrument together (I chose guitar)
- learn to play a new card game
- practice yoga daily together
- go on a "day trip" (I chose a zoo nearby, which is going to take the whole day.)
- take a CPR/first aid course together
- learn to make candles
- make candy together
* build a home theater (within our resources, naturally. It might not be much more than rearranging the living room so that the television and comfy chairs are "strategically" placed with the coffee table - but that alone would improve the movie and tv watching time together.)
* build a fake fireplace (to be able to cuddle in front of the fireplace and to decorate the mantel)
* make a "cuddle kit"
Compile a collection of spooky stories
Host or attend a fall festival with fun games, crafts, and prizes!
Invites friends over for chili night
Have a sock knitting bee
Learn orienteering
Learn the Thriller dance
Make 30 autumn cards and send them to people
Make a pinecone weather station
Have a board-game night
Play hide and seek outside
Play pumpkin bowling
Prepare the balcony for winter
Find five scents that feel like autumn
Learn to solve puzzle cubes
Surprise someone you love with a fall-colored mum
Take a walk in the rain, without an umbrella. Don’t resist the urge to jump in puddles
Visit a craft show with friends
Visit a haunted house
Visit Skogskyrkogård
Celebrate National Potato Day, 19/8
Celebrate the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival 15/9
Stay up late and watch the harvest moon 16/9
Celebrate Oktoberfest 17/9-3/10
Celebrate Mabon 22/9
Celebrate Rosh Hashanah 3-4/10
Celebrate Yom Kippur 12/10
Celebrate Sukkot 17-23/10
Have a teddy bears' picnic 27/10 (The International Teddy Bear Day)
Have a Halloween bonfire with hot apple cider
Have a Halloween masquerade party with apple bobbing
Build a Dia de los Muertos altar
Collect autumn leaves
Plant Lily-of-the-valleys for Independence Day
Create an autumn nature table
Enjoy autumn
Go apple picking in an apple orchard
Go indoor apple picking
Go for an early morning walk and watch the sun rise on a cool, crisp day
Go to a leaf hunt
jump in leaf piles
Make a fall leaf maze
Make a nature shadow box
Make land art with leaves
Play conkers
Play with a fall sensory bucket
Look for signs of fall
Play fall "I Spy"
decorate an autumn cake
Get 8 Sabbath boxes and start filling them. (I want 8 big boxes with all the Sabbath associated stuff in, and nothing more.)
Do some Autumn crafts
The following is from my personal bucket list, so not autumn related
Write - I have a couple of books I need to write on my list
Paint china
Improve my French
Improve my German
Learn the basics of all Celtic languages
Learn Latin
Learn hula-hooping
learn whip cracking
learn baton twirling
learn herping
learn juggling
learn to brew cider, mead, ale, wine
illustrate
translate
reconnect with high school friends
build a baker's cabinet
make 3 baskets in different ways
make 3 beaded works
learn leather work
learn flower work
learn bone carving
create a cactus tray
create a terrarium
create a bonsai tree
make 30 books in 30 days
make 10 different kinds of candy
