I can't believe it's the sixth moon in this journey already! On the land in my special place, I perceive a sense of gathering and dimming, and a call to slow down.
I had a hard time getting out of my head as I walked to my special place this moon. There is so much going on in my life right now that's it's difficult to be mindful and present. So I walked slower. I focused on sensations: the feel of the earth beneath my feet, the sound of water in the creek, the colors of the earth, plants, and leaves, and the good damp smell of earth and plant life. It smelled like it had just rained, even though the earth was dry.
What is first communicated to me is a gathering and a dimming. I had thought there would be more open space, but the very warm fall has resulted in more leaves staying on the trees. They are just starting to fall, and to develop their autumn colors. Instead of pure green, the land now showcases vibrant shades of yellow, orange, red, and brown. While during the summer the plants were exploding with growth and exuberance, they are now gathering their energy. Their growth has slowed or stopped. Buds have come and gone, and now seeds are beginning to form in some plants. The land is communicating to me that it is time to gather energy and strength, not spending it outward but collecting it close to ensure survival over the winter and a successful growing season next spring.
The land also communicates a sense of dimming. The quality of light has changed; the blazing bright summer rays of sunshine have dimmed down into a less intense, more gentle glow. The colors of the leaves, from green to yellow, orange, and red, are vibrant, yes, but they also seem more muted than they did last moon. The very bark on the trees and the soil beneath my feet seems less of a rich brown, and more of a light tawny color. The bird calls are now few and far between; they are not seeking a mate or raising nestlings but gathering food in anticipation of less hospitable winter days to come. Some birds have already flown away, I have seen them migrating away from here in recent days.
I perceive the dimming and gathering as I watch the land closely, and feel the gentle rays of the sun on my shoulders and face. I interpret what is being communicated as a broad gathering of energy, and a dimming down of color, light, and outward exuberance. It is time, it seems, to turn inward. I remember my land-based teachings from last month, and look closely at red berries, green moss, a white mushroom, and the many shades of color displayed in a single leaf, branch, or tree. I see how the orange brain fungus is dimming and shrinking away.
As I manage to relax and settle down into my body and out of my head, as the nourishing forces of nature soothe me, I start to perceive another very strong communication: Slow Down. I have no idea how this was communicated. I just became aware all throughout my body and in my brain that the land was very clearly and emphatically directing me to just. Slow. Down. Since I visited my special place, I have been turning this idea of slowing down over and over, reflecting on my life, and what I should do with this teaching. I have been thinking long and hard about how it was communicated - and I still don't have any answers. I just know that the land is calling for me to slow down.
Peg dolls are my trusty avenue to express what I am learning on the land. I have gathered small bits of nature to guide me: gorgeous lovely acorn caps, rough and splintered bark, a whisp of wasp nest, and close pictures of the colors of the leaves. I only ended up using the acorn caps with the peg dolls, but I love how they turned out; this is my favorite set so far.
If I had to choose just one peg doll to act a symbol for my winter moon count, it would definitely be the red-brown one on the top row. I love how just one leaf clings to its cap, and I enjoy how its serene smile seems to indicate that it is ready for a rest after an exuberant season of growing. This peg doll, to me, is slowing down.
Preparing to play in cooler weather
Though outdoor play time can start to shrink as the days get shorter and colder, there are things you can do to extend that play time and make it more enjoyable! Read on for three ideas to support outdoor play time as summer turns into fall.
1 - Make sure you have warm outer clothing on hand
To have fun outside, you need to be warm! In my experience, parents who work full-time sometimes don't quite realize how cold it can feel when playing outside in the early morning or late afternoon. Just walking quickly from a vehicle to a heated building doesn't convey how the cold can seep in, and children are built differently; their bodies are less able to accommodate for colder temperatures. I ask all families to leave a set of mitts and a winter hat with me. That way, they do not get lost in the shuffle of home to childcare and back again each day. So, parents have a set for home, and one which stays here until spring and summer come again (then we trade the winter gear for sun hats!). I also make sure to have a set of clean mitts and hats on hand, so if anyone forgets I have a backup.
2 - Don't put all the 'summer' toys away
In the first years that I ran my family day home, or family childcare program, I wanted to take care of the outside toys and maintain a tidy space. I put all of the ride-on cars in the garage, took down the hammock, and put away things that seemed to me best for summer. And then I had my third child, an August baby. When he was born, I was too busy to put our outdoor things away like I usually did. They stayed out. I felt bad - I felt guilty, like I was wrecking them or being irresponsible. And then something amazing happened.
The children played with those toys each and every day, all throughout the fall, winter, and spring! There was never any need to put them away. Why not swing in a hammock even if there is spring in the ground? I quickly realized that the value of these items did not end when the cold and snow came. Yes, they might not last quite as long, but I am more than happy to replace a hammock if it gets wrecked by weather over the years. Better to be played with all year than to gather dust in the garage!
3 - Keep planning to have activities outside
Cold weather doesn't mean that all the fun summer toys have to be put away, and it also does not mean that all the fun summer activities can only happen when it is warm. I love having fall or winter snack outside! As long as it's warm enough to take mitts off for 10-15 minutes to eat, it's warm enough to have an outdoor snack. While I never quite figured out how to accommodate a winter nap outdoors, as they do in many Scandinavian countries, we strive to have snack outside whenever we can. As an added bonus, this means less kitchen cleanup for me!
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