Season 38
A bouquet of late summer/early fall flowers from my dad’s garden
“If a man has two pennies, he should buy a loaf of bread with one, which will sustain his life - and a flower with the other, which will give him a reason to live.” - Chinese Proverb
HOME
“The season for the soul has arrived.” - Thuy Dao, Her 86m2
Can you feel the change? A cool front moved in this week, and we’re moving into the season that makes me want to run deep into the forest, inhale the earthy scent, feel the rust colored leaves crunch under my feet, and read under the branches of a tall tree.
The winds of change also brought difficult times for our family over the last few weeks. I was reminded that for those who are lucky in this life, there is strength and support in family, friends, and a village to support us in times of need. Children inspire us to be brave and give us reason to hope for brighter days.
When the days seemed too hard to bear this week, I was reminded of this quotation from the video, *Autumn, a Poem in Fragments.
“In three words, I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on. In all the confusions of today, with all our troubles…with politicians and people slinging the word fear around, all of us become discouraged…tempted to say this is the end, the finish. But life - it goes on. It always has. It always will. Don’t forget that.”
- Robert Frost, excerpt from his eightieth birthday celebration speech
Life is unpredictable and sometimes heartbreaking. We are often left to pick up the pieces before we are ready, to push through with eyelids that we have to pry open, hands that are tired, and hearts that are heavy. Nature, children, and animals have always been the inspiration I need to pull me through to see that yes, life goes on. Even if life doesn’t go on in the ways we planned or imagined, even if it takes every last bit of energy we have to push through, the sun will set and rise again. The tides will flow in and out. The moon will continue to wax and wane.
We put one foot in front of other. We look at the sky, the ocean, the mountains and then peer closely into the petals of a flower, run our fingers along the soft moss on a rock, find amazement in a line of ants, listen to the almost silent movements of a fox, and we see that life does goes on.
GARDEN
I’m beginning my research on berry plants to feed the wild birds over the winter. The Wildflower Center has their native plant sale coming up, and I’ll be keeping my eye out for possumhaw, pigeon berry, or some of the other native plants that attract birds.
More plants to attract wildlife
This week I planted Swiss chard to attract finches as well as rue and fennel for swallowtail butterflies.
Our new backyard birdbath with a Water Wiggler for deterring mosquitos
WELLNESS
“So what do we do about it? We leave phones in drawers. Sing lullabies to the baby. Try to get to where we’re going without Google maps. Host friends for tea. Play Qwirkle. Take a walk, watch an ant. Learn how to fix a bike. Run down the dunes. Slurp popsicles. Wave to the neighbors. Write a letter. Watercolor a dog. Tie-dye socks. Spin the tire swing. Get caught in the rain. Live life with both hands, not one dragging a terrabyte of info.
Once, my friend – an elementary school teacher – told me why faculty no longer encourages single file walking in their school hallways. “Too many people to follow,” she said. “The kids never could see where they were going.”
-Erin Loechner from Design for Mankind
CREATIVITY
I might have to try my hand at making *cyanotypes this fall.
BOOKSHELF
This month’s pick for the Austin Public Library YA Book Club was Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas.
I’m not usually one for ghost stories, but this was not just a ghost story. Yadriel, Julian, Maritza and the well-written cast of characters are vibrant, brave (and sometimes learning how to believe in themselves), and have you rooting for them all the way. The book is a deep dive into Latinx culture, Dia de Muertos, what it means to be trans and queer, the struggle to belong, family and why love can heal when we are open to understanding each other. Stories that give teens the opportunities to see themselves represented is such an important gift to the reading community.
Be sure to get this one on audiobook. The narrator, Avi Roque, is incredible. I was stunned to learn in the interview at the end of the audiobook that this was his first audiobook narration. The characters come alive (even the ghosts) with his voice.
Reading: The Personal Librarian ($) by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, Dear Miss Metropolitan ($) by Carolyn Ferrell, Queen Sugar ($) by Natalie Baszile, Harlem Shuffle ($) by Colson Whitehead, and Another Brooklyn ($) by Jacqueline Woodson
Listening to: Clap When You Land ($) by Elizabeth Acevedo and The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together ($) by Heather McGhee
Recently Finished: The Cemetery Boys ($) by Aiden Thomas, Address Unknown ($) by Katherine Kressman Taylor and Margot Livesey, Finding My Voice ($) by Nadiya Hussain, and The Jane Austen Society ($) by Natalie Jenner, Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything ($) by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, Whispering House ($) by Elizabeth Brooks, and Sparks Like Stars ($) by Nadia Hashimi
Up next: Parable of the Sower ($) by Octavia E. Butler, Pride ($) by Ibi Zoboi, and The House on Vesper Sands ($) by Paraic O’Donnell
In case you are looking for book recommendations for kids (or yourself!), gift ideas for all ages or want to peek into my TBR List for 2021, head over to the 52 Seasons Book Shop on Bookshop.org.
COMMUNITY
My mom sent me a photo of a seed library at a local library here in Austin, Texas. I love the idea! I’ve always loved Little Free Libraries. I’m dreaming up ideas of having my own seed and garden-themed book Little Free Library.
A seed library would be a wonderful addition to a community garden or school garden. Here are a few ideas to help you get started on your own seed library.
“Seed Library” Programs Give Away Free Seeds in Public Libraries
(I love the card catalog idea for storing seeds!)
"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." - Desmond Tutu
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