October Mama Message

“Honor the hands that harvest your crops."

- Dolores Huerta

Cold weather has come early to the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountains.  We have had serious snowfall already, and the animals are on the move.  The leaves have been freeze-dried and are falling, blanketing the landscape with their texture and muted colors.  Fruit still hangs on some trees and bushes, frozen before being harvested. Snow rests in drifts in the shade, and stubble in the fields shows the marks of the machines that were used to harvest before the snow fell, yet the Farmer’s Market and local farms are full of color and bounty.

The children want to spend much time outdoors, while the adults are starting to prepare for more time inside.  The two-year-old pulls off his hat when the wind blows, wanting to feel all of the air on his face and in his hair.  The six-year-old wants to rake, or jump, or ride for hours.  They notice the changes that are happening all around them, but without analysis or questions.  It is just part of their ever-changing world, and they accept all of it with ease.  I point out the beauty of the changes and the colors, and they look at me quizzically.  It doesn’t need to be said, as it is an extension of who they are.

I am deeply grateful to be a part of my grandsons’ lives, and to be in this extraordinary setting where nature is part of their life in such a profound way.  I am also aware of how few children are getting this time in nature and witnessing the changes of the seasons.  Our busy schedules and distractions remove us from the cycles of life.  We want to be entertained and amused if we have free time.  I’ve even gotten out of my own rhythm with the seasons. I have been distracted by the newness of my environment and with too much travel as we settle into a new home.  I realize I haven’t even set up a nature table in the new house.  It’s time to return to our fall traditions…

 Harvest is a universal activity around the world, with festivals and celebrations in every country.  Some families live and breathe harvest time with their work or farm life, yet the vast majority of us have become very detached from the sources of our food and fiber.  We need to make sure that this next generation understands the connections, has a foundation of love and reverence for nature, and honors the cycles of life.  Children naturally resonate with plants and animals, and can enjoy all aspects of harvest no matter where you live.  A nature table is a simple way to bring a few items from outside into the home.  You can set up a small scene with just a beautiful cloth, some branches and leaves, stones or seeds,  and other items from nature.  The Nature Corner: Celebrating the Year's Cycle with a Seasonal Tableau, by M. V. Leeuwen (Author), J. Moeskops, is a sweet book that has lots of ideas to get you started.  I love that anyone can bring awareness to nature with this simple idea wherever you live! Your children will come up with suggestions as well.  Make sure to add some aromatic herbs, bark, branches, or berries.  Bay laurel, Douglas fir, and rosemary are some of my favorites, and can benefit us physically and emotionally.  The scents that children are surrounded with will be familiar to them throughout their lives, as our sense of smell is the first sense that we experience.

 There are corn mazes and pumpkin patches in our neck of the woods right now, and regardless of where you live, seasonal activities abound in the city or the country.  Your children (and you) will appreciate time just playing in the sun, wind, rain, or snow… and with the leaves, fruits, animals, dirt or mud!  You don’t need to plan a thing, as nature is always a child’s favorite playground… if given time and space.  We need to keep ourselves open to the sights, sounds, tastes, and scents of the great outdoors.

Enjoy this special time of year!