Marking the Autumn Equinox

And just like that, the world softens into this easy, golden glow.

Today we celebrate the Fall Equinox here in the northern hemisphere. It’s the official beginning of autumn on the calendar.

A little autumn fun in my garden at Juniper Hill Cottage.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean summer has packed up and left. Not here in the high country in Northern Arizona, where warm afternoons still linger and gardens keep producing, even as the mornings and evenings begin to turn fresh and crisp.

We are very fortunate here to have a long and gentle Autumn season that usually stretches well into December, punctuated by a few fits of winter along the way. The sun remains generous and the Ponderosa pine forests hold their steady shade of blue-green.

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Everything feels luminous right now. The trees are glowing with color. The sun slants lower in the sky yet still is warm on your face. The air carries that unmistakable freshness of change. Children head back to school, birds feast on late-summer bounty, and nature gently begins her shift toward rest.

This turning point has always been my favorite, and the most invigorating, of all the seasons.

My hope is that today brings you a spark of that same energy.

Take a moment to breathe in the change, notice the light, and let yourself be carried by the rhythm of this new season (even if summer is still hanging on).

Avoid the temptation. Don’t rush towards pumpkins and turkey dinners.

That will all come in time.

For now, slow down, use all your senses, and treasure this shimmering in-between.

Ibis-the-yellow-lab having a little cozy sit on the front porch.

I’m working on a piece for next week: 14 Ways to Embrace the Shorter Days of Autumn. Stay tuned!

Happy Fall Equinox to you, my friends.

With contentment & possibility,