A Peaceful Place

 

Picture of Elbow River taken off of Highway 66 - J Hirst

For some folks, Autumn, and specifically September is a time of turmoil before things settle down.  For me, September and indeed all of the autumn, is a time of excitement and change.  I love the changes of September almost as much as I love the changes that happen in the spring.

I like to go walking through the woods in the park as the leaves start to tumble down.  I like to crunch them because the sound is like that of crunching up paper to throw away.  We crunch up paper when we are not happy with what we have written, and we throw the page away and start anew.  To me, autumn is the crunching up the paper to start something new.

I have started several jobs in the Fall during my career. The timing has been perfect for me and has always been a positive action.  The energy of autumn with harvesting grain, fruit, vegetables, and even animals (hunting season) lends itself to humans so that things get done. This makes it easier to change from one employer to another.

When I find that life is getting too hectic, I look for a peaceful place to go to so that I can sit and be calm and let pent up energy go.  When that energy is released, my body also releases stress.  I am able to breathe with the flow of the wind through the trees or with the motion of the water.  Sometimes, I can look skyward and see flocks of birds and I will release the energy with the soaring of the birds.   

Each of us has a different idea of what a peaceful place looks like.  The trick is to find the place that speaks to you.

Many blessings,

Judy

September 1 2026 Autumn

 

September tells us that Autumn is here.  Indeed, the leaves started turning beginning about August 20th.  It is also the month of the Autumnal Equinox.  

Here is the information from the Farmers Almanac:

The 2026 fall equinox in the Northern Hemisphere arrives on Tuesday, September 22, at 8:04 P.M. Eastern Time (00:06 UTC on September 23). This moment marks the astronomical start of autumn, where day and night are roughly equal. 

Why is September 1 important?  For farmers raising grain, September 1 is the signal that there is a limited time to harvest before the rain and snow starts.  In Calgary, we have had several snows happen in early September.  For ranchers, it is the signal to head out to round up the cattle that have summered in mountain pastures.  Round up is usually the first or second week in September.  On this side of the equinox, the daylight is shrinking.  For hockey players, it is time to get serious about training and lacing on the skates for the pre-season games.  For most children/young adults, schools and universities begin classes.  Some schools even start the last week of August in our area.  Often, organizations start their new fall programs in September for things like bowling, pool, swimming, yoga, qi gong, painting, curling, etc.  For many of us, it is a time of harvesting our gardens, freezing, canning, or making juice.  Generally, we try to be finished by Equinox. 

Upon finishing the harvesting, people gather to celebrate a bountiful year with feasting and socializing.  These events happen at the time of Equinox.  The old name for Equinox was Mabon.. a time of preparing to move from the light of spring and summer into the darkness of fall and winter.  

What ever you are doing this September, remember to take time to give thanks for being here to move into Autumn.  Give thanks for friends and family and all that you have.  

Blessings,

Judy