November 01, 2023

Autumn To-Do's

Autumn has made its entrance for a while now. All around us, we see the colours changing, and nature is preparing for winter. Autumn is the season in which nature retreats. If we translate nature’s behaviour to ourselves, autumn is a great time to slow down and assess the past year: what was successful, and how do I want to shape next year? Autumn is the ideal season for "slow living". How can you find peace and integrate autumn into your life? In this blog, we'd like to give you some tips.

Spend Time Outdoors

Autumn offers a beautiful palette of colours in nature. Enjoy the scents, colours, and sounds of this season. By taking a walk in the forest, you'll reconnect with nature. Many forests have designated hiking trails. For example, take a trip in the province of Utrecht. Just outside the Utrechtse Heuvelrug (also a beautiful area for hiking), you can spend hours in the woods of the Gelderse Vallei. It's a diverse landscape with small nature reserves, estates, and fields. At the Mon-Chouette tearoom and the Eldorado tea room, you can enjoy homemade pastries and cakes, tea, lunch, and snacks.

Blow off steam on a Wadden island

The beach is also a pleasant place to be in autumn. For instance, you can enjoy the fresh air on one of the Wadden islands. The Wadden Islands have a climate of their own. Rent a bicycle (or an e-bike) on car-free Vlieland and take a ride around the entire island. You'll cycle through the forest, dunes, and along the Wadden Sea, which is a delightful way to clear your mind. Finish with a tasty dinner or a cup of coffee at one of the cosy cafés on Vlieland.

Tip: Bring the Natura backpack to the island and bring your own lunch and an extra sweater with you.

Create a cosy home

Welcome autumn into your home by creating a warm, inviting atmosphere. This can be achieved with simple adjustments. By adding cushion covers in warm autumn colours and a warm blanket on your couch, you can quickly create a cosy autumn atmosphere.

For example, place a dried bouquet in autumn colours and a bowl of walnuts on the table (but be mindful not to pick nuts during a forest walk, as they are food for animals).

Insert cloves into an orange and place the orange in a not too warm spot on a dish. The orange will spread a delightful scent throughout the room. Make sure to insert enough cloves into the orange to prevent it from molding.

Create a coszy corner with a selection of warm drinks like herbal tea, cider, and hot chocolate. Add cinnamon sticks and cloves for a fall flavour.

Candles are the key to autumn cosiness. They provide warmth, relaxation, and a sense of comfort. If you like scented candles, choose warm aromas like vanilla, autumn flowers, apple, and cinnamon. Candles with wooden wicks also create a soothing crackling sound.

Host a potluck

Even though autumn is a time for reflection and introspection, don't isolate yourself from the outside world. For example, invite friends and family for a potluck. The original English tradition of the potluck has been around since the 16th century: you cook for the unexpected guest, the lucky pot, quite literally. About three centuries later, in America and Ireland, the potluck gained its own current meaning: all guests bring their own food and drinks. This way, there is always an abundant meal, prepared with love, without it costing you much time, effort, or money.

Try to use seasonal vegetables and dishes. Typical autumn vegetables include beets, pointed cabbage, parsnips, mushrooms, and pumpkin. Seasonal vegetables are often more nutritious than those that are out of season. When harvested, they have had more time to grow, reaching their peak nutritional value.

This is also a great time to collectively reflect on the past year. Share not only food but also memories. Do you want to do more fun things and create more memories? Make plans with each other for the upcoming year. A fun gathering with friends and family is like a vitamin boost.

Finally, make a routine of a gratitude ritual

Remind yourself daily of what you are grateful for that day. Make it a routine. Buy a beautiful journal or diary and write it down. It can be about all kinds of events, big or small. Who made you laugh today, who helped you, what surprised or moved you? Also, write down why you are grateful for it. By recording these thoughts, you'll have something to fall back on in moments when you feel less secure. It has been researched and proven multiple times: writing down your gratitude makes you more optimistic, sociable, and content. Special gratitude journals are available for purchase. They make this ritual a bit easier, especially if you are starting for the first time. A very pleasant and workable journal is, for example, Mark Ostach' Gratitude Notebook.

"Some things are so obvious that we forget to be grateful for them."
- Cynthia Ozick