Connecting with Nature and Embracing the Changing Seasons in the City

Today marks the Autumn Equinox, the beginning of a new season and different pace of nature. Leaves will begin to change color, the sun will set sooner, the breeze will feel chillier, and cozy sweaters will be pulled from closets. It’s probably my absolute favorite time of year. Lately I’ve been feeling a deepening connection to nature and the cycles of the seasons. In our modern world, where artificial light reigns and eating seasonally and locally is not technically necessary, I’m starting to notice a craving for a slower pace more in tune with the land’s natural rhythms.

Though I currently live in the “concrete jungle” of Chicago, I’m fortunate to have a small sliver of the wild within walking distance: the Nature Boardwalk at the Lincoln Park Zoo. At the boardwalk, they’ve done an awesome job of cultivating a small ecosystem where native plants and animals can thrive.

Ryan and I have become regulars on the boardwalk, going at least once a week, taking notice in the small and sometimes dramatic changes in prairie grass and wildflowers. During one visit, it might seem like the plants are dying and fading away, only to explode with color from a new dominant plant just days later. You could walk through each and every day and always find something new. Bumblebees, monarchs, dragonflies, herons, sparrows, beavers, (cute doggos on walks)….life is booming along the boardwalk. It feels special just to witness it.

I’ve also recently found a lot of joy in reading one of the classics: Walden by Henry David Thoreau. The book is basically a diary capturing his experiences and understandings of life and nature during the year he spends living alone in a tiny cabin in the woods. So much of the book is spent describing the often unnoticed and simplest patterns of nature. He recounts an intense battle between red and black ants, closely studies the way bubbles form in the pond ice, praises the taste of wild raspberries, and spends hours just listening to the sounds of the trees and birds. You can sense his deep respect for nature, from the tiniest ant to the tallest tree.

One of the quotes in Walden that really spoke to my heart, was this:

“Live in each season as it passes, breathe in the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”

Dang. As Anne Shirley would say, this sounds just…so...romantical! lt really inspires me to stop and appreciate the little moments and joys of every season. So much so, that I felt motivated to hand letter and illustrate an 11x17 art print (which is now available in my Etsy shop in 3 colors!)

We can either fight nature and the changing seasons, or we can respect the earth’s natural rhythms and follow along. I, for one, look forward to the coziness and colors of fall! And ALL the pumpkin-y things.

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What are some of your favorite things to do to embrace the fall season? Is it a family recipe, a favorite movie/book, a certain tradition? Share below!