🚢 November '24
Battening the hatches, Some ERL, and the classic seasonal guide for November.
Finally, the breathtaking beauty of autumn has hit us here in north Alabama. Leaves have gone from green to gold, the thickness of the air has been cut through with cool mornings and very pleasant days. There is something about the change of the air that has me reevaluating rhythms and how we go about our days. What do we really want to be doing with our time.
Every now and then I have this feeling about our family like “THIS SHIP IS GOING DOWN. BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES. ALL HANDS ON DECK” Lately this feeling has been coming to me in the form of our third child…Who will be turning 5 next month.
You see, back when we were young, new parents with energy we had “Myers Family Meetings” with our older two kids. These meetings were talks about our family values. They included tea and dessert (a necessity for meetings with children.) Their favorite part was acting out different scenarios of behavior. “Ok. First show us the way Myers kids behave in such and such situation (going to a friends house, if mom says “time to go” but you are not ready, if someone takes a toy from you…) Now show us how Myers kids DON’T behave. This was their favorite part. Well, I realized this week we have never had a family meeting with our 5 year old. 5 YEARS OF NOT INTENTIONALLY GOING OVER VALUES. Of course he is taking the ship down. What else would you expect.
So this weekend we did some course correcting with Myers Family Camp. I had high hopes and large expectations until on Friday morning I woke up sick. So it has been way less involved and exciting but we went over basics and connected in the evenings around who we are as a family. I have fresh wind in my sails as co-captain and am hoping we can say “Steady as she goes” at least for a bit.
We all need to pause from the ins and outs of everyday occasionally and ask ourselves: Are we on course here? One book I have returned to that has great inspiration on how to do this is The Lifegiving Home by Sally and Sarah Clarkson.
Here are some other things we are reading, eating and listening to
Reading : On the podcast we are going through Home-Making by J.R. Miller. Really taking a deep dive into:
What is the foundation of the home?
What role does each person play?
How can we best care for and love one another
I am also reading Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Calllahan. Taylor just finished the classic Jurassic Park and pulled Teaming With Microbes back out….
We are going through Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer with our small group.
Watching: Anne of Green Gables and braiding hair with Virginia.
Listening to: Josh Garrels. He gives off major Autumn vibes. Taylor and Wendell went to see Cory Wong at the Ryman in Nashville. He had Couch open the show and they did a great job. Also, Theo Katzman. Apparently, he stole the show.
Eating: Trader Joes tomato soup (Truly haven’t found a better boxed soup.) Grilled Cheese and a Salad makes for a no brainer lunch or dinner.
November’s Seasonal Guide:
👨🌾 Garden To-Dos
❄️ Floating row covers! Have them ready. These will be used to protect your plants from the upcoming frosts and freezes.
🧄🧅 November is your last chance to plant garlic and onions. Last year I planted on the 2nd of November and they all turned out fine!
🥕 Generally, root crops like carrots, beets, winter radishes, and turnips can be stored in the ground throughout winter as long as they are mulched and covered with an extra layer of straw. Similarly, chard, chinese cabbage and leaf lettuce can be mulched and kept in the garden until ready. Many of these crops get sweeter after a frost or two. I say “generally” because every few years we get a really deep freeze and that can throw a wrench into what is normal. If the ground freezes, root crops will freeze and be ruined once they thaw. However, if you mulch heavily and cover your garden on these really cold nights, these crops should be fine. Last year, we dipped down into single digits multiple nights in a row and stayed under 32 degrees for a few days. My garlic and onions made it through just fine.
🥦 Keep harvesting your brocolli, cabbage, kale, collards and Brussels sprouts throughout the month as its ready. They will get sweeter as the weather turns colder.
🍅 Some folks might still have summer produce hanging around their garden. If so, this is the last call for harvesting any remaining tomatoes or peppers. Green tomatoes can be brought inside to slowly ripen indoors.
Timely Tips
✔️ Any outside pots, particularly terracotta pots, should be cleaned, dried, and taken inside out of the weather. Otherwise they are prone to cracking. The changing temperatures and freeze/thaw cycles that will inevitably come are hard on these pots.
✔️ Before you store any lawn equipment or garden equipment, it’s not a bad idea to oil your gas powered equipment, oil and sharpen blades, and service any equipment that needs it. Better to do it now than wait until spring when everyone else is doing it.
✔️ Order your seed catalogs now to start planning for garden planting in January.
✔️ Save fallen leaves for mulching in the garden throughout the year. I’ve been known to collect bagged leaves from the curb around my neighborhood!
✔️ If you are overrun with leaves, consider making/starting a compost pile. Fall is a great time for that.
✔️ If you have fruit trees, be sure and keep the ground underneath them clear of any fallen fruit. Take some time to go around and pick up any fruit that has fallen on the ground. This ensures you aren’t harboring diseases or pests and also not encouraging rodent issues.
🍊 Shopping Guide - What to look for at Market
If you are in a community that has a year-round farmer’s market, take a second to be thankful. Many close during the winter months. Also, take some time to stop by and go shopping. Some farmers actually take the summer off and grow through the winter. You might be surprised at the variety of produce you find at your local market during the fall and winter months.
Crops in the cabbage family, such as broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, collards, kohlrabi and cauliflower, take on a sweeter, smoother taste after having a few nights of colder weather. This includes arugula, a salad green that is extremely peppery when grown in hot weather. However, when grown in cooler weather, it’s flavor is much more mild and smooth.
Root crops like carrots, winter radishes, and turnips also take on a sweeter and milder flavor after colder weather settles in.
Farmers will be harvesting sweet potatoes around this time as well. Unlike the crops mentioned above, sweet potatoes can develop off flavors if left in the ground during colder weather.
Satsumas! It’s that time of the year :)
🌕 Lunar Calendar
While we now have the comfort of winter coats and indoor heating, early settlers in Northern America faced the perilous risk of freezing to death during the harsh, dark winters. To ensure their survival, American colonists and Native American tribes relied on crafting warm winter clothing from beaver fur. Thus, November's full moon earned the name "Beaver Moon." As beavers diligently engaged in dam construction during this month, it signaled the opportune time to begin harvesting their valuable fur. This year the full Beaver Moon will begin to rise on the evening of Friday, November 15th and reach it’s peak shortly after cresting the horizon.
📅 Calendar of Firsts
A calendar of firsts serves as a meaningful tool to celebrate and connect with the ever-changing rhythms of nature throughout the year. Its purpose is to document and acknowledge the first occurrences of various events and natural phenomena that mark the transition of seasons. By recording the first blooming flowers, migrating birds, or changing foliage, individuals deepen their awareness of the subtle shifts that unfold in the natural world. This heightened observation cultivates a sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our environment. Moreover, a calendar of firsts invites us to engage in a deeper relationship with the natural world, fostering a sense of connection, mindfulness, and gratitude. It allows us to truly immerse ourselves in the present moment and develop a greater understanding of the intricate cycles that shape our lives and the world around us.
November First’s to be Looking For:
Remember these are general examples for zone 7 in the southeast US. Specific occurances will depend on your regional climate and conditions. Keeping a personal calendar or journal will allow you to capture the unique experiences and observations of each month in your region.
First dip into the 20s? Have you dipped into the 30s yet? We have!
First hard freeze
First bite of fruit cake
First bite into a satsuma
First camellia bloom
First ladybug swarm - Usually happens on a warmer day after near-freezing temperatures occur in the fall.
Before you go!
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🎧 Morgan and I do a podcast. Listen here: A Common Life Podcast