I love the picture above. It of course evokes the time of year, and it has a certain magic to it. But what it brings to mind for me is how the seasons transform us. 

In spring and summer we wear less clothing and are physically more active. Outdoors is our go-to place, and we plan our time around going and doing: camping trips, beach days, bike rides, etc.

This time of year we go more inward. Our clothing gets heavier and more encompassing, like our lovely leaf-goddess. We plan indoor activities, and life gets somehow smaller, and of course colder.

And colder temperatures leads to eating more comforting foods. Not to mention that we are on the cusp of the holiday season, which brings its own transformations...like it or not.

Holidays bring out the best and worst in us. On the one hand we find our generosity this time of year. As Santa swings his bell outside the grocery store we donate. We donate to food drives and toy drives and dig deep in our pockets to help others. We have big reunions with our families and make an effort to connect with and understand each other. We give gifts by the carload.

However, most of us know that this time of year we simply eat too much. Thanksgiving and Christmas aside, as soon as the weather drops we begin to eat sandwiches instead of salads at lunch. Cheese seems to show up in more dishes, and suddenly we're baking. Butter is back on the bread sometimes... Does any of this resonate with you or am I simply writing True Confessions here?