Fall Bucket Lists

Today is Fall Equinox here in the US. That day of exact equals between daylight and darkness. The official start to autumn, and the day that days start getting shorter than the dark of night, as we go careening into cooler temperatures, making our way toward winter. 

As sad as that descent is, it is also a time of beauty and color as the leaves shift from dark green to vibrant colors. Festivals abound and there's a beauty in the coming briskness in the air. Good time to go on a quest of autumnal outings and adventures. 

Here are a few Fall Bucket Lists from both Dani DiPirro (creator of the Positively Present Instagram page) and Liz Neiman (author of "Love & Marriage & A Baby Carriage" blog) that will have you finding the perfect way to spend your fall days ahead.

Image from https://loveandmarriageblog.com/realistic-fall-bucket-list/ and https://www.instagram.com/positivelypresent/?hl=en

Fall Equinox

This weekend marks the first day of Fall. The Autumnal Equinox.

Derived from the Latin, "equinox" comes from "aequi" and "nox"... meaning "equal" + "night." Based on the tilt of the Earth's axis in relation to its orbiting around the sun, day and night time are equal. That annual event that only happens twice a year--spring and fall. 

So days in the Northern Hemisphere where I am will be getting cooler, getting shorter, and the leaves will start their colorful change.

You can track the daylight hours here to check out the time of sunrise and sunset here at Time & Date. 

And you can learn more about the science behind the fall equinox here at Space.com.

Images from https://www.facebook.com/Frograces/posts/pfbid0jzPDLiKPTFhcGkQzyBVG2ojqeEGLH9FzmbeYx7XTDPyh3CRxTzNqB6KuhvdaSVbul and graphic organizer is from https://slowoutdoors.substack.com/p/hello-autumn-equinox?fbclid=IwAR0xJUmlJ8w78WslvulMivsr7Hcr3wPjPVSsYvBugO3eabivn3H5d-ZJcro

Happy 1st Day o'Spring

Ah, the first day o'Spring is upon us: March 20, 2019. Spring Equinox.

From this point on, days get longer than the night. Why? Because the sun is directly over the equator and will be shifting (due to our planetary tilt) so that the sun shines and aligns more directly over the Northern (versus Southern) Hemisphere. While this all happens, Fall descends on the Southern Hemisphere. Warmth is on the way for those of us north of the Equator.

And who knew: it happens on the same day as the "Super Worm Moon"--apparently, for the first time in 19 years! And... our last "super moon" of the year.

"According to National Geographic, on March 20, the Super Worm Moon will be 223,309 miles from Earth at 3:45 p.m. EST, making it especially close to the planet. Then, at 9:43 p.m. EST, the moon will reach its full phase and appear 14 percent larger and 12 percent brighter than usual."

What are you going to do to celebrate the start of spring?

-Plan an evening picnic?
-Go on a long walk?
-Stand an egg on its end?
-Look for signs of Spring?
-Plant something?
-Eat healthy?
-Renew your resolutions?
-Unplug and step away from your tech?
-Set your table with some flowers?
-Camp out on the patio with a good book?
-Plan ways to get in your 1000 Hours Outdoors for the year?
-Set your sights to the sky to see the Super Worm Moon?
-Night time moonlight hide and seek?
-Have an evening bonfire?
-Make plans to celebrate Earth Hour coming up? (March 30th, 8:30-9:30 pm in your time zone)

I'd love to hear what you choose to do. Whatever it is--enjoy the warm spring winds that are coming your way.


Images from https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2019/03/19/supermoon-spring-equinox-2019-why-moon-shine-brighter-first-spring-night/3209726002/ and  https://www.kidspeakdallas.com/events/first-day-of-spring-2019-semester