Top Ten Green Tips for Hunkering Down

The leaves are indeed scattering as mentioned in Donald Hall's poem "The Hunkering" and the temperature here in Northern Virginia has taken a definite dip.

How are you going green in preparation for the nippy air? Here are my suggestions: ten green tips for hunkering down.

10) Use a rake instead of a leaf blower. Never mind the benefit of quiet Sunday morning unpunctuated by the roar of the blower, the smell of the gas: think about the gazillion calories (okay, 240) you can burn while raking up those rogue leaves.

9) Check cracks. No, not those cracks and get your mind out of the gutter. The cracks, for example, that allow you to see light through the CENTER of your front door. You can unplug your cellphone charger and change your lightbulbs all you want, but if freezing air is creeping in under, or through, for that matter, your doors, those other change ain't gonna do squat. So check cracks, or as Energy Star calls it: engage in some home sealing.

8) Sew up one of these bad boys. Abso-fricken-dorable. Send me your pics, you crafty mamas who I salute, envy and bow to...I'll link to or post them.

7) Now, while the weather is still decent, take those comforters out of storage, hang them over your clothesline and beat them silly. Let the fresh sunshine and crisp air liven those duvets up and then, come evening, hunker down underneath and breathe.

6) Gather ye recipes. Frequent your farmer's market. Even if yours isn't open year round, you may still have another good month to go before they close until spring. Squash, tubers, and the like are all abundant this season. Chop them up and slip them into some soup. And while you're at it, make some grilled organic cheese sandwiches to go along with it. Yum.

5) Get thee to the Library. My bloggy friends (like here and here) have been going ga-ga with fall-related book recommendations. And this just in...Winter Trees will soon be going to press. In the meantime, stick with Autumn. Nothing like hunkering down with a good book and a cup of that aforementioned soup.

4) No, I do not work for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. I wish I did though. I might get as much Pumpkin Spice coffee as I can drink. Attention Green Mountain Coffee Roasters...will blog for coffee. Indulge in some pumpkin-y coffee goodness and know that it is fair trade to book.

3) Knit, purl, or single crochet. I hate to jinx myself, but I am almost finished with my first crochet project EVER. There. I probably will now never finish the adorable hat for Green Husband. Go nuts at the wool store. I have just given you permission.

2) Walk, walk, walk, even in winter. Continue to get those 10,000 steps in during the day by taking advantage of crisp, not pea soup, weather. Take the stairs at work, park a little further away from the entrance of the shopping mall, or take a stroll around the neighborhood as the evening light fades. Hunker down but remember...you are not hibernating.

and the number one green tip for hunkering down:

1) Rumor has it that hospitals tend to see sharp increases in the number of births nine months after a crippling snow storm. Some call it an urban myth...I call it better safe than sorry. ; )