This year’s Autum Equinox falls on 22 September at 14:30 BST.

The equinox is when the center of the Sun crosses the Earth’s equator. The length of that day for most places is slightly longer than 12 hours, length of night slightly shorter than 12 hours, but overall, it’s that time of balance of daytime to nighttime. Telegraph explains the science well.

In most cultures with ancient roots across the world, there there is the marked definative transition of seasons, humans have acknowledged and celebrated the transition with varoius rituals and … foods, yes, celebratory foods, usually after a period of restraint and reboot of our digestive system.

In start of celebration of the Autumn equinox, we had meat-free day and a simple vegetarian dinner consisting of (I am sorry – I should have taken photos but … they disappeared so fast…):

Tofu/2 ways (age-dashi & Atsu-Age with green onions and red peppers)

Grilled cauliflower in olive oil with lemon zest/infused garlic

Buckwheat noodles made from Burdock roots (soba noodles with detoxifying root veggie:) dipped in light dashi broth with Nori, sea veggie:)

& we are stuffed and still feeling light – stuffed & light, how is that possible, right? !

This week we did not get the veggie box but our thoughts are with those farm workers who actually harvest those veggies to bring to our table – smoke filled air or not, the workers had to be out there on the fields picking the fresh fruits and veggies we consume. Cultivating attitude of Gratitude this Equinox as we head into Thanksgiving season in couple of weeks. (AND yes, the election before … If you have the priviledge, duty and the rights to – please exercise it by VOTING !)

Locally, Here’s a way to help the United Farm Workers in California: Here’s the link

For the Autumn cleanse, we are to eat rainbow colors of vegetables – meaning variety variety variety upwards to target 30 per week to strengthen our digestive fires. 30 ! Gratitude even more for those who brings us the abundance of plant nutrition, in spite of the winds, dusts, heat and literally, smoke …