This post may include affiliate links and I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Mabon House only features products that I use myself or that I believe my readers would enjoy. Thank you!

Over the years I’ve come to notice that certain moments act as markers of the seasons. The first purple crocus reminds me it’s time to begin spring cleaning, and I find myself naturally decluttering after the dormancy of winter. When the first leaves appear on the trees at the very end of April, I shift outdoors and start tidying the yard. The first dandelions mean it’s time to pull out my sandals. And when the lilacs bloom at the end of May, I finally tuck away my heavy sweaters for the season.

By mid-July, when buttercups start dotting the fields and roadsides, I’m reminded that summer is already more than halfway through—and if I haven’t yet, it’s time to get to the beach and soak in some of those simple summer pleasures.

Not all of my seasonal reminders come from the garden. In late August, when bags of McIntosh apples start appearing on sale, I know cooler weather is just around the corner. That’s my cue to bring the sweaters back out and pack away my sandals and sundresses. In late September I’ll notice the shadows in my kitchen are falling a little earlier in the day, reminding me that winter is just around the corner and I need to get my wood stacked before snowfall. In mid January, when the sunlight begins to linger in the afternoon, I know we’ve begun the uphill climb back to summer.

Most of these moments happen quietly, almost without thought—they’ve simply become part of the rhythm of my life. But this year, after finishing nursing school and feeling disconnected from so much of my life and nature, I need a better sense of grounding and connection. So I’ve decided to begin tracking the little moments that mark the changing seasons. I think this will be interesting to compare from year to year, as well as a way for me to practice staying present. Intentionally focusing on the world around me is something I feel I need even more now, after working busy 12 hour shifts.

There are dozens of seasonal markers I could name—little cues that prompt action, bring comfort, or signal that something new is on the way. If this is something you’d like to try in your own life, I’ve written a full post about starting a nature journal.

I would love to know what kind of seasonal markers you have in your corner of the world.