November 1 All Saints’ Day. Sunrise 7:58am. Sunset 6:23pm. High: 50°F. Low: 31°F. Precipitation: 0.64 in. For the next couple weeks, we lose an additional three minutes of daylight every day.
November 2 Ever want to write a novel? Do it now: NaNoWriMo.org
November 3 The bacteria in your gut have their own circadian clock, coordinated to daylight and meal times. Changing when you eat and sleep can cause gastrointestinal disturbance and weight gain. Take melatonin at bedtime to help sync you and your gut’s schedules, especially around the time changes.
November 4 Daylight Saving Time begins and ends at 2 a.m. In some states, turning clocks back in the fall means an extra hour at bars, which tend to close at 2 a.m. But not here in Utah where last call is 1 a.m., and establishments must be closed by 2 a.m. According to Utah DABC, you have one hour to finish your last drink and get out—before the clock strikes 1 again!
November 5 Object lesson: LaVar Christiansen, one of the most conservative among Utah state legislators (he authored the ban on gay marriage and protections and benefits for same-sex partners), won his 2016 seat by a margin of six votes over Democratic opponent Suzanne Harrison (out of 17,071 cast). Yours may be the vote that makes a difference. Claim your right!
November 6 Election Day: Today is your last chance (or forever hold your peace). Vote.Utah.gov
November 7 NEW MOON – 9:01 am. Start something new today!
November 8 Make chai. Our Anna Zumwalt’s recipe is awesome! In a slow cooker toss in two tbs. black tea, a teaspoon’s worth each of cloves, coriander seeds and black pepper corns, and generous shakes of cayenne, turmeric, allspice, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom seed powder (or 10-15 crushed pods), an orange peel, as availability allows. Add filtered water and simmer. (Leave it on for days, replenishing the water as you harvest, until the chai loses its kick.).
To serve: ladle through a strainer into a mug, over a dollop of honey. Add your white stuff of choice (we like coconut milk and heavy cream).
November 9 Carl Sagan’s Birthday. It’s a good time to look up into the sky and think about the expanse of the cosmos. Remember, the day sky is full of just as many wonders as the night sky—we just can’t see them; so bring your imagination.
November 10 The Downtown Winter Market begins today (see Calendar). You’ll find parsnips, Brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, celery, kale, leeks, lettuce, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard, apples and lots more.
November 11 Buy (or make) your organic salt-free deicer now, before you really need it.
November 12 Planning to get a live Christmas tree? Dig the hole now. This is also the time to prune ivy and Virginia creeper.
November 13 The edge of chaos is the optimal life zone for involving complex systems, such as ant and termite colonies, beehives, brains, economics, and human society (says organizational scientist and Utahn Margaret Wheatley).
November 14 If you haven’t done so yet, turn off water to your outside faucets and bring in your garden hoses.
November 15 Celebrate America Recycles Day with the Utah Recycling Alliance tonight. Movie (Slowing Down Fast Fashion), food, drinks, awards. RSVP for this private event at Eventbrite.com
November 16 Got a horseradish plant in your garden? After frost has killed the foliage, dig up part of the root. Scrub with water and dry well. Grate it for horseradish sauce—it’s delicious and packed with beneficial nutrients and phytochemicals.
November 17 Fill your home with the fragrance of home baked bread, made from your own sourdough starter: All you need is flour, water and time. Details: www.thekitchn.com
November 18 Fall is when the male spiders inside your house go looking for love, searching out the ladies hanging in their webs. And thanks to an app called Spider in Da House, ecologists have pinpointed the exact time of day when they are most on the move: 7:35 p.m. If you’re not an arachnid fan, that might be a nice time to leave the house. Or to have a stiff drink
November 19 Raggedy Ann and Alice in Wonderland wore them and maybe you will, too, this week: Aprons, often the first garment made by someone learning to sew, are back in vogue.
November 20 Wild turkeys are way more interesting than their domesticated relatives. They sleep in trees, can fly 55 mph in short bursts, have periscopic vision, gobble loud enough to be heard over a mile away and turn crazy colors when aroused.
November 21 Need some turkey-free (but turkey-like) ideas for Thanksgiving? Look for recipes including mushrooms, legumes, tempe, tofu, seitan or jackfruit.
November 22 FULL MOON – 10:39 pm. Today is as good as any to start a gratitude journal. Not sure where to begin? Try https://www.thnx4.org
November 23 You don’t need to be a scientist to participate in science. Join one of the Natural History Museum of Utah citizen science projects dedicated to exploring and recording Utah’s biodiversity: nhmu.utah.edu/citizen-science
November 24 An interesting practice to begin: Write 52 “thank you” notes each year, one every week to a different person. (Postcards count.)
November 25 Be a kinder commuter: Let others merge. Give a smile or friendly wave if they let you in. Use your turn signal. And when others act like assholes, think up good excuses for them.
November 26 Even though the weather has cooled, your body still appreciates water. Hydrate!
November 27 Giving Tuesday. A donation
of any amount to Common Good Press (aka CATALYST Magazine, a 501c3 nonprofit) will make you feel great! CatalystMagazine.net
November 28 Want to avoid seasonal weight gain? Watch carbs, not so muchcalories.
November 29 Square Dancing is the official state folk dance of Utah. Do-si-do is a corruption of the French “dos à dos” (back to back).
November 30 Holiday dinner season is upon us. If you’re not the cook, you can still do your part in the kitchen by helping to prep, serve, or clean up afterward.