November: Bare Trees and a Full House

The Almanac is written for those of us who keep time by the moon and the seasons as much as by the calendar. Each month, we share what the season and the sky are doing, one small thing worth getting ahead of, a corner of your home worth tending, a few things herbalists have long known, five minutes to move, what to cook while it's at its best, and the pieces from our shop we reach for ourselves.

This month: What's true right now · The sky this month · One small thing · The corner that needs you · What herbalists have long known · Five minutes to move · Eat with the seasons · What to reach for this month

What's true right now

The clocks fall back on the first of the month, and just like that it's dark by half past four. By mid-November most of the trees are bare, and the light goes flat and silver for days at a stretch. The heat runs all day now, which is lovely for the house and hard on your skin. Hands crack along the knuckles, lips split at the corners, and shins start to flake under your jeans.

This is also the month the house fills back up. Thanksgiving falls on the 26th, and for a week or so on either side, there are more coats on the hooks and more voices in the kitchen than at any other time of year. For those of us who recharge in the quiet, that's a lot of company to hold. It helps to get the house ready early, and to keep a little of the evening for yourself once everyone's gone to bed.

The sky this month

The moon starts November at its last quarter on the 1st and goes dark with the new moon on the 9th. That first stretch of the month brings the Taurid meteors, a slow, thin shower with a habit of throwing the occasional bright fireball. The Southern Taurids peak on the night of the 4th, and the Northern Taurids on the night of the 11th. On the morning of the 16th, look east before dawn for Mars and Jupiter sitting close together, with the bright star Regulus beside them.

The moon reaches first quarter on the 17th, and that same night the Leonid meteor shower peaks. The half moon sets around midnight, so the dark hours before dawn on the 18th are the time to watch, at ten to fifteen meteors an hour under dark skies. November's full moon arrives the morning of the 24th, so Monday night the 23rd and Tuesday night the 24th are both good nights to look for it. It's the Beaver Moon, named for the season when beavers finish sealing their lodges before the ponds freeze. This one is also a supermoon, a little larger and brighter than usual, and the first of three in a row running through January.

The new moon on the 9th falls in Scorpio, the sign of depth and of what's kept close, and it's a good night to set something private in motion, something you don't need to share yet. Then, on the 13th, both Mercury and Venus turn direct on the same day. Mercury has been retrograde since late October and Venus since early October, so plans, messages, and matters of the heart that felt tangled should start to move again. The sun moves into Sagittarius on the 22nd, bringing a lighter, more open feeling just in time for the holiday. The Beaver Moon rises in Gemini, the sign of conversation, which suits a week when the whole family is talking over each other at one table.

One small thing

Get the guest room ready the week before anyone arrives, rather than the night before. Wash the sheets and make the bed, then mist the pillowcases lightly with a room and linen spray the day before your guests come, from about a foot away. Fabric holds a scent far longer than the air does, so the bed will still smell fresh when your guests turn back the covers that night. Set out a small basket with a spare towel, a bar of soap, and a lip butter. It's the kind of detail people remember long after the visit.

While you're changing the clocks on the 1st, change the batteries in your smoke detectors too. It's the old rule of thumb for good reason, since it ties a job that's easy to forget to a day you'll never miss.

The corner that needs you

Old ideas about arranging a home treat the far left corner of a room, as far from the doorway as the space allows, as the place that holds abundance. It works in any room, so choose the one you spend the most time in this month. All year that corner has been about growth, and in November it's about what's already been gathered in.

This corner belongs to wood, the element of living, growing things, and wood is fed by water. Its colors are deep purple, green, and touches of gold, with a little blue to stand in for water. What sits there should be full, healthy, and alive. Keep it clear of clutter, broken things, empty containers, piles of bills, and the trash can, since all of them say "running low." Go easy on metal, which is said to cut wood, and skip dried flowers, which read as growth that's already finished.

In a kitchen or living room, set a wooden bowl there and fill it with fresh apples, pears, or a small squash. Swap out anything that starts to soften, since the point is plenty that's still alive. A jade plant beside it, with its round, coin-shaped leaves, is the traditional choice for this corner.

In a bedroom, keep it quiet. A healthy plant with soft, rounded leaves in a green or purple pot is enough, maybe with a purple throw folded nearby. Move out the laundry pile and the work papers, so the corner holds rest instead of chores.

In a bathroom, this corner needs a little extra care, since a room full of drains is said to let abundance slip away. Keep the toilet lid down and the drains closed when they're not in use. A pothos or a fern will love the humidity and bring the wood element in, and a stack of fresh soap bars on a tray beside a few deep green towels makes the corner feel stocked instead of spent.

What herbalists have long known

• Your lips have no oil glands of their own. The rest of your skin makes its own oil to hold in moisture, but your lips depend entirely on what you give them. That's why they're always the first thing to crack once the heat comes on. Put a lip butter on before you head out into the cold, not after your lips already sting, and again before bed.
• Rose water has been soothing dry skin for a thousand years. Persian distillers were making it by the tenth century, and the physician Avicenna is often credited with refining the method. Rose hydrosol, the water left behind when roses are steam distilled, calms and softens dry, tired skin, which is why it sits at the heart of our Rose Tea Luxe Cream.
• A clove-studded orange was the first room spray. By the 1600s, English households were pressing whole cloves into oranges to make pomanders, then hanging them in closets and kitchens all winter. Clove earned a place in the medicine cabinet, too, and clove oil was a household remedy for a sore tooth well into the last century. To make a pomander, press cloves into an orange in rows or swirls, roll it in a little cinnamon, and set it somewhere warm and dry for a few weeks. It slowly dries and keeps its scent for months.
• Rosemary has always been a sign of welcome. Rosemary was once carried at weddings and funerals alike, and set at the table as a sign that guests were remembered and wanted. Ophelia hands it out in Hamlet with the line, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." Tuck a small sprig into each napkin on Thanksgiving. It costs almost nothing, it smells wonderful when people unfold them, and it says everything it's meant to say.

Five minutes to move

After the clocks change, the light is gone before most of us get a chance to step outside, and a month of cooking and hosting can leave you on your feet all day without ever really moving. A few small habits help. Here are some ideas for November.

• Take your walk at midday. With sunset around half past four, the middle of the day is now the only real daylight many of us get. Even ten minutes outside at lunch helps keep your body clock steady as the days shorten, and it makes the long, dark evenings easier to sleep through.
• Walk after the big meal. A short, easy walk after eating has been shown to soften the rise in blood sugar that follows a heavy meal. After Thanksgiving dinner, gather whoever's willing and walk around the block before pie. It's an old family tradition in plenty of houses for good reason.
• Move your spine in every direction. Hours bent over a cutting board or a sink round the back forward and keep it there. A few times a day, stand tall and reach both arms overhead, then lean to each side, twist gently to the right and the left, and fold forward to let your arms hang. Finish by placing your hands on your lower back and leaning back just a little.
• Rise onto your toes at the sink. While you wash dishes, slowly lift your heels off the floor and lower them back down. Twenty of these build the calf strength that keeps you steady on icy steps, which are only a few weeks away.
• Stretch your hands after cooking. Chopping and stirring all day leaves your hands and wrists tight. Hold one arm out with the palm up, and gently draw your fingers back toward you with the other hand. Then turn your palm down and do the same. Hold each for a few slow breaths, then switch hands.

Move only as far as feels steady, and skip anything that pinches. If you're managing an injury or are pregnant, check with your doctor first.

Eat with the seasons

November is root vegetable month. Carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, celery root, and sweet potatoes come into their own, along with leeks, Brussels sprouts, and the last of the winter squash. Root vegetables store their energy as sugar to survive the cold, which is why a parsnip pulled after a hard frost tastes almost sweet. Apples and pears are at their best, the first cranberries are in, and fresh cider is pressed at orchards and farm stands across the Northeast. Here's what we're making with it.

Ruby Mulled Cider

This is the pot we keep warm on the stove all through Thanksgiving week, made with our A.M. Calm. The hibiscus and rose hips in the tea turn the cider a deep ruby red and give it a bright, tart edge that cuts through all that sweetness, while the ginger warms it from underneath. It's caffeine-free and alcohol-free, so everyone from the kids to the grandparents can have a mug. Serves eight.

• 7 cups fresh apple cider
• 1 cup water, just off the boil
• 3 tablespoons A.M. Calm
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• Peel of 1 orange, in wide strips
• A 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced thin

1. Pour the hot water over the A.M. Calm, cover the cup with a saucer, and steep for 7 minutes. Strain it. You want it strong, since it's about to be stretched across a whole pot.
2. While it steeps, pour the cider into a large pot and add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peel, and ginger.
3. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then turn the heat down to low and let it mull for 20 minutes. Keep it below a boil, since boiling cooks off the fresh apple flavor and can leave the spices tasting bitter.
4. Strain out the spices and stir in the brewed tea. Cider is sweet enough on its own, so there's no need for any sugar.
5. Keep it on the lowest heat setting for serving, and ladle it into mugs with a fresh strip of orange peel.

Root Vegetable and Lentil Shepherd's Pie with Parsnip Mash

This is the dish we make for the first cold Sunday with company, and it's entirely plant-based. A rich filling of lentils and root vegetables simmers in a cider and rosemary gravy, and a golden mash of potatoes and parsnips goes on top. It can be built a day ahead and baked when guests arrive, which makes it a gift to whoever's hosting. Serves six to eight.

For the parsnip mash

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup unsweetened oat milk, warmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little for the top
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the filling

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 small celery root or 2 turnips, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup dry brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Put the potatoes and parsnips in a large pot, cover them with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until a fork slides through easily. Drain well, then mash with the warm oat milk and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. While they cook, warm the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and celery root, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and the vegetables start to color.
3. Add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme, and stir for one minute. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for another minute, so the raw taste cooks out.
4. Pour in the cider and stir, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble for 2 minutes, then add the broth, lentils, and soy sauce.
5. Bring it to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are tender and the gravy has thickened. Stir in the peas and season with salt and pepper.
6. Heat the oven to 400°F. Spread the filling in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, then spoon the mash over the top and spread it to the edges. Drag a fork across the surface so the ridges brown, and drizzle with a little olive oil.
7. Bake for 25 minutes, until the filling bubbles at the edges and the top is golden. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

To make it ahead, assemble the whole dish, cover it, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a day. Bake it straight from the fridge, adding about 15 minutes to the time. The cider does more than add flavor here, too. Its natural acidity brightens the earthy lentils and roots the same way a splash of wine would, without any alcohol in the dish.

What to reach for this month

Rose Tea Luxe Cream
A rich, silky cream that melts into your skin, with the soft scent of rose hydrosol and green tea settling in as it absorbs. Rose hydrosol and antioxidant-rich green tea calm dry, tired skin, while aloe vera and hyaluronic acid draw in moisture and shea butter holds it there. Once the heat runs all day, your face loses moisture faster than any other time of year. Press it into skin that's still a little damp from washing, morning and night, and it will lock in that water instead of sitting on top of dry skin.

Apple Orchard Room & Linen Spray
Bright orange peel and crisp apple come first, then tart cranberry and red currant, with mulled cider and warm cinnamon underneath. It's the fastest way we know to make a house smell like a holiday the moment guests walk in. Mist it a few feet inside the front door just before the first car pulls in, and once more over the throw on the couch. There's no essential oil that smells like apple cider or cranberry, so it's scented with a clean, phthalate-free fragrance oil.

Cashmere Candle
Soft and inviting, like slipping into your favorite sweater. Bergamot and neroli open bright, then warm sandalwood, amaretto, and tonka bean take hold, and it settles into soft musk with a final note of oud. It's our candle for the evening after the dishes are done and the house finally goes quiet. Light it about twenty minutes before you want the room to smell of it, so the scent is already waiting. It's scented with a clean, phthalate-free fragrance oil, poured in coconut wax with a crackling wood wick.

For the guest basket. A Peppermint Lip Butter, scented with pure peppermint essential oil, a bar of Orange Patchouli Natural Soap, scented with pure essential oils only, and a jar of whipped body butter for the shins and elbows that need it most. Set a Zen Concrete Soap Tray under the soap. A bar that dries out between uses lasts twice as long as one left sitting wet.

Our winter scents, Ginger Snap, Merry & Bright, Frozen Hot Cocoa, and Nordic Nights, are on the shelves now for the last stretch of the month, when the light strings start going up.

We'll be back with December on the first.

We talk about plants the way herbalists have for generations, based on tradition and long use rather than clinical claims. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you're pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a health condition, talk with your doctor before using herbs.