Cross Quarter Club: Mid-Autumn Gathering Recap

In 2022, I started a seasonal living club for women here in York, Pennsylvania. We gather together four times per year: at midwinter, mid-spring, midsummer and mid-autumn, to work on a project that connects us to earth and season. Each gathering is an invitation to pause and deepen into the season we’re in, try your hand at something new and come together with other like-minded folks. I’ve been longing for this type of community, so I decided to create it myself!

Our fourth and final gathering of 2022 was held on Sunday, November 6th at Nixon Park and Nature Center in York, PA. This time we met just after noon for a group hike and 10 minute mindfulness break, then cozied up inside for a workshop on making your own herbal tea blends and enjoyed a seasonally-inspired charcuterie spread. Read on for the full recap!

Group Hike & Mindfulness Break

I couldn’t host an event at Nixon Park without including a hike on one of the beautiful trails there! And we had the most beautiful weather to enjoy the last of the fall foliage and lovely hilltop views. Halfway through, we came upon a wooden platform, which was the perfect spot to pause for our 10 minute mindfulness break. I read a short poem and then we shared 10 minutes of silence. Some of us spent that time journaling, others wandered around taking photos of the scenery and some meditated or simply rested and enjoyed the calm. Then we headed back down the hill towards the Nature Center, with only a small mishap of me leading half the group back on the wrong trail! But I think we all made it back within about 10 minutes of each other.

Herbal Tea Workshop

We prepared for the colder months ahead by learning to make our own loose leaf tea blends! I provided print outs and shared some tips on the components of a well-balanced tea blend, then we each made three unique blends of our own. We had both black and green tea to use as bases, a large assortment of herbs (nearly all grown locally by Little Farm Flowers East!) , spices and dried fruits to mix-and-match.

Houseplant Exchange

For the sharing table this time, attendees brought along one houseplant cutting to swap! This was such a fun exchange to do so we each had a new plant baby to take care of indoors during the winter months!

Seasonal Charcuterie Board & Hot Tea

I decided to expand the food offerings at this gathering, and put together a tasty fall-inspired apple & cheese charcuterie board for us to snack on during the workshop along with the classic beer bread I shared in the autumn Midseason Journal. I also had premade three tea blends for everyone to sample. There was a tulsi black tea blend with mint, pineapple sage and black peppercorns that was everyone’s favorite!