Goodbye Autumn

Not long left of my favourite season now but it really has been fabulous this year. The lack of frosts meant the colours turned quite slowly and perhaps weren't quite as vibrant as other autumns, but I have loved and savoured the mellowing and turning of the year towards the darkness.

It's been so mild, week after week, that we've been out and about a fair bit and seen the season move on across the countryside. There have been walks with friends, trips out to nature reserves and plenty of strolls to school where we've noticed the subtle transformation from high summer in October, to this weekend when winter is most definitely knocking at the door.

I've really enjoyed the occasional days of crisp sunshine, mornings of low mists and mellow late afternoons when the shadows have been enormously long and dusk has crept up on us. I even like the fog and love those days when its grey, almost dark and feels like the sun hasn't got out of bed all day.

The right weather at the right time of year is all I want. I love the atmosphere of bleakness and dreary days now because that's the trade off for it still being light at half past ten in June.

Yet again Autumn has flown by. Spring can take an age to arrive and eventually turn into summer can't it, but Autumn always disappears in a flash, especially as it didn't really get going until mid-October this year and it's been almost warm ever since.

Today I can feel it has waved goodbye. Looking out of the kitchen window this afternoon I can see right through the hawthorn hedges that bound the garden, not a leaf left. Across the fields the great beech trees on the hill are already completely bare and the sky is lowering all the while. The grass is a dull, dormant green now and down the valley the wood is every shade of brown and black.

A keen wind is buffeting the hens as they peck around my forlorn looking borders and their feathers are ruffling as they go. Black headed gulls and rooks tumble through the air over the fields and I've glimpsed the occasional flock of redwings and field fares streaking over the hedges in search of berries.

The garden birds are few and far between at the moment; a few blue tits, some male blackbirds and the robin of course but I hear this week the temperature will fall a little more and I'm hoping to see the first reed buntings return along with the finches. We've had one unusual visitor, a yellow-browed warbler spent an afternoon flitting around the hedge. I've never seen one before and they're rare visitors to these part of the country apparently.

There's so much to look forward to now. Until the end of January I'm in love with winter. More time for cosy cooking, quiet afternoons with the paper by the fire and playing Lego with small boys. I've got a list as long as your arm and the festive build up section looks like this:

:: Go ice skating at the outdoor Christmas rink

:: Make more soup (Butternut Squash has been November's favourite)

:: A walk in the woods with my friend to gather greenery and a few berries then make wreaths for our doors

:: Sunday afternoon trip to see Arthur Christmas

:: The Christmas tree hunt

:: Christmas curry night with friends

:: Mince pie and jam tart making session

:: Carol & Gift services

:: Learn to make hot chocolate from scratch

So you can see I'm looking forward but I'm a little sad to say goodbye to the colour and magic of Autumn. Here's to staying cosy Xxx

P.S. My boys are back from Turkey safe and sound, very tired but full of news - thanks for all your lovely wishes.

P.P.S Thanks to everyone who's shopped at Curlew Vintage this past week. More new arrivals will be in the shop in a week or so's time. Thanks again!