Saturday 26 November 2011

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!

20 comments:

Carol said...

Lovely post, I'm not usually a fan of the Autumn as I don't like the dark nights but this year, well it has been so different, some wonderful days. The sky tonight is amazing, wild and red, stunning.
Our little garden birds are mainly blue tits, great tits, coal tits, house sparrows and goldfinches. Last week my DH went out the door and whoosh, a kestrel and, in a flutter of feathers, off it went with a ring dove.
Carol xx T

Anonymous said...

thank you for your lovely blog. I enjoy your descriptions of the passing seasons. In fact I love how you describe all about everything!

periwinkle said...

Lovely post which probably echoes the sentiments of a lot of us at this time of year. I saw my first yellow browed warbler recently too,a sweet little bird.

Candace said...

I love your writing style and think you would really like the author Barbara Kingsolver, as she writes a lot about the natural world. Prodigal Summer is my favorite novel!

LandGirl1980 said...

Always such lovely posts from you! I save them till last and make sure I have a nice cup of tea to enjoy whilst I read :)

I feel like I have been cheated out of a proper Autumn - so I am secretly hoping for a proper winter instead. Yes - I am talking the S word.

Fingers crossed!!

Louise said...

Thanks for dropping off the books, they're great, please let me know if you find anymore of the old ladybird nature books you plan to sell in future! I hope you found the house ok and didn't look too closely at it, it's still something of a building site, hehe!

Louise
x

Amanda said...

Well put! Glad your boys enjoyed Turkey, hope to hear more about it.

...Nina Nixon... said...

It truly has been wonderful - and warm.

The wind is here with us too and the temperature has dropped significantly.

Here's to staying cosy,

Nina xxx

lavender attic said...

Hi Steph
I agree that you have a lovely writing style - a very uplifting post about the seasons, thankyou... My crochet blanket from Curlew Vintage arrived today...so so beautiful. I am absolutely thrilled with the colours. Eventually it will live in my caravan, but for now it will be on the back of the sofa. Have a lovely weekend, Sally x

Katy Noelle said...

I love it, too - autumn - and I'm so glad to see a post about it. I'm not quite ready to leave but feel like I should, somehow, be posting about Christmas. Not quite yet, please.

Autumn - true autumn weather always gives me such a heart to cozy up home. Also, although we have incredibly bright colors at the beginning of October, here, in New England, the rest of the autumn is made up of all sorts of browns, muted golds and blacks and the mist.... oh, I love it!

I guess I'm just trying to say...I'm right with you on this! =]

Kate xo

Streetcomber said...

Lovely shots, especially the fungi photo. That sums up Autumn in the woods to me!

driftwood said...

oooh what a lovely to do list xxx happy cosy times ahead x

Barri-Jayne said...

I really enjoyed reading your post this morning. I do love Autumn colours, but do feel we were cheated a little this year as far as vibrant colours are concerned. But I mustn't grumble. Soup has been a big hit in my household...try adding a heaped tsp of dried thyme and sweet potato to the squash, very tasty.

Barrina xx

purple-roses-country-cottage said...

Dear Steph, your post is so lovely and the pictures are beautiful! I like the autumn, but I love the winter. I am a winter girl. I hope it will be snowing soon! And in winter time theres is so much time to do the cosy things: sewing, cooking, baking, tinkering, snuggeling with my kids after drinking hot chocolate and, and, and... Nicolexxx

Bobo Bun said...

Glad they're all back. Must have great tales to tell.

I was thinking about your hens today and wondering how they're doing. Now mad bit of life is out of way I'll email and say hello properly.

Your list sounds perfect Steph. We're thinking of Arthur Christmas for Wednesday's teacher strike (thankfully my day off). Glad to grab an extra day with my two.

Can't wait to see and hear how you work down your list.
Love Lisa x

Apple Blossom Barn said...

Hi there, I have been reading you blog for a long time, you actually inspired me to get and an old caravan! I love your posts and what a lovely Christmas list to get through,

Take Care

Denise
Kicking myself I didnt buy that crochet blanket oh well

June said...

Lovely posting. Autumn has been terrific this year - the dark nights are beginning to beckon though and herald the true start to Winter. Your list looks similar to mine but I always leave it to the OH and Our Daughter to do the ice skating - I'm more of a - "I can't let go of the side person!"
June

grace said...

I adore autumn but your lovely list is inspiring me for the next season... Thank you!

Chy said...

Fall is my favorite season. You are so lucky to still have the colors and the warmth. We are covered with snow here in Canada. Just light snow but white everywhere. Enjoy the sun and the fall hues!!

Chy

trump said...

I love your top image, very nice job on your pictures. Richard from the Amish community of Lebanon,Pa