Embracing Autumn

As much as I’m a warm weather gal, living for the summer and sunshine on my skin, there’s something magical in the air that calls to me as September eases into October. Those cold, crisp mornings, when the sunlight shines through the dew on the windows and I start my day sitting on the back step, hot tea in hand, wrapped in a cosy blanket. The changing colours around us. Piles of leaves just calling out to be jumped in. The golden light in the evening as the sun sets. The treasures to be found on our daily walks.

Years of new school years beginning in Autumn, this time of year always makes me feel like it’s time a for new starts. After the unhurried, unstructured days of summer, September always seems to be a fight to get back into our ‘normal’ rhythms. By the time October comes around, we’ve said farewell to summer and are ready to embrace the coming seasons.

It’s not quite light now when I rise around half six, so I pad downstairs, flick the kettle on, brew some earl grey, wrap a blanket over my shoulders and sit outside. Sipping slowly, listening to the world waking up, watching the sky lighten. Starting my day slowly, peacefully is essential for me. I need some time to wake up, to switch on.

We’ve switched our early morning garden hangs, for sofa cuddles with books or knitting. The blankets have been pulled out of the ottoman, washed and aired ready for chilly evenings. The fairy lights are back up in the kitchen and the candles on the dining table. We’ve decluttered, cleaned away the remnants of summer. The mantle place in the playroom is covered in Autumn treasures – multi-toned leaves, conkers, pinecones, acorns, seed heads – offering perfect material to fill our nature journals with.

Self-care in Autumn is vital, for I need more TLC when there isn’t so much sunlight to be found. Making time for yoga, hot baths, brisk walks… all of these keep me smiling through the next few months. Likewise, warming, nourishing food is where it’s at. In summer I live on salads, now I need something to warm up from inside out. This list has some delicious sounding vegan slow cooker recipes, I’ve just taken mine back off the top shelf of the pantry – it’s my favourite thing in the colder months – I love being able to throw some ingredients in first thing in the morning, and know dinner will be ready when we’re hungry.

Autumn is the time for foraging, the blackberries were early here this year and have already been and gone. But we have elderberries and rosehips still – I’m planning on making some of this rosehip syrup this week {though switching the sugar for just a little agave or maple syrup}

We have a big pile of spring bulbs ready to plant this week too. Snowdrops, daffodils, crocuses… I love planing them and seeing them pop up in the new year, brightening those grey February days. I think the kiddos and I are also going to make some layered planters for spring this week too. I also want to collect some leaves and twigs to make an autumn wreath for the kitchen.

Long morning walks, afternoons full of crafting, evenings spent playing board games and watching movies, snuggled on the sofa, freshly popped popcorn, or cool nights sat around the firepit…

Autumn, we like you.