I adore the golden hues of Autumn. The trees changing their greens to reds, russets, ambers, yellows, orange, gold, rare blue and blacks.
Early morning spider webs glistening with dew, appearing as precious gems strewn haplessly over bushes. Crisp morning frosts that freeze the exhaled breath. The Sunday afternoon walks in the woods, the rustle of leaves underfoot, returning home as the evening begins.
Drawing the curtains, closing out the world. That first time it is cold enough to light the open fire and being cosy.
The joy of celebrating the harvest in September. The hunt for nature’s jewels of horse chestnuts, cob-nuts, sweet chestnuts, rose-hips, haws, acorns, pine cones, elderberries, blackberries. Preserving the fruits to feed us through natures lean months reminding us of the joys of blossom that has been and will come again.
Cider making from the late apple harvest. Elderberry wine, Sloe Gin. The start of the jam, jelly, marmalade, pickle and chutney making. The satisfaction of seeing rows and rows of gleaming jars of preserved apples, pears, blackcurrants, blackberries, onions, beet roots. Michaelmas and the season for goose.
Halloween celebrations: not the trick or treaters but the old tradition of bobbing for apples, the ghost, or witch stories.
Bonfire Night, childhood memories of tomato soup in mugs (so special as drunk from a mug – no spoon!), sausages with onions in bread rolls, wrapped in paper napkins. Jacket potatoes cooked in the glowing embers of the bonfire. Sparklers! Catherine Wheels and star burst fireworks. Stir up Sunday and, for me this is, the start of the build to Winter and Christmas.
Copyright © October 2015 The Kentish Lass
Written so lovely, made me remember my childhood, pity so many thing have gone to commercial and American.
Yes it is a shame that the focus seems to be about making money rather than enjoyment. Glad this brought to mind childhood memories, I think it is important to keep those memories and traditions alive as long as we each can