I am as excited for autumn to arrive as I am for her festive season! I have a theory you see…. I’m an October baby, born in autumn, which I truly believe has strongly influenced my love of this time of year. Haydn (the hubster) was born in May & he likes spring. I’ve tested my theory on friends & family & it works, most of the time(!) What do you think?
So, back to autumn & why I love it so much. I’ve always found the end of one season & the beginning of another a great time for change & readjustment. Not necessarily something big, but just a subtle shift....
As summer fades & autumn creeps in slowly, I add an extra blanket to the bed, light a different scented candle, make soup! The pattern in my days change, as I hug my mug of tea a little longer in bed in the morning, watching the changing colours outside the window. Cosy knits & my trusty boots replace my summer dresses & sandles & my (vast) scarf collection comes out of hibernation. I’m drawn to woodland walks, filling my pockets with conkers just as I did as a child, a habit that transports me back to days out with my grandparents, looking down amongst the leaves in Broadway trying to find a bigger conker than my sister. I fill “poo bags” with pine cones to use as fire lighters & display on the fire mantles, like a school nature table. & if I’m lucky & it’s the right time, foraged finds such as rosehips, seed heads & berries come back with me to pop in a pot on the bedside table for me to enjoy autumn inside aswell as out.
The Peaks turn from rich green to amber around October time, so we wrap up warm, pack a flask & a treat & head out onto the moors to enjoy the colours & the views before it gets too cold & wet & they disappear. This year has been exceptional, I can’t decide if it really is because of the mild weather or I’m just noticing & enjoying it more this year. Either way, it’s a stunner of a season & should not be missed if you get the chance to come & see it too. On dry days, I love raking up the fallen leaves & boy do we have leaves here. On average we collect around 60 black sacks full, it’s a lot of raking, but the methodical rhythm is a good work out & so rewarding once the garden is clear & tidy & ready for winter. Stopping for a cuppa & a chat with “Basil Robin” as I empty the summer pots & re plant them with bulbs, tucking them away till spring when the days lengthen again & we all re-emerge from our autumn/winter slumber. Once the clocks change & the days shorten, I get the slow cooker out & start to think about soups & stews, casseroles & crumbles. Hundreds of variations but all cosy comfort food that fills us up & makes us feel warm inside. Hot fruit punches replace fresh summer drinks & my favourite autumn guilty pleasure, the ginger wine & baileys (not together!) begin. Not forgetting the fires. The smell of chimney smoke fill the air on our late evening dog walks. The curtains are all shut tight but the houses in the village look & “feel” cosy as we pass. If we’re lucky, & the night sky is clear, it’s always worth looking up in the sky to see if you can spot a shooting star or look for the plough or bear, another habit from my childhood I just cannot shake. Our skies here in the Peaks are big & dark & have very little light pollution, perfect for stargazing & dreaming. We light the wood burner in the lounge most evenings. The low sound of crackling wood & the golden dancing flames make it super cosy & relaxing. I wish we had a burner in the bedroom like in the hut, maybe it’s something to but on the long wish list, although if we did, I don’t think I’d ever leave my bed!
So I guess this explains my love of the changing seasons & particularly my love of autumn. There is nothing that doesn’t get autumned here! I hope this has inspired you to embrace this time of year too. light a candle, cook a casserole, cosy up in a blanket & read a good book. Ofcourse, I’ve transferred all these routines & habits into our little green hut too, a haven of calm to relax & unwind with a hot chocolate & marshmallows in front of the fire, flick through a book & listen to the radio or just enjoy the quiet. Escape your everyday busy lives & explore the Peakdistrict without using the car, just enjoying walks on our doorstep & visiting our fabulous local cafes & pubs.
I hope I've convinced you that Autumn here in the Peak District is worth a visit & maybe even a stay in our little green hut too, we really would love to help you Relax & Unwind, Escape & Explore.