Summers End

We passed the Autumn Equinox on Sunday, and that's our Summer over for another year. Often in the past, this time of year would absolutely flatten me with an overwhelming sense of melancholy mixed in with something akin to mild panic. I honestly used to dread the end of September which is a bit sad really because it's just a collection of emotions based on nothing tangible. I would mourn the end of Summer with a deep down feeling of real loss. But this year? Well...............I feel great about Autumn slowly arriving, really and truly! I think this is mostly down to the fact that we enjoyed such an amazing summer this year, oh it's been utterly glorious and I have so many warm, sunny memories to tide me over this period of seasonal transition.

It feels like Autumn has crept in early, just as Summer did back at the start of May. I ususally think of September as a "late Summer month", but this year, it has felt very autumnal right from the start.

This is the stretch of the river between Burnsall and Linton, which is a part of the Yorkshire Dales that feels very familiar and comforting to us as we walk here often. On this Sunday morning in early September it was warm and muggy as we ambled along, me, J and Little B. I remember feeling like we needed to make the very most of the last remaining days of holiday before the new school year began, and a slow walk along the riverside felt like just the right kind of thing.

Our destination was the Old School Tearoom in Hebden which I can highly recommend if you are ever in the area visiting. It's an absolute gem of a place in a charming Dales village - we like to go mid morning for coffee and brunch, and if the weather is mild there's a lovely garden you can sit in whilst you enjoy some very good food and drink. 

Being that this was an end of holiday treat, Little B took full advantage and ordered up a waffle, complete with toffee sauce, ice cream and banana. He declared it "soooooooooooooo good.....but not better than the waffle in Bruges", which I think is fair enough. I don't think any waffle will ever be as good as the one in Bruges. 

The following day, Little B and I went off just the two of us for a day in the City. During the summer he had kept asking, and I had kept promising, and quite frankly with only two days of holiday left I was running out of time to make good on my promise. When he tumbled out of bed that morning, I calmly told him we would be getting the train and heading for a day out in the City and he nearly jumped through the ceiling with excitement. It made me think that maybe I need to work harder at fulfilling promises, because he was so shocked that we were actually going to do it!

It was fun being just the two of us, he is terrific company, a real chatter box and still at an age where train journeys and trips out in general hold much excitement. We spent a bit of time shopping (very last minute school uniform, and some Lego as an end of holiday treat), and then it was time for the most exciting part of the whole trip.......a visit to The Alchemist......

.....and yes you would be right in thinking that this is a rather posh cocktail bar and not especially the kind of place for an eight year old to wish for with so much enthusiasm. We were lucky to get a table outside on the terrace (it's high up, with stunning city views), and proceeded to order up some mocktails. Oh boy, the excitement!!! Little B is quite a science geek, so the fact that the cocktail menu is set out like the periodic table really floated his little boat, as did the rather chemical looking drink that arrived for him. Such fun. He absolutely loved it, so much so that he chose to write about it in his "what I did in the holidays" report at school. I hope the teacher doesn't think badly of me for making a cocktail bar the highlight of his holiday.

I spent a bit of time towards the end of the Summer enjoying some non-crochet creative time, which was hugely enjoyable. Crochet will always be my passion and my first love, but every so often it gives me a lot of pleasure to follow other people's patterns and designs and do something just for fun. I knitted a pair of socks (more on those in another post), and I worked some more on my latest cross stitch.

I am totally loving this design (by Tiny Modernist on Etsy), and find that the extreme concentration needed to prevent a stitchy balls-up really frees up my mind and relaxes me. I've had to put it away again for a while as I've been concentrating on doing Yarndale work, but I'm really looking forward to life post-Yarndale when I'll have time to sit quietly and stitch again.

The Little People have been back at school for three weeks now, and all seems to be calm and settled in their respective childhood worlds. I was thinking about that fact this afternoon, and was suddenly overwhelmed with a wave of gratitude for the fact that right now, all three of my offspring are content, happy, doing well for themselves and thriving. I am so so glad. I walk along the canal every morning with Little B, and feel so happy that this is our routine, our life. We are blessed, and I never for one moment take it for granted. 

I treated myself to a new light weight summer cardy before all the winter woollies arrived. I bought it mainly because I loved the colour - it's kind of a cross between mustard and lime green and I've been wearing it with anything and everything, not caring if it matches or not. I thought the colour looked especially good alongside these leaves that I picked up from the bottom of the street. The big sycamore trees are always the first to start changing colour, reminding me that Summer is slowly slipping away.

I'm still so madly in love with my Cottonsoft blanket, and have become very possessive of it. I enjoy having it with me at night - even if it's too warm to have it on top of me, I like sleeping with it folded up at my feet. Don't ask me why, but it gives me such a lot of comfort and I love having those beautiful, soft summer ripples close by. 

My hill view is looking so lovely right now (well not right this very minute as it's pitch black out there now). The countryside is lush after a lot of rain these past few weeks, and there is something about the particular mellowness of the September sun that makes the light and shadows look very beautiful as they pass across the hillside.

We've been walking locally a bit just lately, Little B and I striding out after dinner to make the most of this time of year when the daylight hours allow an evening walk. We have a circuit we like to do which takes us up steep, steep streets of (posh) houses to the very edge of our town, then a wide farm track around the foot of the above hill, through a gate and into the top of the woods. We have to time it right, because walking in the woods as it starts to get dark is a bit tricky to be honest!

But it's lovely to emerge at the outer edge of the woodland and take in the early evening view over the town. I appreciate being able to do this at the end of my often hectic days, a chance to gently unwind as the day comes to a close. 

I hope that whatever transition you are making as we shift from one season to the next, that you find pleasure in your days.

Enjoy every moment!

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Comments

[Jessica]

Hi Lucy,
I truly enjoyed reading and relate so much about the change in emotion as the season changes. Mostly after the Summer, I feel down. But I learned the trick over the years. Enjoy and be grateful with the present and save memories to reminisce during the 'low' season.
Thank you for sharing.
Cheers,
Jessica

[mrs. smythe]

Your colorful world makes me smile!

[Gillian Roe]

How lovely to end a busy day with a gentle walk after dinner with Little B. I cherish my dog walks for a similar reason, a much needed half an hour to myself after work to think through and process the day. xx

[EV]

Happy Yarndale this weekend!

[Green Girl Gardener]

I also normally fall into the depths of melancholy as September draws to an end, but this year I have some exciting things going on to occupy my mind and that’s staving off the glumness so far. I so wish I lived somewhere as beautiful as you do but alas we have nowhere to walk at night that is half as pretty as Yorkshire. I do hope Yarndale is going well 😁.

[Judy]

I love that you find so much joy in cross stitching! What can you tell me about the bluebird button. Is it holding your needle?

[Jill Davidson]

hehe love that Little B reported back to school about his trip to the cocktail bar, kids eh?!
Jillxo

[tammy]

Such a pretty, magical place you live in..sigh!

[NORA McGRANN]

Thank you once more Lucy for this lovely blog..it encapsulated all the beauty of the season..

Continue to enjoy!....

Nora xx

[Annabellouise]

I aways look forward to your posts. The photography alone is enough to hook me, but your creativity is inspirational. It's also good to reflect on the places where we live and to be thankful for them.

[Jo Gee]

Another lovely post Lucy, thank you! We are so lucky in Yorkshire with such wonderful variety in our countryside landscapes. It's good to see your photos documenting the changes in the dales :-) enjoy Yarndale xx

[Megan]

That cocktail bar looks like so much fun! It’s funny seeing Autumn on your side of the world as we head into Spring here in Australia ☺️ I’m looking forward to the warm weather! Your cross stitch project looks beautiful, love the colours ❤️ Megan

[CJ]

~What lovely photos, I especially love the second one. Your youngest sounds a lot like mine, always full of joy and happiness and enthusiasm and lovely company. Mine's older siblings tend to be off doing things, so we do things together quite a bit. He's a chatterbox as well, never stops. And he'd also be absolutely thrilled to go to a cocktail bar. I know what you mean about the summer hols flying by with promises still left to be fulfilled. But you're right, it was a glorious summer. Happy sigh. CJ xx

[Kimmy]

Green being my favorite color, you can imagine my little gasp of admiration at your first few photos. SO beautiful! We have not had a drop rain here for over 5 months. Our SF Bay Area hills are brown and dry. I'm jealous. Maybe we should move to your neck of the woods.

Love hearing about all your fun activities. You are so fortunate to be able to stay home with your kiddos because they grow up so fast. I can tell you don't take anything for granted and cherish every moment. Your Little People will never forget their wonderful childhood experiences. And I hope they don't take you for granted!

Hugs, Kimmy ♥

[Teresa Kasner]

Hi Lucy, I so enjoyed this post. It's very sweet of you to take Little B out special with Mom. I am happy I found your blog so long ago as I've been "with you" before he arrived and through his growing up years and feel a nice bond with you both. I just love seeing the canal boats on your school run. I'm glad you're happier with Autumn now. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

[Lily Davies]

Looking forward to Yarndale! I was walking the pup in the park this morning and saw the lovely lamppost covers...so pretty. And, I can see my boat peeking out the side of the picture of the canal!!!

[Mary W]

Thank you once again for a little trip to your neck of the woods. It was a beautiful post for the changing of the seasons and so many beautiful pictures, also. I will never be able to travel to Europe but feel like I have visited it and better yet, got to know the countryside through your very descriptive and meaningful posts. Your blog is a treasure!

[Pam in Texas]

I love your posts Lucy, thank you for taking us along.
I now live in a suburb of Dallas Texas. For many years I lived in Huddersfield, so I know many of the places you mention.
I such a joy to revisit them with you, very close to my heart and still missed a great deal by this Brit in TX.
Best wishes,
Pam in TX.

[Charlotte.]

Lovely post. Wishing you every success at Yarndale.

[Hedy]

I think we all get melancholic at the start of fall. It is temporary . Loved your post and your pictures are beautiful.

[Miss Daisy]

Lucy , I just love strolling with you and sometimes little B and the rest of your family. I always read your blog first. Wish I lived in a place like yours that offers such lovely country walks. I also love to crochet and embroidery but can't get the hang of knitting - haven't tried hard enough. Have a great day!

[Anita Walters]

I love that your son enjoyed his trip to the cocktail bar so much,that drink looked amazing
I think our lovely summer is easing the transition to Autumn for lots of people this year,like you say we have some gorgeous days to look back on instead of lamenting missed opportunities,it's been very misty here this morning in Devon but it's lifting now and the sun is coming out,it looks like a beautiful summers day from my window

[Susan Smith]

Lovely post Lucy. Walking in the dales is lovely & I'll be doing it next year, all being well. Hope Yarndale goes to plan & you can enjoy too. Take care.

[kazzy]

its lovely to start to enjoy those change of seasons, Id worked myself up during the summer with my daughter starting secondary in september...all those worries and anxious feelings, i dont know why i was feeling so concerned. I think its those times in the summer when you can all relax and be together and then the end of summer looms and it feels like a sense of sadness. But shes quite happy and content.
And now im slipping back more into a routine of work, organising myself for autumn fairs as well and general life i can begin to relax and enjoy Autumn as well. Isnt it special when you get a little trip alone with your child. especially when they are younger and find the whole thing a great frill of an adventure~ looks like he had great fun! My daughters turning twelve on monday, but i love the fact things are still exciting when we go places together. I know when the teenage years set in this could all change. such a beautiful area where you live. love your makes and sweet Autumnal blessings to you x

[Annette]

The Old School Tearoom in Hebden. :) I was there last year. We stayed at the most beautiful little B&B close by... I so want to go back there again. Bring my family and walk those rolling hills. You live in a beautiful place Lucy.
Xxx