Well there's no getting away from it now, the Autumn Equinox passed by on Wednesday and I've had to face up to the fact that summer is over for another year. Luckily, September has been a real treat in terms of the weather and I have been out and about drinking up every last drop of the season. The Little People returned to school and I'm now in a period of major adjustment as I try to get used to my new normal. I do miss the morning school run which was a pleasurable walk alongside the canal and a lovely way to start my day. However, I realised quite early on that of course I can still walk this route in the mornings if I want to as there is nothing to stop me, so quite often I do just that.
The last week of summer time was really beautiful here in my patch with plenty of warmth and sunshine.
I was even able to spend some time sat out in the overgrown yarden which is quite a sheltered little spot, and as you can see from the above photo it's pretty wild out there at the moment.
I've had many neighbours stop and tell me how much they've enjoyed my flowering pots this summer, and to ask me what my secret is - the flowers really have been prolific (this post shows what they looked like when I planted them in June). The answer to the overgrowth is regular watering, and a weekly liquid feed. I've been using a Doff feed ((it's this one, although it's generally much cheaper if you can find it in a local shop)) and it makes a tremendous difference to flowering pots and tubs.
I spent a while out there earlier this week deadheading the geraniums and marguerites so that hopefully they will keep on flowering for another month or so. Some years when the weather has been mild, I've still had flowers in early December which sounds crazy, but it has happened.
A few weeks ago, J and I started a new routine together in the mornings - I can't quite remember how it came about but one day we were both up early and decided to take our usual daily walk while the Little People were still asleep instead of waiting until mid morning. Both J and I are "larks" and go to bed pretty early in the evenings (usually by 9.30pm) so we are often awake and up around 5.30 in the mornings. It gives us time to have a coffee and come into the day gently before getting ready to head out around an hour later.
We enjoyed it so much that we started to make it a regular thing, it really is a glorious time of day to be out and about. We tend to reach the top of the hill before the sun rises, but on a couple of mornings we've been slightly later and have had the sun beaming out at us.
I can't describe how wonderful it is to feel the first rays of the sun warm on your face in the quiet still of a new morning. It's quite magical.
Just on the other side of that white building is the bakery so it's a very convenient kind of early morning walk when a loaf of fresh bread often comes home with us. So far I've managed to resist the baskets of freshly baked croissants and pastries which sit on the counter top, but I think it's only a matter of time before I cave. It's the smell that does it.
At the other end of the day I've been finding myself drawn outdoors as the sun starts to dip low in the sky. It's as if my soul knows that our days are rapidly shortening and I am compelled to make the very most of this late summer sunshine.
I don't go far, a slow meander around the park....
....then back along the canal towards home. It's just enough time for me to breathe deeply and mull over the day, to drink in the golden light and feel at ease.
On Saturday morning when J and I walked to the market, it suddenly felt like Summer had slipped away from us. It was chilly, and already leaves are beginning to fall from some of the trees, a reminder to make the most of every day and to appreciate each season we are in. I've been getting better in recent years with Autumn and don't feel nearly so full of melancholy as I once did, and for that I am thankful.
I've really been enjoying the freedom of my days during the past few weeks, heading out to meet friends for coffee or just walking into town to run errands as and when I've needed to. I really do appreciate that I can choose how to spend my child free hours and never take it for granted. I'm unbelievably thankful for my freedom.
My friend surprised me with this bunch of berries last week, and I absolutely love them.
The colour of the berries is so pretty and it's been a lovely change from having flowers on my table. I've been working a lot at the dining table just recently so it's all been a bit of a mess to be honest. I'm still needing to use the dining room like a studio as I've got nowhere else to go at the moment - it's a bit frustrating but I'm muddling through as best as I can. Yarn everywhere, creative chaos which gets push aside in order to eat family meals each day. Ah well, I am happy at least, yes, happy and free, and I am so thankful for all of it.
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