Early Autumn

 

As the wind begins to pick up, we are braced and ready ahead of tomorrow's incoming storm. I hope any damage will be minimal, I've already secured everything that I can in the garden. 

Last weekend, coinciding with the equinox, we experienced our first proper taste of autumn. Saturday began all dewy and fresh, becoming warm and sunny by mid-morning. I decided that I would get outside while I had the chance. The challenging week at work had taken it's toll, and getting caught in the crossfire of some strained relationships had left me feeling rather discouraged. Fresh air was called for, so the weekly shop and household chores could wait until the following day. 

Not too far from home we have one of my favourite National Trust properties, Sizergh Castle, where even when I don't much feel like walking very far, I can easily be persuaded to visit, as the gardens there are so beautiful.  Even better, at this time of year the orchards are full of apples and pears.

We took our time walking around the garden, following the paths in the same direction we always do, with Lily being extra careful to avoid getting too close to the beehives :) Familiarity means we get to appreciate the changing seasons there, and the Rock Garden, especially, is displaying some beautiful rich shades of autumn colour.

The Kitchen Garden is always worth a visit, and where we often catch a glimpse of Charlie the cat.

And it was there that they had all their different varieties of apples for sale. I paid for a small bag, which would provide me with more than enough cookers to make two batches of apple sauce and some crumbles, as well as five Ribston Pippins to go in the fruit bowl.

And the following day, while the expected wind and rain kept us indoors, I spent a lovely afternoon in the kitchen, filling the house with the delicious aromas of warm apples and cinnamon.

Last week, we enjoyed visits to two prospective secondary schools. Between us, we must have clocked up miles walking along corridors :)  Lily has now made her final decision and yesterday we submitted her application. It won't be until March that we find out whether or not she has secured a place, but I gather it is highly likely that she will be successful. It was quite a difficult decision in the end, but I am very happy with her choice. We are very fortunate to have some excellent schools in this area.

Following a couple of chillier nights, yesterday I made the switch to our winter weight duvets. The summer ones will now be aired, before being stored away until spring. The central heating came on very briefly the other morning, and I now am watching carefully as to when the grass will need it's last cut of the year. Autumn is here.

J. X

Tired

 

Mog is demonstrating, beautifully, exactly how I would like to have spent my weekend. Instead, I've been catching up with housework, getting the weekly shopping done and tackled a huge pile of ironing, which had been threatening to completely engulf the dining table. I'm feeling tired.

Being back at work has been a lot harder than I'd envisaged. My days are long and there never seems to be enough time to complete everything I need to do each day. My working hours are the same as before, but, without going into too much detail, my actual workload has increased. I realise it's very early days, so I'm hopeful that the situation will ease going forwards, but if it doesn't, then I may need to re-evaluate my position. All that aside I'm enjoying being back with my colleagues again, it's almost like I've never been away :)

Lily's start to the new school year has been a positive one, although I never expected she would be making the return while wearing a summer dress. It just didn't feel quite right, the weather being so warm. Thankfully, the unexpected heatwave has since been replaced with 'proper' back to school weather, by which I mean we can see our breath in the early morning air. The other day, I even made an apple crumble. Autumn definitely has one foot in the door now. This week, we will be visiting several secondary schools to make our final decision, before completing the application for her place next year. This is something which felt so far off when she first began primary school all those years ago now, and I'm not sure I'm ready for this next big step.

With the autumn equinox falling at the weekend, I'm hoping things will feel a little more settled for me as the days get even shorter. I should know to expect a certain level of unease as we transition from one season to the next, as for some reason these in-between times usually leave me feeling somewhat out-of-sorts. Soon it will be time for hunkering down, cosy night's in and warm sweaters. I think I'm ready for it. 

J. X

September

I do realise we are now into October, and as the title proves just how infrequently I have posted lately, I thought another little catch-up might not be a bad idea. 

The new school term began slightly later than usual, which meant we enjoyed a longer than average summer break and so we used this time to take another trip to London. We stayed for two nights, enjoying a full day out in the capital, taking in Tower Bridge, The Museum of Natural History, St. Paul's Cathedral and Hyde Park. It was a beautiful sunny day, and we made the most of the good weather, enjoying a picnic in the museum garden and spending much of the afternoon cooling off in the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain. 

Back home once more, we barely had chance to unpack, when we set off again. This time, to Ullswater for a day of paddleboarding, before travelling further north to spend the night in what should have been a camping pod, but thanks to a double booking, we ended up staying in a safari tent instead. It even contained a double bed, which made for a very comfortable stay. A fish and chip supper, followed by an evening beside the campfire provided a lovely way to round off our summer.

Two days later we started back at school for the autumn term, and as usual it felt good to fall back into a familiar routine once again. 

Determined to eke out every last moment of summer, that weekend we drove to Blackpool so that we could see the Illuminations, eat fish and chips, and best of all, enjoy fresh doughnuts bought from the pier. Our faces almost pressed right up against the glass, just to see the wonder of the batter being dropped into the hot oil and transforming into this delicious sugary treat, right before our eyes - I really need to get out more :)  

The last two weekends, we've been out walking, taking in three more Wainwrights and we have, at last, completed all of the Eastern Fells. I'm looking forward to exploring further afield now, and I am challenging myself to make it to the halfway point by the end of the year. 

Looking back over the month, I can see why I've had little opportunity to post. And now that the seasons are shifting, summer is but a distant memory. It's time to slow down, prepare for the colder months ahead, and embrace all that autumn now has to offer. 

J. X