Slow September
'Mists and mellow fruitfulness', and all that...
Am I allowed to say cosy season yet? Whether you’re going by the meteorological concept (September 1st), or the astronomical (September 22/23rd), autumn is imminent/here. A colleague said that it seemed to change from summer to autumn literally in a week, and I felt that too. Waking up, it’s been noticeably darker. Dog walks in the mornings feel different, with the low sun intermittently blinding me through the trees. Somehow, even though it’s continued to be warm, the air has lost its softness, and I’m noticing fallen leaves and dewy spiders’ webs. We’ve even had frost in the garden, which I thought was impossible, but apparently little pockets of low ground temperature can occur even if the air temp is higher. I’m already looking forward to weekend walks full of autumn hues, the smell of woodsmoke in the air.
Home things
Quite apart from the whole fresh notebook/new pencil case loveliness that September brings, ‘tis the season for scented candles (I bought a massive one in TK Maxx which is ‘harvest pumpkin, vanilla nutmeg, cinnamon and sweet brown sugar’), lamps lit and snuggly throws on the furniture. My linen stuff and shorts have gone back in the upstairs cupboard and I’ve brought down my jumpers. Rediscovering these definitely made me think about shopping my wardrobe and creating new outfits (I’m trying for a no-shop September). The dopamine hit without the spend… got to be a good thing.
Food things
Sunday walks are made for roast dinners: slow cooked beef, a proper free-range chicken from our local butcher roasting with rosemary and garlic steaming up the windows, glasses of soft red wine, working our way through the glut of apples for dessert (I’ve already made a crumble and a strudel), pumpkin spice and cinnamon everything..
Garden things
We’re enjoying the last of the summer from the garden: the tomatoes are still ripening; basil, oregano, rosemary and sage are all drying, ready to be added to soups, pasta sauces and roast potatoes. I’ve bought a new notebook from Papier, to start a garden journal (more of this later - I’m going to get some photos printed to record what the garden looks like at different times of the year) and we’re trying our hands at drying seeds for planting next year. The dahlias are still going (although I didn’t like the colours this year - yellow not being really my thing - they were very pretty), and I’ve ordered tulips that are more my style for spring: Brasil, double blooms with copper, brown and burgundy hues, and Nachtwacht, blowsy, peony flowered dark red beauties. We’re planning for next year - a trip to The Newt in Somerset to see our friends gave us loads of inspiration - and hoping that the potatoes we planted for Christmas actually work.
Autumn rituals and habits
I mentioned rituals before - whether that’s journalling to clear your mind before bed, sipping a solo hot chocolate in a café or taking the time to double cleanse and moisturise with beautiful products - rituals are grounding and comforting, so they’re a great way to introduce a tiny bit of self-care into your day. I’ve noticed that, without realising, one of my favourite rituals is pottering in the garden: the deadheading, watering and staking is my own way of switching off and just being in the moment.
So here’s to slow September. Create a new ritual just for you: pick up your pen and start a fresh new page, light the candle (absolutely no saving them for best), pull on a chunky jumper, snuggle up and start a new book from your to read pile (mine is massive - I’ve gone down a bit of a philosophy rabbit hole), bake a cake, visit the farm shop, make some soup, turn off your phone, listen to your body, surround yourself with plants… however you do it, take some time to nurture yourself. xx
Cosy, pumpkin, cinnamon…. You can say ALL the words. It’s here!