So, that’s it for another year. Summer is over and tomorrow, 22nd September, sees the official start of autumn. If you haven’t already, this would be a good day to ceremoniously welcome the arrival of the new season by packing away the barbeque, folding up the patio table and chairs, putting the sun cream and the picnic blanket back in their respective storage places, and start fishing out the warmer jumpers, long sleeve tops and boots from the back of the wardrobe.
Although it may seem a little bah humbug of me, I am perfectly happy to leave the summer behind with all its rainy disappointment, fretting about wasps and mini crop circles on the back garden created by unmoved paddling pools.
As a mother, I seem to pay more notice to the passing of the seasons; the end of some things and the start of others, the small milestones passed and the ones which lie ahead. The summer months have seen my boys grow at about the same alarming rate as the sunflowers they planted in the garden in April. The trousers which fit them perfectly in the spring are all too short on them now. They know more, say more, argue more, wonder more, eat more and ask more than they did a few short months ago.
I welcome the onset of autumn with open arms. I look forward to crisp, sunny days when I can wrap the boys up cosy and warm and take a layer off again when they get too hot from running through the leaves. I can’t wait to see their giggles caught in a breath of frosty air, their little faces glowing and their wellies muddy from a good stomp through the fields. We will count all the rich and varied colours of the leaves and then catch them as they fall and make our secret wishes (I’ll be wishing that maybe, just maybe, the darker mornings will give me an extra half or so in bed)! We will wave goodbye to the swallows as they head south for the winter and look forward to making our pumpkin lanterns for Hallowe’en.
Although a part of me feels nostalgic for the piece of their childhood which is left behind with the summer of ’09, I know that just as the seasons move on, so must they – and I. So, as I pack away the sun cream and the memories, I look forward to the autumn and the undiscovered piece of their childhood which lies within it.
Although it may seem a little bah humbug of me, I am perfectly happy to leave the summer behind with all its rainy disappointment, fretting about wasps and mini crop circles on the back garden created by unmoved paddling pools.
As a mother, I seem to pay more notice to the passing of the seasons; the end of some things and the start of others, the small milestones passed and the ones which lie ahead. The summer months have seen my boys grow at about the same alarming rate as the sunflowers they planted in the garden in April. The trousers which fit them perfectly in the spring are all too short on them now. They know more, say more, argue more, wonder more, eat more and ask more than they did a few short months ago.
I welcome the onset of autumn with open arms. I look forward to crisp, sunny days when I can wrap the boys up cosy and warm and take a layer off again when they get too hot from running through the leaves. I can’t wait to see their giggles caught in a breath of frosty air, their little faces glowing and their wellies muddy from a good stomp through the fields. We will count all the rich and varied colours of the leaves and then catch them as they fall and make our secret wishes (I’ll be wishing that maybe, just maybe, the darker mornings will give me an extra half or so in bed)! We will wave goodbye to the swallows as they head south for the winter and look forward to making our pumpkin lanterns for Hallowe’en.
Although a part of me feels nostalgic for the piece of their childhood which is left behind with the summer of ’09, I know that just as the seasons move on, so must they – and I. So, as I pack away the sun cream and the memories, I look forward to the autumn and the undiscovered piece of their childhood which lies within it.
What a beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteI have to say I'm feeling the same. Summer was a bit of a disappointment all round this year. Autumn is by far my favourite season, you still get days with that last lingering warmth and sunshine but it has a crispness about it that I just love. It's going to correspond with Kai first learning how to walk so I'm envisioning puddle stomping and kicking up leaves, wrapped up in big coats.
Here's to autumn!
Lovely post! I like autumn too although I really hope we do get some of those crisp autumn days instead of the horrible overcast ones we've been having (overcast with no rain! I actually had to water the garden with the hose yesterday because everything was wilting - strange summer). My eldest loves playing in the leaves and my youngest can join in too this year now he's on his feet. And my eldest discovered conkers for the first time this week, he was so excited by them bless him. Having children helps you rediscover these things. I hadn't given conkers a thought for about 25 years!
ReplyDeleteOh god! I totally forgot it was the first day of fall and yet for some reason, this morning before we all came downstairs I packed away all the babies' summer clothes and brought down the winter woolies... Wow. I'm so in tune.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post. I like autumn too, and my children are now getting old enough for fireworks which I'm excited about. I do miss them being babies, but it just gets better as they get older and are more aware of the world around them.
ReplyDeleteLove this post - there's a mention for it over at mine! http://bit.ly/1umflo
ReplyDeleteLovely post Hazel.. I was having similar thoughts about autumn which is also my favourite season. In fact I have noticed that a lot of writers love autumn. Perhaps its because it is the season of introspection and energy being drawn in... and that is essentially where the best writing comes from. So here's to a great autumn during which we will plumb the creative depths. Oh - and hope the kids enjoy it too!
ReplyDeleteSo it would seem there are a lot of fellow autumn junkies out there - hurray! Thanks all for your lovely comments and for sharing in my autumnal glow.
ReplyDeleteCheck out some other lovely autumnal musings at Martini Mummy, Serendipity Space and Writer On the Way Home.
Lovely post. Autumn is by far my favourite season - and it has nothing (much) to do with my birthday falling within it. I love the colours of autumn and crunching through the fallen leaves and crisp, cold sunshine. And bonfires and fireworks (though, since having a dog the joys of the latter have considerably paled). Wrapping up in thick jumpers and scarves and wooly hats. Mmmmm.
ReplyDelete