Relishing autumn

Dear souls, 'tas been frosty these last few mornings, with fresh crisp air in which to take my morning walk to work. The simple joy this affords one really is quite hard to describe. Clear blue skies, frost encrusted scenery and plumes of white breath streaming a'fore me on my brisk journey to and fro.
A cooler climate is more suited to one's Celtic colouring. As the sun rises above the horizon, golden fire bright rays caress the land that sparkles with a million diamond facets of frost, glimmering on a sea of mellow greens, gold, browns and reds. 'Tis the land that I love and warms my heart to gaze out upon it in all it's autumn glory. Jewel bright berries are scattered through the hedgerows, skeleton seed heads standing to ghostly attention in fields and verges. Bleak, yet glorious in its suit of many changing colours, marching as it does t'ward winter. The air is sprinkled with the earthy smells of the soil, fallen leaves and fires both garden and home, spicing the air. Oh Autumn.

The clocks have turned back and all Hallows' eve have come and gone. Guys Fawkes or Bonfire night stands primed on the edge of the stage for the performance on Monday. My dears, the year fair dashes t'ward its climax. Tempts fugit as one has oft said. The language of the homemaker is all in this season of mellow fruitfulness, harvest time, "hygge" or now "coorie" from the Scottish line. Not matters where the origin emerges, for most country folk are enamoured of the gathering and preparing for a warm and cosy autumn/winter season. The log sheds are full to bursting, the larder crammed with produce, the home primed for whatever weather is to come our way through autumn on to winter, hunkering down for the onslaught. Dear souls, we are prepared and one enjoys one's favourite season with time spent in honest toil and exercise spent in our blessed countryside, where my heart belongs. Long walks, garden toil, so good for body and soul with a warm home in which to repose at the end of each day, a silent prayer for the joy in the simple pleasures of life we enjoy.