Sunday was the first day of Autumn – the Autumnal Equinox. It’s the cardinal point in the Wheel of the Year, with Mabon having occurred a few days ago. Neither the North or South poles are tilted towards the sun today. Day and night are nearly exactly the same length today, with day getting shorter for those of us here in the Northern hemisphere. It’s a great time of the year to write down some gratitude lists!
Even though I am not a cold-weather person and I abhor the short hours of light in the sky, I do like nestling down at home and I love the beauty of the changing leaves.
“I’m glad to live in a world where there are Octobers” L. M. Montgomery
ABCs of Autumn
Apple cider flavoured everything. It’s not very common but I love proper American apple cider (cider isn’t alcohol in America which is a shock to UK readers; it’s more like a super rich, spicy version of cloudy apple juice), apple cider donuts with cinnamon sugar, apple cider cakes….
Bonfire Night. It will be our second Bonfire Night in York after years of seeing the Crystal Palace Fireworks. But Guy Fawkes was born in York, so surely it’s the perfect place to be for it?
Christmas shopping. That’s right, everyone. I’m one of those annoying people who likes to have it all done pre-December.
Day-trip to Whitby. I’ve been to Whitby multiple times, but with its Bram Stoker connection (the writer of Dracula) an Autumnal visit is a must!
Evenings in. There’s no better excuse to curl up at home under a blanket than the fact that the daylight is getting shorter and much colder.
Foliage. I love when the leaves change colour and there are pops of vibrant reds, oranges and yellow around. (I just dislike when they fall off the trees altogether and we are surrounded by bareness.)
Go to a pick your own farm. And find some tasty apples and maybe a pumpkin or two.
Halloween! Usually my Halloweens in the UK are fairly low-key, but I love Halloween. (My favourite being 2 years ago when I did a ton of research and led Sam on a personal ghost-tour of the Highgate/Hampstead area and then we stopped at DumDum for ghostly themed donuts)
Introducing Sam to America. We aren’t visiting my home, however, next week we are going to Altanta (where I lived for several years) to the wedding of my best friend from university. Sam hasn’t been to America since 9-11 (he was in New York for it) so I’m excited to give him a completely different set of memories and introduce him to my university haunts.
Jumping in leaf piles is still socially acceptable once you’re in your early 30s, right?
Kitchen-time is more fun. Baking and cooking becomes cosier and a lot more hygge the second it starts getting cold and I love spending a whole Sunday by the stove making a full-meal.
Laying out our allotment plans. After having taken over a horrendously abandoned allotment at the end of the summer, most of our time has been spent clearing it and getting it usable. Now we can start some proper growth planning!
Movie marathons. Scary movies around Halloween, and then after that the inaugural Harry Potter movie marathon. (To see how many times I inevitably cry.)
New starts. Something about the school year starting back again always feels like more of a “new start” time of year than January 1st does for me. It’s a great time to set some new goals and habits. I blogged a few weeks ago about my “back to work” essentials.
Open fires. One day Sam and I will have one of our own, but until then we’ll have to continue to find dog-friendly pubs with large roaring open-fires. This year we do have an old (non-working) fireplace and there’s something that I love about having a hearth and a mantle.
Pumpkin in all things. It’s my inner-American coming out but I’m obsessed with all things pumpkin flavour. And luckily for me, I’ve converted Sam as well!
Quiet time. Summer has been fairly full on, and nearly all my weekends are booked up for the autumn already but I’m looking forward to some quiet weeknight evenings at home.
Read ghost stories. I always love a good spooky tale or movie, but I especially love curling up with a creepy read whilst the rain is lashing against the window.
Scarves, jumpers, boots. Cozy clothing that makes me feel snuggly and safe, for the win!
Thanksgiving. This will be my 9th Thanksgiving in the UK which seems incredible! That means nearly 1/3 of my Thanksgivings on this planet have been abroad. This year will be my first Thanksgiving as a homeowner so I’d love to host a dinner of some sort.
Uniform wardrobe. I’m trying to create my own semi-capsule/uniform wardrobe for the autumn/winter and I have my eye on a few new pieces.
Veg. I love all the hearty veg that is in season over the Autumn. Ultimate comfort foods!
Walks outside. I like walking all the time, but there’s something especially magical about being out in nature in the crisp air and light mist.
Xylophone band practice. You should hear our York group. We are definitely gearing up for our jamboree!
Yoga classes. At the studio I love, there are no classes during the summer holidays so I’m excited to get back into it!
Zzzz. Sleeping in the Autumn is so much more satisfying than summer sleeps. Just think about how hard it is to leave your warm and cozy duvet.
What are you looking forward to this season?
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
ABCs of Autumn (2017)
ABCs of Autumn (2016)
ABCs of Autumn (2015)
ABCs of Autumn (2014)
ABCs of Autumn (2013)
