October thoughts

As a new month begins, I think about what October means to me, and what the natural world around us is telling us to do.

I love October. If I had to pick a month, it would probably be this one. The air is cool, but not too cold yet, and the darkness creeps in at night, but not so much that you leave and come back from work in darkness yet. There are clear transitions that you can see and feel all around. Bright, beautiful skies followed by the comforting dark of night. Leaves mirroring those sunset skies, turning a bright display of colours before saying their final goodbye. I listen to these signs, and October becomes my month of transitioning too.

Clothes are put away and warmed ones take their place. There is something so soothing to me about the warm textures of knitted jumpers and scarves. I take my time, taking each one out of hibernation and into my wardrobe for the next 6 months or so. This year, I think about taking up knitting as I put each one away. As I transition from the season of sunshine and adventures into the season of slow retreat, I ready myself by preparing the items and activities that will keep me comfort through the long dark nights ahead. Knitting to keep my hands busy and quieten my mind feels like the right one for me this year. I’ve already got my collection of books to keep me company ready, the log stores have been filled, and my craft drawer downstairs has been decluttered and is ready for attention once more.

October will also mark a change in my diet. Eating seasonally means saying goodbye to the sweet taste of summer berries, fresh salads and tomatoes for a while and welcoming the comforting cold weather foods. In Scotland, this means a season of warm stews, thick broths and warming winter soups is coming. I start flickering through my old reliable cookbooks, reminding myself of staple recipes and looking for a few new ones to add to the mix this year. I’ll also be decluttering and re stocking my baking supplies soon. On the cold, rainy days, there’s nothing better than a cosy home filled with the scent of freshly baked bread and warm spiced cakes. On days like this to come, I love inviting my close family around on a wet Sunday afternoon and being able to serve them freshly baked goodies and we are all forced to slow down and just spend some time doing nothing in each others company. As I get older, so too do my parents, and I cherish these moments I get to spend with them, understanding one days these precious memories will be all I’ll have left. The upcoming months of cold and dark may seem like impending doom to some, but I like to go with the flow of nature, and I am grateful for this time to slow it down and spend such wonderful days with my loved ones, all huddled indoors together.

Of course, it’s not all miserable days, October sees some of the bluest skies and incredible sunsets and sunrises of the years. We are so very lucky where we live to have so many places of natural beauty so close to home, and some of the most spectacular forest walks within easy reach. I always think of October as natures final burst of the most exquisite beauty before its retreat into hibernation. We take full advantage of this time, and spend as much time as we can in these forests, every day noticing more leaves turning, more signs of the seasonal changes. Walks become slower, less hikes and more slow paces strolls, taking in the autumnal colours and letting the cool, crisp air revive our bodies and souls. You know that air, when you breathe it in and the subtle coolness means you feel it in every corner of your body.

October is also the month we traditional take a holiday with the extended family, our little family unit and the parents on either side. We hire a home somewhere remotish in Scotland and come together for a week to spend time with each other. We go for walks, drink tea and eat cakes, take turns making dinners and spend our evening chatting by a fire under cosy blankets or playing board games around a table. I know how lucky I am to have this, and as I pack our bags to set off tomorrow, I think about all that October gives and all it teaches us, and I am so very grateful to be hear, listening and taking it all in 🍂💚