In Australia and New Zealand, there is no such thing as "fall" (it is called autumn). Moreover, the native podocarp trees are not deciduous, so "fall" colors are only to be found in pockets of exotic trees. Here in Wellington at latitude 41° S. (i.e., in the "Roaring Forties"), the equinoctial periods feature especially strong and frequent gales. They can be wearing. Perhaps this is also the case on the Isle of Wight. But I enjoy autumn for many of the same reasons that you do. As our fruit and vegetables are mostly grown locally, and there are few imports (especially from the northern hemisphere), the harvest time is celebrated in full measure. We savor the short-lived things like summer fruits and berries, fresh chilies, zucchini (here called courgettes) and eggplant (aubergine) before the winter sets in, and they become unavailable, or nearly so. In winter, root vegetables, squash and leafy "silverbeet" figure large.
Thanks for your thoughts Tim! I have also learned to use Autumn, courgettes and aubergine in the UK (the latter two were helpful to know when we lived in France!), and I hope you noticed I did not use the word fall once in my essay, it is now so engrained in me to say autumn. I also can't ever use the word 'pants' without chuckling now 😉
I was not aware of the strong and frequent gales in your part of the world; I too would be worn out by that. Both places we have lived in the UK have been coastal and windy but not at such strength usually. I find wind exhausting, only outweighed by my love of being near the sea.
And I am glad to hear that the autumn produce is beloved and enjoyed in it's own season. That's the best way to enjoy food, and life, really!
I'm in the Roaring Forties as well, Tim. Forty two degrees south. In Tasmania. The gales have been exhausting this spring - much more than normal but autumn in Tassie is quite traditionally calm and still. Also, we call courgettes zucchinis and aubergines eggplants. Interesting the difference just across the Ditch.
Lovely lovely post, with a real sense of a season's turn.
I'm with you.
Love harvesting the produce, cooking with it, freezing the food for winter sustenance, love the colours, the cooler nights when bed becomes a warm hobbit hole. Wearing warmer clothes and LOVE the way the incomers vanish and the coast returns to us. Selfish I know, but one can actually see the wildlife emerge, the dolphins and sea eagles, the little coastal birds - all reclaiming what is rightfully theirs much more than ours.
If there's anything that's a bugbear, its raking up the multitude of leaves off the lawns. It's mammoth. I tend to leave any that fall on the garden beds as ready-made compost.
Besides, when all is said and down, we know that seasons roll around with beautiful regularity and there's comfort in that ancient ritual.
Oh I wish I had some more deciduous leaves! The small ones we have that drop blow away in moments. I love your description of your autumn wildlife. That is one of the goals of refurbishing our garden is to re-wild parts of it and encourage more wildlife. My fingers are crossed. ANd you re so right about the circle of the seasons... round and round. ❤️
Your post reminded me that fall is coming. I'd been overlooking it since the days in Madrid are still long and the weather is warm. In Chicago, where I should be shivering now, it's 80 degrees. I don't mind putting off the fall because I want to linger in the last days of summer. Since I am often in Chicago and Minneapolis in the fall, I know it's coming not only by the brisk weather but by the overdone, out of proportion, outsized, and wonderful Halloween decorations consuming people's yards, porches, and gardens. I love the spirit of it all.
Those Halloween decorations in America are fabulous, aren't they? I loved being in Seattle a couple of years ago in the days closing in on halloween and enjoying the front yard decor. Sorry to see your photo of Mateo with a wounded arm. Best wishes to all of you!
Another lovely (and cosy!) post, Sabrina!❤️ I'm not a natural fan of autumn, but your evocative descriptions and gorgeous photos have softened me towards it. I mean, who can't love a sign that sayd 'Red squirrels crossing'?! Even though I'm not the biggest fan of this season, I can add one thing to the list of non-traditional triggers - my cats start to get their winter coats and really fluff up, it's the best thing ever 🥰 Thank you for your words and making me feel a little more friendly towards this time of year ❤️
Thank you for your indulgence in considering autumn differently Jayne. I'm glad you haven't ruled out autumn altogether.
That is so fun to hear about your increasingly furry cats! I bet they look so different as they fluff, and must be a wonderful heating pad for you! Do they notice the increased fur, can you tell?
They are so good as alternative hot water bottles! I’m not sure if they notice, that’s a good question… I do, as I have less hair to sweep up around the hosue! Maybe they notice more when they lose the coat in the summer as they are forever cleaning themselves to get the hair off. I’ve totally hijacked this conversation to talk about cats, so sorry, you shouldn’t let me get on the topic 😆
Ha ha! You are being polite because I asked the question! I love the idea of them as hot water bottles! I use a hot water bottle here about 6 months of the year 😄. And that is interesting that you say they must notice more in the summer when the hair is falling out, and they help it. I haven't thought about the seasonal shedding since I had a golden retriever many many years ago. So perhaps for you, less time/hair vacuuming is a a positive autumnal change? 😉
Less hair tumbleweeds around the house is definitely a big plus to the autumn/winter season, you are right! And hot bottles, I’m totally addicted to them too! 🥰
Our (garden) harvest is sometimes dictated by the first frost. When it is forecasted it's time to bring in the sensitive crops even if they haven't ripened. Fortunately this Fall has been quite mild and we were able to harvest when the veggies were ready. The tomatillos are always so late and I have to watch the weather closely. The carrots are still in the ground, having pulled up just a few to check on them, and can withstand a freeze or two. We just returned from a trip to the Midwest for a race. During the eastbound drive we noticed more crops were still standing the further we went east. Here in the West our growing season is shorter so much of the wheat is dryland (not irrigated) winter (planted in the Fall to get the most out of the winter moisture). Irrigated crops like alfalfa and corn have all been harvested and stored. I learned from my Iowa farming brother in law that they sometimes don't harvest the corn, if it hasn't reached the optimum moisture content, until the following Spring. It's interesting how agricultural practices have been adapted to the specific regions the crops are grown in.
Wow, I really enjoyed hearing about all those different crop practices, and how they vary from region to region. Something that I guessed happened but didn't know the actual practice. Very cool to learn about that, thanks! I have been challenged having moved to a very wet climate from a place where for most of my life we tried to eek as much moisture from dry soil as possible. And also living so much farther north impacts the number of daylight hours as well. The world is endlessly interesting, and of course now we are all learning to live with changing climate conditions as well. Cheers Crowell!
Autumn is so much nicer a word than “fall” I think, so I love switching to using that. And it is definitely my favorite season of the year. Thank you too for highlighting the aspects of autumn that are less obvious! My favorite is the assortment of new autumn and winter vegetables that start to appear….as I get ready to remove tasty Brussel sprouts from their large stalk!
Mmm... Brussel sprouts! Haven't yet got them in my box, so thanks for the reminder! I'll have to pick some up. Autumn veggies are indeed a seasonal treat.
I'm glad you like the word autumn too! It took me awhile to switch over, and I revert back pretty quickly when I am in the US. But autumn is more consistently used in all the other English-speaking countries. Thanks for your comments Martha!
I love your exploration of autumn, Sabrina! This fortnight every year is one of my favourites - the middle couple of weeks in October when the leaves are turning but haven't all fallen, when there are still some bright, bright days with late-afternoon sunshine - when indeed there still IS a 'late afternoon' because the clocks haven't yet gone back.
Harvest festival season always makes me warm inside.
In Australia and New Zealand, there is no such thing as "fall" (it is called autumn). Moreover, the native podocarp trees are not deciduous, so "fall" colors are only to be found in pockets of exotic trees. Here in Wellington at latitude 41° S. (i.e., in the "Roaring Forties"), the equinoctial periods feature especially strong and frequent gales. They can be wearing. Perhaps this is also the case on the Isle of Wight. But I enjoy autumn for many of the same reasons that you do. As our fruit and vegetables are mostly grown locally, and there are few imports (especially from the northern hemisphere), the harvest time is celebrated in full measure. We savor the short-lived things like summer fruits and berries, fresh chilies, zucchini (here called courgettes) and eggplant (aubergine) before the winter sets in, and they become unavailable, or nearly so. In winter, root vegetables, squash and leafy "silverbeet" figure large.
Thanks for your thoughts Tim! I have also learned to use Autumn, courgettes and aubergine in the UK (the latter two were helpful to know when we lived in France!), and I hope you noticed I did not use the word fall once in my essay, it is now so engrained in me to say autumn. I also can't ever use the word 'pants' without chuckling now 😉
I was not aware of the strong and frequent gales in your part of the world; I too would be worn out by that. Both places we have lived in the UK have been coastal and windy but not at such strength usually. I find wind exhausting, only outweighed by my love of being near the sea.
And I am glad to hear that the autumn produce is beloved and enjoyed in it's own season. That's the best way to enjoy food, and life, really!
I'm in the Roaring Forties as well, Tim. Forty two degrees south. In Tasmania. The gales have been exhausting this spring - much more than normal but autumn in Tassie is quite traditionally calm and still. Also, we call courgettes zucchinis and aubergines eggplants. Interesting the difference just across the Ditch.
Lovely lovely post, with a real sense of a season's turn.
I'm with you.
Love harvesting the produce, cooking with it, freezing the food for winter sustenance, love the colours, the cooler nights when bed becomes a warm hobbit hole. Wearing warmer clothes and LOVE the way the incomers vanish and the coast returns to us. Selfish I know, but one can actually see the wildlife emerge, the dolphins and sea eagles, the little coastal birds - all reclaiming what is rightfully theirs much more than ours.
If there's anything that's a bugbear, its raking up the multitude of leaves off the lawns. It's mammoth. I tend to leave any that fall on the garden beds as ready-made compost.
Besides, when all is said and down, we know that seasons roll around with beautiful regularity and there's comfort in that ancient ritual.
Oh I wish I had some more deciduous leaves! The small ones we have that drop blow away in moments. I love your description of your autumn wildlife. That is one of the goals of refurbishing our garden is to re-wild parts of it and encourage more wildlife. My fingers are crossed. ANd you re so right about the circle of the seasons... round and round. ❤️
Your post reminded me that fall is coming. I'd been overlooking it since the days in Madrid are still long and the weather is warm. In Chicago, where I should be shivering now, it's 80 degrees. I don't mind putting off the fall because I want to linger in the last days of summer. Since I am often in Chicago and Minneapolis in the fall, I know it's coming not only by the brisk weather but by the overdone, out of proportion, outsized, and wonderful Halloween decorations consuming people's yards, porches, and gardens. I love the spirit of it all.
Those Halloween decorations in America are fabulous, aren't they? I loved being in Seattle a couple of years ago in the days closing in on halloween and enjoying the front yard decor. Sorry to see your photo of Mateo with a wounded arm. Best wishes to all of you!
Another lovely (and cosy!) post, Sabrina!❤️ I'm not a natural fan of autumn, but your evocative descriptions and gorgeous photos have softened me towards it. I mean, who can't love a sign that sayd 'Red squirrels crossing'?! Even though I'm not the biggest fan of this season, I can add one thing to the list of non-traditional triggers - my cats start to get their winter coats and really fluff up, it's the best thing ever 🥰 Thank you for your words and making me feel a little more friendly towards this time of year ❤️
Thank you for your indulgence in considering autumn differently Jayne. I'm glad you haven't ruled out autumn altogether.
That is so fun to hear about your increasingly furry cats! I bet they look so different as they fluff, and must be a wonderful heating pad for you! Do they notice the increased fur, can you tell?
They are so good as alternative hot water bottles! I’m not sure if they notice, that’s a good question… I do, as I have less hair to sweep up around the hosue! Maybe they notice more when they lose the coat in the summer as they are forever cleaning themselves to get the hair off. I’ve totally hijacked this conversation to talk about cats, so sorry, you shouldn’t let me get on the topic 😆
Ha ha! You are being polite because I asked the question! I love the idea of them as hot water bottles! I use a hot water bottle here about 6 months of the year 😄. And that is interesting that you say they must notice more in the summer when the hair is falling out, and they help it. I haven't thought about the seasonal shedding since I had a golden retriever many many years ago. So perhaps for you, less time/hair vacuuming is a a positive autumnal change? 😉
Less hair tumbleweeds around the house is definitely a big plus to the autumn/winter season, you are right! And hot bottles, I’m totally addicted to them too! 🥰
Our (garden) harvest is sometimes dictated by the first frost. When it is forecasted it's time to bring in the sensitive crops even if they haven't ripened. Fortunately this Fall has been quite mild and we were able to harvest when the veggies were ready. The tomatillos are always so late and I have to watch the weather closely. The carrots are still in the ground, having pulled up just a few to check on them, and can withstand a freeze or two. We just returned from a trip to the Midwest for a race. During the eastbound drive we noticed more crops were still standing the further we went east. Here in the West our growing season is shorter so much of the wheat is dryland (not irrigated) winter (planted in the Fall to get the most out of the winter moisture). Irrigated crops like alfalfa and corn have all been harvested and stored. I learned from my Iowa farming brother in law that they sometimes don't harvest the corn, if it hasn't reached the optimum moisture content, until the following Spring. It's interesting how agricultural practices have been adapted to the specific regions the crops are grown in.
Wow, I really enjoyed hearing about all those different crop practices, and how they vary from region to region. Something that I guessed happened but didn't know the actual practice. Very cool to learn about that, thanks! I have been challenged having moved to a very wet climate from a place where for most of my life we tried to eek as much moisture from dry soil as possible. And also living so much farther north impacts the number of daylight hours as well. The world is endlessly interesting, and of course now we are all learning to live with changing climate conditions as well. Cheers Crowell!
Autumn is so much nicer a word than “fall” I think, so I love switching to using that. And it is definitely my favorite season of the year. Thank you too for highlighting the aspects of autumn that are less obvious! My favorite is the assortment of new autumn and winter vegetables that start to appear….as I get ready to remove tasty Brussel sprouts from their large stalk!
Mmm... Brussel sprouts! Haven't yet got them in my box, so thanks for the reminder! I'll have to pick some up. Autumn veggies are indeed a seasonal treat.
I'm glad you like the word autumn too! It took me awhile to switch over, and I revert back pretty quickly when I am in the US. But autumn is more consistently used in all the other English-speaking countries. Thanks for your comments Martha!
I love your exploration of autumn, Sabrina! This fortnight every year is one of my favourites - the middle couple of weeks in October when the leaves are turning but haven't all fallen, when there are still some bright, bright days with late-afternoon sunshine - when indeed there still IS a 'late afternoon' because the clocks haven't yet gone back.
Harvest festival season always makes me warm inside.