Autumn

First lecture today, at least I think so, but I am up against the timetable equivalent of spaghetti junction so I'll keep my fingers crossed. Haven't done much else with my time this week so I wont bore you with the minutia of how many cups of tea I have drunk, my gardening exploits and happy times and fights with the cat. Besides there's a much bigger event going on outside and it's one of my favourites: Autumn. This could be my favourite season:

• It offers the senses so much more than the other seasons. The smokey smell drifting from a distant bonfire, crunchy leaves underfoot, the cacophony and awe inspiring visage of thousands of birds swirling overhead migrating to or from distant shores, the slow turning of the trees to the most beautiful shades of red, orange and brown, the most fantastical shapes and colours of fungi sprouting up overnight and the exhiliration of the first clear and crisp morning where you can see your breath and your face tingles with the cold.
• The best vegetables are coming into season, I love sprouts, parsnips, swede, squash and pumpkins. You start eating crumbles, casseroles and soups all warming and yummy.
• You get to go for long, windy walks through golden forests, spotting mushrooms and busy squirrels hiding their nuts and then, best of all, you get to come home from your long, windy walk all pink cheeked and happy, put the kettle on, lump down on the sofa and watch a DVD.
• The beer gets better, summer beer in a beer garden is quite something but give me an old pub with an open fire and a pint of porter or stout anyday and I am one happy lady.
• Christmas is coming. It whispers to you throughout autumn, christmas is coming. The air starts getting colder, you start going into cosy, comfy mode and dreaming of christmas trees and fires, cinamon pops up in food & candles, and robins start their Christmas card posing; sitting in the holly or on an old kettle. I know the tedious commercial side is annoying but just ignore it, think about the lovely old pagan sentiments a festival celebrating light in the middle of dark, cold winter. It's better that way and you don't have to feel like a hypocrite with the Jesus stuff.