Welcome October

Welcome October!

And so September is gone. Good riddance I say. The whole depressing back to school thing, the goodbye to summer and all we associate with it; namely heat, painted toe nails and sand in our hair. It was a month of organising things; uniforms and books, school runs and lunches. September was a struggle.
October rolls in effortlessly, with her mild breezy days, there is a chill in the evening to be sure but we’re ready, we’ve had our fill of barbeques and sleepless heatfilled nights, we welcome snuggling up on the couch beside the fire, positively relish the warmth of the extra duvet on the bed. Toasty.
 And October is beautiful. Oh the colours; ochre, flame red, yellow. The after apple pie Sunday walks in the woods, leaves crunching underfoot. Having to add a layer but not the hat and scarf yet. The clear crystal bright sunlight that cuts into every corner, showing up my filthy windows and numerous cobwebs.
 I love October.
 My apple trees are overburdened with fruit that I give to friends and family, big lusty green apples that make the best pies and crumbles. They grow in clusters of three or four, the satisfying snap when I twist them off the tree. There are sloes ripening on the bushes waiting to be collected for the Christmas gin.
 And Hallowe’en is but. 30 days away. Most treasured feast, already I am lifting pumpkins in supermarkets holding their reassuring weight in my hands, longing to scoop out and carve their orange skins. The evening air is heavy with the scent of bonfire and I place thick dry turf on the open fire. Welcome October with all the beauty and joy that you bring. An autumnal jewel of a month.