Early autumn

I was greeted by this stunning sunrise when I went outside at 7am this morning. Autumn seems to be well and truly underway.

If you live in a temperate climate, one way of looking at the year is as an act of two parts, the hot part and the cold part. But somewhere along the way our culture acknowledged the presence of two more seasons, the transitions between the extremes of summer and winter, making the year an act of four parts. Lots of the beauty and balance in nature can be found between the extremes.

The fleeting appearance of pretty blossoms in spring, with their delicate scents, are neither as stark as the bare tree in winter, or as productive and useful as the tree would be in summer. But nevertheless they enchant us.

And so it is with autumn, the other season of transition. The vibrant browns and reds make every walk a joy. Harvesting the last of the produce from the plants is always a satisfying job after a summer of caring for them.

In nature autumn is when things start to wind down ready for some rest over winter when resources are scarce. Trees prepares for winter by covering the soil in leaves which will keep in moisture and then break down gradually over winter and release nutrients back into the soil.

I’m going to spend some time this autumn reflecting on the past summer and preparing for the winter ahead. But I’m also going to spend some time being present and enjoying this beautiful season.