It’s time to fall in love with September again. Yes, you read that right, September may feel like the end of summer, the days are getting shorter and the nights longer. It signals the end to those evening spent drinking gin and tonic in the garden, but fret not, all is not lost.
I want you to think of September as the wonderful midpoint between late summer and the all the beauty of autumn; the month that leads us nicely into those colder days. Let me walk you through the reasons I love September:
The weather is perfect. July and August may boast the heat of the summer but climate change has meant these months are beginning to feel uncomfortably hot and muggy at times. September brings with it so much beauty, from crisp sunny days to changing colours of the leaves. As the midpoint between summer and autumn, September gives us the best of both worlds; the days are still warm for it to still feel like summer, but we get glimpses of the beauty autumn has to offer as the seasonal baton is passed over. And yes, there is still time to have the odd glass of G&T outdoors!
It is the end of the school holidays. Whether or not you have school-age children, there are benefits to this. For those with children, the endless planning of days out to zoos, parks and soft play centres will come to a welcome end, Instead you can plan for coffee mornings with your friends after the school drop off. For those who do not have to endure the gauntlet of the school drop off, restaurants and cafes will no longer be packed to the rafters with children. Taking trips abroad will be cheaper now the school holidays are over and there will be considerably fewer tourists around if you do decide to have that city break. Plus, the weather will still be warm – so it’s a win-win.
For us gardeners, September usually heralds the end of the flower season but marks the beginning of the time when fruit is ripe enough to be harvested. Apples, pears, plums are all ready for us to take indoors and create delicious crumbles and cakes, something all the family can get involved with. It's also the best time to start new hobby like jam, sauce, or chutney making as fruit such as raspberries and blackberries come into season.
September also means home comforts, be it that blanket you put away at the end of spring, logs to put on the fire, cups of hot chocolate or that wonderful woollen jumper collection you have that you’ve been waiting to revisit. It is also the time of year when my favourite type of drink makes an appearance, namely the pumpkin spice latte.
This traditional autumnal drink really brings home the flavours of the season, especially when its topped with whipped cream and paired with a piece of apple pie. All of these are simple pleasures that make us feel that but happier about the upcoming colder months.
Most importantly, think of September as a new start. When we were younger, it meant the beginning of a new school year; we would arrive in class armed with new pencils, notepads and a uniform that was always slightly too big for us. As an adult, September can be easier to start a new hobby or make that fresh start in life you have been wanting to do for months, personally, I think it’s easier than January's new year resolutions as you don’t have to contend with the dark wintery weather that the new year brings with it.
And remember, be kind to yourself. The change in seasons can be difficult for some to cope with, don’t worry too much if you need time to adjust.
Celebrate your small wins, plan things so you have something to look forward to and don’t be too hard on yourself if you suffer any setbacks.
This month I'm
Reading: How to Live your Life when you could be Dead: Dame Deborah James
Listening to : Beyonce Renaissance
Watching : Marriage BBC1/IPlayer
