I am slowly learning the wholesome joy of living with the rhythm of the seasons. I'm come to enjoy the autumn for what it is, once I stopped the rut of mourning for the summer and trying to block out the sceptre of the cold, dark winter. Golden leaves, deep blue skies, and the bounty of fruit and vegetables, the first sweaters and the first candles...
And because I'm pretty much lost without lists, I make lists of things that I want to do each season. Bucket lists, inspired by friends, blogs and books.
* Light more candles. A friend of mine lights one as soon as she gets home every day, and I find that really comforting as the days get darker.
* Enjoy the last of fresh herbs. Especially the ones that grow in my garden.
* Pick mushrooms.
* Make vegan eggnog.
* Enjoy the fresh apples and fresh plums. Bake with apples and plums. Make smoothies with apples and plums.
* Cook lots of mushrooms, corn and pumpkin soup. I love pumpkin soup, it's one of those fool-proof meals that even I can't mess up.
* Discover more favourite teas. I love teas based on warm spices like ginger and cardamom, and my last year's discovery was the Pukka Peppermint and Licorice.
* Visit a local farm.
* Take a walk in the forest on a sunny day and enjoy the beautiful foliage. Maybe hoopdance.
* Find a spicy perfume for the cold season. All right, I actually found one, it's the Lola perfume oil from Hobbythek. I just have to mix it with alcohol to create a eau de perfume out of it.
* Make one more bonfire before it's really winter.
* Buying scented candles. They are nasty, the scents feel very synthetic to me. I much prefer burning actual herbs or resins; or using essential oils.
* Crocheting or knitting something. One day I will do this, but this year is not the year.
* Watching scary movies. I'm a huge scaredy cat and it ends up with me being scared to go to my own cellar.
What's on your autumn bucket list?
And because I'm pretty much lost without lists, I make lists of things that I want to do each season. Bucket lists, inspired by friends, blogs and books.
Here is my bucket list for autumn. What's in yours?
* Enjoy the last ice-cream of the season, the last time in a bikini outdoors, the last time being outside without a jacket.* Light more candles. A friend of mine lights one as soon as she gets home every day, and I find that really comforting as the days get darker.
* Enjoy the last of fresh herbs. Especially the ones that grow in my garden.
* Pick mushrooms.
* Make vegan eggnog.
* Enjoy the fresh apples and fresh plums. Bake with apples and plums. Make smoothies with apples and plums.
* Cook lots of mushrooms, corn and pumpkin soup. I love pumpkin soup, it's one of those fool-proof meals that even I can't mess up.
* Discover more favourite teas. I love teas based on warm spices like ginger and cardamom, and my last year's discovery was the Pukka Peppermint and Licorice.
* Visit a local farm.
* Take a walk in the forest on a sunny day and enjoy the beautiful foliage. Maybe hoopdance.
* Find a spicy perfume for the cold season. All right, I actually found one, it's the Lola perfume oil from Hobbythek. I just have to mix it with alcohol to create a eau de perfume out of it.
* Make one more bonfire before it's really winter.
What I won't be doing:
* Going to the Oktoberfest. I went last year because I thought I should experience it once, it being the biggest party of the world and all. I decided the only things that would make it tolerable would be lots of beer and a big group of good friends, otherwise just no. The worst part is the way home with extremely drunk people lining the way to the train station and the whole train.* Buying scented candles. They are nasty, the scents feel very synthetic to me. I much prefer burning actual herbs or resins; or using essential oils.
* Crocheting or knitting something. One day I will do this, but this year is not the year.
* Watching scary movies. I'm a huge scaredy cat and it ends up with me being scared to go to my own cellar.
What's on your autumn bucket list?
Photo credit: By Pablo Basagoiti