Hello October

Is it now an annual norM to be needing coats in late May and wearing T-shirts come October?

It’s disconcerting to say the least, but October I do still love you! You’re a multicolour wonder, you light the landscape fire that November will keep burning. You bring those late dark mornings and those cosy early nights. October you are just magical. More special, more poignant because all those little cosy moments we’ve been dreaming of since August are yours to gift us first, and the first taste of cosy is the sweetest of all. Can you tell this paragraph was written at the beginning of the month? Because OH MY GOODNESS… THE RAIN WE’VE HAD SINCE.

We’ve had lots of fun in the woods, conker picking, soap making, we also found the most beautiful pattern created under the bark of an old chopped down log. Dayne’s Dyke, a local ancient woodland near where we live always looks like an enchanted forest full of twisted tree roots, ferns and cavernous valleys. The tree canopy is changing colour day by day. We got quite close to a sparrow hawk in the forgotten wood and we’ve baked cookies and made lots of mess. We’ve carved pumpkins, painted with coffee, made soup with garden squash, cooked and pickled beetroot, hung an autumn wreath that has been dribbling dye down the door in the never ending rain. I’ve also lost my temper more than I would like and I’m finding managing the dogs, the washing, both kids and life quite a challenge to say the least but I’m trying my best and it will get easier. Kids are hard, life is busy but I wouldn’t change it for the world.

"You don't waste October sunshine. Soon the old autumn sun would bed down in cloud blankets, and there would be weeks of gray rain before it finally decided to snow."

-kATHERINE ARDEN

I thought this quote fitted this particular October very well. It feels like it’s just rained solidly, especially towards to the end so those odd days of sunshine have been extra special.

My little boy turns 3

My boy was born in one of my favourite months and so now each year, it’s just a little bit more special. This year he is 3, WHERE HAS THAT GONE? My dad always said time isn’t in a rush until you have kids and along with everything else he says I paid it no heed. Poor bloke. But guess what?! turns out the old man is right. These past 3 years feel like 1 year and Toby’s 4 month life feels like just two weeks but that’s enough of the cliché parent moaning about time.

My big squidge turned 3 at the end of the month, just before Halloween so it’s a pretty full on time of year. We did plan him a birthday party. Everything was organised right down to the personalised party bags, and then storm Babet took out our power and locked my mum and dad along with all the party food in their village on a severe-get-your-pets-and-valuables-upstairs flood warning. Luckily however, they didn’t flood in the end and Teds friends congregated at the nearest spongey pit of hell (softplay) instead and everyone had a ball and the house remained tidy although dark and cold. So, alas, do not fret, the spoilt little monster was spoilt rotten anyway and the birthday cake was shared between fewer people. WIN WIN.

October In Paint & Pen

What has October been like for you? Have you seen anything out in Nature that’s made you smile or just peeked your interest? I would love to know, tell me in the comments below...