Reflections on the puddle of life

I've been thinking about this for a little while now, since that day when the autumn mist decended reminding me of the special time that is this season, that is autumn, unique, bold and distinctive amongst seasons. It is, for me, a wonderful time of year, and though it is a time when the world dies back and things become sparse and bare at the same time it encompasses that last glorious flush of life, the fire before the burning, and it is this that marks out autumn as a special time for me.

As I'm in a listing mood still, sorry, I thought I'd share my list of things I love about autumn. Here it is

1. Colour
All those rich reds, vivid orange, bright yellows, crisp browns, the burning of the trees as they shed their leaves, stripping back to their naked selves. The passion before the long sleep. Lovely.

2. Creatures
Some of my favourite creatures are seen around this time of year; perhaps because the bushes, the trees, the undergrowth in which they hide can no longer disguise them. But as I cycle through the park the squirrels bound like bendy 'm's, they sniff, they climb, they gather. And the hedgehogs snuffle in the undergrowth and the birds sing in the stripped trees and its all laid out so easy for me to see it would be almost criminal not to.

3. Weather
Okay, so it's not warm but, in general, the weather seems to be a bit better in autumn. Perhaps because of the cold it seems to rain less (not that I don't like rain, actually I'm quite a fan of rain except when I'm cycling to work then it's no fun!), it's grey less. Instead the sky is crisp and clear, like brittle glass. The stars are sharper. The bright moon dominates the night. Some days there's fog (and I do love fog), and the tiny particles of icy water sparkle in the beam from my bicycle lights and it's like you're cycling through a shower of tiny diamonds.

4. Food
Autumn food is great. Possibly because in the autumn, because it's cold, it's okay to eat comfort foods: shepherd's pie, warming stews, food you can fill your belly with and then go out for a long, refreshing walk in the park wrapped up tight in your gloves and your wellies and your scarf. Apples are in abundance, as are figs and blackberries and dark, fleshy plums. Oh, and rhubarb. Now's the time to make jam and pickles. Nuts ripen and fall and if you can beat the squirrels to them they're delicious (but are they nuts? Uh-oh, let's not get into that discussion again!).

5. Conkers
Say no more!

6. Festivals
I don't know how it is anywhere else, but in the UK autumn is a really big time for festivals and celebrations. Perhaps it is our defence against the cold and the dark, long nights. In autumn we have the harvest festival, a time for sharing and thinking of others less fortunate than yourselves. Then there's Halloween, a time for remembering and celebrating the dead. Then there's Guy Fawkes Night, a time for remembering how lucky we are that no one gets hung, drawn and quartered anymore. Okay, it's a bit macabre, but it is one of the best of our festivals of the year, and one of the most widely celebrated.

7. Clothes
Scarves, in particular. But the great thing about autumn is that you can wear what you like so long as it's warm, and no one bothers if you're dressed up like the Mitchelin Man in ten layers with a body there, somewhere, underneath it. No need for short skirts, unless you've got some nice woolly tights (which I have, and I love) and of course woollen things are always nice to wear. Who doesn't love a good jumper?

8. Stars
I think I mentioned these already, but they deserve a special mention. The stars are especially beautiful and especially accessible during autumn.

9. Big piles of leaves, everywhere
Yes it's annoying when 'leaves on the line' make your train 10 minutes late, and they're horrible when they're soggy and they get everywhere and they ruin the lawn, but when there's a big, fat pile of juicy leaves lying by the road side, come on, are you telling me you're not tempted to jump into it and kick them all over the place? I am.

10. Snuggling up in bed with my hubby, early, and reading a good book
Autumn was made for being cosy.