What Do You Love About Autumn?

[digger]

I watched the swallows gathering on the wires outside my house this morning and it made me a little sad. They are preparing to leave, marking an end to Summer.

Autumn is the season that tends to hit me hardest, mostly because it is chock full of difficult anniversaries for me, but even prior to those, I have struggled with the deteriorating light quality and quantity.

This year, I really want to put some effort into reclaiming Autumn, finding some positives in it, and trying to ward off the demons it holds for me.

So, I'm asking you to give me the things you love about Autumn through your eyes so I can try and see some of them again without this crappy grey lens I have developed on my own eye!

Please keep responses to POSITIVE things about Autumn only - the things you love about it. I don't want this to turn into a mutual gripe about Autumnal shittiness and misery (although if someone feels inspired to start a thread in that vein I'm sure I will have plenty to contribute ;))

Thanks in advance :)

 

[expectingbetter]

I started loving autumn the most few years ago.

I love the colors of it, for me the nature is most beautiful in fall. Such amazing shades which catches eyes even if you live in city with not so many trees. My city is full of chestnut trees and I simply love when they fall and when I spot some recently fallen one and then pick it and take home with me while touching it glazed shiny surface.

I love the weather becomes colder as I can't stand very hot weather since few years ago.

I have also very bad triggering dates connected to those last days of summer or actually the part where already fall begins but nevertheless I love the temperature drops and so will be able to cover myself in some soft blanket and to feel safe in my armchair.
I love the tea again will be the tea not ice variant. And I will enjoy it.

I am a night person and I love days are shorter as I tend to start functioning only when starts becoming dark, I am half sleepy until dawn most of the days, but I simply love nights, no matter what the weather was like during the day, rainy, cloudy or anything, when night falls it is always the same beautiful, I love that consistency of it, which can't be applied to days and day lights.

I simply love the fall is coming, the baking again starts to appeal me and I imagine wonderful smells filling the home which is not really appealing when I think of standing by the oven at 38 degrees in summer.

Also even the clothes, I love fashion and with the beginning of colder weather there is much more wonderful clothes we could wear and mix together, also the scarves, I even make myself some and really love them so I wear them even inside the room.

I hope you will find something you could start loving about this wonderful season.
:hug:

 

[Ronin]

The scents & colors of the leaves.

That it's a pause from summer's heat, some places, and not yet winter's cold. It's a kind of a in the middle, tone down, let calm come, season, to me.

In the same temp & clothing vein, that my usual (hella veiled as a preference) clothing doesn't stand out so bad in it & I can just be me.

Watching birds & other animals prepare for the winter.

Warm tea & wine & peaceful moments of sitting.

 

[Casey_03]

Oh, this is such a great thread! I'm sorry that autumn is a hard time for you -- it's my favorite time of year, so I can offer a lot of positives. The crisp air, the perfect temperatures, the falling leaves, the fact that drinking hot chocolate and eating soup becomes more acceptable, the ability to wear lots of layers. And also, it seems like it gets quieter somehow -- fewer people out on the streets (or at least not hanging out on the streets for long periods). There's a sense of peace that I can never find in the summer or springtime.

 

[Deleted member 541]

Spring and autum are my favorite seasons, and always have been. I think what I love the most..... Is the SMELL of the crisp air in the morning. I just love it. Apple pies, and apple cider donuts. Maple sugar candy. Thinking of when my grandfather would rake up all of the fallen leaves into huge piles and then we would jump in them and throw them all over the yard again. He'd have to rake'em all up again. Taking long drives and just looking at the foliage, the bright yellows, reds and orange colors. Picking apples... Oh.... Honey Crisp is my favorite Apple. Yummy!!!!

It's hard to find the good in something when there is so much bad associated with it. I hope somewhere within this thread, you can find some good..

 

[Naoru]

Bugs start to die off and disappear
Leaves change into beautiful shades of red, orange, and gold
The sense of calmness after the dog days of summer - everything seems to slow down
The gathering of friends, warm drinks, & chill music at local shops and cafes
Cool weather hikes to take in the scenery and crisp autumn air
Autumn celebrations - like the Takayama Matsuri Festival
Kids and dogs playing in piles of leaves
The yummy seasonal food & drinks
Football
Hoodies and boots, but not necessarily together
The Walking Dead on AMC

 

[ladee]

My favorite thing is that things slow down. I always feel more relaxed and really love nature going thru its routine of preparing to rest. From the trees and plants to the animals. It will be the last calving time before next spring. Watching the calves bounce and play in the fresh crisp air.
It gets very hot here, so being able to be outside all day. Going rock hunting and being able to walk in nature and here the crunching leaves underfoot.
Picking my yarn back up and making things others can use to snuggle with.
Watching my crazy dog being even crazier with renewed energy.
My own energy level coming back up. Walking. Just walking for the sheer enjoyment of movement.
The smell of wood burning. Seeing the wildflowers make their last run at adding color. The turning leaves.
My favorite time of year.
Great thread !!!

 

[Silver.]

Apple picking and all the fun things we can make with the apples. Canning foods and getting ready for winter.
Love how people have said creepy crawlies disappear (and so do the birds that feel the need to squak out my window at 4am!)
Football is back on tv, so Sundays are a blast, either watching at home or going to my best friends to binge on junk food and yell at the tv.
The trees starting to turn. In my part of the US we get some really amazing colors, the trees showing their true colors and beauty.
Settling in to make winter hats to pass out to people in need. As much as Autumn means tons of snow in the future, it means a time for the kids to go back to school, a time to take stock of winter supplies, a time to settle in around the family and spend more days huddled together x

(they sell this thing called the Happy Light that is great for seasonal affective disorder)

 

[digger]

Thanks guys - these are exactly the kind of responses I was hoping for :tup: I am sure there were things I used to like about Autumn, I'm hoping some of your enthusiasm for it will rub off on me and that I might be able to reconnect with some of the more positive things. :)
I think I might challenge myself to get out with the camera more this year as I am more likely to notice the little bits of magic with a camera in my hand :photogenic:

My city is full of chestnut trees and I simply love when they fall and when I spot some recently fallen one and then pick it and take home with me while touching it glazed shiny surface.

I do love conkers :) I will end up with pockets full of them! I love the feel and colours of them when they are fresh out of their shells :)

Watching birds & other animals prepare for the winter.

Yes, despite making me a bit sad too, I have managed to enjoy listening to the swallows and house martins yipyipyipping to each other all day today too, preparing for their migration.

it gets quieter somehow -- fewer people out on the streets (or at least not hanging out on the streets for long periods).

I walk all year round with my dog and yes, I will appreciate having some of our countryside walks back to ourselves more and there being less cyclists and motorbikes out for her to bark at! ;)

Picking apples... Oh.... Honey Crisp is my favorite Apple. Yummy!!!!

Apple picking and all the fun things we can make with the apples

I have an apple tree in my garden. It is still only very small as I planted it when I moved here four years ago. This has been its third summer - the first year we got one apple, last year three, and this year there are seven on it :)

Bugs start to die off and disappear

Love how people have said creepy crawlies disappear (and so do the birds that feel the need to squak out my window at 4am!)

I actually kind of like bugs, but I won't miss having to remove flies and wasps from the house :rolleyes:. I appreciate that I live in a country though where none of them are especially scary or harmful. I have spent much of today working in my garden and enjoying their company.
I will miss the early noisiness of Summer birds. They roost and nest in the eaves of my house and I love it :) but I will appreciate the ones that stick around for the Winter all the more for it.

Picking my yarn back up and making things others can use to snuggle with.

Settling in to make winter hats to pass out to people in need.

I do this year round, but yes, more come the Autumn and Winter. There is something comforting in the weight of a handmade blanket.

they sell this thing called the Happy Light that is great for seasonal affective disorder

I do have one of these. I'm not sure how much difference it makes, but I do use it.

 

[Friday]

Yeah I tend to lose my ever loving mind this season, too... So digging deep for digger!

It's almost snowboard season.
Crisp air
Big pots of stew cooking all day
Cast iron Dutch oven break baking / house warming.
Turkey that costs 1/1000th of what it usually does. (11cents per pound v 11dollars)
This year I'll finally get the football thing going??? Maybe??? Lol.
Salmon runs full to bursting
Costumes & Revelry
Warm fires
Harvest Moon
New Year (Im weird. It always feels like a start of a new year in the Fall. Too many years of school, I think ;))
Running in misting rain = air conditioning. Not too hot/Not too cold
Still have a tan = awesome! No tan = doesn't make me envious of everyone else with one!
(Return of the pale! :wtf: It cracks me up)
Hats.
Never being short on pockets :p Granted, I can never find which damn pocket I've put stuff in.
Reorganizing my pockets.
Sleeping bags & stargazing.
Oktoberfest
Spiced chocolate, hell, spiced many things.
Thinking of winter in Egypt
Everyone gets all pansy about the weather & clears out of places I like to play in :sneaky:

 

[digger]

digging deep for digger

thank you :)

New Year (Im weird. It always feels like a start of a new year in the Fall.

If I'm remembering correctly, in the pagan calendar, the end/beginning of the year falls at Samhain (31 October). :)

Everyone gets all pansy about the weather & clears out of places I like to play in :sneaky:

:D yeah I got to admit, I do like the like the 'less people trying to be in the places I want to be' aspect of it

 

[jaccat]

The colours of leaves when they're still on the trees and how whole swathes of woodland become like a painting.
The sound of dried leaves shifting underfoot.
The scent of rain and the feel of it on my face.
Finding treasures fallen from the trees.
Berries everywhere.
My hibiscus comes into flower.
The fact that there are less people about so my walks are more peaceful.
Autumn storms, just because.
Puddles, and watching water run.
Being able to get home and warm.
Pulling my chair up to the wood-burning stove and reading a book.
Blankets and hot water bottles.
Being able to get my wool coats out of the wardrobe.
Hats, scarves, and boots!
My electric blanket and central heating, and the fact that I can afford to use it.