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Friday 1 April 2016

A-Z : I Remember... Autumn


A is for ACTION 
Leave a legacy for your family by recording your own 
childhood memories in
"I Remember When........"



AUTUMN  is my favourite season.
I love the colours of, brown, bronze, burgundy, green and gold.  Has this anything to do with the fact I was a "September" baby - as were my grandmother, mother, aunt, two uncles and husband?   These colours were staples in my wardrobe in the days when I was a brunette, and still feature  in my  home decor.  

 I recall as a child:
  • Scuffing my shoes through the leaves, and enjoying the crunchy sound - this still appeals to me!
My little granddaughter enjoying
a walk in the woods
  • Collecting different coloured leaves to take home and make a picture.

  • Gathering berries (hips, haws and rowan) to take into school for the nature table.
The rowan berries  in full bloom 
  • Gathering blackberries in the hedgerows and bilberries among the heather - and turning  our  lips purple as we sampled the fruit. 
     
  • Watching my mother turn the glut of apples, pears and plums into tarts, sponges, crumbles, jellies and jam.
  • Singing harvest hymns at school and Sunday school - among  my favourites  hymns with their rousing tunes and evocative lines "~We plough the fields and scatter",  "Come ye thankful people come, sing the song of harvest home", "To thee, O Lord our hearts we raise" , and of course "All things bright and beautiful "  where I especially liked  the image created by the verse
The purple-headed mountain,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning,
That brightens up the sky;

Autumn also meant for me new beginnings – of a new school year, armed with a new pencil case or satchel, new shoes or uniform.  Later on it meant the sense of anticipation of a new university year in Edinburgh, riding on the top of the bus on a crisp morning, seeing the castle and the Royal Mile skyline rising above the trees changing colour in Princes Street Gardens.  

I was lucky enough to spend a year in New England. USA  and -  yes I became a "fall foliage leafer peeper" 

 Fall in New Hampshire

Now living in the Scottish Borders, the autumn gold colours can be magnificent - we just don't always get the clear  blue skies to show them off!     Autumn comes early, when there is a different smell to the  early morning air in late August.  The light in the sky changes and  mist hangs over the valleys.


I once read of someone who hated autumn because “everything was dying”.  I thought what a pity that they could not see the beauty in this time which to me is truly  epitomised by Keats’ classic poem  - I know it can be regarded as  a cliché, but it is so apt:
"A season of mist and mellow fruitfulness"



What is Your Favourite Season? 

Onto B's Abounding 
Babies, Birthdays, Brownies, Breakfasts .....

 Copyright © 2016 · Susan Donaldson.  All Rights Reserved

20 comments:

  1. Ooh I'm with you. I just adore Autumn. The Blue Mountains in Australia in Autumn is a real treat! I was famous as a small child for pushing leaves around in my dolly's pram instead of a dolly. Alex from
    Family Tree Frog

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    1. I had to laugh at your memory of pushing a doll's pram full of leaves. My little granddaughter did something similar with the basket on her trike.

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  2. These are such lovely photos. I live in the tropics (Malaysia). So we're never going to see Autumn here - just rain or shine. So, thank you for sharing these.

    Aneeta from
    How to Tell a Great Story

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    1. Thank you, Aneeta for your kind comment. I look forward to learning more on "How to Tell a Great Story.

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  3. Such vivid memories -- I am sure your descendants will enjoy reading your thoughts one day. I like the direction you are taking with our similar themes. Maybe I need to rethink mine.

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    1. Thank you for your comment, Wendy, but there is plenty of room for different interpretations on our similar theme. I look forward to your other entries.

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  4. Autumn is my favorite season as well. I moved to Singapore from the US and I definitely miss Autumn very much- colored leaves, pumpkins, new clothes as a child, and Halloween. I just love the colors. #A-ZChallenge

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  5. I enjoyed seeing Autumn through your eyes. We also have a beautiful Autumn here in Connecticut. I look forward to B.

    https://everyonehasafamilystorytotell.wordpress.com/2016/04/01/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-2016-a/

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  6. I'm re-writing my response! Here in South Africa, we're heading into Autumn, the shadows are lengthening earlier, the sun sets earlier - rises later. Mother Nature seems to go to sleep for quite a long while but we know that all is gestating as it must deep below the ground. I loved your post thank you and your photos are lovely too!

    http://www.gardenofedenblog.com

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  7. So excited to find you on A to Z. I've been working the family lines for the last couple of days and found myself in Udal, 0235. I have no idea if any of the information is verified, but I'm deep in research now! You have great resources here.

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  8. I love autumn as well. And still enjoy shuffling through the leaves.

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  9. Even though our autumns are feeble imitations of yours I love it when the chill comes into the day. Not much in the way of deciduous trees though. A good series Sue...I'm sure it will trigger memories for all your readers.

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  10. YES... I adore autumn - and you have reminded of several other reasons why it is my favorite season of the year.

    Molly @MyCozyBookNook
    My Cozy Book Nook
    Revising Life after 50

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  11. Thank you all for your kind comments. I am pleased that my memories of autumn struck a chord.

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  12. October is one of my favorite months!

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  13. I have an October birthday and also have always loved Autumn. I find, though, that as I have got older have have started to appreciate Spring much more than I used to.

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  14. This is such a great idea! I wish I had thought of it! Next year?

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  15. My little grandson has discovered the joys of kicking heaps of autumn leaves and, of course, splashing in puddles. We get few frosts here since the world has warmed up, so it might take some time before he can experience the joys of cracking the ice in puddles.

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  16. Well - here's one thing on which we differ. :) My favorite season is summer - warm breezes in the morning in my gazebo; time for swimming in various lakes - especially Tahoe; beautiful warm evenings; BBQs; picnics; & warm summer thunder showers for a little excitement now & again. :) Love it.

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  17. I love Autumn - my son, daughter, husband, two grandchildren and son-in-law are all Autumn babies. I am too. Here on the coast of NSW the leaves on the few deciduous trees turn an ugly brown but I love the cooler days. It has been a hot summer and it is a relief to stop seeking shade or air conditioning. I'm now going to read the rest of your posts. I'm sure I'll enjoy them.

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