Autumn is rolling in and the luscious green leaves are browning. The warm breezes are dropping to a familiar Scottish chill that, like a sharp lemon sorbet, is numbing yet refreshing on the tongue. Morning pavements glisten through puddles from showers the night before, heard pattering on the rooftops as you lie beneath thick blankets.
No season has more haters than Autumn. Frequently representing death and destruction in literature, autumn holds a spot in our collective mindset as summer’s wake. The pastel colours and floaty tops are put to the back of the wardrobe, along with our shorts and sandals. Small talk’s new hot topic is the cold, and how much we aren’t enjoying it.
However, autumn brings its own pleasures which, after three months of stifling heat and humidity, I find I am more than ready for. Now it is permissible to spend all day indoors with a boxset without feeling guilty about wasting the sunshine. The comforting warmth of soup and tea takes full effect when that warmth is not replicated outside. Stopping to look at the scenery also provides much to muse on. Whilst summer gives us a rich green landscape, the colour palette for autumn is far more diverse and inspirational.
So, my message to all you Scrooges is, don’t grumble. Top up on your waterproof mascara, your anti-frizz products, your thick scarves and get ready to enjoy the next few months. Summer may be over, but there’s so much still to look forward to.