Monday 31st October

And so another month slips by, like mercury through my fingers; impossible to hold onto, impossible to describe – this is the most beautiful of months.  Cold foggy mornings and warm sunny afternoons, as if Summer cannot quite bear to leave us, while Winter nips at our heels and we are caught in the majestic splendour of Autumn’s first blush.  As the leaves on the trees turn through their rainbow of colours, green to yellow and a thousand shades of orange and red until brown and curled up they slip their chains and fall, drifting and swirling to ground and leave the trees spindly and bare to face the Winter winds alone.

And what a gorgeous time of year it is, the grapes are all in now waiting for the press to give us next Summer’s wine.  Market stalls groan with the weight of ripe pumpkins, yellow and orange, and squash of every shape and size.  And though we know that bitter Winter is just around the corner we can still bask in the warm afternoon sunshine for a few more days.  Lots to do in the garden too, pruning and lopping and cutting back and carrying sacks of leaves to the decheterie.  And the double-edged sword of clocks falling back, bringing lighter mornings but dark evenings well before tea-time.  So, goodbye October –same time next year?  Let’s hope so.