1.
Frozen Fall — photography by Sara Mahlum
From the Community
I have been waiting for the right time to share these beautifully golden photos by
. Sara posted these in early June, when in the UK we were all in the middle of a very cold and grey 'summer' (even by our standards). I had been feeling disappointed and cheated out of the season by such un-summeryness. By the time mid-September came, the weather picked up to sweltering 30° ish celsius - just as Starbucks and Costa were releasing their seasonal pumpkin-spiced everything. It's almost like Sara had prophesied these strange turns in weather by posting autumn photos in June.At this point, I was less 'disappointed', and more appreciative of Mother Nature's 'trolling' antics. When I pay closer attention, underneath the chaotic weather, the rhythm of the seasons remains. The strawberries didn't care that it was raining all the days - they still came out because it was summer. Now, the squashes, pumpkins, and mushrooms are all over the place (and they are cute). It doesn't matter that it's 26°C, it is autumn. The birds sing a different tune, the sun rises a little later and sets a little earlier. The shadows cast more softly, and the smell of the earth is rich with life where it lay still in the peak of summer.
It is autumn 🍁. Whatever this time means for you, take a moment to connect with it. And enjoy Sara's photos (👇🏽) while you're at it.
2.
Harvest Moon — music by Neil Young
From the Record Collection
Having grown up in Manila until I moved to the UK at 11 years old, and never having been anywhere else before that... Autumn was simply the most magical thing I had ever experienced. I had never seen leaves go red, yellow, and brown like that all at once. I had never known 'Golden Hour' to be quite so golden. I had never heard of 'harvest season' - in the tropics, you just plant stuff and then it grows and you eat it.
Last weekend, on the 29th of September, was the Harvest Moon - the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. Traditionally, farmers would work late into the night, making the most of the bright moonlight to harvest as much from the fields as possible in preparation for the winter coming.
Harvest Moon is also one of my favourite love songs of all time, so here it is 👆🏼 :).
I find it impossible to play Harvest Moon without also listening to Heart of Gold. So here it is 👆🏼...
3.
Autumn Journal: a Poem — from Louis MacNeice
From the Library
September has come, it is hers
Whose vitality leaps in the autumn,
Whose nature prefers
Trees without leaves and a fire in the fireplace.
So I give her this month and the next
Though the whole of my year should be hers who has rendered already
So many of its days intolerable or perplexed
But so many more so happy.
Who has left a scent on my life, and left my walls
Dancing over and over with her shadow
Whose hair is twined in all my waterfalls
And all of London littered with remembered kisses.
In September, I stayed at this wonderful Airbnb in London every weekend, for four weeks in a row. On the shelves in 'my' room, I picked up this book which I read in some detail over the course of my visits.
It wasn't a light-hearted read, but a moving one. September has passed, but nonetheless, I wanted to share this quote with you.
And… a free PDF download of the book is also available here.
🌹 HELLO AGAIN 🌹
The eagle-eyed amongst you might have noticed that I've been absent in your inbox for the last month or so. Nothing profound our dramatic - I decided to take a hiatus from this newsletter because I simply had too many things going on that month. It's great to be back and mark the turn of the season with you 🍂.
Lovely, and two always very welcome NY songs
Nice return - welcome back - Autumn poetry and blissful summery images. Perfect