from the archive: autumn rituals for cosy days

attempting to embrace the chill, slow down, and notice the beauty

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golden hour with my golden girl

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This post was first published on 8th October 2023.

There’s been another change in the air here over the last couple of weeks. The mornings are feeling frostier and the chill is lingering longer through the day. The sun is still appearing from time to time between the clouds and waves of mist, hanging low and casting golden light over the hills. The greens are turning rusty and brown and there’s a greater desire to stay indoors, to be cosy and snuggled up in a blanket. Admittedly, I can often be found under a blanket, whatever the season, and candles are perpetually burning in our house, but at this time of year it feels even more necessary.

Since I live in a place that’s often cold, and even more often windy and wild, I think the change of seasons into the winter months feels like a more natural transition than it does when we emerge into summer. I love the light and the warmth of the brighter season and I don’t look forward to the effect the chillier air has on my asthma but I try to focus on the beauty in the change of season to get me through. There’s so much to notice at this time of year and seeing a golden sliver of light appear in the corner of the room or bird visiting on the window ledge adds a little magic to a frosty day.

Now, this can be a time of year, much like Christmas, where we notice social media filled with people bringing different clothes out of storage and decorating their homes with pumpkins. If that’s something you have the capacity for then I’m cheering you on but, for me at least, it’s not a life I recognise - I honestly just don’t have the energy. I have the same clothes in my wardrobe all year round and since we’re still in the middle of sloooow renovations the only style I’m aiming for is vaguely tidy and acceptably clean. So, this isn’t a letter encouraging you to do anything dramatic or expensive, it’s more about slowing it all down, releasing those expectations, and finding a way to make the colder days a bit cosier, y’know?

Reading poetry is one of my favourite things to do when I need to slow down. It’s a different type of reading to prose because we need to pause, wonder, visualise. Poetry is made for days when we need to take a deep breath and be still for a moment. The poem below, The Secret Song by Margaret Wise Brown, is about the beauty that’s so often missed - or never witnessed - by humans. Slowing down allows us to see more, to experience more, and to be part of the magic that’s going on around us. I hope you’re able to see it too whether it’s a sunrise, a falling leaf, or the wind whistling in the trees.

          The Secret Song
           Margaret Wise Brown

           Who saw the petals
              drop from the rose?
           I, said the spider,
           But nobody knows.

           Who saw the sunset
               flash on a bird?
           I, said the fish,
           But nobody heard.

           Who saw the frog
               come over the sea?
           I, said the sea pigeon,
           Only me.

           Who saw the first
               green light of the sun?
           I, said the night owl,
           The only one.

           Who saw the moss
               creep over the stone?
           I, said the grey fox,
           All alone.

This is the time of year when I bake the most. I want the kitchen to smell of slow-cooked apples, I want to eat cinammon-y things for breakfast, and I want to make cakes instead of smoothies with the too-brown-to-eat bananas. The process of baking is another chance to take things gently, turn up some music or an audiobook, and enjoy the whole process. One of my favourite things to make is apple crumble. It’s so simple and tasty and it reminds me of making it with my Mum and Grandma as the kitchen fills up with sweet, buttery scents. And then you get to eat it: win, win.

Another thing I enjoy now that it’s getting darker is that it’s easier to see the moon on a clear night. The blue glow of moonlight is a special thing to stand under and, whether you’re into witchy things or not, there’s something undeniably mystical about a full moon. Sometimes I journal around the full moon, sometimes I pull a tarot card and see what the picture brings up for me, sometimes I just stand in the kitchen under the skylight and stare at it. If you get the chance, I’d definitely recommend finding a way to spend a little time with the moon even if it’s just to notice how brightly she shines. And if this is a season of hot baths for you (me too, friend) then try one with moonlight alongside your candlelight and watch your gothic fiction dreams come true.

Capturing the mundane but beautiful moments in our lives is, as you may know, one of my favourite things to do. Something that helps me pay attention and notice the details is taking photos. It could be as simple as the sun in your kitchen one afternoon, the bubbles in your bath, or a portrait of yourself in your cosiest scarf. For me, taking a snapshot of those moments helps to remind me that the more beauty we seek, the more we tend to find. If photography isn’t something you’re into then a list in your journal or a voice note to a friend about something you saw can work just the same. Whatever your method, I hope we all try to keep noticing.

What little rituals are you adding to your days to mark the change in the weather? Are you making stews and snuggling under blankets? Or maybe you’re in a place that stays warm at this time of year so you’re in a different season altogether? Either way, I’d love to know how you’re adding some slowness into your days and what you’ve noticed so far in this new season. Let me know in the comments - I’ll see you there with a cup of tea and hopefully a bowl of apple crumble.

Take good care