I have been dragged kicking and screaming into this new season. According to the calendar our autumn is officially three weeks old. But at precisely 11:28pm last night, the autumn equinox occurred. I wasn’t really aware of it as I’m not so keenly cognisant of an event that brings about the demise of my growing season as I am something that brings about the arrival of it. I tend to bury my head in the sand and pretend the leaves aren’t changing colour, the need for socks is just a one off, the dwindling harvest is just an excuse to plant more things.
Astronomically the equinox means the position of the earth in relation to the sun is such that where ever you are in the world the length of the day is the same as the length of the night. It is like passing a baton in a relay – the baton of long warm summer evenings. We have enjoyed them down under and now it is time for the north to have them. I do have to admit to reluctantly noticing the creep towards this moment as the nights are drawing in and more often than not I am waking to something that could be called darkness, but not quite. So now we have to hunker down for shorter days with increasingly colder weather.
However, despite my love of the growing season, and all the wonderful things it brings, I do love the autumn. The air, while cooling, is still warm and cosy and it embraces you in a way the searing heat of summer doesn’t. You can’t deny the beauty in the colours of the leaves. After a season of salad, a bowl of thick vegetable soup is welcoming. The weather in this season is generally the most settled of all and gently eases us into the harshness of winter.
So, from today I will no longer bemoan the loss of a season that never was and embrace all of the wonderful things about the season we are in. Autumn deserves to be acknowledged for all that is good about it and not as an usurper of summer.
Come again soon – we shall garden boldly into this fabulous season
Sarah the Gardener : o)
We northerners really appreciate your passing that baton! We are certainly ready to run with it!
No worries – so long as you pass it back in good condition in 6 months! Have a fab season. : o)
Beautifully put. Getting a bit of rain here this week, so I’ll have to wait for summer heat to return. My tomatoes have doubled in size since going into garden beds and first flowers are open on the dwarf peas. We’re off to a fly start this year.
Thanks so much. It is amazing how quickly plants grow in the beginning of the season. I need to find some more pea seeds as some horrible creature has dug all my autumn pea seeds up.. grr. I hope your season goes well. : o)
Do you pull the seeds off those Echinacea flowers? My brother says that around here the conservation people pay a heafty price to get some in the fields. I usually take some and leave some for the birds, but mine are right beside my house so not many have the courage to come near. Fall is sad, but great time to pull in that fall harvest. Happy gardening to you, Sarah!
I’ve not saved the seeds from the Echinacea before. I normally leave them for the birds. Making the most of my flower garden is still very much in the learning curve stage. : o)
Great pics Sarah .. I always plant my garlic early, and sadly my garlic got nailed after being in the soil only for a short time thanks to our ever so wet winter. This year I’m planting them well away from where they were planted last .. I have my fingers crossed!
Hi Julie. I hope we all get a better harvest this season. The rust was too horrible. In fact I hope this whole next season is perfect, we are owed it after the last few seasons. Have a lovely autumn. : o)
Yes for us of course it is nice to have the summer around the corner… warm days with lush growth in the garden. Lovely post Sarah!
Thanks so much. Enjoy your garden. : o)