10 Reasons I Love Autumn

The turn of the season has set in here on the West Coast. Are you struggling to hold on to the last memories of summer, or are you eager to jump head first into the colourful leaves and pumpkin-spiced everything of fall?

I love the summer, but I’m also an avid fan of autumn and all of it’s glory. Here are some of the reasons why.

1. Let it grow. As the days grow shorter, so do my showers. Since full-length pants are officially back in the rotation of butt-coverings for the season, I don’t feel the need to be as consistent about shaving the old knobby-kneed sticks I call legs any more. Hellllloooooooo chilly days!

2. Pumpkin-spiced everything. Need I say more.

3. Gluttony. At this time of the year it becomes fully acceptable to gorge oneself on delicious gobbling animals, mashed potatoes, pies, cakes, cookies, chocolates, hot chocolates, chocolate covered gobbling mashed pies…. All the tastiest things. Pass me a fork, and take no notice of the button I pre-emptively let loose.

4. Wood fires. The wood stoves that are all too popular on Salt Spring for heating are a huge bonus to living here in the cooler weather. Who doesn’t like the sensations of hearing fire crackling away, catching a whiff of wood fire as a plume of smoke escapes when a new log is tossed on, and the warm light that illuminates the room?

5. Lazy days. When the weather turns, it becomes more acceptable to spend the day or evening hidden in my warm hobbit hole of a winter home. You just don’t feel as guilty staying snuggled in a blanket, watching Netflix and taking trips to the pantry as an exercise when it’s cold, dark and rainy outside.

6. Hello Darkness, my old friend. Now that sunset has moved to a more reasonable hour for convincing my toddler that it is, indeed, time for bed earlier and earlier, I am enjoying my childless evening growing longer and fuller. I love my time with little bug, don’t get me wrong, but mama needs some alone time, too. Plus, being that the sun is staying hidden later and later in the mornings, I’m hoping we will be able to stay in bed and sleeping later, too. That might happen, right? We need a day without an appointment to test this theory, but it’s not looking great at the moment.

Happy October!! #autumnleaves #changingcolour #happyautumn #october #lovingthisweather #saltspringisland #mysaltspringislandlife

A photo posted by Hannah Spray (@hanspray) on Oct 1, 2015 at 12:59pm PDT

7. The leaves of change. What could ever be prettier than the colourful display of foliage all around us, reflecting back from every shiny surface and floating down like crisp, autumn confetti? Every time I’m out and about I wish I had my camera and some time without the restrictions of a hungry, busy toddler nipping at my heels to capture these leaves in all the ways I want to.

8. No more watering. You know that garden that I started with great intentions and then promptly forgot about when the berries stopped producing and my toddler quit dragging me out to collect them? Yea… So it didn’t do so very well. Turns out plants like being watered. Right now, the poor, neglected plants are getting an amply supply of rain water. Whether or not it’s too late for them remains to be seen. But it probably is.

9. Free, mess-less early learning. Since the BC-wide Strong Start programs run on a public school schedule, we missed the opportunity to pack up for the morning to go spend time engaging in the plentiful, rich learning activities and social opportunities that our local ELF program provides. We are loving that it is back in session.

10. Boots are back. I love my boots. While these snazzy fashion must-haves are not always the most practical for my little island home that leans toward gumboots as the go-to style, I relish every opportunity to slap on my gorgeous high-heeled, faux-leather footwear.