Settling into Autumn 🍂

 

Over the last few weeks, I've been allowing myself the time to adjust to the changing seasons, and spending as much time as I can outdoors. And apparently, feeling unsettled IS an actual thing. The change of light, temperature and routine can affect our nervous systems. Who knew? Although, it does make perfect sense, now that I think about it. 

And, of course, there has been an abundance of beautiful, 'proper' autumn weather. Bright sunshine, cool, and a little breezy. The leaves are strewn across the lanes and pathways, displaying all their glorious autumn hues. 

And golden hour hits differently at this time of year. The light is just stunning. 

It isn't yet cold enough to be wearing my gloves, but I did feel the need for my woolly hat when we visited the pumpkin patch, just the other week. We had a lovely time searching for the perfect pumpkins. And there were so many to choose from. The field was completely full! 

There were pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. We chose just three. A large one, a medium one and a small one. Unfortunately, the medium one didn't quite survive the journey home...

...so I turned it into a rather tasty pumpkin and lentil curry. I am all about embracing comfort food, this autumn.

The remaining two pumpkins have been kept cool and dry and should still be okay for carving later this week.

We enjoyed a really lovely morning at Acorn Bank, where we sampled some of the many apples that grow in the orchard there. My new favourite is the Egremont Russet, which has an intense, sweet flavour. A pleasant contrast from some of the the bland, tasteless offerings I've been buying from the supermarket lately.

I've also been fortunate to have been given a large bag of apples from my friend's orchard, which is the reason why I've probably eaten far too many crumbles recently. I also baked a really delicious apple and cinnamon cake, which didn't last very long.

During this last week, I've been able to complete a few more crochet squares for my blanket. Even though my progress is slow, crochet is a good way of keeping myself occupied, when I wake up early in the morning. That said, I really would much prefer being able to sleep later than 5am!

In other news, my job role is changing. Yes, again! I have now been asked to take on, full-time, the role which I have been covering on a part-time, temporary basis for the last six months. I've had to give it very careful consideration, as it will mean a permanent change from the position I have been working in, and loved, for many years. But things have changed, and there are certain aspects of my work which I'm no longer enjoying as much as I did previously. So, now I'm looking forward to this next chapter, and to fully embracing this new challenge. 

Back soon.

J. X

Grounding

I'd just like to say thank you so much for your kind words in response to my previous post. You are all so lovely. The last two weeks, I've been focusing more than ever on my wellbeing. This has included paring back, prioritising, and spending time outdoors, enjoying all that this time of year has to offer. Pretty much everything that I've overlooked recently. It's left me feeling much more calm and in control than I have for a while now. I'm almost certain transitioning from one season to another has also had some sort of effect. For unknown reasons, I often feel jittery and unsettled whenever the seasons begin to shift. Does anyone else get like this?

I've been strict about ensuring that I food shop for the whole week, along with budgeting and meal planning. This saves me valuable time Monday to Friday, when I know I will be kept busy taking care of other things. 

The house is in reasonable order, once again. I dislike it immensely when everything is messy and disorganised. I much prefer a calm, uncluttered space. It's also much easier to keep clean when everything is nice and tidy. The working week is still, undeniably, my busiest time. But keeping on top of the household chores means that I have more time availble on the weekends, which is far better spent outdoors, having fun.

And I've made a plan. It's quite a vague plan, but it's still a plan. There have been plenty of times in my life when I haven't wanted to look too far ahead, but I'm at a stage where I need some sort of direction. Nothing is set in stone, but I have an idea of where I'd like to be in the next five years and the things that I need to achieve in order to make it happen. 

Back soon.

J. X

Autumn

 

Good morning, friends!  And a very happy autumn to you! I realise I'm a little late to this glorious seasonal party, but life took a rather hectic turn. In fact, it is still very busy, but I now realise that I really need to do something  about it. Being pulled in many directions, all at once, doesn't tend to end well. I'm not quite sure what needs to happen yet, but I'm considering several options.

Work is still going well. I'm enjoying my new role, although trying to get my head around everything is definitely challenging. I still have so much to learn, and the variety means I'm constantly on the go. But I do enjoy the faster pace - maybe not so much when the phones start ringing all at once!

When I'm not at work, I'm usually helping Lily, looking after the house, or caring for my family member. Life is a bit of a juggling act just now. I'm not complaining - honestly! We all know life can be tricky at times. It can also just turn on a sixpence. But something needs to give, before the decision is taken out of my hands. Much like the duck analogy, I'm gliding along the surface of the water, but paddling like crazy beneath. At the weekend, I spent some time talking things over with my friend, which was very cathartic. It also made me realise that I need to make some incredibly tough choices. 

In the meantime, autumn has arrived, and we've enjoyed some exceptionally beautiful days, here. The trees are gearing up for their most stunning display of the year, the mornings are deliciously fresh, and I'm embracing the darker evenings. Woolly blankets are on the sofa once again, and the cats are seeking cosy corners in which to sleep. 

Autumn. A timely reminder that it can be lovely to let things go.

Back soon.

J. X

Late Summer

 

Good morning! Okay, so I realise that autumn is only two weeks away now, but I'm not quite ready for pumpkins and crunching leaves just yet. Instead, I'm clinging on to what is left of our summer. And what a fantastic summer it has been, this year. 

Over the last few weeks we've been relishing the sunny days. A visit to the sunflower field, pony trecking on the fellside and swimming in the lakes. I never take for granted the beautiful area which I get to call home.

As we move towards autumn the weather has become much more changeable. We've had plenty of rain, but it has still been pleasantly warm. Yesterday, I cut the grass and began tidying the garden in preparation for the colder months. When I did this last year, it made a huge difference when spring arrived, as I had much less work to do in order to get it looking nice for the summer. I've also bought some bulbs - tulips and alliums - which I will plant some time during the next few days.

This time of year often takes on a rhythm of its own. Mid August is when the shortening daylight hours become more noticeable. Then it's shopping for new shoes, ironing uniforms, and getting bags ready in anticipation of the new school year. Blackberries have been gathered, beetroot is pickled, and our weeks become structured and routine, once more.

So far, work is going well for me. I'm enjoying my new role, and I'm sure that I'll find my feet more as time progresses. And although Lily was a little anxious about returning to school, she has realised it is much the same as last year, only in different classrooms :)

I apologise for being absent from this space and for not being able to leave comments on your blog posts, either. My laptop decided it was all a bit too much, so I had to order a new one. Two weeks after the promised delivery date, I was still waiting, and with no indication of another date, I gave up and cancelled my order. The store has yet to refund me, but in the meantime, I've reset my ancient laptop again - fingers crossed. It is working for the time being, but you never know. 

Back soon.

J. X

Amsterdam

 

This year, I'd been determined to squeeze as much as possible into our summer break. And I think I've just about managed it. I can't quite think that this time, next week, I'm going to be sitting back at my desk. But for now, I'll try not to think about that. I'm in denial. And, so much for me getting any jobs done in the house, over the summer. It looks like the decorating will need to wait a while longer. 

Our journey to Amsterdam was as straightforward as it could be. A train ride, a flight, and then another train. And before we knew it, we found ourselves outside Centraal Station, in the middle of the most beautiful, bustling and vibrant city. 

We spent much of our first day there walking alongside the canals, admiring the architecture, and trying our very best to avoid the cyclists! I'm not great with directions at the best of times, and the many canals only added to my confusion. Still, it was a great way of exploring the city. Fortunately, we found our where we were staying quite easily. A cute little hotel, down a side street, right in the heart of the canal district. And most importantly, our room had the best coffee machine.

The next day, we enjoyed a short cruise along the canals on one of the many boat tours they have available. Our entertaining tour guide was really informative, and very amusing with his rather colourful, but tactfully worded, tales of the various services that Amsterdam has to offer. It was also really lovely to see the all the beautiful, narrow houses from a different perspective, and hear all about the city's 17th-century Golden Age.

By sharp contrast, in the afternoon, we visited the Anne Frank House, where we were able to visit the Secret Annex for ourselves. Before we reached the annex, we passed through various rooms in the museum, where we could learn all about the events leading up to the family going into hiding. An incredibly moving experience. 

The next morning, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast right beside the canal. A birthday treat for me. 

Then we took a short ferry trip across the water to North Amsterdam, where we caught the bus to Zaanse Schans, an open air museum where we got to experience the inside of a working windmill, sampled various cheeses, and watched some traditional clog making. Well, when in Holland... It was also where I enjoyed my first ever hot chocolate with rum. It won't be my last. 10/10 would recommend :)

On our last morning we enjoyed another leisurely breakfast, then went for walk along the canals nearer the centre, and much busier part of the city. We really did need to keep our wits about us. There were so many bicycles, trams and cars.

A few streets away from the hustle and bustle, we visited one of the historic canalside brown cafes to try a slice of their famous apple pie. The cafe originally openened in 1642, and is one of the oldest brown cafes in Amsterdam. I suspect it has changed very little since that time, as it looked steeped in history, Delft tiles and a LOT of dark brown wood. As for the apple pie - it was amazing!

Back soon. 

J. X

Grassington and York

We'd only been back at home for a few days, when we were on our way to York. I'd initially intended to travel there on the Saturday morning, spend just one night in the city, then travel home again the day after. But I decided it would be really good to enjoy a full day there without the need to rush around. As luck would have it, I managed to find an inexpensive room in the Youth Hostel on the Friday evening, so I thought it would be great to extend our weekend by including stop offs at Grassington and Bolton Abbey. 

Ever since Lily and I watched All Creatures Great and Small, earlier this year, we really wanted to see the village where much of the filming took place. Grassington, in North Yorkshire, is magically transformed into the fictional village of Darrowby, especially for filming the series. We enjoyed a walk by the river, and then spent some time in the village square where we recognised many of the buildings, which were familiar to us from the show. 

'The Drovers Arms'

'Skeldale House'. I was slightly disappointed to discover that the house porch and pillars, which are so recognisable in the show, are not part of the building and are, in fact, made from fibreglass.

If you would like to learn more about this remarkable village transformation, then you can read about it here.

From Grassington we drove to Bolton Abbey. It had been years since my last visit here, and it seemed quite different to how I remembered it. Although, I'm certain it wouldn't have changed at all. Funny how our minds work at times. 

We explored the ruins, then walked through the woods and along the river to The Strid, a narrow section of the River Wharfe, which is noted for being one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world, due to it's power and depth. Don't worry, we kept well back from the edge. The roar of the water was incredible.

On the way back to our car, Lily couldn't resist going over the stepping stones, again. I gave it a miss on this occasion, using the bridge, while Lily strode across with ease. 

After a busy day we were more than ready for our chippy tea and a good night's sleep. The extra night at the Youth Hostel had been a great idea, and it meant we were up early and ready for our day in York. 

The sun was shining, and we spent a lovely day sightseeing, with my daughter as our guide - as well as having lovely company, I had no need to concern myself with directions :) 

We were excited to walk the city walls, as on our previous visit here - during a very cold December- they had been closed due to the icy conditions! We took a walk around The Minster, ate our picnic lunch in the beautiful Museum Gardens, before marvelling at the extraordinary medieval buildings down The Shambles. In the evening we went for dinner at an Italian restaurant, which had been recommended to us. I had the Vegetable and Goats Cheese Lasagne, which was absolutely delicious, while Lily chose Pizza.

Back soon.

J. X