Artist

Alexander Averin

Tuesday 27 October 2009

October

Dear Diary,

Just two of my favourite pics for you.
I adore harebells, they always appear at the end of summer.









Katherine Mansfield by Anne Estelle Rice


It’s a read-one-get-one-free day as I have posted two blogs for you - if you go to my other blog
Cait’s Photos you will see just a wee poem and a few photos I took yesterday on my morning walk in the garden and the field.

This year has flown - a really bad cliché for which I apologise.

October will soon be leaving us; she has been such a welcome guest this year, perfectly behaved, undemanding of my time garden-wise (the weeds seem to have gone to sleep already), no stormy outbursts or great floods of tears, and for me her stay has passed all too quickly.  She blessed us with endless dry spells, much needed sunshine, occasional morning and night frosts and her most beauteous gift of all, the show to beat all shows  - her morning mists in the valleys.

She tempted me outside more often than not and made my heart sing but as always happens during her stay, the dark evenings descend -  the human’s clock has fallen backwards now, an unsettling time for me and I ask again, is there still a need for this fiddling with the 24 hours by which we are ruled?  I was really tired on Saturday night and went to bed early but even on Sunday night I was tired again at 8 pm, my body thought it was nine.

November will arrive very soon and I am hard pushed to welcome him (why is this month masculine in my imagination?).  I shall try to be positive and think of his good aspects, log fires, comfort foods, layers of clothes, all things cosy really.  But I know the dreaded C word will be on everyone’s lips and this always throws me into a bit of a depression, as does Christmas itself.  The day itself is bearable when it comes but the whole season and the far too early over-hyped lead up to it with its other C word Consumerism, as well as other more personal reasons, make it for me a sad time.

January is a looked-forward-to-month, he is also male but he lifts me up again as I love new beginnings and challenges, resolutions and the like and lists, all things clean and new. There may be snowed-in days and the magical beauty they bring and there is always Spring not too far away.

Today though, October is as warm and sunny as summer and I am loath to be indoors - I have just walked the dogs in the field and really should be outside gardening or even 'just sitting' but I have lots do on the computer.  But thank you October for making this autumn as colourful and as beautiful as you have done. I have the rest of the week off and please God you will keep up this fine weather until you disappear to who knows where for another year.  And on Saturday, your final day with us, there will be a joyful celebration for it will be Halloween, the day when the veil between this world and the Other is the thinnest,

Bye for now,
Go mbeannai Dia duit,
Cait.

9 comments:

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

October is weeping buckets outside my window today. She is expected to cheer up by tomorrow, but for now there is nothing we can do but let her cry it out. Edward is most displeased.

I've always thought of November as a fellow, too. I think most people feel as you do about him, but I'm one of the weird ones... I love November. Of course, I love C. as well. I turn my back on the consumerism and fill my house with fir branches.

January on the other hand, has always been a woman to me. Sort of like The Snow Queen.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Lovely blog Cait. I am not normally a fan of autumn but this October has won me over.

ds said...

It has been a beautiful October here also--but how quickly it has passed. I agree with you about November. A man, yes. A wizened old guy with a crooked back who shakes his finger at everyone he sees...off to check your photos now. Thank you for the pictures, too. I never knew those flowers were known as harebells.

Frances said...

Cait, I also love October ... still have to consider whether it's a female month. Here in New York it really does seem as though October has been in the fast lane. We will soon have out Marathon race, so perhaps even November will get off to a fast start.

As usual, I wish for more time to really think about the topic you've raised.

Maybe in November, I will be able to send a signal and cross over to a slower lane.

xo

Maria said...

Your personification of October is nice, especially as a female. I admire the short stories of Katherine M. Hey Cait, take it easy over Christmas. Just ignore the consumerism and live it your way!

pinkfairygran said...

Thanks for the comment on my blog. I have read Sarah yes, but to be honest, have found that the only person who can help me, is ME. And I am being the REAL me these days, having decided some time ago that I was no longer going to act as people expected, or as society thought I should, because by doing that, I wasn't being true to myself. So I threw all the psychobabble books away, kept a few spiritual ones because I like to read how others 'found' themselves sometimes, but otherwise, am just me. As for my 'leaving'.... I am still here you know, just not where I was!! I had always felt like a square peg in a round hole, never felt like I fitted, which is why I left. The fidgets have gone now as well, and I have spent a glorious hour in the garden, in tee shirt and getting warm... wonderfully restorative.

The bike shed said...

Not seen that picture of Catherine Mansfield before; great writer.

Just spent two days in Mid Wales, overnight at the marvelous Tyncornel hostel and today at Strata Florida. Loved theautumn colours on the hills, the kites, field-fares, a nut hatch.

Pondside said...

October and May are my favorite months, Cait. Over here, October has been sometimes rainy and sometimes sunny - typical! I too think of the months as having gender and October and May are definitely female.

CAMILLA said...

Such a lovely blog Cait, I adore the Autumn, it is my favourite season of the year along with Spring too.

Beautiful colouring of the pretty Harebells picture you have posted for us Cait.

xx