This year…

…it doesn’t seem to bother people so much that the shops are full of seasonal decorations and specialities since early November. Of course, it might just be my perception and rapidly advancing years that give me this impression, but while in the past there seemed to be so many grumbles about glitter and baubles lining the shelves, I wonder if it isn’t the fact that we had such a nice, drawn-out autumn and for once, we don’t resent the countdown to Christmas quite so much!

Mild temperatures and the November fog holding off or dissolving relatively early in the day have given everyone time to enjoy the marvellous golden colours so typical of the time of year in our hemisphere, even time to tidy up in the garden, all ready for winter, without numbingly frozen extremities, drizzle or soggy leaves to contend with –

and actually leaving us wanting to sit outdoors for a while to admire the intensity…

(photos of my in-laws’ garden)

One slightly melancholy chore is signing off the boating year, when our little vintage yacht needs to be taken back up the lake to winter quarters. In past years, this has been nothing short of a tortuous event involving keels stuck in deep mud (and towing!), icy, biting winds with subsequent boat damage and desperate attempts to get everything literally shipshape as the evening sets in and it gets colder and colder. This year, however, even a last-minute mission turned out to be a pleasant experience, with enough wind, plenty of sunshine and a rather seaside feeling being the main components, with time on our side and everything working out wonderfully well –

(the warning light at Romanshorn, Lake Constance)

So now everything’s been put to bed until next spring with nothing more to worry about, we’re left with the actual leisure to turn our thoughts inwards to a cosy home, candles lit everywhere, the smells of cinnamon and orange (time for baking!), reading, card-making, knitting, hot chocolate and whatever else the grey days induce us to think about!

Roll on, Advent!