Settling into Autumn

Our sitting-by-the-fire era is about to begin (surely)

By end April we’re usually well into our seasonal sitting-by-the-fire era, but here, the summer weather has clung on with a tight grip for what feels like weeks longer than normal. I have felt deeply unsettled by this unseasonal weather and, being a cold weather gal at heart, am yearning for the permission of Autumn to hit the brakes a little.

If you haven’t read Lech Blaine’s ‘Australian Gospel’, I recommend you do. Also, I’m knitting Sweater No 23 by My Favourite Things Knitwear.

I once lived a life that gave no thought to the seasons whatsoever. Now I rely on the seasons to guide what I am doing, what I am eating, how I am thinking. Whilst our modern world doesn’t allow for these kinds of subtleties, we can build them into the way we live our individual lives, even in the smallest of ways. For instance, doing your grocery shopping at your local farmers market can ensure you’re eating seasonal foods at their prime; remembering the cooler weather (that - fingers crossed - may have finally arrived this weekend) can act as a cue to get to bed half an hour earlier; swapping out intense summery activity or exercise for something a little more grounded can encourage you to return to stillness; starting to think about just one small thing you can do to hint towards rest over winter can nourish a more considered mindset.

This fortnight I was stopped in my tracks with a stark reminder to slow down and pay attention when we had an encounter with a stunningly beautiful eastern rosella in our garden. These birds are semi-regular visitors here, however they are much more reserved than the self-confident rainbow lorikeets, noisy miners, magpies and galahs who tend to dominate our yard, which makes me love seeing them even more. One night over dinner we heard screeching outside and went out to find an eastern rosella looking indignant in one of our garden beds. It was dark and, thinking it was a baby and knowing to leave them alone when they fledge, we gave it some distance and crossed our fingers a fox wouldn’t get it overnight. The next morning the bird was gone, but a flurry of feathers was left in its wake. We searched everywhere but feared the worst. Later that afternoon, one of my girls found the bird - dead - in a lavender bush. By the time we found it, it was slumped on a small branch, but it had been perched next to one of River’s fluffy dog toys that was stuck and forgotten in the bush, to make the heart break just a little more.

This sweet little bird was, quite literally, as delicate and light as a feather in my hands.

It was challenging to get the bird out of the lavender, but when I did it appeared to be an injured or unwell older bird and not a fledgling like we had thought. I gave it a little burial in our garden and in the days since I have found an eastern rosella feather on a walk and seen them multiple times in various places. It was a reminder of the fleeting and feather-light nature of time. Of how many lives are playing out in our immediate surrounds that we are completely unaware of.

Following on from this event I had a think about what I can do to find more time for attention and quiet in this new season and decided on a few small gestures (I don’t believe shifts or changes in life need to be grandiouse, despite what the socials would have us believe). One small thing I can change is discontinuing my very short-lived #booksinourhands series for now. I began writing it in the wide open landscapes of January, but in the reality of this season of life I don’t have the time to dedicate to it. In the small amounts of time I spend on this platform I’d rather focus my energy in this fortnightly space, and towards Things that are good for paid subscribers. Anything more than that feels spread too thin. I think it’s ok to experiment and see what works and what doesn’t, so, #noregrets.

Banksias in Gariwerd going about their tasks: to flourish, to decay, to start again

In nature we see the steady and repeated patterns of individual but focussed tasks. Things flourish, they decay, they begin again and they put their all into each phase, chapter, season. Humans are not immune to the impacts of the world around us. We cannot do or be everything.

What is it that you want to focus on this season? What can you let go of?

Other things…

• I watched this video about social media for uni this week. For years each Christmas I have taken a month off socials, and these school holidays I took one week. I’ve decided, in a nod to my last post, a week off will be added to my annual rhythm each school holidays.

• An excellent list of nature writing.

• A few select things worth perusing and considering in the final week before our federal election next weekend: this, this, this and the resources here.

Today I’ve felt cold for what feels like the first time since last winter. I wrote this post with a blanket slung around my shoulders. This afternoon, we lit the fire.

And that’s quite enough for now.

Until next time, travel light.