Ideas to make the coming autumn lovelier ( or at least a little more bearable)

[Labradabradorable]

Looking out at the garden this evening I can see the light is a little more golden and the shadows a little longer. Autumn is around the corner, which I normally greatly look forward to on a hot late-August drive home through France, piled high with wine, well-read and dripping with idleness. I suspect this year’s bracing camping in Wales might just be a reminder of the rain and mud to come.

Any ideas to make the coming season a little nicer? So far I’ve come up with :

Blowing my birthday John Lewis voucher on a nice candle ( Diptyque Feu de Bois) and a couple of velvet scatter cushions
A houseplant for my bathroom window
Booking some riding lessons for all of us
Embracing the darker mornings and getting up early to walk the dog. Also, joining a beginners agility group.
Regular swimming and encouraging the kids to come too
A lovely bath foam ( I like L’Occitaine almond)
Buying good pyjamas and new boots
Planning some pretty woodland walks
Planning some good autumnal food (crumbles, stews)
If possible, doing a few days extra work and booking for DD and I to go to Paris. That might be wishful thinking as my summer energy ebbs.

Any other ideas welcome! 🍂

@LeonoraFlorence

Do people recommend brushed cotton bedding? It’s something we’ve never had but I like the sound of it for Autumn.

Its absolute bliss , like sleeping in a warm marshmallow! very difficult to prise yourself out though . I love this thread , my favourite time too . I make plans for autumn , i have winter /summer throws and cushions that i swap, extra fairy lights -have them up all year also . This autumn i wil be adding a large salt lamp in the living room to add to the cosy glow. I have october half term off , my favourite school holiday and have plans , night away ,national trust , pumpkin pick at a farm , Halloween. Can't wait , not so keen on jan/feb early march much but love spring. Summer worth it just to know autumns next !

Brushed cotton bedding always reminds me of my grandparents, they always had brushed cotton sheets. They are SO cosy, but yes to PP who said they are really hard to get out of.. especially on a cold, frosty morning.

[quote evtheria]@covetingthepreciousthings
It ends in Spring/Summer but the film You’ve Got Mail really gets me excited for autumn. “Bouquets of sharpened pencils” 💗[/quote]

I'm going to cosy in and watch it one evening when the weather cools more and I've got the candles and blankets on the go 💕

🍂🍁I'm still loving this thread!🍁🍂 DS picked some more blackberries yesterday so we're making blackberry and apple pie today.

Lots of Autumn film ideas so far, are there any nice books? Especially something I can listen to on BorrowBox?

Still loving this thread too!

I bought some Autumn Air aromatherapy oil (sorry, don't know how to link but it's on Amazon) and it smells delicious and very autumnal in the oil burner. Also got some autumn leaves cushions.

Oh, and have ordered Rebecca, The Cuckoo's Calling and The Talented Mr Ripley for autumn reading (in paperback, no less).

@Needhelp101

Oh, and have ordered Rebecca, The Cuckoo's Calling and The Talented Mr Ripley for autumn reading (in paperback, no less).

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith?

Save yourself the suspense later and get the next 4 books in the series now...they're addictive!

This thread has made me feel so cheerful 🍂

This autumn will be extra special for me because my first baby will be here! The things I am looking forward to are:

• cozy afternoons with lots of newborn cuddles
• having Sunday lunches with family round
• slow walks with the pram and a nice coffee / hot choc
• extravagantly topped porridge
• a trip to the bookshop when all the new books come out in September / October
• buying a new big cozy dressing gown for when I'm up all night with the baby
• new boots! Two of my most loved pairs finally gave up last winter so I legitimately need some

I made an apple crumble for the freezer yesterday. Bliss.

I've been trying to enjoy the last bit of summer but the grey weather has made it basically impossible. Very excited for autumn now! Particularly:

Planting spring bulbs
Pumpkin spice latte
Being able to start thinking about Christmas
Halloween
Period dramas
Bakewell tart (I make one every September)
A bit of routine after the summer!

Love this thread, it's just what I needed!

We've just got a dog, so I am looking forward to taking him out for walks around the village and through the forest that is on our doorstep. The leaves changing colour in the autumn is one of my favourite things about living here.

Going to drag DH to Homesense later on to look for autumnal stuff to make the living room a bit cosier. I like the idea of an autumn wreath too.

Can't wait for chilly walks, wrapped up warm, then coming home to a hot chocolate and a film.
We always watch all the Harry Potter films through autumn, one a week on a Sunday afternoon.
Collecting conkers with the DC.
This year I am going to book a pumpkin patch trip as we haven't been to one before.
I love the reflection of streetlights on a wet pavement or road too.
I need a new winter coat this year - as a PP said, a puffa jacket doesn't really set off a nice outfit!

We've never done a pumpkin patch trip either. What does it entail? Is it just like strawberry picking?

My dog has declared that autumn has officially started today (I'm more pedantic and it's all about the equinoxes and solstices). He's cuddled next to me on the sofa and is so over flopping out in front of the fan and panting.

Oh I also have autumn leaves fairly lights in the kitchen! And stars and hearts in the living room......little balls in the hall and some pom-pom type ones hanging from the fridge.....

We did so well with our blackberry picking today that I'm actually making jam right now! I'm so happy! 🍁🍂

Ooo!!! I love autumn..

Victoria plum picking
Pumpkin picking nearer October..
Beginning of November winters walks early morning when it’s all Misty wearing chunky knits and boots
Preparing a winter wardrobe
Definitely candles - candles everywhere!
Collecting and roasting chestnuts

Best thread ever reading through some of these ideas !!

New Cushions and throws can be washed. Get thee a nice snuggly dressing gown and slippers, for them there night feeds. Maybe a humidor and scented oils? (I also found it was very good for toddlers snotty noses and chesty coughs).

A nice candle and bathoil or bubble bath or milk, for you. (Clarins do a fabulous range, with candle, body oil, body bath etc, that could be good for stretch marks too!)

Not sure if it's been said but I really enjoy watching Gilmore Girls in autumn. We watched Gone fishing with Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse last night and then Chris and Meg's wild summer after that. Lovely, gentle programmes that really made me feel very content and look forward to more cosy evenings in front of the TV with candles on.

@WitchBaby Yes, it’s basically that except you just choose the one (or two, or three) perfect pumpkin! A local farm to us actually runs kids’ sessions in summer where they plant the seeds in the field then return in autumn to collect their fully-grown pumpkin!

P.S. Is your nn a FLB reference?

No it's not evtheria it just a random name, although having looked it up I have to say I quite fancy having purple eyes and a bat shaped backpack 😍

Our yearly autumn tradition is to go to the enchanted forest at Pitlochry. The event is not on again til 2022 now but there are so many similar local events happening every year that are not quite on the same level but still nice to attend.

I'll be buying tickets for 2022. It's a wonderful way to spend an autumn evening. Wandering slowly through a forest alive with sparkling lights, bonfires for roasted marshmallows, stalls with soups and hot chocolates and mulled wine. All wrapped up in hats, scarves and boots. It's one of my favourite events of the year.

I also love carving a little pumpkin at halloween. We light him every evening until the 5th which is also my partner's birthday. On the 5th we take little pumpkinhead to the forest, take his hat off, and light a Roman candle inside him to say farewell. Then we have birthday sparklers and tea from our flasks.

This is a tradition my family had when I was growing up but we used to do it in our back green. Pumpkinhead is then left to be nibbled by wildlife and mulch back into the ground.

@bewitchingnight

This thread has made me feel so cheerful 🍂

This autumn will be extra special for me because my first baby will be here! The things I am looking forward to are:

• cozy afternoons with lots of newborn cuddles
• having Sunday lunches with family round
• slow walks with the pram and a nice coffee / hot choc
• extravagantly topped porridge
• a trip to the bookshop when all the new books come out in September / October
• buying a new big cozy dressing gown for when I'm up all night with the baby
• new boots! Two of my most loved pairs finally gave up last winter so I legitimately need some

I made an apple crumble for the freezer yesterday. Bliss.

I love your post. My first baby is also due in a few weeks and I'm chuffed to have a little autumn babe who will share my birthday month 🍂💕

@SisterNight

Not sure if it's been said but I really enjoy watching Gilmore Girls in autumn. We watched Gone fishing with Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse last night and then Chris and Meg's wild summer after that. Lovely, gentle programmes that really made me feel very content and look forward to more cosy evenings in front of the TV with candles on.

Gilmore girls is perfect for the autumn isnt it. Season 3 in particular has quite a few episodes set during the autumn

Solar fairly lights, strewn around your garden, because there will be glorious evenings.
Or, if you are outside of a town, a comfy mat to lay down on outside and look up at the beautiful night sky.