Squeezing the Last Joy out of Summer

  A Seasonal Celebration of the Land, Garden & Nature

Harvest, Dahlias, Abundance, Summer Holidays, Corn dollies, Ripening, Sunflowers, Bare feet, Barbecues, Wheeling Swifts, Fruit & Berries, Summer Waning, Chillier Evenings 

Issue 27 August 2020

Squeezing The Last Joy 

Out Of Summer

That's how I feel at this time of year. I can usually be found rushing around trying to milk all the good feeling from the last of the warm, summer weather. Cramming it all in before the light fades and the cold weather sets in.

It's an unusual betwixt time of year right now, often with warm, light filled days like summer, overlaid with the identifiable signs of early Autumn. It's a time of change. A few weeks between seasons.

 

I'm just not ready to embrace the cool days of Autumn in late August. I want to max out on the flip flops, shorts and tees. Not ready to dig out the slippers, fluffy socks and woolly sweaters - yet. And it is a yet. I'm not in complete denial - I know resistance is futile and the seasonal wheel keeps turning. Indeed I want that wheel to turn, bringing a new season, new sights, a new feel - but not right now!

 

Teetering on the edge of seasonal change, focusing on the worst of the wet, dark, muddy days of approaching winter, brings a sense of doom for me.  It's a visceral reaction and one I have to talk myself out of. The reality, I have to remind myself, is that September and October often bring fantastic weather - all warm and golden with that winning feeling that comes from bonus sunshine! 

These months are often bountiful with lots of hedgerow produce that can be made into delicious treats to share. The garden seems to relax with the grasses and colourful late flowering perennials alight in the sunshine. There's less watering. Less sun cream application! Cooler evenings for sleeping! And there's the sense of renewal and new starts associated with a new school year.

 

Theory of the Five Elements 

I've been reading up on the Theory of the Five Elements that's woven into Chinese culture. This includes the idea of five seasons in the year -  our four familiar seasons plus an additional late summer season - which occurs now. I really like this idea. Where we are now now feels like a separate season, different to summer, like we've shifted on yet we've not yet arrived in the cooler days of Autumn.

Each season is linked to a Chinese element and the “Indian summer "season is linked to earth.  Earth is  balancing and stabilising, after all the frenetic activity of spring and summer. It helps prepare us for the autumn harvest and ready ourselves for winter. The earth element also links with meals and community- so sharing a dinner with friends and family is highly recommended in this season. Plus if you need any more reasons for a food-based get-together, in traditional Chinese medicine the earth element is associated with the organs of digestion and nutrition. Perfect excuse for a shared seasonal blackberry and apple crumble!

 

Summer is receding and Autumn is approaching but late summer is here right now. It's a great season. It's distinct. I'm going to try and embrace it. Starting with collecting some wild crab apples....

 

I'd love to hear your favourite things associated with Late Summer and how you approach these next few weeks. 

I'll be back next week with highlights for the new month but in the meantime I'd love to hear what you spot and/or photograph.

If you have any questions you can reach me via my website www.plotgardendesign.co.uk follow/like PLOT Garden Design on social media to receive my seasonal updates and photos.

Keep well, breathe and remember to look outside and notice the details.