Four Seasons

Today, even I have to admit that summer is over, what little we saw of it. Yesterday was full of rain, include a monsoon sequence, and today is just plain chilly. Luckily, I delight in having four seasons to savour.

I love a hot summer and a freezing winter, and I love the changing of the seasons, moving from hot to cold and cold to hot. Or at least that's the plan. I really hope we have a good summer next year for the Olympics. London looks beautiful in the sunshine, with old buildings and hanging baskets of flowers and its lovely denizens.

I occasionally think of living somewhere else in the world, like Sri Lanka. Much as I enjoy visiting there and it's green lushness, I'm not sure I could live there. I'd probably love it for a year or so and then I'd start missing the seasons and the cold, bundling up in coats and mufflers, wearing gloves to go to the shops and all that. Lovely to visit but not to live - I rejoice in change.

Where I live is surrounded by trees and greenery and for the last couple of weeks I've noticed the trees become laden with apples and fruit and berries. All over the place. And conkers are starting to fall. The old wives tales say that this predicts a long and bad winter since nature is providing food early for the birds and animals to eat and hibernate. I hope that's true. There's nothing worse than a long, dreary and damp winter - I want extremes.

I should be used to the changing seasons by now but it always surprises me how the world changes. Just a couple of weeks ago it wasn't getting dark until around 9:00pm, now it's dark at 8:00pm. It happens every year but it's always a surprise.

I worked from home today and wore shorts. I think that's the last time. I will now welcome Autumn with open arms and wear long trousers. And socks (mis-matched, of course).

By the way, I nicked the photo from Cherie's Place.