This time of year (Summer's Almost Gone)

Autumn has always been my favourite time of year. I've thought of myself as an "Autumn" in the colour charts, I have fond memories of Autumn activities and Autumn weather.

One of my favourite poems is the ode to autumn:
"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom friend of the maturing sun,
Conspiring with him how to load and bless with fruit..."

I loved the ballad... I think it was by Justin Heywood
"My life will be forever Autumn..."

And, even more, I loved The Doors' song "Summer's Almost Gone". Was it from the "Waiting For The Sun" album?

My favourite painting -one I actually bid for and won at an auction- is an autumnal scene which makes me think of the Lady of Shallot, or King Arthur's final trip back to Avalon with the queens in the barge.

Autumn is better, but less brilliant in the UK of my childhood memories. The Great American Fall may be more colorful, but it's not the same. The yellow and black striped insects and the ladybugs are more numerous and more aggressive in the USA. I don't like to watch the glorious dragonflies die.

What I remember are the happy hours spend on common land, picking wild blackberries and wild crabapples for pies and crumbles and jams and jellies; gathering wild sloes to make sloe gin... also rosehips for winter medicines, oh, and wild mushrooms in the early mornings.

Of course I also treasure memories of family time in our small orchards picking English apples, pears, greengages, Victoria plums, red- black- and white currants, raspberries, but the hunting and gathering of a free (but legal) harvest is specially delightful.

All the best,
Rowena Cherry

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