Earthy leaves

I love October. It is my favourite month of the year and not just because it is when my birthday falls (although this year I have a complex about my birthday; I start the countdown to 30).
I love the smell of the air and the crispness of leaves underfoot. I could drive through the countryside for hours in October looking at the beautiful colours on the trees. I drove to Abergavenny on Saturday and was transfixed by the scarlet reds, burnt oranges and the many shades of green as they turn to brown. When the low autumn sun lights up the tree tops, the colours come alive with such vibrancy, that I want to put on my wellies and go for a walk where I can kick the leaves releasing that earthy smell. Kicking leaves reminds me of visiting my grand parents in Winchester; walking back from school along Chilbolton Avenue, shin deep in crisp brown leaves, kicking them high in the air with no thought to where I was or who might be watching.

As the nights draw in I get ready for the winter; my first log fire is lit in October giving the homely smell of dry wood burning. I like the cosiness of being warm indoors with a glass of red wine and a good book. To me, October is about cosiness, pulling everything in and around me tight to keep warm and settle down.