English Autumn.

When I touched down in England on Thursday morning, the first thing I noticed was how much cooler it is here than in America.  Despite the drizzly, clichéd rain, the air was crisp and fresh and it truly felt like autumn.  I'm sad that I'll miss the changing leaves and the brisk winds of the American fall, but autumn in England is a beautiful season, full of the smell of bonfires, bright blue skies and snuggly jumpers.

This climbing plant has been in our back garden for so long we've forgotten what it's called!  Every year it turns this gorgeous, fiery red colour and it makes it a joy to look out of the kitchen window.  The tree at the bottom of the yard in New Jersey has shown promise of changing colour like this too, I'm hoping S will capture the change for me so I can see it.

While it would be so, so awesome to have some kind of wood burner, our English house is a touch small for that.  This pile of logs used to be a fence of trees that ran along one side of the garden but had to be cut down because they were interfering with the foundation of the house next door.  I've been helping my Mum snip up the foliage to put into bags for collection and the smell of the branches is fantastic.  It reminds me so much of being younger and breathing in that delightful, sticky sap, fresh smell.  Although it's a shame to see the trees gone, I love how the logs look, all piled on top of each other, waiting to bring someone warmth as the days begin to cool.

With the arrival of autumn, finding precious little blooms like this becomes so much more exciting.  This one was tucked away behind a patch of holly, serenely resting there with a few other bright flowers.  These are so pretty when they are open, the centre petals a stunning purple colour.  I hope that I can keep track of this little flower and see if it'll open up at least one more time.

Possibly my favourite thing about this time of year, particularly in England, is that since it's getting a little colder, the cats decide to stay in much more often!  My parents told me that they were out for most of the summer, so to come back and see them all sleeping so sweetly in the house is a real treat.

What things are you loving about autumn, or fall, at the moment?  I hope you're having a wonderful week.

Love, K.