Meteorological Autumn has announced her arrival with a fury of rain between blue skies. From behind a wet rake, this has given me plenty of time to think about the changing seasons and the pull indoors that usually happens around this time of year. This week, I'm grateful for not missing out on the straggling swifts and swallows before they journey to warmer places. I even spotted two slow worms, a legless lizard that is one of Britain's six reptiles. _Although, what is a snake if not a legless lizard?_*
After saying those exact words in my office this week, I've learned the answer. For those interested, lizards (A.K.A. not snakes) can blink, whereas snakes skipped this step in their evolution and can't blink. If you're in a pickle and urgently need to differentiate between a snake and a lizard, try a staring competition. If you win, it's a lizard. If you lose, well, it's a snake. I'm sure this foolproof test will lead to no errors on your part! 😉
I have a soft spot for the transitional seasons. The changing landscape reminds me to make hay, regardless of the weather, and to make the most of whatever each day presents—sun or no sun. Of course, we should still make the most of the sun when it decides to grace us! Looking ahead a few weeks, as the deciduous trees will start to change and the nights draw in, it's nice to have one last chance to admire the green landscape, hopefully under some glimmers of sunlight.
We ended the week embracing September. The air temperature hasn't dropped too much, and the water is still warm from the summer sun. We enjoyed a swim in the Marine Lake.
Once I overcome my irrational fear that a giant lake beast might come up and rip my stomach out, I might even start finding these swims relaxing as well as fun! Coming home from the drizzly, happy, gentle swim, the house smells of masala chai, and I'm plotting how to eat as many blackberries as possible while our hedgerows are full of them. I'll be sure to keep everyone posted on my masterplan, which currently is taking the shape of a crumble in my mind's eye!