Which season of the year is your favourite?
I have two beautiful trees in my line of sight. I recently rearranged my “work from home” study room so that I can see them all year round. I am witnessing my second favourite season unfold in front of me as the leaves change from green to yellow to brown.
I saw a post this week where the author invited you to list the seasons in order of your favourite from first to last. Without thinking, I wrote:
Spring
Autumn
Winter
Summer
I did think about it after I made my list.
What is it about each season that makes me rank them in that order?
I should like summer more than winter, shouldn’t I?
I’m British and we do like to talk about the weather. It is particularly stormy for us at the moment! We don’t expect to have glorious summers of uninterrupted sunshine, although that might become a scary reality as the world gets hotter and our climate changes. I don’t like uninterrupted sunshine and being too hot; a maximum of 25 degrees centigrade, factor 50 SPF, and access to shade is far more my thing.
What I do like is contrast and change. I am grateful that we experience the changing seasons in the UK and that they provide a measure to my year. I know where I am but at the same time have no idea what is in store for the season. A good harvest in the veg patch or not. The British weather is fickle, and layers are key. Layers that we add and subtract to keep ourselves safe and moving through the year in the right direction.
What does each season mean to me?
Spring
I love the bright greens of spring and the promise of new growth. The green leaves are really at their best before summer scorches them and they lose their vibrant hues. Bursting buds, blossom, and the birth of seeds.
Seeds of ideas, hopes, and dreams.
April showers against spring sunshine and the smell of damp earth. Not too hot and not too cold. It’s time to look forwards and come out of the grey winter fug.
Spring terms at school and beyond never felt too pressured. It was all about play and learning with no hideous exams at the end of it. Relaxed and loads of Bank Holidays!
Spring you are my favourite.
Autumn
Autumn steals second place and you win on colour and light. I love the glowing golden light when the sun shines. It highlights the fading leaves as everything gets ready for its winter rest. I am a lazy gardener so leave it all in place, ready for frosty mornings. I relish putting my summer clothes away and bringing out my boots and jumpers. Yay for boots and the next eight months of wearing them!
I love snuggling down in the autumn. Closing the door on the weather and dark nights and just being at home. Bliss.
Winter
Lots of people don’t like winter and I can see why. I have always loved the weeks between October half term and Christmas, especially when my children were small and excited. Twinkly lights, bonfire night, and excited preparation. Then just like that it’s over and in comes January, the lights are put away and the slow, dark slog to Spring begins.
Now my sons have grown up, I still like the twinkly lights and love having everyone home for Christmas, but endless weeks of fireworks upset my dogs and Christmas has lost some of its sparkle. The people sitting round the table have changed, some are missing and grief for times past makes me want to rewrite the well-worn script.
I spend the first few weeks of every new year seeking out the snow drops in my garden and I monitor the lengthening days with glee. Spring is coming.
Summer
I am sorry to rank you last summer, but someone had to be last. Summer has always been about holidays for as long as I can remember. That should be good, right?
When I was young, six weeks felt like forever and I was bored by September. There was no summer fun club or continuous source of entertainment back in the 70s and 80s. I was one of the weird children that like going back to school. I still get excited about September and it feels like the start of something special.
As a mum, the summer holidays were far more of a challenge. Six weeks off school but only two weeks off as a family - planning, enjoying, and then done until next year. But two weeks off at the start, middle or end? I never found the sweet spot. Time off at the start and it was gone to soon - exhausted by September. Time off at the end and it felt knackering waiting for the break to come. I willed the summer away to get a rest.
Struggling to work and occupy two children for six weeks was a nightmare! Lots of juggling and pressure to make things work and keep everyone happy. I wanted to love it, but it was hard. No wonder I still rejoice when September arrives.
Now I have the luxury of not being tied to school holidays, so your ranking may start to improve summer. Insects, sunburn, and being too hot make me grumpy. Or maybe it’s the memory of the six week stretch?
Getting outside in nature really is good for you
My husband and I have some favourite countryside walks and they always make me feel like I am grounded. Side by side, we walk and talk and put the world to rights. Yes, the dog interrupts us but he is usually very happy sniffing and looking out for errant squirrels. We dream big dreams and always find ourselves talking about our boys.
Walking in nature highlights the changing seasons and provides rhythm to my life. My stress melts away as I take in big deep breaths. I breathe in the scent of the countryside, the view of the changing landscape, the time, the chance to connect with my husband, the feeling of sunshine or rain on my skin, and I feel like me.
Walking helps me to access mindfulness too. I am useless at the traditional ways of accessing it.
Has anyone else here tried to follow along to calming instructions of eating a raisin mindfully?
“Pick up the raisin and notice what it feels like” - yes, it feels like a raisin.
“Smell the raisin” - yes, it smells like a raisin.
“Now put the raisin in your mouth, and notice how it feels” - Yes, it feels like a raisin. I really need to put raisins on my shopping list. I will need raisins to make some mincemeat for Christmas. Oh crap, Christmas - I have so much to plan and do.
“Now taste the raisin and start to chew it” - what raisin. Oh FFS I have already swallowed it!
Walking forces me to slow down; eventually my thoughts slow down too and my busy brain feels like it can still just for a while. I notice more about my surroundings and get out of my own way.
I often have my best ideas when I go for a walk. If I want to solve a problem, I will go for a solo walk. There can be no music or podcasts, just me and a brain that is allowed to wander. About 40 minutes seems to be the right amount of time to get to an “aha” moment. I talk more about how doing just one thing differently can be a clever way to implement bigger changes in your life here.
Then there are the physical benefits of walking. I don’t get the same feeling from walking as I do after a spin class, but the gentle dopamine high still feels oh so good.
How would you rank the seasons and what do they mean for you?
Let me know in the comments.
Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer