" I saw old Autumn in the misty morn,
Stand shadowless like silence listening to silence"
Ode:Autumn .Thomas Hood (1799-1845)
September was the seventh month of the Roman calendar and the Anglo-Saxons called it 'gerst monarth' which means Barley Month. The 1st of the month is the start of meteorological autumn. Astronomically, Autumn doesn't begin until the equinox on the 23rd.
The word autumn comes from Latin Autumnus and it's use dates back to the C14. In the USA it is known as fall and both autumn and fall were used in this country back in the C17. I wonder why we changed to just using Autumn?Below is an illustration from the September pages of Edith Holden's Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. What she calls Spanish Chestnut we usually call Sweet Chestnut nowadays. I used to go to a place we found not far from the Smallholding to collect Sweet Chestnuts sometimes, but they were often empty cases or tiny nuts inside and not really worth the effort.
September dries up wells or breaks down bridges
Many haws and many sloes make many cold toes.
September was an important month in the past as it was the time for harvest and festivals to celebrate another successful growing year.
Hip! Hip! Hip! for the harvest home,
Now we've taken the last load home,
I ripped my shirt and I teared my skin,
To get my masters harvest in.
"September Blow Soft 'til the Fruits' in the Loft"
Many varieties of apples will be ready this month and pears too so it mustn't be too windy as windfalls are no good for keeping. Both pears from my young pear tree fell off many weeks ago, but I have got a few small apples on the Minarette trees.
Below is a page from The Illustrated Country Year by Celia Lewis.
I've got some Beech Mast on my young Beech tree in the garden this year. I assumed it was some sort of ornamental Beech as surely the previous owners didn't plant an ordinary Beech in a small garden? They can grow Very Big! Now I'm not so sure as it's put on about 6 feet of new growth this year.
I'll be back sometime next week as I have family here for a few days then a busy day with WI things.
Sue
Some people are unable to generate an image in their mind of the mature plant when the put the little seeding in their garden. Our garden had a huge holly and an overwhelmed flowering plum planted less than 3 feet apart.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching with interest a garden nearby on the newly built estate - two flowering Plums planted barely 5 feet apart...
ReplyDeleteThere are masses of sweet chestnuts in the woods here and many, many people collecting them, often Asian or East European. We chat to them.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your family time. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI love your first of the month posts.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful time with family.
Sadly, so many inexperienced gardens look at a label which shows what size a plant might be in ten years without realising that it keeps growing after that.
ReplyDeleteYet with its usual contrary aplomb, according to the weather forecast this morning. Here comes summer. Nothing quite like the British weather to make the seasons go askew as they. do.
ReplyDeleteSeptember always feels a little wistful to me.......well, I suppose we know that winter is just around the corner!
ReplyDeleteHave a good time with the family x
Alison in Wales x
I live in a townhouse development with very small patios. It's amazing what huge trees people have planted. I think they go by height and forget width, until the tree fills the entire area.
ReplyDeleteAutumn (Fall) is one of my favorite seasons. I enjoy the cool temps and colorful leaves.
ReplyDeleteI love September and Autumn in general it really is my favourite season. We are currently keeping our eyes peeled for fallen Horse Chestnuts (conkers), it's time to dot them around the place and keep those giant spiders at bay ... the only part of September that I don't like. We spider-proofed Mum's little bungalow last week to try and stop her falling again while trying to get away from a spider like last year.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a lovely few days with your family. xx
The coolness of Fall is very much welcomed. The night air is now crisp and lovely. I've opened all my windows to change the air in the house. Lots of end-of-season jobs to do but that's ok. Enjoy your family time, especially those grandchildren that all grow up very quickly.
ReplyDeleteSeptember is the month of birthdays. The one on August 28th kicks it all off, and then another birthday September 8th, and one on September 13th, and the final one on the 18th. When they were all home, the thing that I knew for sure was that by the end of them, we were all heartily sick of birthday cake.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the beech wasn't 'planted' and is a weed tree? My inexperienced gardener neighbours are gradually being swamped by silver birch and willow that they didn't plant. I'm continually pulling them out. 🥺
ReplyDeleteLOL. I came down here to say mch the same as Jane. Perhaps your beech was not planted. Perhaps it 'planted' itself!
ReplyDeleteHello, I am new to your blog and was happy to have found it today. I have a copy of Edith Holden's Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady. I love leafing through it. This is such a lovely post and I shall enjoy coming back. Happy September!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful post Sue to welcome in our Autumn of the year...I do so love Autumn. x
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