October melancholy

Aside from cute kid stories and the odd post about fun times at Ella Lake, I haven't had very much to say lately. Things have been busy as always and I just haven't had the energy or will to write about what happens in my day.

Seems like many of the bloggers out there are suffering from the same affliction. I keep hearing variations of the same theme: "very busy, not much to write about"

I wonder if this is because it's October now... autumn has definitely taken over.

Autumn in London is very different from back in Ontario. Kensington Gardens is still full of bright green grass, green leafy trees, with few signs of the winter to come. The odd tree is beginning to turn colours, and some have started dropping leaves, but nature looks pretty much the same as it did back in August. The only telltale sign of autumn are the jackets, heavy sweaters, and scarves worn by people wandering around the park. It's very strange to me - seeing a person bundled up for autumn as they walk through a green field to sit beneath a tree still bearing all of its green leaves.

Back home, the leaves start changing as early as late August in Northern Ontario and by mid-September in Southern Ontario. Bright reds and yellow dot the landscape, mixed with the not-unpleasant brown of the oak trees and the hunter green coloured pine trees. Autumn in Canada is exceptionally beautiful - people come from very far away to take pictures of the trees and visit the lakes and rivers for one last time before the snow starts to fall.

It would be easy to blame the funk I'm in on homesickness.

Maybe that's all it is... Growing up, I would see the leaves changing colour and watch the mist on the lake each evening (signalling the heat lifting away) and I would mourn the end of summer's warm days and wish for Christmas to come quickly (my favourite thing about winter). The end of summer meant Back to School and moving from our camp back to our house in town. The first night back home always made me sad - sitting in my room thinking about the endless hours I had spent reading in the lake or spending time with friends (not having to worry about homework or getting up early the next day).

Some people celebrate the arrival of October, with warm, cuddly blankets, steaming mugs of coffee or hot chocolate, hunts for the "best pumpkin", excitment over Hallowe'en, and the mystery of watching the earth prepare for winter. It meant the last campfire of the season, taking the boat out of the lake, jumping in huge piles of leaves after spending hours raking them up, mugs of chicken noodle soup and closing up the camp for the winter.

Even though I missed the summer, autumn was never really that bad. Even on the colder days, I would curl up under a blanket on my favourite sofa and read, feeling comforted by the knowledge that it was cold outside, but cozy where I was.

I want to be out celebrating October in England. Maybe join one of the creepy Tower of London Hallowe'en tours before sitting in a warm pub with a pint and some chili. I want to take the train to Brighton and see the ocean before it gets too cold. I want to visit some of the other parks in the city to see if their trees are starting to change. I want to find out where a good soccer match is playing so we can finally go and see one. I want to take a tour of the Thames River on one of those cheesy tourist boats before the air is too cool to enjoy it.

Maybe this isn't about homesickness. Maybe for me, the temperature change and start of autumn is a reminder of all of the things I haven't yet done to enjoy my new city. Maybe sitting inside with a book isn't the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon anymore.

Maybe that's why I haven't had as much to write about...

Today, I resolve to find something to do. And I promise to write a good story about it later (as best I can).

I think I'll start with a hot chocolate. With marshmallows.

How will you celebrate October? Whatever you do, I hope I get to read about it...