September is calling again

 

Dear Bloggers,

September has arrived, and it has brought a little suitcase of changing weather with it. The mornings are cooler, the days are getting shorter, and autumn is standing just around the corner, waiting patiently to make an entrance. 

This morning, the rain was hammering against my windows while the wind threw itself about outside. Naturally, the dogs decided this was the perfect time for a walk. Dogs, as we all know, have no understanding of bad weather, sensible clothing or the phrase “perhaps tomorrow.”

So out we went, with me wrapped up like a sailor in a storm and the dogs happily splashing through every puddle they could find.

 

September has always held a special place in my heart. It is summer’s final wave goodbye before autumn arrives with its chilly mornings, damp afternoons and impressive collection of scarves. It is also a month of balance. Nature gives us a little bit of everything: crisp mornings, warm afternoons, golden evenings and the occasional downpour to remind us who is really in charge.

 The cooler mornings are perfect for energetic walks, jogs or outdoor adventures. Later, when the sun warms everything up, it is time to slow down, relax and enjoy the last generous handfuls of summer.

Boosting Your Mood and Making Time for Mental Wellbeing

September is a good time to look after our mental wellbeing. The busy summer season begins to wind down, the evenings grow darker and some of us may feel a little sad that the long, bright days are disappearing. But there is no need to surrender to the post-summer blues just yet.

Getting outside and staying active can work wonders for our mood. Even a little sunshine can make the day feel brighter, and natural daylight helps our bodies produce vitamin D. More importantly, fresh air, movement and a change of scenery can give our minds a welcome lift.

So, whether you go for a brisk morning walk, take a weekend hike or simply sit in the park with a good book, make the most of the daylight.

Breathe in the fresh air, enjoy the sunshine and imagine that you are filling your pockets with positive energy for the darker months ahead. Just remember to empty them before putting your trousers in the washing machine.

Enjoying Some of the Best Weather of the Year

I don’t know about you, but I love a September day that begins with a light sweater and trousers and ends with a T-shirt and shorts.

The morning may start with a cool breeze and a cup of tea held firmly between both hands. By afternoon, the sun has warmed everything up, and suddenly you are wondering why you wore the sweater in the first place.

Then comes the early evening, when the sunlight turns golden and the whole world seems to glow. The sun slowly sinks lower, painting the landscape with warm colours and creating the perfect conditions for photographs.

Some of my favourite pictures are taken during those magical moments when daylight fades gently away. Even an ordinary field can look like a scene from a film when the evening light gets involved.

This is one of September’s greatest tricks: cool enough to feel fresh, warm enough to be enjoyable and unpredictable enough to keep us guessing.

The crisp mornings are ideal for brisk walks, invigorating jogs or a refreshing yoga session. As the day warms up, we can head outside for cycling, gardening, canoeing or perhaps one last swim before the water becomes suitable only for penguins.

And why not invite friends and family along? Shared adventures create wonderful memories and make the change into the colder months feel much less gloomy. Besides, everything is more enjoyable when there is someone else to blame for getting lost.

Preparing for the Change of Season

Although September encourages us to enjoy the present, it also gives us a gentle nudge to prepare for the season ahead. As summer turns into autumn, a few small changes to our routines can help us adjust. Regular exercise keeps our bodies strong, supports our energy levels and helps us feel healthier.

When the weather becomes colder, I tend to swap some of my more energetic outdoor activities for slower forms of exercise indoors. Of course, my daily morning walks will continue. I’m not sure the dogs would accept any other arrangement. They are very good at reminding me that rain, wind and cold are merely minor details.

I especially enjoy walking early in the morning and watching the sun rise over the misty fields. There is something wonderfully peaceful about being outside at that time of day, particularly when the seasons are changing. The dogs enjoy the smells, the puddles and the opportunity to inspect every blade of grass. I enjoy the quiet, the fresh air and pretending that I am a character in a nature documentary.

Staying active in September also helps us maintain a routine throughout autumn and winter. Once the colder, shorter days arrive, it is much easier to stay motivated if we have already built good habits.

September is also when I begin wearing more autumnal colours. The warm browns, oranges and deep reds seem to announce that autumn is on its way. They also make it look as though I have been thoughtfully coordinated with the leaves, which is always a bonus.

Our meals begin to change too. Cooler evenings call for warm, comforting food, and the darker nights seem to make a good bowl of soup taste even better. And, of course, the holiday season is now less than 100 days away. That may sound like plenty of time, but we all know how quickly those days disappear. One moment it is September, and the next someone is asking where the Christmas decorations are.

There is plenty to look forward to.

Embrace September

So, let’s embrace September and enjoy everything it has to offer.

Let’s keep moving, but remember to slow down as well. Take time to breathe, relax and enjoy the final rays of summer sunshine. Make the most of the crisp mornings, warm afternoons and beautiful golden evenings. Wear a sweater in the morning, a T-shirt by lunchtime and carry an umbrella just in case. September likes to keep us prepared.

Let us hope for those perfect days when the skies are clear, the air is warm and the spirit of summer lingers just a little longer.

And if it rains, put on your coat, grab the lead and take the dogs out anyway. They will be waiting by the door.

The Old Sailor,

 

 

Chaos in the house

Dear Bloggers,


It’s been a busy month at our house. The main event during this hectic month that just passed is my youngest daughter’s got her second swimming diploma. We’ve been celebrating since last month when she received her diploma and in the mean time Sinterklaas had arrived. Follow that with all the end of the year events for two daughters and a wife and you can see how hectic things have been around our house. It’s a good kind of chaos though, one that I’m sure I am not the only parent to welcome.

Now, it’s on to christmas and new year! The weather has got worse. Raining, hailstones and stormy nights, actually, as we seem to be kicking off winter with a vengeance and we just about bypassed autumn altogether. We hadn’t done much with the garden this year. It’s looking a bit overgrown and neglected. What you see growing there right now is grass. They just came up on their own without any effort on our part. Not too bad, I’ve still been able to mow the lawn in November Maybe when I get finished with my projects we can finally get our garden together again. But for now, the randomness is fine. Anyway the place is still for sale.

My backyard has been in chaos since early spring as we have been again reorganizing and restructuring the backyard. One of my major projects was building a new roof on the storage house and getting rid of the old roofing that has been blown away in the last storm. I am doing all this on my own and I yes this is one of the times that I wish I would’ve had a son to help me to do the ‘man’ jobs. Don’t get me wrong here, as I am proud of my princesses and they are great helps. I think that I do a great job though, albeit slow since I also have to work in my paying job in between. No matter, I enjoy seeing the changes that I am making.

For one, I like the way the shed looks after I put the new roofing on, especially when the sun is just rising in the morning. When I look over the backyard from the bedroom of my daughter and overthink my situation.

When I have my morning coffee and look up just as the sun hits the kitchen window just right, I can see the light that soon lights up my backyard will be back in order again in a few months. Just as life, I know all the hectic activities swirling around us right now will also soon stop and I will be missing this time as I sit quietly and in peace in the backyard, watching the birds looking for food and checking out the new birdfeeding house. A quick peak and then they fly away. I will be missing the chaos because that’s just the way life is. You always want more of what you don’t have right now.

Just a few days more to overcome and christmas is on our doorstep again from that point we will enter the next year. Soon the time comes that the first one will fly out and will make her own nest. Yes, time flies when your having fun. All of a sudden I am realizing that we are getting the elder working generation. I hope everyone will have a nice chaotic and hectic time if you are celebrating christmas.

The Old Sailor,