Tuesday 30 August 2011

Carnival season

My kingdom for a leaf. 
The first yellow leaf on the sidewalk cannot be denied.

This week summer surrendered to autumn: handed over the keys, signed the paperwork, and washed its hands of climatic control for another year. Now the world is autumn's baby to corrupt.

Of course the process is transitional - a soft launch to underemphasize any major design hiccups.

Leaves turn yellow like hairs turn grey. Dust returns to dust. The eternal feeling of summer is an illusion.

But that's me: I'm over-caffeinated and suffer from a crippling case of sentimentality, for which the prognosis is poor. What does seasonal change mean to you?

Here follows a carnival of the season's best posts. You will notice that these writers exercise greater restraint with their sentimentality than I do.

Ella of Notes From Home warily observes five, er four boys marking that classic harvest right of passage: driving a massive combine.

Penny of the Alexander Residence fondly remembers the summer bilberry grounds of her childhood.

Truffle offers a durian toast to the harvest moon.

Christine, an Expat Mum in Portugaltalks about the promise of September for kids and mamas alike: school, new projects, the return of parental nap-time.

Maggie of Red Ted Art suggests that we gather the season's ephemera and construct a house for the woodland elves, so as they don't freeze their pointed little ears off this winter.

Ellen at In a Bun Dance acknowledges that summer is well and truly over, and bravely sends her oldest baby off to high school.

Kerry at Multiple Mummy focuses on the highlight of the warmer months: escape (with kids in tow).

Emma at Mummy...Mummy...Mum counts the passing time in a birthday wish and suggests a celebratory bottle rocket to mark the occasion with a bang.

Diane at Kids Party Heaven has some perennial ideas for how to avoid revenge party bag syndrome (almost as dangerous as inoperable sentimentality).

This autumn carnival was conceived by Brit Mums. Thank you to all contributors. Next week the carousel stops at Really Kid Friendly.

In the meantime, I'm off to kick yellow leaves, pull out grey hairs, and medicate my sentimentality with another truckload of coffee.

10 comments:

  1. Lovely carnival, really enjoyed reading all the posts. Thanks so much for including me xx

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  2. Thanks for joining in Ella! Loved your post - really took me back to the family farm.

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  3. Just popped by, can't wait for next week, I'll finally be able to catch up with my reading list while the monkeys are at school, loving the blackberry post,and berry stained mouth! And can't wait to start reading all the posts on your carnival! Nat

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  4. AlexanderResidence30 August 2011 at 23:21

    Thanks for including me lovely x You've reminded me it's my turn soon! Look forward to snuggling down for a good read, now it's getting chillier.

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  5. Thanks Nat, and yay for monkeys at school! I too am looking forward to the return of things like reading, napping, sitting down etc.

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  6. Pleasure, hope you get some reading/relaxing time now that it's autumn.

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  7. I have finally managed to get over for a read, great posts here, gives a real feel for the season. thanks for including me.

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  8. Pleasure - thanks for taking part :)

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  9. Oooh so much good reading here. I am on a major catch-up as been so busy lately. Need to get myself that cup of tea and sit down and read!

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  10. Life doesn't leave us mamas enough time to read, does it :(

    But tea on the other hand is mandatory for survival...

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