Autumnal inspiration

I know it’s a bit early for this, but as I seem to be in such a hibernating sort of mood this September, I thought I’d do a post to provide a bit of autumnal inspiration. In this old post from Apartment Therapy they talk about the best autumn rituals; the readers mention cosy socks and a good book curled up on the sofa, hot bubble baths (I’m so mad that my apartment only has a shower), drinking cocoa and snuggling up with kittens, pumpkin pie scented candles and more.

And here are a few things which might be catching my fancy as October comes in :-)

Autumnal jewellery, like this delicate leaf necklace from Etsy seller BeadinBabe, made from a real leaf plated in silver.

Another thing on my mind is the prospect of taking up knitting again, bored of making scarves but daunted by jumpers, how about a snuggly blanket for the sofa? I found the lovely free pattern pictured below on the Rowan wool site and wonder if I could manage it? By the way, if you want to buy wool in Madrid, try the wonderfully retro Lanas Gato Negro near Plaza Mayor where they sell wool by the hank rather than by ball!

Another thing I'm looking forward to is making bacon and butternut squash soup topped with a little yoghurt and parsley. I found this recipe years ago and have made it ever since. Delicous. The only thing that always puts me off is the painful task of peeling the squash. But my colleague R has recently informed me that there's not need to peel it at all. Did you know that? I certainly didn't. She says that if you chop it up then boil or roast it, the skin can easily be pulled off afterwards. What a good idea.

For a bit of autumnal decadence, I'm really taken with this gold Morroccan pouffe from Graham&Green. It's kind of pricey and I really wish that I'd picked one up in Marrakech earlier this year where they cost the equivalent of about 30 euros.

Regular readers of this blog may be familiar with my love of all things fragrant and the French brand L'Occitane. The other day I came accross this gorgeous smelling cinnamon scented candle which reminds me of autumn, baking and all things wholesome.

Well, that's enough autumn for today. It's late summer in Madrid and I guess I should go out and enjoy it. A glass of white wine on a terraza, hopefully followed by the latest offering from Woody Allen.

What are your favourite things about Autumn?