The glories of autumn

I've always been a summer girl - the heat, the long hours of daylight, sunshine, sandals, skirts and trips to the beach are all very appealing to me.  Some of my favourite childhood memories centre around summer holidays with my family.  We'd spend way too much time at the beach in the sun, get sand everywhere and be burnt to a crisp at night but we always had fun.  I spent many happy hours exploring the rock pools with Dad looking for all manner of interesting things in the sun-warmed water. 

However, in the last few years (possibly because summer has been somewhat of a flop), my appreciation for autumn is growing.  The days can still be warm but the nights are cool (so it's easier to get the kids to sleep), there's less risk of bushfires, the grass is green (so the cows are full), the tanks are less likely to run dry (so longer showers are a possibility again), the Gentleman Builder is not zonked out with heat exhaustion and the dogs still get a good amount of run time (so they are pretty settled).  Plus, the washing will still dry within one day if hung outside.

I love that the dryer does not need to be employed (as long as you are willing to stockpile washing on the wet days) as I love the smell of washing that has be dried on the line.  Drying washing outside is the original use of solar power.   In fact, one of my favourite Aussie inventions is the Hills hoist.  Not only will it hold a number of full loads of washing; it spins in the wind to optimise drying and is perfect for chin ups (especially if you are like me and can only do half a dozen).  Plus, the kids love to hang from it and be spun around.  Exposing the washing to the sunshine means that the UV light kills any nasties that are living in the fabric and helps to bleach any of the stains I have missed with the sard wonder soap (another brilliant Aussie product).

However, I seem to have an overwhelming urge on sunny autumn days to find a hammock in the sun then lie in it.  And then stay there all day.  I think it's an innate desire to soak up the last of the sun and build up vitamin D stores before winter hits.  I am a firm believer that, if left to its own devices, the human body knows what it needs (and when it comes to lazing in the sunshine on a warm autumn day, I am happy to follow my body's lead).