fall :: the season turns

August isn't out but it really does feel like the summer is already drawing to a close. Finding the leaves starting to turn already makes me want to dig out my old vinyl seven inch of 'Turn! Turn! Turn!' by The Byrds. To everything, there is a season...

I've always loved the North American word for Autumn; Fall. Like the leaves, like the apples, like the temperature... 'Fall' is from old Norse and Old English - our modern UK word 'Autumn' is from the French automne - we used to call this part of the season harvest, for obvious reasons.

After yet another wet summer, we are hopeful of a good spell in September - an Indian summer. September can be glorious, especially here in Edinburgh - thick, golden, liquid East Coast light and the trees blazing into colour before they lose their clothes in the storms. But look for good weather and you'll seldom find it; and winter is not far away.