Autumn is well upon us. Leaves in shades of gold and russet line the streets. The maple trees are ablaze with colour.

There's a real sense of the approaching winter in the air now. We have windy days, bleak and cold, cloaked in an immutable layer of grey cloud.

And then you get a day like today. We awoke this Saturday morning to a morning of complete stillness. Crisp, cold and clear. The sky was bluer than blue but with a light haze about it, and the view across towards Mt Barrow had that layer upon layer quality that always reminds me of the light in Tuscany.

It's a Saturday like any other. We all pile into the car and head out to Michelle's School of Riding at Riverside. The girls are filled with the usual anticipation about how many jumps they'll be able to do and how far they plan to canter.

Damien and I leave them and head off to Cafe Culture at Trevallyn for a cooked breakfast. It's blissful - sunshine on our shoulders, newspapers, really good coffee and perfectly poached eggs. Everytime I look up and catch the view of the Tamar and the mountains beyond I'm struck by how magical this place is in its own understated way.

Sated, we return to Michelle's where the girls are contentedly busy with the horses, grooming them with brushes, plaiting their manes and just happily being part of the scene. We hang out there a while - why would you rush to leave? It's such a peaceful place. While we wait we play with Jack the Dog, he runs back and forward between us as we call him in turn. He's happy to be out in the country air too.

So this is Autumn.

I am getting to appreciate the gifts that each season brings. Queensland has such a year-roundness to its climate, but down here each season is markedly different. There is such a great difference between what you can in summer and what you can do in winter.

The summer days are so long and the fine weather extends far into the night so life is lived outdoors. Winter days are as short as the summer days are long and it's spent largely indoors
The moment a still and sunny day is upon us we head for the outdoors, to soak up some rays to get us through the chill days ahead.

We light a fire most nights - already my favourite activity of the season is reading to the girls at bedtime around the fire. We've just finished 'The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane' and it was such a special pleasure to pick up the story each night as three lovely girls sat by discovering where Edward's adventures would take him next. We have 'Because of Winn Dixie' ready to start tonight and I can't wait!


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There are the days when I dread the winter to come. I feel the chill right through to my bones and wonder how I'll survive it.

But then I remind myself that I have to be patient and keep my eyes open to the gifts that each of the seasons bring. Sometimes they are as subtle as a walk through Princes Square on a bitterly cold day to discover the nearly naked limbs of its massive trees. Or a really hearty bowl of soup in a warm cafe. The pleasures are there, you just have to take the time to recognise them.