Look up at the starry sky

I was thinking about things this morning and how this time of year can be the start of my SAD season (Seasonal Affective Disorder). It can feel as if a grey fog is descending inside and out as the days become shorter and the weather becomes damper and greyer.

But then on my way home from the school run they mentioned that it is World Mental Health Day today, and so I thought that instead of doing a gloomy post about how it can feel like things are getting harder, why not think about the glimmers in the darkness? The stars in the dark sky, as it were. As Bryan Adams says in his song, This side of Paradise, 'We stumble around in the darkness, but every now and then a little light shines through'.

So I am going to try to turn this around this morning and post all the positives I can think of about my SAD season, which will probably last from now until about the end of February:

It's comfy clothes season.

I love my dresses, don't get me wrong, especially my Popsy ones. But there is something incredibly comforting about ther weather being cool enough to snuggle into my soft jumpers, comfy cord trousers, and fluffy slipper socks or boots. The cosy feeling of being able to sit under a blanket and drink hot drinks without overheating is lovely. I also like being able to get out my large collection of scarves, some of which I have crocheted myself, which I simply can't wear in warmer weather.

The beautiful colours in nature

The trees in autumn are beautiful, and I am fortunate enough to be living close to some lovely woods which are showing some wonderful colours at the moment. When winter hits and the leaves are gone, there is still beauty in frosty mornings and the colours of berries on the bushes. I may have to look harder sometimes to find this on damp, muddy days, but the natural world is one I need to get out into more often as the year turns. I also love going to Westonbirt Arboretum, which is spectacular at this time of year.

Stargazing

As well as a metaphor for looking for the positives, this time of year I can quite literally look up at the starry sky, as the end of British Summer Time means that we can go star gazing more easily. I was given my grandfather's old telescope some time ago, and although I am not very good at focusing it on anything small, I really enjoy seeing what I can spot in the night sky. Last year I had a spectacular view of the craters on the Moon's surface, which was incredible. Hopefully we will have some nice clear skies at some point and get another brilliant view.

Fireworks

I have always loved fireworks. They are so beautiful and colourful. Where we live we are fortunate enough to have a great view from our flat across our little corner of the city, and so we can enjoy everyone else's fireworks from the comfort (and quiet) of our own home. We usually spend the evening of Bonfire Night with the hall light on, room lights off and all the curtains open. My daughter and I then go from room to room to catch a glimpse of the fireworks going off at different locations around us. When I was a child we always went to the village display organised by the Scouts, and I still think back fondly on walking down the dark village in my wellies, standing in a muddy playing field with lots of other people, and enjoying the display. 

Crafting and baking

For some reason I associate this time of year with starting lots of craft projects, and doing a lot of baking, especially as we get closer to Christmas. Some of the things I make go on to become Christmas presents, whilst others are just for fun. Occasionally I overestimate my ability to complete them in a sensible time frame, and get rather stressed. But I usually very much enjoy sitting in front of the tv with a crochet project and a hot drink, making something lovely. My current project is making crochet characters from Doctor Who, using the fantastic book by Liz Ward that I got for my birthday. It's the perfect combination of two things I love! I plan to make bigger items like the Time Vortex blanket in due course as well.

In terms of baking, I enjoy making so many festive foods that I have to limit myself every year, otherwise we would drown in cake! But again, it's a real comfort thing - the oven warms our home, and the thing I have baked (usually) taste really nice. 

Party planning

This is the time of year when I start to plan my daughter's birthday party. In previous years I have organised craft parties, involving different themes at her request such as space, jungle, superheroes, princesses, etc. They have been such fun to plan and to host that I have been considering how I could turn my plans from previous years into something I could sell online. I am still putting this together, but watch this space! My daughter is now old enough that she wants to have more input into her party planning, and wants fewer friends and less elaborate setup than before. But I still enjoy researching good resources for activities and decor etc which would possibly be helpful to someone else. I also plan to continue to make my daughter a themed cake each year (until she tells me not to) - something else I find extremely fun and satisfying.

Fairy lights

A bit of a random one, but I love fairy lights. In December we put up lights in our hallway, and they make it really lovely and sparkly. We don't have them up all year round, so when they go up, it's a really nice way to make our home more cosy and pretty. I love the way they sparkle.

I think that's enough for now - what are your stars in the sky?