The autumn is upon us!

​Transcript of MumDeeDoes video #12:

Hello my Darlings and welcome to Mum Dee Does. I am Dee, a mum who does it all and today I am talking to you about our autumn shenanigans. 

Autumn is a strange time in Orkney - it's a real transitional time. The summers and the winters are a completely different beast and autumn as a transition from one to another is really dramatic and really noticeable.

And because it's much colder now we notice that we're putting the fire on a lot more. Whilst it makes the house really cozy and I really love the smell of the burning fire, it's also such a symbol of winter that makes me nostalgic for all the summer months and it actually gets me in the mood for hot chocolate and reading a book and all the good things that winter has, but at the same time it's making me miss all those beautiful warm summer days that seem so recent. Probably about two weeks ago we would be out and about on the beach wearing our shorts but now we have hats and scarves and big coats and it's just a preview of the things to come.


It's a fun game that Ron's invented so we keep playing it: he throws the ball, falls on his back and then... “You’re ready? Catch!”… And then he demands that the ball lands on his belly.


I am mostly saddened by the shorter days here in Orkney. The days are getting shorter and the sun sets at about five o'clock. Whilst we used to be able to have dinner and then come out for a walk we can no longer safely do that - it's dark and it's cold, and it rains a lot more.


Where did you put the ball? In there? Show me!


Because we're so far North the difference in daylight hours is the most noticeable thing up here. There really is probably about two hours of sunlight in mid-winter and whilst the same can be said in summertime - the sun stays up all through the night - wintertime gets me into a really difficult emotional time.

We have painted the inside of the house but the house is pretty cold and damp and the paint is already showing signs of wear. We are waiting for the radiators to be installed which I can't wait for, that constant heat and warmth in the house...

I have to admit that my walking efforts, as well as my diet, has gone downhill since I've noticed the autumn encroach. I am far less tempted to go out walking when it's raining, when it's blowing a gale, when it's dark. I feel myself become more sedentary and more indoory. I also feel myself being drawn to all the comfort foods - the carbs - and whilst it makes me regretful, as James put it, my emotional health is far more important at this stage, so that kind of gave me an excuse, but at the same time I see his point of view. Autumn gets me down.


The lush green is now turning yellow and whilst autumn brings a bountiful harvest of rosehips and blackberries, it also brings a yellowing leaves. We don't have any trees up here in Orkney so there's no beauty of red, yellow, golden, orange leaves that you can go and kick about in that magical splendor way. At the same time, the sea gets really rough and it's quite a sight. I enjoy watching it. I love how it can be a rough one minute and then come back to total serenity the next. It's a visual reminder that nothing lasts forever and even when I get into a downward spiral of emotions flaring all over the place, it's a nice visual reminder that calmness follows and that nothing lasts forever, and that I will find my peace of mind eventually.

I am blessed with a wonderful husband who understands what I'm going through. He's very supportive and extremely patient to put up with my ups and downs...

Spring is the best time for watching all the farm activities going by, but now that autumn's here we also see a lot more tractors and diggers out and about the fields and Ron really enjoys watching those. We live next door to a large cattle farm so there's a lot of activity of machinery and tractors and Ron simply loves to watch them. And once or twice he actually got inside the tractor and we went inside their sheds and we saw baby calves as well as all the equipment and tractors that they use, and Ronnie had a fantastic day that time. And as I say, autumn is a time when they come out a lot more.

We let our chickens free range as they no longer lay eggs. A cockerel has attacked me one too many times and, ironically, actually ended up injuring itself and so we had two options: one is to let him be and hope that his bleeding injury doesn't get infected (which was slim chance here in wet muddy Orkney) or just get him dispatched and ready for a halloween supper. And so the kind thing to do was to get him culled, and I took Ron out for a walk whilst James did the deed, and so our big noisy cockerel is no more. But we do have his son ready for next spring.


Thanks very much for watching, subscribe down below to find out what Mum Dee Does next week. Ta ta for now!

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