The Ritual Master Hello friends, and welcome back to The Ritual of Reading.
September has been an unusual introduction to autumn this year… The prospect of rainy days and crisp mornings, of enjoying my cup of tea without sweating and of the evenings becoming cosier and cosier with the dimming light had me so excited to be heading into autumn. But the reality is that September was pretty summery here in Paris, it’s only been a few days since I gave up short sleeves and started wearing my comfy socks at home.
Navigating through this time of subtle changes, I tried to attract my good autumn vibes with small rituals that bring me joy…
You already know by now that flowers are a big part of my feel-good moments. I never plan out the arrangements, so the weekly visit to the florist is a small treat. These roses were calling for me with their powdered tones of rose and light green, softly fading into the perfect colour for September. The button chrysanthemums joined the party as if to remind the roses that their time has passed.
Don’t you just love coming home with flowers in your arms ? I feel like sometimes it’s the greatest self-care gesture I could make…
It’s time for a cup of tea. And with autumn, the Oolong season is officially open ! With it’s mild astringency and very delicate aroma, I find that Oolong tea is perfect for a moment of meditation. It challenges you to discover subtle flavours and never overwhelms your palate with tanins. Fall harvests are particularly prized for Oolong teas, as the concentration of aromatic oils is higher. There is a common saying in China, “Drink spring tea for liquor texture and drink autumn tea for fragrance.” So this September, my tea of choice was the wonderfully aromatic Milky Oolong. Very light fermentation and discreet milky flavour is a perfect combination for me. The infusion is a pale yellow, and it can take a double dip so you can spend a whole afternoon drifting away with your teapot to your imaginary land of choice…
And with my tea at hand, it’s time to choose some books to transition into fall… It’s always exciting and a little confusing standing in front of my bookshelves, trying to choose the next read, so making a larger selection can help take the pressure off.
And I’m starting with an exciting one, because I was saving it for some time now. I’m not a big fan of book series, I feel that too often, the quality of the story gets diluted and looses its appeal after a third sequel. But with Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander, I can prove to myself that I’m keeping an open mind. I devoured the first 7 books, and then convinced myself that if I read the 8th, I will be in a terrible conundrum until the next one was published. So now that we know November is the month of the 9th book in the series, I can enjoy my little treat.
And because I find Scotland to be the perfect frame for Autumn, I shall continue with Clanlands, a funny and personal voyage through Scotland, in the company of two pillar characters of the Outlander series in its tv adaptation. Friends and real life Scots, Sam and Graham seem to be great fun on the road.
The Tobacconist has been patiently waiting for me to get to it for a few years, and I believe that an Austrian story might be just what I need.
And lastly, a children’s book to keep my promise of catching up with early reads that I skipped as a child. The wonderful adventures of Nils remind me of those cosy winter nights as a child, when I used to listen to stories on vinyl records… A little autumn nostalgia to make me smile.
Lastly, September evenings rhyme with needlework in my world. If summer takes me somewhat away from knitting and crochet, autumn is the perfect excuse to get back to this relaxing activity. I chose warm colours for a new shawl to finish by October, so that I match the trees by the time the leaves start to fall. An evening activity while I listen to an audiobook or a podcast and wind down for the night. In good company, of course !
I would love to know how you start preparing for the colder months, drop me a comment bellow and we’ll share a cup of tea while we chat.
If you start to feel a little low on energy this time of year, embrace it as a sign to slow down, as nature does, and go inwards for good vibes.
Until next time, enjoy your reading, and your rituals !
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