Summer is a harsh season in Melbourne and I am pleased when it’s finally over and the softly lit, warm and more mellow Keatsian season commences. This year there have been a few false starts, with cold snaps followed by intense heat waves. I recognise Autumn’s arrival when I begin to feel intensely melancholic and given to reflection. Still days, long shadows, and subdued bird call give rise to a gentler pace. Time to take stock, to shake off the overbearing intensity of summer’s hold, of its stifling grip on nature.
Garden crops mature more slowly, with tomato survivors providing a discreet bowl full each day, even if the ostentatious zucchini refuse to bow to the season. The beans continue their climb towards The Giant above, with a few ripening here and there, the coco rouge and the coco blanc. Late planted leeks now soften with the season: pumpkins peep from under sheltering leaves, as their vines drift through the garden beds, on a course of their own making.
Only a few apples survive the blasting heat as hungry birds find their way through the nets.
A dear friend arrives with a large bag of Beurre Bosc pears, which she carefully protected from the birds. I watch them slowly ripen and dream of French desserts, pears slowly cooked in wine and saffron, a pear clafouti or gallette. 
Oh for a perennial Autumn.
ALMOST ITALIAN 
Beautiful photos, Francesca! You’ve captured the autumn light (and mood) perfectly. Lucky you to have tomatoes, we haven’t had any at all this season! x
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We have had buckets full- and although I am immensely grateful, the weekly cook up of passata, soup, chutneys and sauces was becoming too demanding. The succhini are still very rude and on’t fit in with the season at all. It was a triffid zucchini year.
Odd that you didn’t get ant tomatoes in Sydney- too humid, or wet maybe?
So nice to hear from you Celia.I must shake off this introspective mood.
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Oh what are you going to do with that pumpkin?
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That pumpkin will need a few months in the garden to harden and sweeten. That pumpkin has many friends too!
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Nice light & shade going on here. I love autumn, great camping weather 🙂
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It is the season we all love best. Be gone, summer.
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Still a while away for us… I have been enjoying some early pears but my dreams of soups and casseroles will need to wait a few more weeks I think.
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Beautiful writing and photos Francesca. Lovely as Spring in Ohio can be, I’m hungry for Autumn in Australia. xx
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Spring in Ohio sounds lovely too.
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At the moment it is 3c with a stiff Arctic breeze! Brrr. We had a nice drive in the country yesterday with Mum.
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Francesca, I just love autumn. I can’t wait for the rain and the fires and the snuggle ups 🙂
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Another fan of the best season.
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Lovely moody pics Francesca 🙂
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gosh I can feel your relief! I do so love autumn, even though the garden is winding down. How I wished I lived closer, I would have loved to have shared our summer bounty with you. Wonderful pics Francesca … 😀
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Thanks Julie, Imagine if you lived down the lane or next door. I could hand over all those zucchini bombs to you. And I wouldn’t mind wandering through your huge orchard and olive grove too, followed by a cuppa or a lovely Toi Toi under a tree.
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Deal 😉
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It’s comforting reading a post about Autumn, just as we here in NZ are tasting a bit of it too. Most of the other blogs i read are in Europe and i envy their excitement as they head into a time of bunnies, lambs and flowers.
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They can keep their Spring and bunnies- Autumn is the best time. I am heading over to NZ soon, but towards the end of Autumn when a little chill has set in- can’t wait.
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Have a wonderful time! We will try to put on an Autumn show for you with the best of clear crisp days, leaves of every shade of yellow to red and maybe even a light dusting of snow on the peaks. Enjoy!
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Such a lovely post, Francesca. Your words are perfect for the season and your photos striking. Almost makes me long for fall — almost. First I think I’ll wait until summer gets here.
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Thanks John. You can’t long for Autunno when you’re in the thick of Primavera.
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