The Colours of Autumn

Autumn is my favourite season. I love the way the world changes colour. The green leaves on the trees slowly turn to gold, orange, red, and brown. The sky becomes a deeper blue, and the sunsets are more dramatic, with pink and purple clouds stretching across the horizon. The air feels different too. It is cooler and crisper, with a smell of damp earth and fallen leaves. I like to wear warm clothes in autumn: soft sweaters, scarves, and boots. I prefer this weather to the heat of summer. In summer, I feel uncomfortable and tired. But in autumn, I feel alive and energetic. Today is a perfect autumn day. The sun is shining but the air is cool. The temperature is about fourteen degrees. I decide to go for a long walk in the park to enjoy the colours before they disappear.

I put on my brown boots, my green jacket, and a red scarf. I look like autumn myself. I walk to the big park near my house. It takes about fifteen minutes. On the way, I pass houses with gardens full of autumn flowers: chrysanthemums in yellow and orange, and dahlias in deep purple and red. Some gardens have pumpkins on the doorstep. The trees along the street are dropping their leaves. The pavement is covered in a carpet of gold and brown. I kick through the leaves as I walk, like I did when I was a child. The sound they make is satisfying: a dry, rustling crunch. A squirrel runs across my path, carrying a nut in its mouth. It is preparing for winter. I smile and keep walking.

The park is beautiful today. The big oak trees are turning orange and the maple trees are bright red. The grass is still green but it is covered with fallen leaves. There are people everywhere enjoying the weather: families with children, couples holding hands, joggers, and dog walkers. I walk along the main path that goes around the lake. The water reflects the colourful trees like a mirror. Ducks and swans are swimming peacefully. I find my favourite bench under a large chestnut tree and sit down. The ground around the bench is covered in conkers, those shiny brown nuts that fall from chestnut trees. I pick one up and feel its smooth surface. It is a perfect oval shape, dark brown and glossy.

I sit on the bench and watch the world around me. A father is teaching his daughter to ride a bicycle on the path. She wobbles and laughs. An old couple walks slowly past, arm in arm, talking quietly. A group of teenagers is taking photos of each other with the colourful trees as a background. Everyone seems happy today. There is something about autumn sunshine that makes people appreciate the outdoors more. We know that winter is coming, with its short days and cold rain, so we treasure these golden days. I take out my phone and photograph the view across the lake. The reflection of the red and orange trees in the still water is stunning. I send the photo to my mother with the message, "Perfect autumn day."

I continue my walk around the lake. The path goes through a wooded area where the trees are tall and close together. The light filters through the leaves, creating patterns of gold and shadow on the ground. It feels like walking through a cathedral made of trees. The air smells of mushrooms and damp wood. I can hear birds singing high above me. A woodpecker is tapping somewhere nearby. I stop and listen. The sound is rhythmic and fast. I try to spot the bird but the trees are too thick. I keep walking. The path curves and opens up to a meadow. The grass here is long and golden, moving gently in the breeze. Wild flowers are still blooming: purple and white. A butterfly lands on one and opens its wings in the sun.

I walk for about an hour in total. My cheeks are pink from the cool air and I feel refreshed and happy. Exercise in nature always makes me feel better. I decide to stop at the café in the park before going home. It is a small wooden building with tables outside under a pergola covered in climbing plants. The leaves on the pergola are turning red and gold. I go inside and order a hot chocolate with whipped cream. The woman behind the counter says, "Beautiful day, is it not?" I say, "Absolutely perfect. I love autumn." She says, "Me too. It is the best season." She gives me my hot chocolate in a big mug. I take it outside and sit at a table in the sunshine. The chocolate is rich and warm. The cream melts slowly on top.

While I drink my hot chocolate, I think about why I love autumn so much. I think it is because everything is changing. The world is transforming from one state to another. Summer is ending and winter is beginning, and autumn is the beautiful transition between them. I like change. I like the feeling that something new is starting. September always feels like a fresh beginning to me, more than January does. New school years start in September. New projects begin. The energy shifts. People come back from summer holidays feeling rested and ready. I also love the food of autumn: soups, stews, roasted vegetables, apple pie, and hot drinks. Tonight I will make a pumpkin soup with crusty bread. The thought makes me smile.

I finish my hot chocolate and walk home. The sun is lower now and the light has turned golden. Everything looks warm and soft in this late afternoon light. Photographers call it the golden hour. I understand why. The trees seem to glow. The shadows are long and dramatic. I pass a group of children playing in a pile of leaves. They are throwing them in the air and laughing as the leaves fall around them like confetti. Their joy is infectious. I remember doing the same thing as a child. My father would rake the leaves into a big pile and my brother and I would jump into it, destroying his work. He would pretend to be annoyed but he was always smiling.

When I get home, I take off my boots and jacket and put the kettle on for tea. I feel peaceful and content. I sit by the window with my tea and watch the street outside. The sun is setting now and the sky is turning pink and orange, matching the autumn leaves. A few leaves drift down from the tree outside my window, spinning slowly in the air before landing on the pavement below. I think about the cycle of seasons. In a few weeks, all the leaves will be gone and the trees will be bare. The days will be short and dark. But that is okay. Every season has its beauty. Winter has frost and snow and cosy evenings by the fire. Spring has new growth and flowers. Summer has long days and warmth. And autumn has this: colour, change, and golden light.

I decide to start making my pumpkin soup. I cut the pumpkin into pieces and roast it in the oven with olive oil and garlic. While it roasts, I chop onions and fry them gently in a big pot. When the pumpkin is soft and golden, I add it to the pot with vegetable stock and let everything simmer together. After twenty minutes, I blend it until smooth. I add a pinch of nutmeg and some cream. The soup is thick and orange, the colour of autumn itself. I pour it into a bowl and eat it with a thick slice of bread and butter. It is exactly what I needed after my long walk. Warm, comforting, and full of flavour. Outside, the last light is fading from the sky. The street lamps come on, casting pools of yellow light on the leaf-covered pavement. Another perfect autumn day comes to an end.