Mrs M: The art of embracing the seasons
Passionate about quintessential English customs, our incognito columnist reminds us to do the best things in life in the most elegant fashion, always with a twinkle in her eye. This time, Mrs M reveals the nostalgic appeal of the nights drawing in and the enjoyment to be derived from them.
I so vividly remember the changing of the seasons as a child. Autumn was for collecting conkers and trying to catch falling leaves. Winter meant new mittens and snug jerseys, and summer - my favourite season of all - was celebrated by shrugging off the heavy school uniform and slipping into a lightweight stripy dress before the endless holidays began. I recall so well the feeling of anticipation that came with each seasonal change.
So, 2025 is the year I am going to embrace the seasons in a way I have not truly done since I was a girl.
Mr M is all for the seasons. In fact, he becomes rather poetic when pondering the subject. He loves a ‘mid-winter spring’ day. He adores the leaves turning a vibrant orange and gets as excited as a child when the first snow falls or he finds an early fallen conker. If I would allow him to wear yellow gum boots and a bobble hat, he would be first in the queue.
When it comes to the weather, I have perhaps been a little guilty of doing that thing we English do: complain. Seeing as talking about the weather is something akin to a national pastime, I think we could all channel Mr M and be a little jollier about it.
One often hears people say “there is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” This could not be more correct. There really is nothing quite so lovely as going for a walk on a blustery winter’s day while all wrapped up and cosy. I love nothing more than taking the dogs out at dusk on a chilly evening and looking at all the lights on in the houses in the village. They look so cosy and I find that tiny glimpse of life a real pleasure.
All this has inspired me to make corners of the house that are perfect to inhabit during inclement weather. I have built a rather sweet library space in a nook just off the kitchen. It has a window seat I have just reupholstered with some gorgeous fabric.
With a cosy blanket and some cushions, it really is a wonderful place to slope off to read when the weather is awful. There is something rather lovely about hearing the rain falling on the windows while I snuggle up with a good book. It makes one feel so cossetted.
Mr M has no time for such frippery. If an item of his clothing becomes damaged beyond repair he throws it in one of the dogs’ beds. This, he assures me, is a huge treat for them as spaniels love nothing more than being around the scent of those they love. I cannot help but think they would rather have a gorgeous blanket from Mungo & Maud, but Mr M thinks this is poppycock. And I must admit they do each gravitate to the bed where the offending item has been placed.
Mr M, of course, knows so much more about the natural world than I do and his knowledge of wildlife is one of the reasons I am starting to feel so enchanted by the changing of seasons. He just seems to know exactly when a particular bird will arrive on our shores to overwinter or when is the best time to forage for a specific mushroom.
Last year, for example, I was complaining about how chilly it was and that summer seemed like a distant possibility rather than a certainty. He simply shook his head wisely and said, “I won’t be surprised if we start seeing the bats again this week.” Now, I know very little about bats, apart from the fact we used to have the ‘batman’ come to survey them in our old house.
This did lead to a terribly sweet misunderstanding with the children who thought we would be visited by a superhero. They were a little confused when a middle-aged man in a tweed jacket turned up and sat outside our barn in his car for most of the night. Mr M, though, convinced them that the batman’s superpowers were indeed real but they had managed to sleep through his taking flight over the house.
That is the thing about Mr M that I have always loved. He can make the mundane so charming. He does not see winter as a dreary time when one must take an umbrella everywhere. Instead, he focuses on all that is magical. He relishes choosing the right food for the birds to ensure they are fed through the colder months. He puts on veritable banquets for them and will sit in the garden for hours watching them feast in huge numbers. “Word has got around,” he’ll tell me when he collapses, frozen, in front of the Aga.
“Notable diners today included a green woodpecker and a rather pushy group of plucky long tailed tits.” I always think he sounds like the maître d’ of a smart restaurant showing off about the famous guests he has welcomed.
Food, of course, is a great way to mark the changing of the seasons for us humans too and I rather love stocking up the pantry for winter, so I make sure I buy lots of spices and herbs that are perfect for the weather.
Star anise, cardamom and cinnamon really do invoke such feelings of cosiness; the mere scent of them makes me long for a warm blanket and fisherman’s sweater. It is also the time of year I ensure we have some very good cocoa in.
My daughter-in-law shares a rather sweet tradition with her sister. To mark the changing of the seasons they watch movies or box sets each year. It began when they were children living at home. Even though they now live quite far apart they still keep up the tradition.
Autumn is the when they begin rewatching Gilmore Girls. As winter approaches, they pop on The Holiday.
To mark summer, they watch Cold Comfort Farm and for spring it is Notting Hill. I have thoroughly embraced this idea, but Mr M is less than enthusiastic. Unless a movie involves someone doing something hugely plucky during a war, it fails to hold his attention. He will make do with getting all his excitement from watching the goings on around the bird table while I snuggle under a blanket with hot chocolate and something with Hugh Grant in it on the television.
Every now and then Mr M will interrupt my reverie to report on a distinguished avian visitor or to lambast a rogue squirrel that has infiltrated the camp and caused chaos. I do think, however, that inside he is happy whoever is being fed...
Winter spirit
Mrs M shares her favourite ways to embrace this season’s mood
Warming scents
A good scented candle is a seasonal must-have for me. Walking through the front door and being enveloped by a delicate but delicious aroma really anchors me. The Winter 90 Seasonal Candle from Norfolk Natural Living is the perfect choice for chillier days. They are hand-poured with natural soy wax and pure essential oils. Featuring an enchanting blend of red thyme, lavender, lavandin grosso, patchouli, vanilla, tonka bean, elemi and eucalyptus, they make me feel cosy and cossetted.
Discover more of the best scented candles for further inspiration.
A year of health
As well as the new reading nook, I have set up a corner of the spare room as somewhere to try to practice a bit of mindfulness and do some stretches. I miss tennis in the winter and have never managed to enjoy an indoor court, so this year I am focusing on practicing yoga more. I picked up a brilliant book by Hannah Barrett called The Yoga Happy Year.
It offers a 12-month plan to create an achievable, holistic daily yoga habit and shows how to incorporate her signature sequences - alongside breathing techniques and meditation - into one’s everyday life. It is frightfully clever as one can follow along with videos by scanning the QR codes. Plus, there are journaling exercises that I use to ground myself in the seasons.
Hot chocolate
After all that stretching, I long for a delicious pre-bedtime drink. I have to admit that the darker months send me to the kitchen for a mug of delicious cocoa. What better way to end the day?
My current favourite is the Luxury 65% Dark Hot Chocolate from Rococo. It comes in a gorgeous rococo print gift tin and tastes like pure heaven.
I use the milk steamer from my coffee machine to make it feel incredibly luxurious. Even Mr M has taken to this evening routine like one of his ducks to water. He does add a ‘little tot of something’ though.