The clocks have gone back, and we have properly arrived in Autumn. It's dark by half four now, the leaves are golden and the mornings have that sharp edge that tells you the first proper frost isn't far off. The heating is now on its winter schedule and we’re regularly lighting our wood fires.
Out here, November is the month of getting ready. The logs get stacked by the fireplace. The holly in the woodland is coming into its own, and we’ve already been out with the secateurs to get some greenery into the house. Afternoon dog walks are now in the fading light – our chocolate Labrador Finn likes to play statues, freezing so perfectly that he disappears into the dusk and won't come back in until we've rattled the treat tin. I tried to take a photo but he just blended into the bushes.
And somewhere between the logs and the dog walks, Christmas starts creeping in. Who's coming, who's staying, how many can we fit round the table, and who's going to need a pair of spare boots when they arrive in totally the wrong shoes.
It's not the Christmas you see in the catalogues. It's something better. We're calling it A Muddy Meadow Christmas, and it starts here.
Seasonal notes
The clock have gone back, so sunset is around 4:30pm at the start of the month and nearer 4pm by the end
First proper frosts, with mist in the valleys and low-lying fields
The leaves are coming down – oaks and beech tend to hold on longest, with beech staying a coppery brown
Hedgehogs and bats are tucking in for winter, and squirrels are burying nuts or digging up my spring bulbs
Woodsmoke in the air on still, cold evenings
Gifts for the one who’s always outside
If there's someone on your list who's always first out the door, whatever the weather, a proper fleece beats most things under the tree. The Mallard Teece below makes an easy gift. The Trail 1/4 Zip is short-sleeved, which is unusual for a quarter zip, and made for layering. The Mallard Long Sleeve is cut long in the body for warmth and coverage, with a relaxed fit. Want more ideas? Sign up to our newsletter here and we'll send you our Christmas gift guide later this month.
We can send your gift straight to the recipient - we'll box up whichever you choose and add a hand-written gift card with your own message,
What To Wear This Month
November's outside jobs call for a warm layer you can forget you're wearing. The Mallard Short Sleeve Teece is the one we reach for when we're out gathering holly, carrying logs, and getting everything done before the light goes. Layered under a coat it keeps your core warm without the bulk, and if you build up a sweat and take off your coat, then there’s no wet, grubby cuffs. Then it comes back indoors with you, and it's just as good on a cold evening beside the fire. It's available in black, navy blue and olive green.
Shop the Mallard Short Sleeve Teece
Next month we'll be deep in it: frost on the pond, the fire lit before lunch, the Christmas Day walk, and the shortest day on 21 December, when the light slowly starts to return. Our December Field Notes will be all about A Muddy Meadow Christmas as it really happens, spare boots and all. If you're ordering gifts, 20 December is the last day for Christmas delivery, and we'll remind you nearer the time.