A Ramble in the Defense of Late-Summer

Here’s my probably controversial opinion about August and the early obsession with Autumn. Just because both words start with AU, does not mean AUGUST is AUTUMN.

Now, I can get behind moving from Hot Girl Summer poolside vibes and embracing some warm palettes of deep orange, rusty reds, and sweet sunsets with Lazy Day Nostalgia vibes. I can support the idea of cardigans for a cool evening, a walk at dusk reveling in late summer blooms and the greenery alongside the trails. Heck, I can even appreciate your impatience for the dawn of autumn. Because my bones ache for it too.

What our ancestors had figured out, largely because of their dependency and connection to the lands and fields that fed them, was that this time of the year meant Autumn was imminent, but the immediate season at hand was that of the first harvest. This is when the world is blooming and at the height of her glory. Summer has come, but she has not gone.

Stop ushering out the blooms of late summer and parading in aisles of Halloween decor before the summer equinox has even passed!

Instead, I challenge you to appreciate the nuance of the seasons, and develop a distinct appreciation and celebration of where we are in the Wheel of the Year. If you are excited for Pumpkin Spice, more power to you–but perhaps, consider this as a slow roll to Autumn and prepare for your pumpkins while placing a few sunflowers and black eyed susans, asters and chrysanthemums, dahlias and yarrow.

Summer is not dead. And thankfully so! This is the time of year to celebrate the biggest harvest that will feed and sustain us. It is the time of year when we bake bread and celebrate the life and art of living, giving honor to the Grain Mother and tipping our hat to Lugh.

The dark side of ushering in Autumn too soon is, I fear, forgetting the ways of our ancestors and the generations that depended on this bountiful season. I see our revelry in Autumn as almost a sinister symptom of our divorce from nature. We no longer need to revere and fear Autumn and Winter as we once did. The grocery stores will remain largely static. The shelves that feed us are stable all year, mostly, and the variety of food from which we can choose is wildly infinite in comparison to what our previous relatives and ancestors knew.

Sprinkle in commercialism and consumerism, and of course we are craving months of manufactured cozy on a couch inside a heated home with mass-produced blankets and food (or something like it) that doesn’t particularly waver or wain unless the Pinterest boards sway a trend.

Are you curious about what late-summer can look like without Autumn overbearing her glory?

Here’s a list of late-summer flowers to inspire your aesthetic:

Here are some classic color combos that traditionally represent late summer:

And, oh, this is a knitting and crafting blog!?

Here are some late-summer project ideas that are directly related to late-summer:

ALSO. It’s the perfect season for planning. If you’re a fan of printables and planning, download my free gift planning PDF!

Planning to can, preserve, and pad your pantry is a late-summer project we can embrace. Preparing for the cold by bulking up on blankets, quilts, and shawls is also late-summer appropriate. And gift giving! If you are crafting by hand, by all means–plan your gift giving now, and make some sturdy timelines to support your efforts.

GIFTING COUNTDOWN: As of Friday, August 2nd, 2024, there are 22 Saturdays left before December 21, 2024