September has been off to a busy, but lovely start. The days are starting to get shorter and there's a scattering of golden leaves on the ground outside our home even though most of the trees are still green and lush-looking. On rainy days the village smells like peat from the fires burning in my neighbors' hearths and on the farm the scent of apples is thick and sweet in the air. One of my favorite fruits of this early autumn season isn't the apples though, it's the Victoria plums they grow on the farm. Thomas prefers the wild damsons you find in hedgerows, but I love the Victoria plums and like to steal a handful whenever I get a chance. I like them plain as a late night snack or baked into a puff pastry shell and served with a scoop of ice cream after supper. They're only in season for a brief period and have a short shelf life so I only get to enjoy them for a few weeks every September and then it's another year before I eat my plum pastries again. I like that they're seasonal and fleeting because it gives me something to look forward to and I appreciate them so much when they are in season because I know they won't last. 
I try to apply the same seasonality to my wardrobe as well. There are summer dresses I could continue to wear into autumn and fall, but I prefer to pack them away for several months so that I appreciate them more when it's their time again. Right now I'm happily discovering old autumn and winter favorites; sweaters and dresses I've owned for many years but feel new because I haven't seen them in six months. I also wear more dark colors in the autumn, so I'm excited to change my typical "palette" for some richer hues. Usually I'm not a big fan of purple, but this year I've changed my mind about the color. Between the lovely lilac of spring and the heather blooming in late August and then these lovely rich-hued plums, I've been won over by the color. I have a nice little collection of Little Women Atelier dresses now in a few different colors and I love this dress in plum for these early autumn months.
CONVERSATION