Am Foghar
Nuair a tha mi a’ sgrìobhadh seo, tha am foghar dìreach air tighinn, leis na h-àireamhan a’ dol sios air an teas-mheidh is air na mapaichean-sìde air an tbh. Bha làithean brèagha grianach againn fhathast san t-Sultain, ach faodaidh sinn beannachd fhàgail aig tuinn-theasa an t-samhraidh. Ach chan eil mi toilichte idir bathar Oidhche Shamhna fhaicinn sna bùithtean o chionn toiseach na Sultaine, gun guth air stuth na Nollaige a tha a’ tòiseachadh ri nochdadh mar-thà. Bidh cuibhle nan ràithean a’ tionndadh luath gu leor mar-thà!
Tha mòran daoine ann a-nis air a bheil fadachd gus an till an t-Earrach, no àm na Nollaige co-dhiù, ach ‘s toil leamsa am foghar agus tha am blas sònraichte den àm seo den bhliadhna a’ còrdadh rium gu mòr. Ged a tha na cuaranan air ais sa phreas, bidh na brògan-coiseachd a’ tighinn a-mach. Tha e math a bhith taobh a-muigh air an dùthaich no air an traigh, no a’ dràibheadh air feadh na Gàidhealtachd a-rithist gun dragh a bhith oirnn a thaobh cus luchd-turais no trafaig air an t-slighe no anns na h-àiteachean as fheàrr leinn.
‘S e dathan nan craobhan a dh’ainmicheadh a’ mhòr-chuid mar phrìomh chomharra an Fhoghair, agus tha an t-atharrachadh sin air tòiseachadh mar-thà, beag air bheag. Gus an tig deireadh na Dàmhair agus a-steach dhan t-Samhain, ‘s urrainn dhuinn coiseachd tro dhuilleagan ruadh òir a tha air tuiteam – faireachdainn is fuaim shònraichte a chòrdas ri gu leòr dhinn.
Tha fios aig na h-eòin is na beathaichean cuideachd gu bheil na ràithean ag atharrachadh, agus chì sinn geòidh agus ealachan air an sgèìth, cuid a’ tighinn, cuid a’ falbh. Seo cuideachd àm dàmhair nam fiadh – sin freumh ainm a’ mhìosa. Beiridh na ròin an cuileanan bàna, agus bidh na bradan ri cladh shuas nan grunndan-cladha às dèidh an strì ghaisgich air an t-slighe air ais bhon Chuan Siar.
Bidh buain ann do dhaoine is do bheathaichean: measan liosa, an gràn mu dheireadh ‘s am buntàta dhuinne, agus dearcan is cnòthan do dh’eòin, do fheòragan ‘s do luchan. Agus bidh an storas anns na biathadairean-eun againn a’ dol sìos fada nas luaithe!
Faodaidh na h-oidhcheannan a bhith a’ fàs nas fhaide, ach nuair a tha ùine againn ‘s an t-sìde math, tha e dìreach àlainn a bhith a-muigh fo ghrian an fhoghair, a’ cur sùim ann an dathan nan craobhan ‘s nan dearcan ‘s nam flùraichean fadalach, agus a’ coimhead air na h-eòin sna speuran ‘s na tuathanaich trang sna h-achaidhean. Cha bu chòir dhuinn idir a bhith a’ gearan mun fhoghar – gabhamaid dìreach tlachd air!
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Autumn
At the time of writing autumn has just arrived, with the numbers going down on the thermometer and the TV weather charts. We’ve still had some fine sunny days in September, but we can say goodbye to the heatwaves of the summer. But I’m not at all delighted by the sight of Halloween items in the shops since the start of September, let alone the Christmas goods that are now appearing. The wheel of the seasons turns fast enough as it is!
There are plenty of people who now can’t wait till spring comes back, or at least Christmas, but I like the autumn, and really enjoy the special flavour of this time of year. Although the sandals are going back in the cupboard, the walking shoes are coming out. It’s great to be outside in the country or on the shore, or driving around the Highlands without having to worry about too many tourists or too much traffic on the roads or in our favourite places.
The colour of the trees is what most people would mention as the main sign of autumn, and that change has already begun, little by little. By the end of October and into November, we’ll be able to walk through the red gold of fallen leaves – a feeling and a sound that plenty of us enjoy.
The birds and the animals also know that the seasons are changing, and we can see the skeins of geese and swans on the wing, some arriving, some leaving. This is also the time of the rutting of the stags – that’s the origin of An Dàmhair, the Gaelic name for October – “dàmhair” means rutting. The seals are giving birth to their white seal-pups, and the salmon up in their spawning grounds are laying their eggs, after their heroic struggle all the way back from the Atlantic.
There’s harvest too for humans and animals: orchard fruits and the last of the grain crops and the taties for us, and berries and nuts for the birds, the squirrels and the mice. And our stocks in the bird-feeders are going down much faster!
The nights may be getting longer, but if we have time and the weather’s good, it’s just lovely to be outside in the autumn sun, appreciating the colours of the trees, the berries and the late flowers, watching the birds in the sky and the farmers busy in the fields. We shouldn’t be complaining about autumn at all – let’s just enjoy it!
