7 Weeks to Autumn - A Slow Living Guide to Seasonal Transition
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7 Weeks to Autumn: How to Have a Nostalgic Countryside Summer for Autumn Lovers
It is the middle of July, and the mood is shifting in the English Countryside. The long summer days are here, and the landscape has turned golden. Farmers are preparing for the harvest, which traditionally starts in early August, but apparently, due to the hot weather, it begins early this year. With less than two weeks of school left, we’re experiencing another heatwave in the UK. I know many of my readers struggle during this time of the year, so today I want to share with you a little guide on how to make summer feel cosy and nostalgic - “A summer to remember” rather than “summer I tried to survive”.
How to Have a Nostalgic Countryside Summer for Autumn Lovers
Neither of the ideas in this post is revolutionary or ground-breaking - all I hope is that they may nudge you to look at summer through English countryside glasses. For me, this perspective transforms July and August from what is supposed to be “hot girl summer” to something more like “Cosy cottage in the 90s, making jams and reading under the apple tree” vibes, which is much more bearable, at least for me :D
📅 Saturday, July 11th, 2026
7 weeks until Autumn!
Every day of our life has the potential to be wonderful, if we only learn to see beauty and joy in the ordinary, even on a sweaty, hot summer day:) Remember, you don’t have to fit into someone else’s aesthetic or into what summer is supposed to look and feel like. You can mould it into whatever you want it to be. If swimming pool parties and sizzling in the sun aren’t your thing, and you wistfully look forward to Autumn, with its lengthening evenings, crisp weather, and home comforts, I hope the list below gives you some ideas for bringing this vibe into your life, even in the midst of a heatwave.
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1. Bake a summer version of your favourite Autumn treat.
For example, instead of cinnamon rolls, make lemon curd or orange sweet rolls. Or swap apples for peaches and strawberries in a crumble or cobbler and serve it with ice cream. Lots of these treats can still be spiced up with a dash of cinnamon for a touch of Autumnal charm in the midst of Summer.
2. Iced version of a cosy drink
Same principle as with baked goods. As a coffee lover, I always happily try iced coffees and frappuccinos; I see them as one step closer to coffee shops bringing back pumpkin spice lattes.
3. Enjoy the stormy days
In England, the peak of a stormy season is in July. I’m an expert on romanticising rainy days, but even if you are not a fan, they can become your respite in summer. Rainy days naturally slow the world down and create a lovely, calm backdrop for your day. Whether you are working or enjoying a day off at home, they add a layer of peace and cosiness in the midst of summer, and most importantly, rainy days whisper of Autumn!
4. Spot wild mushrooms
After the rain, especially in late Summer, go into the woods and look for mushrooms. It’s a lovely exercise in mindfulness and paying attention, but it also has a very September vibe. Every time I spot a wild mushroom in the woods, it reminds me of September evenings my dad used to spend cleaning and drying the porcini mushrooms we collected that day. My parents used to save them for Christmas bigos (a traditional Polish cabbage meal, it's actually not bad, even though it doesn't look appetising, lol!). I still remember that earthy smell of mushrooms filling the kitchen.
5. Visit orchards and kitchen gardens
One of my absolute favourite ways to tap into the autumnal feeling in the midst of summer is a visit to an orchard to check on apples and pears. Research your local area for a kitchen garden you could visit too (in the UK, many larger National Trust properties have amazing walled gardens!) for a dose of early-harvest vibe. Courgettes, tomatoes, broccoli, and cabbage maturing or even ready to harvest will make you feel like Autumn is around the corner. Extra points for spotting pumpkins!
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5. Shop for, eat and preserve seasonal fruit and vegetables
Nothing gives me more of this earthy, harvest vibe than visiting the farm shop and cooking with those seasonal ingredients, knowing they are grown in the UK. A perfect bridge between the abundance of Summer and the cosiness of Autumn.
If you want to tap into rustic summer vibes truly, get into canning and preserving. My grandma's basement was always filled with three things: coal, potatoes, and shelves upon shelves of preserved fruits, vegetables, jams, and syrups. Making a batch of jam, marmalade, or chutney is a gift to your future self - just imagine how nice it will be to open a jar of homemade preserve in late October or January.
6. Lean into the harvest aesthetics
I love harvest decor because, in my head, it’s basically early Autumn decor. Personally, it’s too early for orange pumpkins, but green pumpkins (because that’s exactly how they are in nature), sunflowers, rustic vases, seasonal candles, and gingham curtains sound cosy and welcoming, straight from a cosy cottage or rustic farmhouse. Check out our home decor collection, maybe something catches your eye.
7. Pay attention to early signs of shifting seasons
I’m the first one to notice a single yellow leaf amid seas of green, maturing brambles, the scent of mushrooms in the woods, and the cold breeze. Pay close attention to the natural world, and you’ll see that only a couple of weeks after the summer solstice, the natural world is slowly tuning inwards. There is even a Polish folk proverb that says the first cold breeze of Autumn can be felt in the morning and evening air after St. Anne’s Day on July 26th.
"Od Świętej Anki, zimne wieczory i poranki"
After St. Ann's, cool mornings and dawns
As we travel through July into the beginning of harvest, the first signs of Autumn will be appearing more often. It really makes you realise that the Wheel of the Year never stands still, and that although Summer is at its peak, the shift is already underway.
8. Take a walk with Autumn in mind
One of my signature quirks is that whenever I walk in the woods or through picturesque villages with my husband, I always notice places that will look good in Autumn and tell my husband we should come back to the same spot later in the year. And we usually do. I encourage you to do the same. Go out, be in nature, enjoy the beauty and abundance of Summer, and if a particular spot, an interesting tree, a wooden gate with a view catches your eye, then memorise it, maybe even take a picture and come back there in Autumn to see the different face of this beautiful place. What a lovely way to connect with the seasons, get your steps in and get a little spike of Autumn dopamine in Summer.
A few closing words
I hope this post gave you some ideas for making your summer feel cosy and nostalgic. Lean into the country feel, decorate your home with sunflowers, go for long walks in the fields, soak up the sun and get a little tired, so you welcome autumn with open arms, a sense of summer well spent, and a readiness to settle into cosiness and peace of the cold season.
Of course, my list is not exhaustive, so if any other ideas come up, please share them with other readers and me. Also, any particular books, movies or shows (any genre) that take place in late summer, early autumn, or harvest with this rustic vibe would be greatly appreciated.
Until next week,
Adriana x