Saturday, September 17

We got up early and headed off to Pellinge for höstmarknad, the final market of the summer season. We arrived just as it starts and wander around saying hello to various people, and buying pies, cakes, fish, and vegetables.

We return to the house to pack it away for the winter. The promised rain has stayed away and the wind has not arrived so we can do this in some comfort. I mow the lawn for one last time in order to cut down the last remaining bamboo and the little trees that we don’t want to grow into big trees while we have our back turned.

The colours of autumn appear unnaturally bright in the afternoon light. I look at the trees in the garden and take a photograph of the red leaves in the middle of the shades of greens.

Having wrapped the boat, we say goodbye to everyone and leave for Söderkulla and Helsinki. All the way home we notice the impossible reds and browns.