Last year, the world passed the 50% urban density point, meaning more than half of all people now live in cities and raising the question of whether we’re losing our connection with the rhythms and realities of the natural world?  There’s a whole generation that’s never learned to cook, and children who answer “the shop” when asked where eggs come from.  So, this Wonderland issue focuses on re-discovering some of the real ways of doing things, as reflected in the natural moods of autumn in the Mountains. 

If you watch closely, here, you’ll notice three seasons in one, beginning with the first hint of crispness in late February or early March, when the leaves begin to turn – our birches started dropping theirs early this year.  For those who know where to find them, this is the time to pick the wild plums and pears.  Autumn proper, in April, brings the occasional twist of curling wood smoke and the glorious overhead curtains of gold and red which our region is famous for, often shimmering in light autumn breezes.  This is when local people collect the wild and tasty orange-topped mushrooms growing at altitude under pine trees – there’s a recipe on page 10! 

You can breathe in the mood of a Mountains autumn, just by picking up a handful of damp leaves for their aroma alone.  This is when the white poppies dance like ballerinas against red garden backdrops.  And it’s when the ducks go for walks in pairs, toddling along the nature strip and calling in on the gardener, who by May is busy with mulching and the last prunings, before tidying up the garden and bedding it down for winter.