I love the colours of autumn, it’s going to be great to get back to studying full time mid-September. As the days get shorter I love to get up early and make the most of the sunlight. Though the Autumn brings the summer to a close I have always looked upon it as a time of excitement and new experiences.
I’ve been practising my cooking and baking during the summer at home and I have enjoyed experimenting with the recipes everyone sent in to me to try. Matt, my brother, introduced me to sweet potato wedges, as well as cheering up the plate with their orange colour it’s a great source of vitamin C and is lower in calories than carbs such as pasta and potatoes. I’ve read that the body makes serotonin to make you happy from foods such as dairy, fish, bananas, dates, almonds and peanuts so I’m stocking up 🙂
It’s been lovely catching up with my girlfriends from school during the break and one of my best friends, we met at pre-school, Deanna is about to take an Erasmus year in Germany as part of her German/History degree very excited for her.
I can’t wait to catch up with my girls in Glasgow too, Davidona sadly will be missing from the group but she has an exciting erasmus in Helsinki at the Sibelius Academy and no doubt plenty of fabulous experiences to share with us whilst she is there..
Before I go back to Glasgow I have two final lunch time recitals with the ever supportive Russell Lomas, the first on Wednesday 10th September in Rochdale, Lancashire and the second on Friday 19th September in Preston, Lancashire. I’ve learnt a couple of new songs for the occasion to keep me focused on practise during the holiday.
I’ve enjoyed my yoga sessions nearly every day using Internet training videos, my parents have a smart T.V. which made that so much easier than trying to watch the You Tube videos on my laptop. I find that yoga is a great way to keep fit when your daily timetable is so varied.
This year I will be taking on a new language at school and starting to get to grips with French. I have sung before in German, Italian and Czech but the French style of pronunciation when singing is so different. It was great to listen to the way the French language was spoken whilst we were in Paris, boy those verb conjugations, informal and formal verb uses and le and la are tricky! I tried out some of my very basic sentences in Paris, I even bored the restaurant cat to sleep ( very Parisian ).
Finally I’ve my 21st birthday this November and the weekend before I have two exciting concerts with Tideswell Male Voice Choir at Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield and the Buxton Opera House, Buxton.
My Birthday falls in the autumn break at College so celebrations may take some organising. I am still undecided on what to do and would love to know if you did anything exciting for your 21st birthday.
Autumn, my favorite time of year! And how exciting to know we can celebrate your milestone birthday in November, I shall be watching for the announcement of the festivities. Best of luck mastering your French. All the best, Annette
I did think of a fancy dress party at home but it took forever to clean up after our last Halloween party :). I’ve just been writing up my diary with class times very exciting.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Thanks for sharing Charlotte !! It’s can not be very exiting, but for my 21 years, with friends, we are up on the highest point in the region for the end of the night we made a fire to roast corn and shrimp and when the sun is up we opened a bottle of champagne All the best for you my friend
That sounds a fabulous idea, I saw lots of hot corn sellers in Paris not something we have at home, tastes delicious. Thank you for my autumn header :), beautiful colours.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I hope your Autumn Term goes very well and your French lessons too. I’m afraid I didn’t celebrate my 18th or 21st birthdays – I can’t remember why!
For my 18th I went to a local Italian restaurant with about twenty girlfriends, it was on 11.11.11. I had a lovely evening.
Best wishes
Charlotte
The noise of you all together must have been deafening! My birthday is 09.09 so five years ago I had a 09.09.09 birthday. Best wishes to you my dear!
I love that your day is 09.09. It just feels special when it rolls around like that doesn’t it 🙂
All so very nice. On the south coast of Texas, our fall is generally measured by the absence of tourists rather than leaf changes and cooler weather hints.
I’d love to visit Texas, my next door neighbour went to live in Houston a couple of years ago.
Best wishes John,
Charlotte
Houston is different. I’m sure they would report that fact.
The twenty first celebration wasn’t around in my time. Most birthdays we had cordial and a piece of home-made cake. We are on the cusp of spring and tulips are out but daffodils are now finished. Can’t wait for summer. Enjoy the 21st and vive la France.
It’s fabulous to think you could chase your favourite seasons around the world :). We had a lovely summer this year, very mild and lots of dry weeks. Too much heat and I start to wilt.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Hope all goes well for you at school with your French lessons. Best wishes for a very happy 21st birthday!
Thanks Janice, when I was little my Mum planned parties in the local church halls, we used to have the whole class plus friends from different clubs and we’d dance and have homemade sandwiches, cakes etc. when we were teenagers we had hot dogs, I used to love those parties.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Fall colors are nice but I will miss summer even more 🙂
I like you bored the restaurant cat in Paris to sleep remark. It is so funny. I am trying to imagine the cat face and you spoke to it 🙂
I had my very own Aristocat for company :D. He opened his eye to see if we’d feed him occasionally.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Thanks for the update. 21? Hmm…no special birthday memories, especially from my early 20s. Gosh, I turned 21 in 1999. That was 15 years, 3 months ago from today. Time. Where does it go? Anyway, when I moved to the West Coast in 2009, I was able to do something grand for my 31st birthday. Yes, I went to Disneyland for the first time…running around like a little kid in a candy store. Took pictures with Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, Goofy, and Eeyore, (“this close” with Tigger). The entire environment screams “Be Happy.” It was awesome.
Disney sounds good, I’m a real Disney kid, from Sing a Long songs to meeting the characters hmmm, Disneyland Paris might be affordable in November 🙂 a bit chilly though.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Love the photo of you on the Rochdate poster 🙂
You’ll start to see them appearing over the next year :). Give my best wishes to Geraldine and to you,
Charlotte
Thank you Charlotte 🙂
My 21st was a disaster. Too awful to document. So anything would be better! LOL. But I am sure you will find something wonderful, something which suits your personality and includes your ever supportive family, either in person or in thought. Enjoy! A young woman as special as you, deserves a special celebration. We are coming to England, arriving next week, and will be in the Preston area, but not as early as you are performing. Are you only in Scotland after that?
I’m performing in Preston on the 19th then going straight up to Glasgow until the 9th November when I’m back in Chesterfield. I would have loved to meet you in person. It’s warmed up this week and the weather is supposed to be nice for the next three weeks so I hope you have a fabulous time.
All the best
Charlotte
Oh. . . Might have to rethink the wardrobe, or hit the shops while I am there. I will get up to burton in Lonsdale in Lancashire but not until around 25th methinks. Down south beforehand. Also going to bradford to do some research, but probably just as you are going to Glasgow
I was 21 in 1990. Had a big party with 2 other close friends who shared the same birthday. We invited all our favourite people and exchanged gold pendants in the shape of 21…truly memorable! Enjoyed reading what you’ve been up to and all that you look forward to, wishing you all the very best!
That was at Uni as an undergrad by the way!
A shared party sounds like a great idea. Thanks for your lovely message.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I love the Autumn hues too – great for photography! You seem to be having the time of your life and not yet 21! – Sorry, I can’t remember that far back! haha
I try to enjoy all the little things as much as the big things. I’m excited to see what next year will bring.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I need to get back into my yoga too…I got so lazy this past month! Good luck to you!
Thank you, I’ve got my Mum into yoga while I’ve been home and she’s worried she won’t keep up the momentum, it’s hard to get motivated when you’ve been working all day but we’ve found some great 20 minute programmes.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I was being uncooperative about my 21st birthday, and refused a party, so my parents took me (and two others) to a meal and a performance of The Marriage of Figaro at Dillington House, Somerset and I loved it.
Have a great autumn. Buxton is a super small Opera House to get to know.
An opera for my birthday now that sounds fabulous, I saw my first opera with my parents for my 18th celebration with them so that would be a nice tradition for special birthdays :).
I loved Buxton last year, the original Military Wives Choir performed with us it was fabulous, a full house.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Although I’m not crazy about winter, I love autumn, too! Best of luck as you start a new school year and take on new challenges. I took French in highschool (my teacher’s name was Angus MacLennan–we had French with a Scottish twist!)
I take on accents of people that I’m with for any length of time so my French would have a permanent Scottish twist too :). I love new challenges, although I expect to pick things up quickly and get frustrated if I don’t.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Nice that you have stayed in touch with your friends. Sweet potatoes ( not really potatoes) are good for you for sure, especially nice in a smoothie. I just ordered new yoga stuff today. Gave all my stuff to my granddaughter before she left for college. I am amazed you are still in school. You strike me as very accomplished. Good luck with the French.
I take my yoga mat everywhere I bought one with a strap :). My undergraduate degree is four years and I’m about to start year three, then if I can I’d like to do a masters next, I’ve got a lot to learn but thank you.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Joyful, bright blog you’ve got going here, Charlotte. Thanks for checking out mine. Peace and best, John
Thanks John for popping by.
All the best
Charlotte
I haven’t experienced an Autumn in so long — living in Central Florida! But I do love it! I think it’s wonderful and amazing everything you have accomplished before your 21st! 🙂
It seems strange to skip a season, my Nana would love it she hates the nights drawing in and likes to be out a lot. There’s still such a lot to do that I’m still at the bottom of the hill, I’m paving myself :).
Best wishes
Charlotte
I just figured out how to like and comment now I have some catching up to do..
That’s great Bill, I remember trying to get my head around blogging last March and each blog theme being slightly different 🙂
All the best
Charlotte
Each dash-board is different so I expect it will take a bit to find things.. Blogging on Word Press was a bit awkward in the beginning, I didn’t care for the photo sizes or layout, but I’m more at ease with it after some changes..
Have a pleasant evening,
Regards
Bill Moore
More than New Years, autumn is a time of nostalgia and new beginnings. It has that aura of change and holds the expectation of meeting new people (perhaps your soul mate?). Autumn has always been my favourite time of year.
As to 21st birthday celebrations… That was too long ago to remember. In fact, when I turned 21 I think my birthday cake had written on it, “Felicem diem natalem! XXI”, it was that long ago 🙂
I hope I’m lucky enough to have and hold on to a soul mate :). It’s a time of change this month with one year graduating and another Freshers week beginning soon. I’ll be winding down work over the next two weeks I can’t wait to get back to what I love :).
Hahaha :). If money was no object I’d throw a big Phantom of the Opera masked ball with a band and dancing all night and invite all my friends from Cheshire to Glasgow.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I find Yoga the same, the perfect antidote to the days trials, I’ve been doing it for a while now having got back into it after a not doing it, now it’s completely part of my weekly routines 🙂
When you’re at a desk all day the stretches of the back, neck and shoulders are fabulous, it relieves any neck tension before I start singing. I agree that you do have to put it in a routine time and commit to it.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Well what a surprise, it is an absolute pleasure to meet you Charlotte, thank you for dropping by, I am off now to hit the follow button and catch up on your further exploits – best of luck on your return to study – 21st for me it is a distant memory so I can just say to you what ever you plan will be a real buzz.
Chris.
Thanks for coming to visit Chris, I’ve started pinning ideas from Pinterest, I best get a move on it’s not long away now and I’ve got a concert the weekend before that I need to prepare for.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Thank you for following Polloplayer. As you might have seen on my blog, I spend a fair amount of time in New York City and will look forward to seeing you perform someday with the Metropolitan Opera!
If you need help with French, give me a holler. Lord knows it can be tricky enough for native speakers sometimes…
I confess my 21st birthday was pretty low-key: I just went out to dinner with a few friends. But I’m not usually one for huge parties anyway, so that suited me just fine. I did, however, throw a massive pizza party for my youngest sister’s 21st.
Yes you are right, Autumn is magic with his beautiful colors. I love walking under the red and yellow maple trees!
Very nice blog 😉
Kiss
Reblogged this on barleyron and commented:
The colors of Autumn and Charlotte Dresses are a Delight to See and the Sounds Would Be Better With A Song To Warm The Chilly of “”” Starry Starry Nights “” Dear Soprano
I love baking and cooking as well especially during the Fall and Winter seasons. Harvest is near as a time of celebrating what we have sowed and reaped. I am learning to blog and I am loving the adventure. I am not sure what I did to get your spectacular blog page, but it is phenomenal!!!
Cheers!