1st August marks Lùnastal (pronounced “loo-nas-til”) or Lughnasadh, the halfway point between the Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox and the beginning of the harvest season in the Celtic wheel of the year – which corresponds with other European harvest festivals such as the English Lammas. To me, it’s the start of the seasonal shift: there’s a golden glow about the countryside and the nights are creeping ever so slightly shorter. Lùnastal celebrates abundance, with one foot in Summer and the other in Autumn. Golden sunshine, leaves beginning to turn. Knitwear and sandals. The magic of the in-between.
The Earth keeps turning and, at this transitional time, small seasonal changes can be increasingly spotted. Savour the gradual golden transformation of the countryside as crops ripen in the fields for harvesting; watch in fascination as apples swell on the trees; find joy in the ripening of the wild blackberries in late August and go berrying with your basket, returning home to preserve the taste of late Summer.
To celebrate, I set the table for a harvest supper complete with my sheaf of wheat! I took my cues from the countryside, aiming to evoke the cosy feel of a late Summer sunset in shades of pink and gold. Here’s what I used to create my tablescape: the Table Edit tablecloth; H&M Home napkins and clip frame (illustration by me); Pops and Piaf candlestick holders and teapot; pink Fairholme candles; natural colour beeswax candles made by me; beeswax tea lights from Travelling Basket; pink plate previous PR product from Denby; scalloped bowls from KC Hossack Pottery; tiny dish (with candle in) from Michelle Lowe Pottery; The Natural Dyeworks ribbons; glasses from BAM Glasgow; the White Company and Laura Ashley stem vases; bird decoration from Norden; cutlery, gold detail plates, books, Kilner jar and step ladder all vintage.
