Autumn has long been my favourite among the four seasons we in experience annually. Nothing to do with the fact that I just happened to be born in September ... nor that, some six weeks' down the line, we Brits can turn back the clock to enjoy an extra hour in bed for one day of the year ... ... but because it's a time to pause for reflection on the wonders of nature ... to harvest and enjoy the rich benefits of the abundant fruits of creation ... a time when our bountiful countryside is truly at its most beautiful.