The light changes first. Even before the leaves start turning, there's something different about the Kerry landscape in late September. Softer somehow. Less harsh. My work follows these shifts, always has.
Tourist season winds down and with it, the steady stream of summer bookings. City lads on holiday, groups of stags passing through Tralee. Now it becomes more local, more measured. Farmers. Businessmen traveling through. Quieter encounters.
I've learned not to panic about the seasonal drop. Every year has its rhythm. Summer burns bright and fast. Autumn lets you breathe. Winter will be sparse but not empty. Spring will bloom again.
This week I've had two bookings. Both longer. Both unhurried. Men who want conversation as much as anything else. They're not racing through, not treating this as a transaction. They want connection.
The cottage feels different now. Wood stove ready. Kettle always on. Soft wool throws getting pulled out of storage. My work adapts. Always has. Always will.