October is the month of magic, even if you don’t believe in magic. It’s in the quality of the light, the last burst of energy in the birds and wildlife before the stillness of winter, and in the satisfaction of the harvest, both literal and figurative. I often take a couple of weeks off from writing in October, to make the most of being outdoors in pleasant weather and the warm but wistful sunshine. After all, it will have to keep me going for the better part of six months.

The ...