At Slumberleigh you have time to notice the change of the seasons.

There is no hurry at Slumberleigh.

Spring, summer, autumn, and winter, each in their turn, take quite a year to come and go.

Three months ago it was August; now September had arrived.

It was actually the time of damsons.
Those damsons which Ruth had seen dangling for at least three years in the cottage orchards were ripe at last.