...and suddenly it's the weekend.

What happened there? One day it's Monday and suddenly it's Sunday. I don't even think I can account for the week! There was:  torrential rain, a sunny morning, a running out cooking gas, two very blustery days, a trip to the beach and a venture into the big city but the rest of the time...drawing a great big blank. Oh, and it's definitely autumn now.

The big horse chestnut out the front of the house is always the first to turn and reminds me to brace myself for imminent barren trees. The days have also got noticeably shorter. I always feel that it takes months to add an hour on the day but only a couple of weeks to remove it. Perhaps that's just me. However, don't get me wrong...it's not all bad and to prove it here's why:

• lots of wild foods and medicines to pick...brambles, hazelnuts, beechnuts, rosehips, hawthorns, elderberries and still some raspberries hidden in the hedgerows. Well, it is harvest time after all!

• The garden is prolific and I'm getting the best of both summer and autumn harvest. There are still tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, beans and peas but also parsnips, carrots, beetroot and kale. Plenty to make garden soups and stews from as well as fresh salads. No other time of year yields such a variety of foods.

• The colours. What was a sea of green is becoming a vibrant mixture of yellow, orange and red. I'm enjoying it now as soon everything will turn brown and then turn that monochrome winter colour where it feels like someone has been fiddling with the brightness, colour and contrast.

Comments

[Hannah]

The way you talk about the trees makes it sound like you've been living there for years. It's really autumnal here, has been since mid August. Seems extra early.

[Cat]

I see what you mean! It does feel like years sometimes but to be more precise for the last two years it is first to turn. :p
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