September 2011

First day of October today?????? Is it really?????? Crumbs. Who'd have thought it?!

We are experiencing an extraordinary late summer heat wave here in the UK this week. The skies've been summer-blue and there's been real heat in the sun these past few days, very unusual for this time of year. It's felt absolutely wonderful actually, like a precious and unexpected gift. It was my heart felt wish for summer to linger just a little longer, and it feels like my wish came true, I'm sending up my thanks to the Cosmos!

September in general has felt decidedly Autumnal though, and I've noticed some beautiful seasonal colours around and about.

The trees are very slowly losing their fresh summer greens, and there has been the crisp scent of Autumn in the air. 

The light has been incredible too, very mellow and golden.

As ever I continue to enjoy my calendar pictures, they deliver a very sweet and seasonal message.

They say :: Harvest and Make things! Gather and preserve!

I love the idea of making preserves, of gathering produce and brewing up jars of tasty condiments. But truthfully I am not one of those people who does kitchen stuff involving dough or thermometers. I avoid things that have potential to Fail Miserably. Failing to rise, or failing to set, nope, better not to go there in the first place.

However, when one is presented with Natures Harvest one is morally obliged to do something with it don't you think? It would be so rude and wasteful not to. So when blackberries and windfall apples were given to us I bravely swallowed my fear of jam making and got stuck in. And, dear readers, it was a resounding success and I magically produced two jars of bramble and apple jam.

These weeny crab apples were given to us when we were down in Dorset and for a week or two after our return they sat in the kitchen making me feel burdened. But after the jam-making success, I decided to have a go at making some crab apple jelly from a recipe I found on the internet (and I am very sorry I've just tried to search for it but cannot for the life of me find it). The recipe seemed easy enough and basically involved apples, lemon juice and sugar. Oh, and a muslin bag thingy for straining the juice from the apples.

It worked out just fine, and lo and behold I produced a jar of beautiful golden jelly. I felt ridiculously proud of myself I can tell you, and even had some stirring thoughts about aiming to conquer my fear of yeast products in the near future. Maybe that'll be Octobers challenge.

September has seen me very busy within my four walls as I continue to work on my newly established Home-loving routines. This past week I've been concentrating on the living room, just one hour a day and no more. I've been pulling out all the furniture, re-arranging shelves, cleaning windows, de-cobwebbing the coving, showering my houseplants (!) and generally giving this much-used living space a good dose of love. I am really enjoying this new approach to keeping house and I'm finding the one-hour-a-day thing suits me very well. It's just enough time to achieve results without it taking over or becoming a chore. I can highly recommend it.

But with the sky being soooooo blue this week and the sun feeling sooooo warm, I've been relishing my outdoor Morning time too.

I've enjoyed not one but two trips out to Bolton Abbey with various friends this week. Taking Little B to explore the dappled sunlit woodlands has been sooo enjoyable, he loves to walk and explore and you can fair see the happiness radiating out of his little body as he potters about making discoveries. He learnt about the sneaky tripping-up nature of tree roots the hard way. He also learnt that Bolton Abbey Ducks are not afraid of little children and will come and steal food from their hands if they don't pay attention. He also learnt that splashing in cold river water can be lots of fun once one acclimatises one's little feet to the temperature. Thank goodness for baby crocs.

We went to visit the Money Trees, and made our secret little wishes on the ancient coins. Well that's to say that I did, I'm not sure a one year old is capable of making financial wishes.

The trees at Bolton Abbey were still looking remarkably green and lush for September actually, still very much more Summer than Autumn up in the canopy.

The view from the Attic Window throughout September has really looked very Autumnal though. There's been that subtle change in the light and colours that defines the Autumn lanscape.

Take a look......................................

The second picture from the end was taken one afternoon following a very heavy rain storm, I remember how incredible the light was that day. September did see a lot of rain mid month, and I was even forced to dig out my wellies at one point. But overall, it's been a wonderful transition month, a kind of Summer-Autumn-backtoSummer hybrid. It's allowed me to ease gently out of Summer mode and step gently into Autumn mode. In fact I feel rather excited by Autumn this year which is very unusual, me being a Summer Girl through and through. 

Yes, I think October's going to be a terrific month. Bring it on. I'm ready.

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Comments

[Laura]

Congrats on your yummy jams! You will enjoy making your yummy yeasty things! Nothing smells better than dough as it rises and bakes... MMMMmmmm... If at first you don't succeed don't give up! I went to culinary school, and was fearful when we started our classes with yeast products, but found them to be the highlight of my schooling. You can do it! Then you can have your yummy breads smeared with your yummy jams!

Oh! and I am decidedly envious of your beautiful view out your window! ;-) I live in the ugly desert of California. Eeew. Nothing pretty here.

[elizabeth]

Such lovely photos, all of them! Autumn is the just the best time of year, isn't it? :)

[Mo - North East Scotland]

Hey Lucy
So very happy to hear all is well with you and yours. Thank you so for the beautiful pictures, they always make me feel I should take my camera out with me when I go out and then I go and forget, tut, *sigh* The joys of ageing, lol ;-) Here in the NE of Scotland, we had a terrible summer & only 2 fine days this past week. I'm quite envious of you folks south of the border enjoying a late blush of sunshine, you lucky lucky people. I do love the colours appearing in the trees and hedges very much mind you. So all things have their own blessings I guess. Take care. Am looking forward to your next lot of news.
Mo x

[Sarah]

Thank you, I so enjoyed the pictures and your walk in the forest. I have learned so much about UK through you and also the colorful world of crochet. I was so intrigued by the rocks with holes in them and now the money tree, I wish I could see both in person. Keep it up...............

Sarah from Texas

[Jude]

Oh Lucy (and everyone else?) don't be scared of making bread..... just buy a bread maker! LOL - very loud! Seriously. I looooove my bread maker. Fresh bread every day with the delicious smell, just by chucking a few ingredients in a tin and pressing a few buttons! Life really is too short to stress about bread making - although an occasional loaf made in the traditional way can de-stress you beautifully. The jam looks delicious. I'll swap you a loaf for a jar of jam? :-D
The weather is amazing, isn't it. It reminds me of September holidays in Lulworth and Weymouth when my children were little.
Jude.x

[BellaKarma]

Hi Lucy,
Autumn appeared to arrive early here in Orange County, California too. I started noticing the 'mellow yellow' sunlight way before its usual time. I despise living in a state that's summer year-long, so I'm loving the eagerness of Fall. :)
And you totally need to bake a loaf of bread now to go with the jam!

[Rainy Day Crafter]

Your jam and jelly look lovely - you're so clever! I'm not sure you should try baking though - you're in danger of becoming a domestic goddess!! ;) Lol, only kidding, I say go for it! There's nothing nicer than a slice of still warm, freshly baked bread with butter melting into it... mmmmm!! :)

[Denise]

I love the pictures of where you live, so green. I love the way the sun changes to a warm glow this time of year.

Congrats on your jam making success.

[KayElleC]

Lovely, lovely, lovely.....comfort, colours, a last chance for unexpected summer fun and your views! Thanks for sharing Lucy.

I started the FLY routine but 4 days in was struck down with horrible chest pains, have been ECG'd and feel like a pincushion too! Your blog has made my day.

If anyone has any spare prayers...would you send one up for me please? :)x Recovering with a fair amount of hooking and yarn shopping ;)

Heartfelt thanks (no pun intended!)
xxxxx

[CrochetBlogger]

Both indoors and outdoors look lovely there and I definitely enjoy the positive energy from this post!

[Kashi Griffith]

You can do anything Lucy! Don't you doubt yourself. Homemade bread is easier than jam to make. It takes practice and the first loaf or two may be tough, but I know you can master it and there is nothing better than the taste and smell of fresh bread. Fear not. We are finally having a beautiful day here. It has been freezing in September and October is starting out the same way. Had to scrape ice off car window to go shopping this morning. But it is lovely now, cold but pretty. We are going to the apple orchard and then the pumpkin patch today. Yea! have a lovely weekend.

[Lisa G.]

Lucy, you may find this site of interest:
http://www.thefreshloaf.com/lessons
I intend to go through the bread baking lessons myself. Of course, the measurements are non-metric.

Your blog is lovely! I'm presently crocheting your bag design - thanks for sharing it. Congratulations on your jelly successes.

[Annie]

Those jellies look delicious! I must try your one hour a day routine :)

[Patty]

Be brave!! Try some yeast bread! I know how yeast can be scary....I used to be scared too! But I have overcome and it is so rewarding! My family loves having fresh homemade bread. You can do it!!

[Delirious]

I have a green apple tree in my back yard, but I have made plenty of other kinds of jam to last us for awhile. Then an idea hit me, and I put up apple pie filling! It is sooooooo good!! Why did I never do this before?? I have made apple crisp from it as well, and it is to die for! This summer I made plum jam, which my neighbors refer to as "gold". So yummy!

[Susanne Tyree]

Good job on pushing your fear of jam/jelly making to the side and tackling it head on. It isn't all that hard at all. Look at your lovely results and I bet your family will love putting it on toast and biscuits. And nothing tastes sweeter than stealing a kiss from little lips smeared with jelly or jam :)

[heidi]

ps.. forgot to mention the spider... yikes, thats a fat one! here we call them cross spiders and they bite and are poisonous. the stripy legs match his gothic-styled jacket... :0)

[Donna]

Well done on making that jam and jelly :o)

Yes, definately give bread making a go! It is much easier than you think, and you could always sneek a bread maker in when no ones looking....

Love this post Lucy, so gentle and relaxing...
Those coin trees look amazing, I'm just going back to have another look....

have a lovely weekend, and keep enjoying the sunshine :o)

xx

[Kate]

It is odd how Autumn seemed to start much earlier than usual this year and then suddenly it became Summer.Very strange that it is so hot and yet it is dark in the morning and early evening...I'm confused!Trying to work up the enthusiasm to finish knitting a scarf, but it is way too warm for wool.

[heidi]

hi lucy! i see you know crab apple jelly as well! great! i was wondering about that... you have been quite busy again i see... i wish i had more time at the moment. things are being neglected due to long-hour-working, including the hooky business. my chores are piling up fast. i am so glad for the holiday on monday... its still a whole weekend after working today (saturday) as well. we are celebrating germany´s unity. (gosh, that 'unity' sounds a bit weird, i dont get a chance to speak english often, sorry to say...) lovin' your wonderful views from the attic! and that money tree is just so amazing, thanks so much for sharing the great shots! we had quite an apple harvest here. the cider is quite inexpensive and so full of aroma. i hope to get around to making some jelly and apple butter. in case you have never heard of apple butter, it is a pennsylvanian specialty made by the amish folks back home and so yummy! our indian summer is a blessing since our summer wasnt anything to write home about. well, its back to the grindstone... lots to get done. have a good weekend all!

[Jennifer sew little]

Well done with the jam, I have always had a longing to make jam, my Grandmother use to and had loads of Kilner(sp) jars. Whenever I think about it, all I can imagine is burning and runny jam!!!!!!! still I will carry on keeping the jars just in case. So happy it went well for you. Looking forward to more blankie yarn , lovely russian doll crochet post, pllllleeeeeeeaaaaaaassssssseeeeeee

[karen]

Well done, the jelly looks just beautiful, jewel like & pretty, bet it tastes good too. Made some plum jelly a few weeks ago, four jars, all gone now, ohhhh it was tasty :)
That coin tree is so amazing must click on the link & read some more on them
Have a lovely weekend
Karen x

[Sarah west mids uk]

Dear Lucy a friend gave me a big dish of elderberries and I made elderberry jelly and it has turned out really well! Want to make some apple and mint jelly next.
As for the sunshine(and it is wonderful here) it really has been smashing.
Thick mists over the school playing fields a golden ball of sun and trees
just turning into all those Autumn colours and this has been all before 7.30
in the morning. Well worth getting up early in the dark and watching the day
emerge. xx

[Puppet Lady]

I too have a bag of crab apples patiently waiting to be 'dealt with'! Did you use a proper jelly bag or just plain muslin?

[Miss Holly]

Oh that sky!! We in the states..( new england ) are also having warmth...but I am ready for at least crisp nights.....so you can smell the leaves....we are just starting to change in the lower elevations...I adore the Autumn....my absolute favorite.....Your jam looks wonderful!!! I have had my best success with raspberry jam....I've tried and tried to make a good marmalade but not yet...I am just about to try Ina Gardens recipe.... as always I thank you so much because you started this whole world of blog for me and it has really changed my life....Have a Happy Blue sky day!!!!