Thank you for your very kind and generous words on my New York embroidery diary. I am so glad you like it too, that makes me very happy indeed.
The weather has been absolutely all over the place this week. We've had warm, sunny days when we've walked in the woods, and days of solid rain when all I did was bake. It's been quite mild but very wet and windy, leaving me unsure what to wear each day; it's too cool for summer clothes but too warm for autumn ones, and my feet are protesting at having to wear something other than sandals this last week.
More signs of autumn are appearing indoors and out. I shuffled a few bits around on the mantel and added some pine cones and feathers.
Angus, who had such strong opinions on how I should decorate the shelf below, styled it for me. I may have changed it a bit. I felt ten pine cones was a bit much.
I made soup, the first batch I've made in months.
It was spinach, potato, onion and some sour cream that needed using up. Basically odds and ends from the fridge. I forget how useful soup is for using up those vegetables that are a bit past it, or those leftovers that you don't know what to do with. I also made bread (this recipe) to go with it and it was delicious, chewy and full of flavour.
Last Sunday, when it rained all day long and we had no plans, I baked plum cake (from Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries) and a batch of flapjacks for lunchboxes.
The garden is starting to get that raggle-taggle look that September brings. Leaves are falling, plants are looking faded and leggy and in need of cutting back, and the slugs ate my dahlias - again.
But the sedum is putting on a beautiful display, turning from pale to deep pink and brightening up the gloomier corners of the garden.
Today I sorted out the cupboard in the hall, putting all the flip flops and sunhats upstairs, making way for the thicker coats and scarves that will start to appear. I dug out the shoe polish to give my boots a bit of a spruce up, and have even bought a new winter coat. It's a knee length quilted one with a big hood and deep pockets, in preparation for the biting wind on our very exposed playground at school. Autumn, I'm ready for you.
I swapped over the sunglasses, sun hats etc. this week too but I am persevering with sandals for a while longer because my classroom is so hot. I made soup too so we are all starting to hunker down. Have a relaxing Sunday. Jo xxx
ReplyDeleteI made celery and stilton soup this week, so tasty. Yesterday I was in warm anorak for a blow on the moors and sunglasses! The weather is so unpredictable. I love the Autumn arrangement on the shelves.
ReplyDeleteThe weather is really changeable at the moment isn't it. I'm either too hot or not prepared for the rain. I'm gradually tidying the garden away ready for a winter rest. I love the photo of Ziggy with his nose in the sun. Adorable. I am thinking of getting Bertie a pad like that for sleeping on in the day, but he's still a bit of a devil for getting the stuffing out of things. The second he stops I am getting new cushions. Hope you're having a good Sunday. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteMy fig looks the same. I also found my coats out and umbrellas have been purchased
ReplyDeleteLess is more with the pine cones! I remember having some sedum in our front garden - then it just disappeared - I really must replace it as it really adds a bit of colour this time of year. My pots and planters were still doing well until all this rain - even the geraniums are dying off now with so little sunshine.
ReplyDeletePlease share your flapjack recipe! Not sure if it's the different butter or oats but I just can't get them to work here in the USA (they crumble apart). I was inspired to get the Anna Jones recipe book after you posted the Apple Molasses cake, which now is a firm favourite in our house.
ReplyDeleteNothing nicer than a bowl of steaming hot soup and a slice of home-baked crusty bread with butter to go with it, is there! At least not this time of year.
ReplyDeleteThe pine cones on your round shelf almost made me pick up a couple of cones I found on the pavement this morning when walking to the grocery store. But then I thought of how big and heavy my bag was going to be on the way back, and so I left it for another time - I am sure there will be more cones on the ground, especially since we are having very windy weather (storm "Mortimer" is hitting Germany not too far away from where I am).
Your round shelf looks lovely, my kids have done a bit of 'styling' on the mantelpiece with a lot of conkers - I did a bit of a rearrange too! Where did you get the lovely wooden artichoke on your shelf, think something like that might help break up the conkers a bit ����
ReplyDeleteI used to work in the highest school in Gloucestershire, the cold and wind was biting. We always said we needed a sleeping bag with legs for playground duty ~ google it, so funny. CN x
ReplyDeleteWhilst I love Autumn and the colours it brings, the garden always looks quite miserable for a while, doesn't it....until the frosts make it look a bit magical. As usual your baked goods and soup look delicious!
ReplyDeleteMy attention was caught by the lovely Hornsea pottery bird dish on your mantel as my parents had loads of green and brown Hornsea plates and bowls when I was a child (living in Hull) in the 1970s - it sent me down a little internet rabbit hole and I've just discovered they are the 'Heirloom' design and quite collectable! I think my sister has them all now. Your bird dish/ashtray seems to be quite rare and worth a fair bit! It looks lovely with all the other things you have displayed alongside it.
ReplyDeleteI keep looking fondly at the sandals and flip flops, but think this is the weekend they are officially put away... Happy October!
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