As much as I adore the summer and hold on to the season for as long as I possibly can, even I must concede that this last week has brought with it some much cooler mornings and it has become noticeable that the nights are drawing in.
The air feels damp. Those long, hot sunny days, which seemed to go on forever, are behind us now and there are little signs of autumn creeping in everywhere I look. Rowan berries are putting on a colourful display, the hedgerows are providing an abundance of blackberries and elderberries are changing colour by the day.
Our raised bed has provided us with some kale, cauliflower and brocolli and although we have shared much of our produce with some rather hungry caterpillars, we've not minded as it has been a delight to see so many butterflies around this summer.
At this time of year my thoughts naturally turn to the colder months and the pattern of our days becomes more apparent, as I discover them echoing those of past years. Gathering blackberries, beginning to make preparations for the beginning of a new school year and finding ourselves enjoying the same walks on the exact same day we'd enjoyed them twelve months earlier. Funny how that happens, but there is a comfort in this familiar constancy to our lives.
So far our Summer break this year has been much quieter than I originally anticipated. I had planned for lots of adventures and, of course, we have been dictated to by the unpredictable weather to an extent, but in all honesty, aside from our holiday, we've been quite happy to spend much of our time close to home and possibly enjoyed a far more relaxed time as a result. It has also enabled me to keep on with the decluttering and tidying, which is still very much a work in progress, but I'm beginning to see results now, which feels very satisfying.
In the kitchen I've been making soup, pickling beetroot, preparing blackberry vodka and cooking up home grown cauliflower cheese. It's a time of year when I am quite happy to be spending my time cooking. Anticipating dishes of wholesome, comfort food. Quite a contrast from the light and simple meals we've been enjoying lately.
We are still waiting for Lily's birthday sunflowers 🌻 to open up but I'm sure they will be out to delight us any day now. And as the forecast appears to be promising us some warm sunny weather this weekend, perhaps summer is not over for us just yet.
J. X
J. X
