Pumpkins 🎃

 

Earlier this week, we pulled on our wellies and headed off to the farm in search of some Hallowe'en pumpkins. Previously, we have always just bought them from our local farm shop, but this year I thought it would be a special treat to visit an actual pumpkin farm and choose one straight from the field instead. 

I love activities such as this, as they are usually done under the guise of being solely for Lily's benefit, when in fact I get just as much, if not more, enjoyment from them :) 

We were taken by tractor into one of the top fields, where there was row upon row containing different varieties of pumpkins. There were orange ones, white ones, blue ones, yellow ones. They had small ones, tiny ones, regular sized and some huge ones. They even had some warty ones.

We took one of the wheelbarrows provided and went off in search of our 'perfect' pumpkin. We were spoiled for choice. I was almost certain I would choose an orange one this time, but I saw the cutest little yellow pumpkin and instantly knew I just had to take it home with me. 

Then it was back onto the tractor again to visit the stand where we would get our pumpkins sized. Afterwards, we were able to wander around the fields, where there were some great photograph opportunities and some scary scenes to help get us in the Hallowe'en mood.

Now we just need to carve them. 🎃

J. X

Rainy Days and Pumpkins

 

Once again, thank you so very much for all your lovely messages. I cannot begin to express just how much it means to me knowing I am in your thoughts. I will reply to you all very soon, I promise. With each day that passes my heart feels just a little bit lighter. 

So, my time off didn't go quite to plan. For obvious reasons I cancelled our planned trip away. It wouldn't have felt right, and in all honesty I wouldn't have been able to enjoy myself. It was a shame really, as the weather on the east coast looked to have been much brighter than at home. To say it has been a bit wet here would be an understatement, and my heart goes out to those who's homes and businesses have been affected by flooding yet again. Wind and rain lashing against the windows has been the soundtrack to much of the week, standing water covered many of the roads and any unnecessary travel has been avoided.

Because of this I have been mainly hunkered down at home and unusually for me I've hardly ventured out, preferring instead to stay cosy and dry indoors. We did, however, go out just for a short while, so that we could choose our Hallowe'en pumpkins and I spent a very productive afternoon carving them. It never ceases to amaze me how I manage to do this without somehow causing myself serious injury, although I suspect it's very much down to good fortune rather than my knife skills. 

And I didn't let anything go to waste either. The flesh was quickly turned into some delicious spiced pumpkin soup and the seeds were gently tossed in olive oil before roasting them in the oven. They taste so so good, and are very moreish. If you've never tried roasting them before, I can definitely recommend it. Just be careful not to eat them all in one go. 

At the weekend, and during another brief respite from the unrelenting rain, we put on our boots and set out to enjoy just a small part of what autumn has to offer. The leaves are changing rather rapidly now and with the sun making a brief appearance it was wonderful to spend some time amongst the beautiful seasonal colours. I would like to say we enjoyed kicking through the crisp fallen leaves, but disappointingly they were far more soggy than they were crunchy - still pretty though, especially in the bright sunshine.

Last night we welcomed some delightfully scary looking characters at our door for Hallowe'en, and you know it really did feel so good after the quiet of last year. During the evening many chocolates and sweets were given and received. I always end up buying far too many but they never seem to last long in this house. 

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned this here before, but Hallowe'en is also a special day for another reason. It is the day I officially adopted Mog! It has now been six years since Lily and I drove to the animal shelter and brought her back home to live with us. 

I think she's happy to be here. 

J. X

Autumn Days

There are many reasons I enjoy writing my little blog. It is especially important in  times such as this, when it feels like all I do is eat, sleep, work, repeat. Weekdays seem to blur into one another with rhythmic ease and  my weekend activity becomes less as the sun sets earlier each day and the nights grow longer. During these dark evenings it's lovely to have a reminder of the bright sunny days and to be reassured I do still get the opportunity to spend plenty of my time outdoors, even if sometimes it feels otherwise.

Recently we have seen some beautiful sunny days. Not enough to dry out the well trodden muddy fields and tracks but enough to enjoy some walks without the need for waterproofs, which at this time of year is often unheard of. 

Disappointingly, with the announcement of the second lockdown, our planned visit to Hill Top didn't get to happen but, having remembered to book in advance, last week Lily and I spent a lovely morning in the grounds of another National Trust property. It was lovely to see the change of seasonal colour throughout the gardens and we enjoyed a hot chocolate along with some delicious home made banana and chocolate loaf at a secluded little spot, overlooking the pond. It felt good to sit for a while in the warmth of the sun and it was hard to believe there had been a heavy shower of hail a few moments earlier.

Hallowe'en was a quiet affair this year, but we still carved our pumpkins and displayed them in the window. This year more than ever before I've been determined to be much less wasteful, and so I made a very tasty risotto with the flesh of the pumpkins and I can definitely recommend roasting the seeds. They don't take a lot of time to prepare and make for a delicious snack. It would have been very easy for me to have eaten them all at once but they do store well in an air tight jar.

On Bonfire Night we wrapped up well and went out into the garden to make some pretty patterns and write our names with sparklers. We could hear fireworks being set off in the distance but there didn't seem to be anywhere near as many as usual, which must have come as quite a relief for many pet owners. I was still anxious, however, as Mog headed out of the cat flap as always, completely unconcerned by them.

Last weekend, on another gloriously sunny morning, we went for a short walk up Gummer's How. It's always been a favourite little climb of ours, especially as for minimal effort we get rewarded with some of the most beautiful views across Windermere and the Lakeland fells. There was barely a breath of wind and we spent quite a while simply sat overlooking the lake, enjoying the view.

A few days later than I intended, I made some treacle toffee. It is something I always love to have at this time of year and is so quick and easy to make but, for some reason, I just hadn't got around to it. It seems to be a common theme with me lately, in that I seem to be constantly playing catch up. With this in mind I have recently turned my thoughts towards Christmas 🎄 and, in an attempt to be slightly more organised than usual, I think I need to start some planning. 

J. X

Mud, Leaves and Pumpkins

 

I'd originally had high hopes for this week. In my mind I'd envisioned bright autumn days, walking on the fells, enjoying picnic lunches on the summits, then returning home at the end of each day exhausted but happy. Unfortunately, the weather had other plans. It's dismal, cold and very very wet, and disappointingly it's set to stay this way for the remainder of the week.

On Sunday, however, there was a brief window of opportunity. The afternoon was predicted to be dry and if we were really lucky there was also the slightest chance of seeing just a little bit of sunshine.

We didn't go very far. Our walk was just long enough to stretch our legs and breathe in some fresh air. Being stuck in the house is not for me and I know I can get (very) grouchy if I can't get outdoors for at least some part of the day.

Waterproofs and wellies on, we walked down the track and through the fields just past the pond.

 

Mushrooms are growing all throughout the woods just now. These Inkcaps appreciate the wet weather at least.

After a lot of rain parts of this walk can become very muddy, which as you might imagine, Lily enjoys very much. She also likes to walk in the nearby stream, which is the reason her wellies look 'clean' in this photograph. What you can't see is that her jeans are completely mud splattered up the back. : ) Not to mind, I'm more than used to this by now and  they are easily washed. 

Once past the clearing we walked back amongst the trees once again. Following the recent wet and windy weather the leaves have been falling thick and fast. They carpeted the woodland floor but they squelched rather than crunched beneath our feet.

Before we left the woods, we sat for a while, enjoying the sun as it broke through the sparse canopy of the trees. This is my favourite section of the walk. The light is so beautiful here and it's also where we stop for chocolate. : )

Another reason for getting out was so that we could call in at the farm and choose our Halloween pumpkins. It took us a while, as there were a variety of interesting shapes and sizes to choose from but we settled on a medium sized white one and a small orange one, and at some point over the next few days we will be carving them in time for the weekend. 

J. X

Into Autumn

Autumn days are gathering pace, and now that we're fully immersed into our school and work routine once again, it's reassuring to feel some sense of normalcy. Everyday life, although not completely back to how it was before lockdown, has at least taken on it's usual rhythm for this time of year.

We've experienced some beautiful sunny days and enjoyed some lazy weekends. Hurried early mornings and long walks have, instead, been replaced by leisurely breakfasts and shorter rambles through nearby fields and woodlands. Wearing our wellies, as it's very muddy just now.

Acorns crunch underfoot and the trees are shedding their leaves at an alarming rate, reminding me it won't be long until the clocks go back and the days get even shorter. 

It looks so beautiful in the woods at the moment. The dappled sunlight through the trees shifts in the breeze, making patterns on the ground. Squirrels appear suddenly, scurrying along collecting nuts, before quickly disappearing out of sight again.

Although it is still a little early for us, the farm shop already has their pumpkins on display. Lily quite likes the idea of a white one for a change, but that might just be because they are HUGE. I suspect I will get an orange one as well, just because. 🎃🎃🎃

Whilst we were there we bought some decorative gourds. I have them on the mantel along with some conkers I collected when I was out running this week. Without any pockets, I needed to keep them in my hand for the final stretch home, which wasn't as easy as you might think given that they were really quite large. Lily is very happy with them, however, as is Mog, who despite me having had some new cat toys delivered for her this week, much prefers to chase conkers around the hallway. But please don't worry, she never attempts to eat them.

 

In the kitchen there's a definite comfort food vibe going on. I love this time of year for cooking up nourishing tasty meals and I've been making some of my usual go-to dishes along with one or two new-to-me recipes which I'm sure will become firm favourites. 

In two weeks time we will have begun our half-term break, then we will be slowly heading towards the end of the year, but before then I am looking forward to enjoying some glorious autumn colour and indulging in kicking through some crisp fallen leaves. 🍂🍂🍂

J. X