I actually saw your 2025 almanac on sale at the Barnes wetlands centre! I just had to peek in and ooooh I think it’s going to be the best one yet! Didn’t read it all because I want to savour it next year, month by month. Didn’t buy it yet because I might get it as part of a subscription box (hopefully!) but yes, it’s already out there!
This week it’s watching an eerie, ominously red full moon rising over the Thames, the colour of a wine stain. Outside of an eclipse I’ve never seen it so red.
Well, I’ve finished all my chemo treatment now, and the week in hospital to try to get my bloods, hydration and other problems fixed which I was left with after the brutality of chemo. So now I’m into recovery proper before surgery in mid September - and fatigued as I am, I’m determined to make the most of it now I am able to get out a little. West Dean Gardens yesterday to see all the glories there and enjoy the late summer vibe. Enjoying ripe tomatoes, runner beans and herbs from the garden. My white cosmos are magnificent!
Seen some glorious moon shots too! Just loving being back here and reading all your wonderful comments again! I’ve missed you all. I e just ordered the Almanac 2025 Lia! I want to dig in as soon as possible while I have all this recovery time.
Glad to hear of your progress Sue. Just after my last message to you to wish you well, I found a lump myself. I had surgery nearly 3 weeks ago and waiting for an appointment 3rd Sep to see if I need chemo or just go straight to radiotherapy. Have lost myself a bit along the journey, but finding my way back with my garden and nature as you have. Xx
I hope you feel better soon Amanda. It must be such a difficult time for you. I hope nature is soothing you and helping you get through things best you can xxx
It’s great to have you back here Sue. So sorry to hear you’ve had such a rough time. I’m very envious of the ripe tomatoes - mine are still determined to stay green…
So pleased to see you Sue and hear you've finished some of your treatment. I hope you start to recover more each day and glad to know you're managing to get and enjoy the beauty of nature. Keep well and be kind to yourself xxx
Watching and listening to the jackdaws ripping elderberries from the tree near my bedroom window; the witch hazel near the door has started to drop its leaves already.
This week has been all about plums. Our Victoria plum tree is laden so I’ve been picking, jamming and taking to work. Interesting watching the reaction of colleagues when you warn them to use a knife to check for visitors before eating 😊
Pokeweed berries/ink berries toxic to mammals but loved by birds who poop them out leaving dark purple stains everywhere, chilly nights and cool days for much of the week before summer makes a return, geese beginning to fly south in V-formation.
Morning! I’m so glad you said that about sloes, Lia. This week I’ve been soothed by the darker evenings and mornings. The glare of high summer doesn’t suit me as well as the magic and peace of the seasons to come and autumn has always been my favourite.
Very much feeling the late summer/early autumn transition here in London. Darkness is arriving ever earlier in my garden of an evening, there is a chill to the breeze and I am back to turning my bathroom light on in the morning! It’s wonderful to see the fruit trees nearby so laden and full xx
Days on the beach looking in rock pools and being buffeted by the wind. A red sunrise and misty mornings. Apples ripening on the trees. Nights drawing in and trying to hold on to summer. Swallows and house martins still swooping and calling, I love that sound.
The end of summer is a big topic of conversation here in Seattle. We're noticing the evening drawing in and the cooler temps. Blackberry picking and apple scrumping with a friend. Does anyone else use the term apple scrumping? Do you know where it comes from? It's a family term that I've never heard anyone else use.
In the UK scrumping means picking fruit from someone else’s tree, in an orchard or a garden, say, and usually refers to apples. I just looked it up and apparently it’s still technically illegal, although the last recorded case was in 1829 😄 It’s linked to the word scrumpy, which is a kind of rustic cider from the south west of England. Others will know more about all this, but thanks for the question!
I’m trying to grab on to as much summer as I can - foraging is a real early September thing here and the blackberries are still red and sour. Although I found loads of wild hazelnuts on a walk earlier this week - but I left them for the squirrels 🐿️
I ate an apple off the tree at my allotment. It was delicious and and thankfully much riper than the one I tried a couple of weeks ago which was definitely Not Ripe and caused an unfortunate incident a couple of hours later.
Late joining the chat this week which has been unexpectedly difficult. In the garden with my coffee, all is quiet and your comments making me smile. Thank you 🌻. I did try to chase the full moon in amongst the clouds and rain. Got one shot which I will post tomorrow 😊. Missed joining the blackberry chat planned picking day postponed. Hopefully will have something to post Wednesday. Purple path, from the elderberry tree and checking shoes before entering the house. 🌻
You better than I did with the full moon Sally Ann. I honestly don’t think I’ve seen one all year 🙄 Sorry you’ve had a difficult week. Hope you feel restored by the peace in the garden x
Here in Washington state the weather went from hot to fallish! Grey rainy breezy ..quite unusual from August. I'm ready..autumn is lovely and I baked an apple plum crisp to celebrate!
I actually saw your 2025 almanac on sale at the Barnes wetlands centre! I just had to peek in and ooooh I think it’s going to be the best one yet! Didn’t read it all because I want to savour it next year, month by month. Didn’t buy it yet because I might get it as part of a subscription box (hopefully!) but yes, it’s already out there!
This week it’s watching an eerie, ominously red full moon rising over the Thames, the colour of a wine stain. Outside of an eclipse I’ve never seen it so red.
Whoop! Thank you for saying! x
Well, I’ve finished all my chemo treatment now, and the week in hospital to try to get my bloods, hydration and other problems fixed which I was left with after the brutality of chemo. So now I’m into recovery proper before surgery in mid September - and fatigued as I am, I’m determined to make the most of it now I am able to get out a little. West Dean Gardens yesterday to see all the glories there and enjoy the late summer vibe. Enjoying ripe tomatoes, runner beans and herbs from the garden. My white cosmos are magnificent!
Seen some glorious moon shots too! Just loving being back here and reading all your wonderful comments again! I’ve missed you all. I e just ordered the Almanac 2025 Lia! I want to dig in as soon as possible while I have all this recovery time.
Glad to hear of your progress Sue. Just after my last message to you to wish you well, I found a lump myself. I had surgery nearly 3 weeks ago and waiting for an appointment 3rd Sep to see if I need chemo or just go straight to radiotherapy. Have lost myself a bit along the journey, but finding my way back with my garden and nature as you have. Xx
I hope you feel better soon Amanda. It must be such a difficult time for you. I hope nature is soothing you and helping you get through things best you can xxx
Take care in the waiting Amanda. X
wishing you well on your healing journey, I was there 24 years ago. Still grateful to be here.
I am so glad you got to West Dean Sue, and that this tough phase is behind you. Think of you often x
Lovely to see you Sue, hope you are recovering well before your surgery. My cosmos were also eaten, nothing but stalks left!
It’s great to have you back here Sue. So sorry to hear you’ve had such a rough time. I’m very envious of the ripe tomatoes - mine are still determined to stay green…
Drink the garden in Sue. Rest well in this phase. X
Welcome back Sue! We've missed you, so glad the chemo is done with and you're able to take some time to rest and recover.
Your Cosmos sound lovely, mine were all eaten by the slugs 😳 think I planted them out too soon.
So pleased to see you Sue and hear you've finished some of your treatment. I hope you start to recover more each day and glad to know you're managing to get and enjoy the beauty of nature. Keep well and be kind to yourself xxx
Watching and listening to the jackdaws ripping elderberries from the tree near my bedroom window; the witch hazel near the door has started to drop its leaves already.
This week has been all about plums. Our Victoria plum tree is laden so I’ve been picking, jamming and taking to work. Interesting watching the reaction of colleagues when you warn them to use a knife to check for visitors before eating 😊
I've just ordered the new almanac Lia. The art work on the front is stunning. I'm excited to receive it! 😍
Thank you Kat! x
Pokeweed berries/ink berries toxic to mammals but loved by birds who poop them out leaving dark purple stains everywhere, chilly nights and cool days for much of the week before summer makes a return, geese beginning to fly south in V-formation.
I have yet to see any geese flying south here. Evening them is one of my main signals of the coming winter.
Morning! I’m so glad you said that about sloes, Lia. This week I’ve been soothed by the darker evenings and mornings. The glare of high summer doesn’t suit me as well as the magic and peace of the seasons to come and autumn has always been my favourite.
Same here, Anne. Yesterday I was walking home as it was starting to get dark, and was delighted when I checked the time - not even 9pm yet!!
Autumn is my favourite too Anne. 🌻
I like Autumn but shorter days come round too quickly. I love Summer and mourn it’s passing.
Very much feeling the late summer/early autumn transition here in London. Darkness is arriving ever earlier in my garden of an evening, there is a chill to the breeze and I am back to turning my bathroom light on in the morning! It’s wonderful to see the fruit trees nearby so laden and full xx
Days on the beach looking in rock pools and being buffeted by the wind. A red sunrise and misty mornings. Apples ripening on the trees. Nights drawing in and trying to hold on to summer. Swallows and house martins still swooping and calling, I love that sound.
An evening walk on Hampstead Heath, in soft drizzle.
The end of summer is a big topic of conversation here in Seattle. We're noticing the evening drawing in and the cooler temps. Blackberry picking and apple scrumping with a friend. Does anyone else use the term apple scrumping? Do you know where it comes from? It's a family term that I've never heard anyone else use.
In the UK scrumping means picking fruit from someone else’s tree, in an orchard or a garden, say, and usually refers to apples. I just looked it up and apparently it’s still technically illegal, although the last recorded case was in 1829 😄 It’s linked to the word scrumpy, which is a kind of rustic cider from the south west of England. Others will know more about all this, but thanks for the question!
Wow, love snippets of information like this. Thanks Anne 🌻
I haven’t heard it used for a while but my it’s a term my Nana used 🌻
Yes, it’s definitely an old fashioned word.
Ginormous hibiscus flowers blooming in a neighbor’s yard on my walk to my usual spot. Rainy afternoons and the evenings growing dimmer by the day.
I’m trying to grab on to as much summer as I can - foraging is a real early September thing here and the blackberries are still red and sour. Although I found loads of wild hazelnuts on a walk earlier this week - but I left them for the squirrels 🐿️
I ate an apple off the tree at my allotment. It was delicious and and thankfully much riper than the one I tried a couple of weeks ago which was definitely Not Ripe and caused an unfortunate incident a couple of hours later.
Late joining the chat this week which has been unexpectedly difficult. In the garden with my coffee, all is quiet and your comments making me smile. Thank you 🌻. I did try to chase the full moon in amongst the clouds and rain. Got one shot which I will post tomorrow 😊. Missed joining the blackberry chat planned picking day postponed. Hopefully will have something to post Wednesday. Purple path, from the elderberry tree and checking shoes before entering the house. 🌻
You better than I did with the full moon Sally Ann. I honestly don’t think I’ve seen one all year 🙄 Sorry you’ve had a difficult week. Hope you feel restored by the peace in the garden x
Thank you Anne. 🌻
Here in Washington state the weather went from hot to fallish! Grey rainy breezy ..quite unusual from August. I'm ready..autumn is lovely and I baked an apple plum crisp to celebrate!