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Maggie Atkins's avatar

Lighting the wood burner for the first time since the chimney was swept in April. Hot water bottle for my feet in bed.

Packing away Summer clothes and sandals ready to get down the woollies and boots from the loft.

On the allotment - the last runner beans, courgettes and tomatoes; still enjoying potatoes, chard, kale, garlic, onions, carrots, leeks, rocket, raspberries, pears and apples.

Staying in the light as long as possible, knowing that it will be dark at 4.30 in a couple of weeks.

The trees are still very green though, the garden is full of cosmos and roses, it definitely feels “in-between”.

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Kelly Joanne Allen's avatar

This feels very much like my week.

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Ambermoggie's avatar

Squally winds as tide rises, windsurfers challenging the elements, finishing another shawl with my own handspun yarn

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Sasha Udell's avatar

I’m also sat here knitting a shawl but not with lovely handspun yarn unfortunately

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Ambermoggie's avatar

Oh what shawl are you knitting Sasha?

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Mo's avatar

would love to see your shawl!

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Ambermoggie's avatar

Will pop photo on my substack, way behind on posting

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Janelle Hardacre's avatar

Pausing to witness a mesmerising autumn sunset. Glowing yellows, wisps of flame orange and dusty pinks

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Sasha Udell's avatar

My first visit to a pumpkin patch only to realise it was really designed for small children and I was there with my grown-up daughter! We still enjoyed picking our carving pumpkin and filling our wheel barrow with culinary delights such as Turks Turban, Red Kabocha and Crown Prince. A feel a spicy pumpkin soup coming on. Other seasonal joys this week: early morning sunrise dips in the North Sea with my salty sisters, watching a small flock of sanderlings running along the shore at high speed, their little legs a blur.

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Emma Adams's avatar

Love sanderlings- so comical x

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Sarah B's avatar

The season really is here, isn't it? For me, it's stepping outside on a cold evening and the whole street smelling of woodsmoke. My season of sitting around in my fluffy dressing gown has also begun in earnest, as has the season of using the cats as hot water bottles.

I stopped by an arresting crab apple tree yesterday, it was so striking I looked it up: the golden hornet, apparently. So many bright round fruits!

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Emma Adams's avatar

Aah I wonder if I’m too late to plant bulbs this year .. mine would be in pots & I do enjoy them coming up so much.

This week

‘Cyril’ the squirrel has been at his most active in our garden - raiding the bird feeders & burying treasure in the lawn.

Plump pork sausages with champ & gravy for dinner to feed the soul as well as our tummies.

Gently laundering all my winter scarves - an annual ritual producing the most beautiful soft rainbow of washing.

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Cathryn Thompson's avatar

We have a Cyril the squirrel too, must be a common name amongst the squirrel community 😁

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Emma Adams's avatar

Ha ! Cyril does get around 🌰

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Mo's avatar

I love imagining your scarves!

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Anne's avatar

Definitely give the bulbs a go - you’ll thank yourself in spring. I love the scarf ritual!

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Vicky's avatar

I once forgot about planting my bulbs until February....they all still bloomed fine so its never too late!

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Emma Adams's avatar

Love this - nature is pretty clever x

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Oct 20, 2023
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Emma Adams's avatar

Thankyou - will definitely make time in next couple of weeks x

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Wendy Turner's avatar

A week of contrasting but Autumnal weather! Three things: stretching fingers into gloves for a walk beneath blue skies with the first feel of a cold bite on the cheeks; the first sausage casserole of the season; rain and skies that can make the heart feel heavy - cozy antidotes required.

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Gillian Bevan's avatar

Figs! Have eaten TWO lots of fig crumble, with fennel in the crumble and olive oil, ( so good for vegans) instead of butter ….from a recipe by Marc Diacono….( of SPICE fame). Just DELISH

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Lia Leendertz's avatar

Ooh yes that recipe looks like a cracker...

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Mo's avatar

listening to the insistent babbling of the brook after all that rain;

spotting not one but two meadow browns together on the prolific but perforated nettle leaves (I do wonder who is eating them?);

a generous scattering of heart shaped poplar leaves on the green, in tune with the scattering of my husband's ashes under the oak tree there that I planted 15 years ago, and a willow fuchsia wreath I made to hang there.

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Lia Leendertz's avatar

Very beautiful Mo, thank you x

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Cathryn Thompson's avatar

I need to get planting bulbs, I found last years in the garage this week so must remember to actually plant them in the ground this year. I’ve noticed the jackdaws this week, gathering on the roof waiting for next door to throw them some scraps. They don’t seem to mind the wind and a bit of rain so much, unlike the smaller birds that disappear in the bad weather. I must fall into the smaller bird category as I’ve hardly stepped outside these last couple of days!

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Su's avatar

Wind rain and puddles - last of the tomatoes and then the herbs still valiantly battling the weather . Garden spiders still weaving their wonders while I collect nasturtium seeds and others to plant again next year revelling in the wisdom of seeds grown every year in our urban garden .Tulips Sylvestris and other naturalising bulbs await planting to join their established and valiant companions of last year 🌿🍃🌱

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Kelly Joanne Allen's avatar

This week I’ve been waxing leaves with beeswax ahead of the autumn gathering my community nature reserve is hosting on Sunday. I’m running the craft activities and we are making leaf garlands. I have noticed it’s still very green, winds and rain have brought some leaves down but the canopy persists. Darker evenings mean lighting candles and making the room feel cozy. Have also brought in a few conkers and acorns to decorate seasonally.

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Anne's avatar

What a great idea - never heard of doing that.

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Sally Ann's avatar

Autumn has arrived 😊. My three things week. Breakfast by candle light, the autumn table decoration looks amazing with the candles alight. Still working in the garden preparing everything for the winter rest, and hopefully a spring bloom, eagerly awaiting the delivery of my bulbs. The storm came yesterday and called a halt to work, watching the squirrels through the kitchen window, so many and so busy. 🍂

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Vicky's avatar

The season of soup has started, sweet potato and chilli this week a bright bowl of comfort. Wellies now firmly on for the foreseeable for all walks, as our village gets squelchy with the first persistant rains (feeling concern for those caught up in the storm in the North).

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Gins Yearsley's avatar

This week I've really felt the change of season!! We moved house in late spring, so have planted bulbs in pots this year as not sure where they'll be popping ip. I've also taken the last tomatoes off my plants and cleared the greenhouse, laying cardboard down on all the dormant beds. Feels like I'm putting the garden to bed for the winter.

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Anne's avatar

Love that feeling!

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Sue Armstrong's avatar

Do you use your crab apples Lia or is it an ornamental tree? This has been the first week that I have felt truly autumnal - felt like we were tiptoeing into the season before, but now we are striding in ( though it’s still VERY green here) My three - finding lovely, unusual squashes, pumpkins and gourds to buy to add to my seasonal decoration around our front door. Got some beauties on the market today very cheaply. Wearing my sheepskin boots for the first time ( always wear barefoot with sheepskin) and feeling the blissful snuggle round my toes. Gently squeezing the mild soap suds through my few precious cashmere jumpers and flat drying them on towels everywhere ready wear soon.

You’ve all inspired me with your talk of sausages, stews and crumbles! Lastly - seeing that rare early evening sky tint again that speaks of late afternoon winter skies to come - a strange pale green lit with golden light. I love it.

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Lia Leendertz's avatar

Lovely things! I dont make anything with the crab apples. They are so pretty that I want them on the tree for as long as possible, plus the birds strip them later in winter when they must really need them so it feels good to leave them there.

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