We know how I feel about the onset of ugly Autumn and it's vile cohort Winter but the calendar persists in relentlessly ratcheting round despite my protestations. So what does the new season have in store for me? I feel a list coming on.

Forage elderberries, rose hips, sweet chestnuts, crab apples, blackberries, sloes, plums and whatever else we can make use of

Make crumbles, country wines, jams, syrups and infusions

Photograph the changing landscape

Plan for Christmas, arrange festivities, buy and make thoughtful gifts

Write about the good things we get up to 

Swap my wardrobe around and sort through clothes to part with what I no longer can wear

Pot up winter plants for the front door

Plant tulips and spring bulbs

Continue to harvest remaining allotment produce, store or use

Make soups and casseroles

Tidy allotment, flower patch, greenhouse and garden but not over-tidy - remember wildlife

Plan uplifting times out- meals, walks, events

As Autumn draws to a firm close it's high time to look back on what goodness the season held. Back in October I shared a wishlist of things that I'd hope to achieve by the end of the year. Let's see how I did.

• Make elderberry syrup - yes and it has been a taste revelation, delicious!
• Make rosehip syrup - yes, it's been lovely
• Capture all the sights to share - I've had a go but to be honest the coverage hasn't been up to scratch. A significant lapse in blogging has not helped.
• Make allotment produce soups for midweek lunches - I've made plenty! The roasted butternut squash with buttery onions and coconut milk was a triumph and will be repeated.
• Sort out the wardrobe for the colder weather and get rid of the things I won't wear - yes, but that hasn't applied to all the other clothes that lurk in the spare room 
• Read books if there's nothing on TV I'm dying to watch - Once or twice but opting for an early night has featured heavily.
• Dismantle spent summer plants at the allotment - it's been attended to pretty well
• Plan and execute thoughtful Christmas gifts - Planning was left a little late, though the execution took far less time than expected so this went very well. I hope they are a success with recipients.
• Carve a pumpkin for halloween - no and I think it's wasteful so I've no idea why I put this on the list.
• Forage sweet chestnuts - we got quite a nice haul and they were lovely. Had to resort to supermarket since though as the ones off the market were dreadful - so old and dry. What a swizz.
• Harvest allotment apples and remaining pears - yes
• Create new allotment flower plot - yes! This was exciting and I'll write about this soon.
• Plant up pots for winter colour and spring bulbs - they have been establishing well. Little violas on top with a bulb lasagne underneath. 
• Tidy and clean out greenhouse - it's not finished quite yet...
• I'd like to read my 'Autumn' book that I've not picked up yet - gah! Not once.
• Plan the allotment layouts for 2019 - no. Something for the winter then!
• Cut the wildflower patch and re-spray the new extension - We cut it but have suffered a setback. 
• I haven't penned a letter for at least a year and I would like to get back to writing - I sent Christmas letters to two of C's aunts. Aren't I thoughtful?

Bit of a melancholy post yesterday. It felt like a rather gloomy day and greyness spilled out everywhere.



Above, sloes taunting. Below, look at those berries (no doubt poisonous).

Amazing Christmas jumper it looks like was knitted on a machine. It's so warm and tricky to get into. Requires a wool wash and everything.


For no apparent reason I tend to forget that the run-up to Christmas is in Autumn. I also made a wreath that exceeded expectations, watched plenty of Christmas films and made plenty of Christmas decorations, made sloe gins, tended family obligations and overall it's been a jam-packed few months. The winter plans ought to be made soon but in the meantime I'll say happy Winter Solstice, the days' light will lengthen from hereon in but there are meteor showers tonight so if the sky's clear take a look if you can.
Take care,
Sophie

It feels like we've turned a corner with the weather; this morning it's blowing a gale and it makes me want to snuggle back under the duvet for the next six months. However, being human and not squirrel it's not standard behaviour so instead I shall make plans of what to do to occupy myself with all fun things 'til new year. First things first, looking back to my summer plans there was plenty achieved; hundreds of flowers adorned vases in the house, the allotment harvest has been ongoing and more efficiently than ever. Jams made, meals have been eaten outdoors many times. We went to Latitude, I sowed biennial seeds for next year, though I still have sweet peas to go. Amid all the activity I still made opportunities to read, finishing quite a few books. The only thing we didn't achieve was to get to the beach. One of my most-loathed days is one spent in a traffic jam to get to the coast, struggling to park then being stuck in a crowd on the beach before having a slow crawl home. So no beach. Sad!


What would be nice this season? Well, I've already made 2 batches of rosehip syrup as it seemed the right time to pick the hips. They're a little runnier than I had in mind but it's not a problem. I've already had a look for fungi to photograph but it's an ongoing activity.

• Pick blackberries - I missed out last year and it was a bit annoying. 
• Plan homemade presents and execute. 
• Organise the 'craft room' which has been completely abandoned since last Christmas. It's a mess and needs organising. 
• Have a good wardrobe clear out. Give away clothes that will never fit.
• Have a good sort out in the house to clear away clutter and streamline life

There isn't all that much to my plan to for this Autumn, to be frank I'm feeling rather downbeat about it after the highs of spring and summer. Maybe I'll add a few more things over the coming weeks as I limber up a bit.
Take care,
Sophie

Who even knows when Autumn is officially over any more with the Met Office spouting their own version of events and the natural calendar keeping pace with the way things have always been. I'm sure nobody gives a fig about the autumn to winter transition with the imminent prospect of Christmas but it feels like the right time to reflect on how autumn has gone. I made a little list of things back in September with some ideas of what to do.

Done

In progress

Still to look forward to