October...ing

 October in our house has been a fine mix of indoor and outdoor activity. Foraging, putting the garden to bed, sewing and making of course and general small holding pursuits.

Foraging - these parasol mushrooms for a tasty soup.

Matching - our salad to the weekly vase of flowers. There are carnations I grew from cuttings, scabious, dahlias and a few more choice stems.

Arranging - home grown flowers for Harvest Supper. I do love a bit of flower arranging.

Curating - some of my fabric scraps into ready cut garments. There becomes a stage where there are more scraps than I can mentally deal with. A good old cutting out session matching pieces with like-minded companions, committing to cutting them out and bagging them up ready to sew feels like a big step forward.

Watching - the changing view during October. It is the best time to look out of our kitchen window and appreciate where we live.

Celebrating - My youngest becoming a teenager with a death by chocolate cake decorated in mint aero. It was requested. I delivered. 

Catching - a few rainbows this month. Some of them were absolute screamers.

Collecting - conkers. I don't know why. Meg does it every year. She marvels at the texture and colour and then I find them all mouldy in her room about two months later. That is how it has worked here for 13 years.

Scooping - up tonnes of crab apples. It was a full on family job. We all had aching backs afterwards but they are in the sheep field. Now, sheep can eat the odd apple or two but too many is not good for them and you just can't trust sheep not to gorge themselves on something that is right there under their noses.

Putting - the greenhouse to bed. I picked the last few tomatoes this week and have swept through. The pots, troughs and sinks have all been emptied.  I started off two years ago with the three geraniums at the back, took four successful cuttings last year and this year I have taken 24 more. Hopefully these can then go back into the Belfast sinks at the front of the house next summer.

Finishing - off with my two latest Autumn makes. A cosy Paige Hoodie by Chalk and Notch and a refashioned skirt made from a rather unsuccessful dress attempt.

A very brown and orange post today but a reflection of the Autumnal season I feel. Thanks for stopping by. Jo xxx