Autumn

Autumn was my mother's favourite time of year (apart from the spiders, as she hated their webs: see my wildlife blog!). She loved the colours and the atmospheric play of light and shadow through the bronzing leaves. I am more of a spring person, as I like to think summer is on its way. I get melancholy in autumn, realising several months of cold days and nights are on their way when I'd rather be wearing a nice light winter dress and sitting in a deckchair! But these geraniums are still blooming brightly and provided a spot of cheeriness early this morning when the temperature had only just crept into the early forties fahrenheit.

My six tomato plants did spectacularly well, so much so that I have run out of people to give them away to as everybody else in the area has had a glut, too. I have made six jars of tomato chutney, several pasta sauces and have eaten tomatoes with a salad for lunch every day. And I still have all this lot waiting to be picked!


Yesterday I picked some nice big Bramley apples and some Coxes Pippins from the garden and made a sultana and apple pie, which I presented to Mr Grumpy with his initial on. Yes, I know it looks a bit tatty round the edges (so does he!!!) but it sure tasted good with custard.



Today I shall be making marmalade, and then some banana bread. I'm not the world's best cook. I get easily flustered when Mr G is around, as he used to be a professional caterer at a film studios and is a brilliant cook and breadmaker. But he's just gone out, so I'll get as much done as I can now, before he returns to tell me I'm doing it all wrong!