My Pumpkin...

Last spring I found some pumpkin seeds that I had forgotten about, they must have been fairly old but I planted them anyway with the goal of growing at least one...hopefully large enough to carve on Hallowe'en. From all the plants that sprouted, and two failed pumpkins which we lost to damage and slugs (bane of my life) we were left with one...rather rugby-ball shaped pumpkin, goal achieved!

So, I went to it last night, knife in hand ready to create my usual jagged-mouthed face, but when I cut into it the flesh was so think I couldn't do much with it - design wise at least.I had managed to grow a pumpkin dense enough to feed a healthy number of people (if useless for artistic creations). So decision made...my beauty has been turned into soup, and lots of it, the left over flesh is cubed and in the freezer.

Thank you pumpkin, you have / will feed us well!

My Pumpkin...(apple for scale)

Clocks back, first frost.

Well, it seems winter is well and truly on the way, yesterday the clocks went back an hour (giving us an extra hour in bed) and the weather is definitely getting chilly. We went out last night as we usually do on a Sunday, and when we walked home at around 10.30, it was freezing...literally. Frost- the first of this autumn - was coating everything in sparkles, and it was a beautiful, clear night with stars glinting overhead. luckily the central heating was on when we opened the front door, and we warmed up very quickly...brrr.

On getting out of bed this morning at 6am, the frost was still there, and it was getting light. Last week it was still dark at that time with no birds singing, what a difference an hour makes! Although it will be dark at 5pm, that early morning bit of light helps the day get going!

Busy Summer...restful Autumn.

Hi all, yes, I know, I haven't posted all summer...but I have been REALLY busy and have been physically away for most of it. I have been helping out on a friend's food stall at various events and have travelled around a lot of the country meeting great people and seeing lovely places, it is over now, so time to get back to my 'thing' and work from home, make my jewellery for Etsy (pagannature.etsy.com) and enjoy autumn and winter.

I love this time of year - being a jumper and blanket type of person, so when others including my husband are complaining about the cold, rain and dark, I am quietly reveling in it! Even down to cooking, stews, roasts, stodgy puddings...total comfort food.

So, I have sorted my wardrobe, summer things away, winter things rediscovered, set the heating timer so it never really gets too chilly in the house and have stocked up on stock cubes and tins in the food cupboard...bring it on winter.

When is your favourite time of year? Let me know, and if it's now I hope you are well. I'm on twitter @gemmsky if you want to connect there :)

Cats and tin-openers...

To my knowledge, my cat has never been fed food from a tin, we never have tinned cat food...so why does he always go crazy at the sound of a tin opener?! Is it some kind of in-built reflex, something in his DNA, like when he watches birds and chatters at the window...he's never caught or eaten one yet knows he should. It may be a mystery among cat owners, but something fascinating nonetheless.

Blimey Doris!

With reports all over Twitter and Facebook of trees down, injuries caused and roads closed it seems Doris has hit with a vengeance today. I was woken by rain and wind during the night, and although it makes a warm bed seem extra cosy with a storm raging outside, my poor husband had to go out in it to work at 5.30am! The cat however has had a lovely morning sitting in the kitchen window watching leaves blowing around, one happy customer for Doris at least.

Stay safe everyone!

New Home, carry on.

Hi all, there has been an absence of posting once again, but I do have a valid excuse...kind of! We have just moved house, and although it took a long (ish) time, a lot of swearing and a near divorce, we are in and nearly settled...and have wifi due to a borrowed dongle so I feel a bit more in touch with the world again!

There are still some boxes and bags to be sorted through, and a wardrobe to build (which will alleviate the bag situation) but the end is in sight.

So, a bit late but still important, happy new year! Hope you had lovely Christmases and here's to the upcoming year.

First stormy day...

After turning in at around 5am this morning (usual night owl behavior) I fell straight to sleep and woke up to a very stormy day, the rain and wind lashing at the window, cars making swooshing noises as they drove by and a distinct chill in the air - the first real autumnal storm has arrived.

I like a storm, it makes me feel awake, the way trees dance and that weird light that comes with violent weather is really special, but then I am lucky to live in a warm dry home, it would be a totally different story otherwise, and I always think of homeless souls and those who have their homes damaged by this kind of weather. There are reports on the news today of storm damage at the coast, caravans being torn to bits and big waves smashing town defenses. Thoughts are with them.

So today will mostly be spent indoors, drinking coffee, and making things for etsy...not bad.