Looking For Signs Of Autumn...

The blackberries came early, the figs didn't ripen properly, the weather has been really warm even though we are in mid October. So are there other signals that we are moving into Autumn? The shops sell "back to school bargains" before the Summer Term ends, and Halloween and Christmas displays went up in August. But here are three definite markers...

1 - The Royal British Legion have put their poppies on sale. They say there are no actual rules about when to wear them, but suggest from October 31st to Armistice Day [11th November] or Remembrance Sunday, whichever is later. [this year November 8th]

2 - Last Thursday we called in at  my favourite affordable hatshop in Dalegate Market. The manager has removed the displays of cotton bucket hat, floppy straw sunhats and natty cream panamas with petersham hatbands.  In their place are

fleecy beanies, fluffy bobbles, felted numbers, tweedy titfers,and earflapped jobbies. 

"I've gone fully woolly!" she announced. Or should that be "fully wully" or maybe "foolly woolly"? It is a phrase which sounds better than it looks! 

But I saw the definitive sign that autumn is on its way, as I stood at my kitchen sink the other morning, poking through the window to see what was happening in the Close. 

3 - Naked Running Man was wearing a teeshirt and a woolly hat! [Obviously NRM is not his real name]. He appeared at the start of the summer. He runs a loop round the village, once, sometimes twice a day. We are the middle of the run, I think - like the dog walkers, he comes round the Close, then through the alley back to the main road, and back down the hill again.

He is a young chap, always pushing a baby in a three wheeled "jogging buggy" But over the summer, he just wore trainers, a reversed baseball cap and running shorts. As he run towards you, the buggy in front of him, his shorts were obscured, and it really looked as if he was just wearing shoes and cap. All you could see was his trim, bronzed figure.[Remember those Diet Coke Break ads from the 1990s?] He is concentrating really hard, I suspect he is training for something. People who call out a cheery 'morning!" get a smile and a nod of the head, but he has no time [or breath] for conversation. I admire his diligence, especially now the weather is definitely getting autumnal. If he is preparing for a charity run, I would definitely sponsor him, he brings a smile to the morning.

What signs of autumn have you seen round your way?

Soups And Scoops

Now I am back from my conference, I need to sort out all my frozen goods. Things have got a little disorganised of late. I picked the pears and prepared and froze them, and did the same a little later with the apples. But it was all done rather hurriedly, and I didn't think through exactly where I would store them. They are packed in various sized lok'n'lok boxes, and tucked in odd corners of different drawers. And then there are half-used bags of frozen veg which fall into the gaps - and if I am not careful, disgorge a few frozen peas or sweetcorn kernels to lurk in corners.

And boxes labelled "Bob'sTom Sauce, September" "Ang's Spinach, blanched" and some boxes with no labels at all. There are a few neatly printed tags, curling up at the bottom of the freezer. Note; Brother P-Touch labels do not stick to plastic under freezing conditions even if they work in the kitchen. I decided to use up some of the foods just to make space to re-arrange what remains. I had a lot of stock, three tubs of tomato sauce, and a box of kebabs [mined meat] which never made it to a BBQ.
The stock went into the big slo-cooker, along with a load of small homegrown potatoes from the fridge [plus some tired carrots, a few spring onions and a handful of red lentils] That burbled away happily, and then I liquidised it to get vegetable soup. Warming lunches for autumn days.

I thawed and 'dismantled' the kebabs, and using Brontë Aurell's lovely book as inspiration I turned the mince [along with breadcrumbs, onion, an egg, and seasonings like Allspice and Worcestershire Sauce] into meatballs. These went into the tomato sauce, and that's 4 portions waiting for pasta, rice or potatoes for a comforting winter supper. 

One scoop of mince using my ice cream scoop is just enough to cut in half make two meatballs [I wore disposable gloves to handle and roll them] I'm pleased with  what I have achieved, and I hope to get the rest of the frozen foodstuffs properly sorted out next week.

How do you use up oddments in the freezer?

O Sabbath Rest

Jon and Bob walking through the trees on the way back from Holkham beach last Saturday. Walking and talking together is a good thing to do - especially outside enjoying the beauty of Creation. 

And here's a picture of us sitting with Ro and Jess, looking at a partial rainbow over the sea - we had just spent ages watching a red kite diving and swooping. We think it caught a small rodent before it flew away. 

How blessed I am to live in such a beautiful county, and have such a caring family. I am especially grateful for the time to rest and reflect and feel loved and valued.

I hope your Sunday has some moments of peace, joy and love too, wherever you are. This hymn has been on my mind these last few days...

More From The Shed

Here is the newly refurbished nameplate on the Parish Church Noticeboard. Santa Bob has just fixed it in place

For the first time in years, our Parish Church is hosting a Flower Festival this weekend. They asked for help from the Mens' Shed, in making some shelves to fit over some of the pews, to enable more floral arrangements to be displayed. These have been duly created  and covered with green paper.

-The Shed has been allocated one, to promote the group. 
Bob had an idea about using vintage carpentry equipment and flowers to make a display. However I am away at a Conference, and wasn't sure I could find time to prepare an arrangement. So I did some research, and here is what I came up with. I was able to put it in place before I left!

Because the Swanton Morley Shed Project is a lively, growing group this arrangement is created with living plants rather than cut flowers. The ones chosen represent the qualities found among ‘Shedders’ using the traditional ‘Language of Flowers’

The alstroemeria symbolizes long-lasting friendship, and mutual support - its leaves twist 180 degrees as they grow which is seen as a symbol of staying connected through life's ups and downs. The six petals of the flower represent the traits required for a strong bond: understanding, humour, patience, empathy, commitment, and respect.
The echinacea [yellow coneflower] stands for optimism and good mental health
Ivy represents loyalty and companionship
Yellow chrysanthemums celebrate happiness and friendship.

Huge thank you to all of you for your kind words yesterday. I'm here in Milton Keynes at a Conference for spouses of Baptist Revs. Among many friends old and new. The theme of the weekend is "Worship is Rest" and we are expected to take time out to rest. Just what I need! 

A Dead Mouse, A Wardrobe Malfunction, And An Unexpected Delivery

Monday afternoon was awful. I went off to do a big shop at Sainsbury's and phoned Bob to say I was finished and about to drive home, but felt a bit woozy. He suggested I went to the nearby Costa and had a drink and sat down till I felt better. I was OK driving the few hundred yards from the supermarket, but when I got out of the car, things started spinning. Fortunately there was no queue as I lurched to the counter. "What can I get you?" said the cheery barista. I said I thought I was having a vertigo attack, so please could I begin with a glass of tap water with ice in it. Her colleague produced it very promptly, and that helped a lot. I thanked her, and ordered a coffee. She said the cakes were half price, so I added a Bakewell Slice. The barista said I should sit down and she'd bring my drink over. The two assistants were incredibly kind. (thank you, girls) I sat for about 20 minutes then drove home carefully. But once I got to Cornerstones and got out of the car and stood up, the nausea washed over me again. Bob sent me to bed (and brought me a sick bowl,in case) I ordered a small birthday gift online. Monday night I slept well. Tuesday I rested, and felt much better. 

Wednesday seemed OK, but there were some bizarre moments. Emptying the waste paper bins into a larger bag (it was bin day) I jumped to see a small brown creature in the bottom of the lounge wpb. I thought it was a dead mouse. Fortunately it wasn't. It was the detached leg of the teddy Jess won at a local fete. The head, and 2 of the limbs had snapped off the same day she got it, so it was consigned to the bin.

Bob went off to the Shed, and I went up into the loft. As I always do, I took my mobile phone up there with me. But then the land-line rang. I clambered slowly and carefully down the ladder, but by the time I got to the phone, the caller had left a message then rung off - but number withheld so I couldn't ring back. Never mind, at least I didn't race down the steps and risk falling. The parcel I'd ordered arrived. 

Bob came home and needed help taking some Shed stuff to the Parish Church. The ladies were preparing for the upcoming Flower Festival. "I don't know if I should say this dear, but you are wearing your jumper inside out"  I felt extremely stupid!

Then when we got home, the parcel I'd ordered arrived. Yes, in my vertiginous stupor I'd managed to order the gift twice! It doesn't matter, I can use the 2nd gift for somebody else sometime.

I should have stayed in bed on Wednesday too....

I Met A Man With Seven Wives...

No, it was just Kirsten with a ball of wool and a pair of needles!
Here is her October gift Block #49 which the author has named St Ives 

Kirsten says
"These were incredibly quick to knit; it's a ten-row pattern, but astonishingly easy to learn and only five repeats. Plus, there's only one row of the hated purl to knit, and two of rib, which I don't mind so much."

Rows 1 – 3 knit
Row 4 K2P2 to end
Row 5 – knit
Row 6 - K2P2 to end
Row 7 – knit
Rows 8 & 9 – knit
Row 10 -  k1, P to last stitch, K1

Kirsten sent me a beautiful vintage postcard of "Tombland" the medieval area outside Norwich Cathedral- an area I love walking round.

Plus a quirky little book - which Bob recognised instantly and said how brilliant it is. Lem Putt is the Specialist - a carpenter by trade, and specialist in Sanitary Engineering. It is the story of how he builds his friend Elmer a 'mighty pretty privy'

Kirsten made herself golden autumnal one. I love my red/purple piece, the colours of breakfast compost!  She says she will definitely be repeating this one, perhaps in a less fluffy yarn so the stitch definition is clearer.

The people of St Ives, Cornwall claim this poem, written in 1730 for their town. But the folk of St Ives Cambridgeshire say it was written for them! Who knows? I wasn't planning to go to St Ives anyway

All Mixed Up

Over the summer, I have developed a fondness for 'topping up' my breakfast cereal, with yogurt and/or fruit. In Cyprus, Wendy prepared a lovely bowl of chopped fruit each morning [with fresh figs from her garden] and had a tub of Greek yogurt alongside. Staying with my SIL, there was fresh fruit, and also a tub of summer fruits compôte. Back here, I have a jar of home made compôte and one of home-made yogurt in the fridge, which I put out on the breakfast table. 

Bob refers to this as fruit compost. But this jewelled red delight is not to be confused with compost heap jelly.  [See Sue's post from earlier in the year] I have made CHJ in the past, they are two very different products.

The jelly is made by cooking the fruit, straining it, and boiling it up with sugar and water. Quite a long process, but it does yield a proper preserve which keeps for ages. The compôte is much quicker - chop up the fruit, add a little water and sugar to taste, bring to the boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes, cool and keep in the fridge, use within 4-5 days.

My latest batch was some ripe strawberries and plums from the fridge, and in place of sugar, I emptied a tiny Tiptree pot of blackcurrant jam which came with a scone recently.
But I started wondering - where did the name come from? The word compôte is French, and the circumflex over the ô indicates a historical missing S [like pâté for paste, and hôtel  was originally hostel]

But how does this connect with my garden compost bin?
I finally found the answer - the word comes from the Latin compostum - which means to put together, or to mix.

So mixed fruits in a jar, or mixed decaying materials in a garden bin, are both compost. As usual, Bob was right!