Joys of Autumn

And I hope he doesn't get hay fever.

Sorry!

I passed on your concern J - and it gave him a big .......... and me too!

We used to have chinese lanterns in the garden but they seem to have disappeared recently. (I know I did keep digging them out because they spread so much). I miss them now. Always had a bunch hanging upside down in the living room at this time of the year.

They are lovely, especially at this time of year. I was given them with roots on, so have put them where they can spread to their hearts content ( well, almost......)!

I wonder if they would grow here, and whether roe deer would eat them....

Jay just flew to the top of an ash tree. Binoculars out fastish. It had a nut/acorn/rosehip/somethingorother in its beak. Classic picture

Ella, Anno and B - I wrote this post early, but it didn't get posted! I'm sorry - must have been half-asleep....... so here it is again. Many thanks for your flowers and wishes - Mr. B. is still poorly.

Bags, they should be OK in the West of Scotland - my grandmother had them in her garden in Ayrshire, not so very far south of where you live. Good old Gulf Stream. I can't speak for the roe deer, however.

Butter Lovely words. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to dear MrButty

I LOVE autumn - best time of year - rosehips, funny shaped squashes and gourds to pile up in the kitchen, lighting the fire, lighting candles, cobnuts, making crumbles from picked blackberries, starting to wear socks again - buying new cosy socks, making chutney from tomatoes that didn't go red - all the anticipation of bonfire night etc to come - its all gorgeous. We are lucky to have seasons.

Started clearing the garden yesterday, and decided to plant up a rockery at the back of the pond. I love the autumn as it sort of feels the end of one year and time to plan for the next.

fluff exactly!!

fluffy how old are you?

Sigh

I only ask because I can vaguely remember feeling like that.

Bags, they grow everywhere. Muntjack deer don't eat them.

We had a jay in the garden the other day. Horrible birds!

fluff - You make Autumn sound wonderful - and it is!

As well as still tending Mr. B., I've started digging over some of the veg. patch and re-shaping my very woolly box balls. Brought in the last of the aubergines (pathetically small) but beautiful, and the last remaining tomatoes. Can feel a potato and aubergine curry coming on......

Am now very stiff.

Saw a tree creeper this morning. It was tree-creeping. Sweet wee bird.

Black sky for all of 15 minutes. Torrential rain. Lightning and a huge clap of thunder. Now the sky is mostly blue and all is calm. As Bags would say - hey ho!

Just got back from a near-perfect early autumn walk. Mild, warm sunshine, fresh hedgerows from yesterday's rain, Mr. Butty up a ladder touching up the shutters ready for winter, and the cat asleep on my drying walnuts. Put the just-picked dried seed heads in a pot on the table outside the kitchen door, am about to hang out the laundry after pinning up a pic. in my study of the grandkids in a field of big orange pumpkins.

Butter You are wonderful with words. I can picture the scene. Delightful.

Just been lane-hopping with my secateurs and brought back an armful of beech leaves. Mixed hot water with glyceryne and poured it into a jug, nipped off the bottom lot of leaves, and added the beech sprays to the jug. Should be a nicely golden brown bunch in time, that will be beautiful all winter. Will look good with the orange chinese lanterns, too.

What a lovely idea Butty. I have lots of 3ft tall beech saplings spouting up around my front garden and have been clipping them down with secateurs. Never gave a thought to treating them with glycerine. I used to do that years ago, and have got out of the habit of drying as many flowers and branches as I could.

Yes, when I used to do it years and years ago too. Mum used to do them. First time in ages. Hope they work out.

What's the proportion of glycerine to water, Butty? I'd love to try it for a change.

Anno - I use 1 1/2 cups of glycerine to 3 cups of boiling water for about 12 sprays. Leave for several days until you can feel the slight oilyness on the underside of the leaves. Lay on paper for a while then put away until the colour has turned or just use immediately.

I'm going to try that too. It's a lovely idea. Thanks, butty.

I've just identified a wild orchid that M. Butty found in the garden - Autumn Lady's Tresses. Minute and a beautiful growing habit. (Spiranthes Spiralis)
Aptly named.
Never seen one before but apparently they are quite common.

We have had a run of three or four cold nights and chilly but sunny days. All but the last 5 or 10 percent of the leaves on our wild (possibly 'feral') plum tree have fallen off in the last night or two and are making a colourful leafy covering on my Monday scythings.