A WHIFF OF AUTUMN

When I woke this morning it was raining heavily, my window was open and I could hear the shoooshing sound of cars driving through the puddles in the lane, the other thing I noticed at once was the unmistakable smell of Autumn, that spicy, mushroomy, indefinable something on that breeze that tells you it is that time of year again. It is for me a busy time, I do as the animals do and stock up my larder while there is plenty to provide for the winter months that lie ahead. People who live town lives my not be so tuned in as it were to the changing seasons but a countryman or woman has it etched into there very soul, it is a part of our consciousness always. Today it was telling me that I am late in making the apple and herb jellies, a staple store cupboard item for us, we use it as a condiment with cooked meats and as a base for sauces and gravies all the year round. Using the juice from the fruit I strained yesterday and two and a half pounds of sugar I made seven bottles of apple and rowan jelly one of which will appear on the Christmas table this year. I went on to begin the apple and thyme jelly.

Six pounds of cooking apples
ten large sprigs of fresh thyme
the juice of three lemons
three pints of water.

I brought it to the boil and simmered for twenty minutes then poured into a jelly bag to strain until morning, next instalment tomorrow.

Another sign of the changing season are the runner beans, suddenly this morning there they were, beautiful long crisp and delicious, they are an autumn crop and if picked regularly will produce until early October. You must hate me for talking about autumn even before the August bank holiday yet for me as for my country born forebears the time to do these important tasks makes no allowance for modern holiday dates, it is as it is, that's nature for you. Seeing the store cupboards fill up with brightly coloured jams, jellies, chutneys and pickles gives me much satisfaction, at least as much as a squirrel must get from it's hoard of nuts. These items also make excellent gifts and that helps the budget quite a lot.

The Mongolian fur rug I ordered for my son has arrived, it is huge, very soft and shaggy and is lined with felted wool. Warm enough to keep out the chilliest weather, I stowed it away in the cupboard until December. We had guests today so we ate drank and made merry, then it was back to work as we are still cleaning the living room after last weeks amusement! Pa had a hospital appointment at nine forty-five this morning, just a blood test that usually takes about fifteen minutes altogether, at eleven fifteen when I called to find out why he had not returned he informed me that as they had lost his notes he had to wait until they were found, how tiresome and how typical, it certainly messed up our morning. I did boiled eggs for breakfast and this evenings meal was lasagne followed by a citrus jelly, made with lime lemon and orange juice, it went down well with the troops.

I hope I have not depressed you with my talk of autumn, it's just that I get quite excited at this time of year, all the bustle and so forth, it is what my gardening year is all about, the harvesting of all the lovely things that have obliged me by growing and fruiting in my garden. The next few weeks will be some of the busiest of my year, it is tiring but I enjoy it as much as we shall enjoy eating these goodies all through the coming year.