AUTUMN...Season of mellow fruitfulness....

Hi there lovely bloggers..
Bit slow at updating my blog this time, but I have been busy..honest!

I LOVE Autumn...crisp sunny mornings, the fabulous colours in the trees, evenings snuggled up under a rug reading ...... and even more the sight of all the fruit and vegetables gathered from my garden....or given by kind neighbours and friends prepared ready for freezing and bottling for the long winter months ahead.

As you will have seen from my previous posts (those that aren't too bored to read my ramblings) we do not have a large garden..or at least large parts available to sow endless rows of  fruit and veg, but we do try to do a bit..

This year our most success has been with the runner beans....which we ate as they grew..don't know about you but I don't think it's worth freezing them, although I do remember years ago helping my MIL salt the pounds of beans she used to get from her garden.  It was the topping, tailing and slicing that got a bit boring! And then you had to remember to rinse them a dozen times before you used them or...Yuk!!
Our second best crop was the tomatoes, all grown outdoors as we dont have a greenhouse and all except the black ones grown in old hoppers on the wall.  My BIL grows all the plants every year and we like to try all sorts of varieties.  As you can see above they make a lovely sight all the different colours together.  I must say my favourites are the yellow cherry ones, so sweet, I must have eaten dozens straight off the vine!

These are the last pickings...apart from the green ones which I am making into green tomato chutney.  Home made soup, Yummm!  Plenty of garlic and a  red pepper to sweeten.  Just the ticket with some home made bread!

We have also been very fortunate to be given loads of these...

And these..... now stored in my freezer ready to make chutneys pies....and of course crumbles...I can see the elastic waist skirts could be making an appearance here this winter..

We were given some of these too...such super colours..I almost don't want to use them..

Although I talk of 'chutneys' I have to confess I am but an amateur here, but with the help of this little book..

I am hoping to have a pantry full of filled jars with pretty labels and covers either to use or to give as presents this Christmas ( Oh no it's that word again), mind I could be forgiven for thinking it was nearly here as our visit to a Notcutts nursery last Sunday found us in a complete winter wonderland of trees, lights and decorations..all fully operational and taking up a good third of the indoor space..and there I thought Halloween and bonfire night came before that.....but what do I know!!

As well as pretending to be some sort of domestic goddess...which I certainly am not.....either I cook or clean.  You don't get both out of me in the same week!..  I have also been finishing the gifts for my PIF winners, the little gift for Fiona who won the 'Pass the Book' and a swap parcel.  These will all go in the post tomorrow, so as soon as I know they have been received I will reveal what I sent.

Well time for that cosy read now....and perhaps a glass of vino to round of the day.. so cheerio for now and hope you all have a fine and productive week.....or a good rest if that's what you need.

TTFN

Jenny x x