I like September in the lane. Even people like me who may be a bit challenged in the ‘identifying wildflowers’ department are suddenly offered a helping hand by Mother Nature who obligingly sends forth a mass of brightly coloured berries to make the task easier – something similar to when you’re struggling with a crossword puzzle and someone comes along and fills in every other letter…
This September there seems to be a huge abundance of fruits in our lane. So far I’ve spotted rowan berries, hips, haws, elderberries, blackberries, lords & ladies, acorns, honeysuckle berries and sloes (by the way, if you’re tired of sloe gin, here are a few alternatives I quite liked the look of…)
I don’t think we’ll be seeing any crabapples this year, the poor tree hardly produced a handful of blossom and there’s no sign of any fruit that I can spot. And I’m not anticipating a major conker crop this year since almost all the horse-chestnut trees in the park were felled last winter.
But what there is seems very plentiful indeed. Good news for foragers. (That’s not me though, apart from the odd blackberry or two. It’s less to do with willingness, more a result of always having the Delinquent Dog in tow. There’s only so much you can reach with only one hand free, and whilst I often say I look like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards, I don’t really want to put it to the test).
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Are you a serious forager? What’s your favourite and what do you like to do with it?
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I started a new Meditation Piece at the weekend. (If you follow me on Instagram you’ll have seen a glimpse of it – there’s a link on the side) – It seems to have an autumnal feel – not deliberate, but perhaps a product of my subconscious…
Happy stitching.
Dreaming In Stitches 
The weather may not be autumnal yet, but our thoughts are certainly turning that way!
It’s been very humid here for a few days, which is not my favourite weather, but the flora definitely think it’s well and truly autumn.
Wonderful time of year, it sounds as though you enjoy it as much as I do.
I don’t have a dog (delinquent or otherwise) so blackberry picking is a fairly easy task. Sloes next – thanks for the link to the other recipes, but I can’t imagine ever being tired of sloe gin!
I do enjoy autumn very much, it’s really my best season even though there are things I like about the others, autumn brings out the inner me. I liked the sound of sloe whisky, but I’ll need to go out without the boy to pick a few – he’s no help at all.
Ooh – inspiring! I’m off this afternoon to see what I can forage, and I hope I find as much as you 🙂 I collect as much as I can, throw it all into the preserving pan together with some chillies and a bit of water, simmer, sieve, add sugar, bring to setting boil and pot as Spiced Harvest jelly – delicious, and so easy. Also – I’m loving your slow-stitching silks on IG – looks perfect for autumn days.
Spiced Harvest jelly sounds brilliant, I wonder if I could persuade my brood to try something along those lines. Thanks for your comment about the slow stitching – definitely a bit of autumn coming through there, I hadn’t realised until I started these how much I love the texture of silk to work with and the way it changes in different light gives me a little thrill 🙂