Saturday 10 October 2015

The state of the nation.



It's still nice and green out there, and the Chestnut harvest is almost over. I have gathered all the Walnuts I require for the Winter, and 'amazingly' we have just eaten the first of our Curly Kale; which I planted less than two months ago.

Fires are being lit in the evenings, the TV is getting far more attention than usual, and I often find myself wandering aimlessly.

Leek and Potato soup is back on the menu, and Butternuts are being roasted with our weekend feasts. Salads have now been banished.

My long trousers have made a reappearance, a warm Arctic Fleece has made my early morning walks more comfortable, I wear gumboots for most of the day, and I have been searching the house for my gloves (as yet unsuccessfully). 

There is still some Maize to be harvested (for grain), but most previously cultivated land is now 'brown side up'. The distant field in the photo has been sown with Rye Grass.

Soon my final load of wood will be delivered, and the sound of chainsaws will once again rise from the woods. The hunters will pass by at weekends, and lost dogs will turn-up at the house asking for food and water.

If it's dry over the next week or so, I'll do a final mowing of the lawns and orchard, then hope that all will remain perfect until Spring.

In the meantime, I shall dream of sunshine, the pool, my shorts, salads, al fresco eating, grandchildren laughing, new growth, and girls in Summer dresses.



38 comments:

  1. It looks like we might have another week of summer left. I picked 8 yellow tomatoes today and hope more will ripen next week. However, I envy you, for putting everything about summer to bed. I look at all that work ahead of me, and moan. I truly wish I had a genie or the money to hire somebody else to get everything ready for fall/winter.

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    1. I grubbed-up my tomato plants recently, and hung them up with all the green fruits still clinging. They're now ripening one by one.... very handy.

      Beautiful weather here (except for cool mornings), and it's set to last.

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  2. I'd swap you any day! Summer has come in way too fast and fiercely downunder this year!

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    1. An old friend of mine (from NZ) once said that the most perfect place to live in the whole world was around Perth. And here you are telling me otherwise.

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  3. It all sounds idyllic - you have described the change of season beautifully - although you do sound rather sad that summer has gone.

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  4. The changing of the seasons causes quite a lot of us to become cold and tired and grumpy...maybe we all have a little 'sad'..but spring will return.....how is the barn?

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    Replies
    1. Everything is 'almost finished', but nothing entirely finished (except the downstairs bathroom). We now need to do all the finishing touches.

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  5. Your post makes me want to leave my view of brick walls, fences, and cars immediately to look out on a view like yours where the seasons change the landscape - a cosy bothy would do!

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    1. Every morning when I go outside I realise how lucky I am. A stream or river would have been nice, but otherwise it's perfect.

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  6. This seems more or less to echo what the farmer is doing - Autumn is well and truly here - am just off to look for my rubber gloves so that I can plant bulbs.

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    1. We planted a load of bulbs around our fruit trees last year, but I think I must have mowed them, as nothing came up.

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  7. That's one thing we have in common. I'm always dreaming of girls in Summer dresses as well.

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    Replies
    1. French girls/women are not as chic as they used to be (out here in the country), but they still do make an effort in summer.

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    2. Neither are the Italian ones. Sad, isn't it?

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    3. And most of them can't bloody cook either.

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  8. ahh...leek and potato soup...that says late autumn !!

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    Replies
    1. Possibly the best soup ever!

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    2. Don't think I have ever had leek and potatoe soup - presume one would have to start by boiling a chicken for a good stock. Must try it one day.

      Saw a photo of you and Wills by the pool - still looks pretty good there. Spring keeps teasing us here. Managed to get some weeding done though and must now do some seed sowing and planting. Those delicata squash seeds are not yet sown.

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    3. I'm glad you managed to find some.... let me know.

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  9. A busy time with a little overlay of sadness. I had to wear my fall jacket yesterday ..sigh... however, today I shall make a big pot of ham and pea soup. For every yuck there is a yay!.

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    Replies
    1. Back to beautiful weather here, even if the mornings are a bit cool.

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  10. I should give a lot for such a quiet and beautiful rutin.

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  11. It's a beautiful life! I like the part about the lost dogs coming over. You're a magnet for them, aren't you? They know what's what.

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    1. They are let out to find deer and boar, and become so engrossed that they get lost. We're always finding a few strays.

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  12. How well you have painted a picture of a new season's arrival. I could see it all, while imagining myself in the picture.

    Over here in New York, I took advantage of a cool and rainy Friday to make the first lentil soup of autumn, while also trying to sort out various seasonal paperwork. I set myself a leisurely pace.

    Best wishes.

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    Replies
    1. Very different here to NY city. Did I ever mention that the very first mayor of NY attended my old school. Capt Willett (sp?)

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    2. I do not think that you have mentioned Capt Willett in posts that I have seen. Thank you for catching me up.

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  13. Beautifully written post. It is always sad when Summer leaves.

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    Replies
    1. It sure is, but it's still hanging on here... lovely day today.

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  14. Autumn tends to hang back down here in the SW of France, but as you say, the mornings are chilly although the days are still warm. Felt a bit silly when we went supermarket shopping at lunchtime.....Lester had his winter fleece on (he had been doing the animals earlier on) and I had my winter cardi on, just in case I got chilly. We both looked over dressed, and both sweltered!

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    Replies
    1. I went to a local Chestnut Fair this afternoon, and had to change back into my shorts.... Too hot.

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  15. try the Kiwi roasted veggie salad we were given...eaten hot or cold as desired..chunk up kumera(sweet potato), potatoes, beetroot, parsnip, carrot, quartered onions, garlic...place in large plastic bag with a tablespoon of oil and spices of choice....tip out on to a hot very lightly oiled roasting pan and put in a fairly hot oven to roast.

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    Replies
    1. We often do similar roasts, but without the sweet potato (can't get them here). I would substitute butternut. Lovely

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  16. Oh, and don't forget to empty the water butt - we forgot one year, and the cold made it freeze and then split into two.
    The resulting ice cube took nearly a month to thaw!

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    Replies
    1. I don't think ours has ever frozen. We have an old wine barrel, and it's quite well sheltered.

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