Today, I am so grateful for sunny September weather and Autumn's bounty! As I sit here, I am surrounded by the wonderful abundance of the September harvest time! We are lucky enough to have an elder tree, an apple tree and a hazelnut tree all in and around our garden, not to mention blackberries within a five minute walk! So far we have made and eaten quite a few blackberry and apple pies, which are a firm family favourite! We also made a batch of elderberry syrup, winter's medicine, which kept us all going through winter last year. It is a magical remedy for colds and coughs, through the colder months. (There is a recipe for this on my craft and recipe blog, 'Arisha's Gratitude Lounge.
http://mooncatdreamdesigns.weebly.com/blog/elderberry-syrup-recipe )
Last year, we had a go at wrapping our apple harvest in newspaper and crates, and we were still eating garden apples, (albeit a little soft!), for many months into the new year! I felt a bit like a character from Brambly Hedge! This year we have done the same and also stewed a load and jarred it up to eat over the winter. Feeling so blessed! I suppose it is a kind of urban homesteading!
September is my absolute favourite month, especially when that is still summery and warm! The quality of light is almost golden and everything feels magical and exciting! In our home school activities, we are busy with autumnal themed crafts and stories, which are a fantastic way to gently bring the turning wheel of the seasons into focus for the little ones.
I adore the summer, but there is something wonderful about pulling out the woolly jumpers and hats, and the wee nip in the air, with a drifting smell of wood smoke on the breeze, which make me feel glad to be alive!
