Dear Gentle Reader
September is one of those brrrrrrr months that with every day that passes draws closer to the end of the year. Kids go back to school, some go back to work from their extended holidays or start a new job or a new crafting challenge, who knows? New season, new start? However, whatever that is I hope this month goes well for you all. 😊🍁🍂
Slowly Autumn creeps into my garden too making the dog rose hips blush with it's cheeky antics. Fruit and nuts give their best, the last push of bounty from everything before frost stills growth and time.
As the weather slowly changes, days gets peppered with sunshowers and heavy downpours one is looking for some comfort food. Stewed apples, apple crumble and such are a good choice.
Today (21st) I thought I check on my pears to see if they are ready to pick. As I was walking in the biggish grass I saw a few on the ground and that's when I knew it was time. So armed with a bowl I went back out and picked 12 gorgeous, sweet smelling, juicy pears. The pear growing guide said after picking to out the fruit on a sunny windowsill so it can ripen further. So I did. But there was one that had a little mark that was surgically removed, cut into wedges and handed out to be taste proofed. Bobbing heads from hubs and father in law proved me that my pears are a success. Can't wait to enjoy their delightful juicy flesh in a few days. My one and lonely apple still hangs to dear life onto the branch blushing every time I go out checking if it's ready and it's stubborn clinging to the branch says "not yet". All right then, I shall try again. Honeycrisp apples are typically ready to harvest from
mid to late September, extending into early October, but the best indicator is to taste one: it should be sweet, crisp, and juicy with a creamy or white flesh and brown seeds. Also, check that the apple's background color is a creamy or yellow hue and that it releases easily from the tree with a slight twist or tug.
Knowing this I move on to the Hazel nut tree checking if there's any nut left for me to harvest. Zero. All the nuts vanished, gone, evaporated, vamoosed. Birds? Rodents? Squirrels? Who knows? Oh well, bit disappointed, I shall live in hope that next year's harvest will be better. As you can see this day ended with a gorgeous sunset, however the weather hadd been totally disappointing, more showers then sunshine, tad bit chilly, but we are in the first brrrrrrr month, so I wouldn't have expected less.On my way to work next day I noticed this sicamore tree in the car park that has been changing it's colors since August. The autumnal pallete always amazes me, each year at this time is the same, yet so different. I think the colors are more vibrant this year then the year before. The deep and then suttle pastels are just fabulous.
All the best, enjoy the season
Anna
