And, just like that, it’s October!

Just like that, or so it seems, it’s October and there’s no denying that, by whatever date or measurement you choose, autumn is most definitely upon us.  Those scorching hot days of summer are all but forgotten now as the evenings draw in and we retreat indoors, long evenings spent chatting under the stars a thing of the past, for this year at least.

A couple of days ago I watched as the weather changed in the course of just one day… we awoke to the most beautiful morning, lit by golden sunshine and the air completely still.  But there had been a red sunrise and, as the old saying goes “red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning” and, as the hours passed, I watched as clouds rushed in to obscure the sunlight and the leaves began to stir in the rising breeze.  By the afternoon it was wet and windy so I lit the wood burner and settled down to a cosy afternoon’s stitching.  The wind brought down a lot of conkers from the horse chestnut trees, and though they are fewer in number this year, they are absolutely huge – I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so large…

My little granddaughter Florence will love collecting them when she visits me for Grandma Daycare this week and I think we may try planting one or two to see if she and Freddie can grown their own horse chestnut trees this year, though we’ve not had much success in the past. My kitchen windowsill also reflects the passing of the seasons….

at the moment featuring my Garden Birds , Emma Bridgewater Vegetable Garden enamel pot (just in view) and another cheeky purchase from one of my favourite Etsy sellers, Namesake Emporium.  I love her pots and the quotes she chooses, and must admit that after one of the Engineer’s special Sunday roasts I can definitely identify with both the sleepy dormice and belly-filled hedgehogs!

Sleepy mice, though not hedgehogs, have featured in a couple of my designs for both the September and October Magazines recently….

And as I have more furry friends planned for new patterns over the coming months I thought it might be a good time to share my “How to Embroider” fur tutorial and pattern once again….

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