Monday, August 31, 2015

September Seasonal Plans

I mentioned in my last post that I had been doing a bit of seasonal planning for September and that I would post my plans. Well here they are. These I put together on a Word document and then printed out so that I have them on hand every day - lots of lovely plans but I don't want to forget them which I am apt to do if they are left on my computer :)


Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.
This month marks the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Towards the end of the month the leaves of deciduous trees begin to change colour. Children go back to school, and life returns to humdrum normality. For the farming community this is the climax of the grain harvest, a time of hard work followed by the celebrations of Harvest.

Folklaw:
Full moon this month - Harvest or Corn moon (closest to equinox)
Saying: If St Michael brings many acorns, Christmas will cover the fields with snow
Country lore predicts a hard winter if spiders are plentiful in September.
Gem: Sapphire
Flower: Aster
Conkers - a traditional game played by children with the fruit of the horse-chestnut tree (Eng. Trad.)


Nature:
Hedgerows full of ripe blackberries
Apple Season – go pick apples and process at home
Start of misty mornings
Autumn Equinox (23)
Shortening days
Smell of wood smoke in the air
Birds migrating
Leaves changing colour
Busy squirrels
Harvest time
Rutting deer
Conkers
Creepy Crawlies are on the move!
Snails are laying eggs this month. See garden notes



Garden Jobs This Month
Dig over veggie beds and compost
Plan and plant out spring bulbs (not tulips yet, that’s for October)
Sow lamb’s lettuce and spinach for winter harvesting by no later than mid-Sept.
Put out a few boards for snails to lay their eggs on – dispose of eggs later on
Buy a few Hellebores (Christmas and Lenten Rose) and plant out.



Home:
Sort out clothing cupboards, donate clothes that no longer fit
Make a list of winter clothing needs
Add Autumn touches to decorate home mid-September
Have boiler and central heating system serviced
Preserve garden harvest
Deep clean kitchen cupboards ready for winter pantry stockpile



Food:
Apple and Blackberry pies
Homemade soups
Cook and bake with apples – Landlove 2013 pg 43 (traybake apple buns, apple puffs, apple sauce, apple fritters with icing sugar, apple and potato puffs) See Pinterest board too.
One-pot wonders – Landlove 2013 pg 50 and Pinterest crockpot ideas
Rosehip Jam

Life:
Blackberry picking – Countryside Nature Walk
Rosehip picking – Countryside Nature Walk – make rosehip jam
Apple and Sunflower picking – Visit a Pick-Your-Own farm

Faith:
Holy Rood (cross) day (14) - traditionally children let off school to gather nuts
Michaelmas Day (29)



In the Schoolroom

                                                  Read Aloud:                                                 
Nature Topics:  House Sparrow, Seasonal Tree Study Begins, Chestnut, Leaves in Autumn, Insects
Field Trips: Apple Orchard, Autumn Colour Woodland (late Sept), (check out NT events in our area)
Schoolroom Display: Seasonal book basket, Autumn displays, World Affairs Board,
Composer:
 Art Appreciation:        
                                                                                                 
Poetry:  We are going to focus on autumnal poetry over the next two months. Add to nature journals and enjoy reading together. 
                                                                                               
Arts, Craft and Nature Activities
Leaf covered candle’s/holders to mark the start of Autumn
Make a nature’s bounty mobile for the schoolroom. See Landlove 2014 page 80
Start an Autumn Leaf collection – identify the tree and label.
Weave a basket from gathered materials
Michaelmas craft off Pinterest
Build a Bug Hotel for the insects to overwinter in
Explore an autumn forest/woodland




Seasonal Decorating Ideas
Nature-Walk Wreath
Jars of leaves and seeds (Fill glass jars with fall leaves and seeds to display)
Autumn leaf Garlands
Sew up some fabric corncobs
Mums at the front door
Cross Stitch Autumn cushions for decoration
Collect Conkers and display
Autumnal wreath on the front door.

Check out some of the autumnal display ideas from the Landlove Mags.

That's it from me today friends. See you back here very soon.

7 comments:

  1. Lots of lovely ideas, and Landlove page numbers too! I have a whole tray of apples to do something with waiting in my pantry and have just started to put out a few autumnal items around the house. Meanwhile I am still picking abundant beans and squash/ marrows and tomatoes. Time to make a French pistou soup I think. Sadly all my Michaelmas daisies got strummed accidentally this summer, so I shall have to beg a few from my mil this year!

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  2. What wonderful autumn plans!!!! I love that you write lists like this, and I hope you don't mind, but I have copied it myself to inspire me! I hope that you get to do all of these great things and have a lot of fun doing them!!! xx

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  3. Such extensive plans, you certainly have a gift for writing lists. Inspirational.

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  4. Always so "intriguing"... these seasonal lists you do. Love it!!

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  5. I love your seasonal lists! I wonder, how many of your goals do you usually accomplish?

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  6. My goodness you stay busy! Are you near Dartmouth Devon? (It is the sister city of my hometown)

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