Weekending

I was chatting to my grandmother on Saturday (Hi Gran 😁) and as we do, we chatted about many things, but one of the things we spoke about was the garden. She is a very talented and avid gardener. She used to own her own plant nursery in times gone by and was president of the Fuchsia Society in South Africa and perhaps the Rose Society too if my memory serves me correctly.

Anyhoo, I was saying that this year's garden has been a slight wash-out for a few reasons. To begin with, I started my seeds way too late and that was because our September home move last year, month in the hotel and then move again in October really has taken some time to recover from. My head has just not been in its usual Rhythm-of-the-year space.

Secondly, I started working full-time which has taken a bit of adjusting and quite frankly, my garden has taken a back seat. In fact, my pumpkin patch was so overgrown with weeds that I didn't realise until I got stuck in over the weekend and pulled out all those weeds that my neglect has proved to be rather fruitful!

My courgettes are doing very nicely and will soon be ready to harvest and my pumpkin plant as 3 healthy-looking pumpkins growing. 

Last year I lavished attention on my pumpkin plants and they all promptly dropped every single fruit that developed and eventually shrivelled up and died. So my wise gardening advice with regards to squash is to pop them into a place they can ramble away and don't look at them again until harvest time 😂 

I also mentioned to my lovely grandmama that I am finally beginning to feel like 'me' again. My creative spark has returned and my mind is beginning to brim with lovely home-maker thoughts once again. On Saturday I finished this pair of Hermione Everyday Socks using a skein of yarn (not my own) that I have had in my stash for more than 3 years.

I have also made a start on Lucy's Dune blanket. It's been a few years since I have crocheted a blanket, they are wonderful projects to pick up and set down without much thought and they are always the blankets that my family choose first over store-bought in the winter.

And of course, I have unearthed some UFOs that have been set aside for what seems absolute ages, one of which is the pretties shawl/scarf which my eldest is desperate for me to finish in time for her start at uni in the fall. I will share that in a little while. In fact, I'm thinking of bringing my podcast back. It's been a long time and so much living has gone on in that time, but like I said, the old familiar 'me' seems to be resurfacing. 

Now it may be too soon but I'm beginning to feel distinct autumnal vibes beginning to stir. I can't believe that we are in August already and next month autumn will be ushered in.

This feeling was further established when Miss Victoria (DD1) and I popped into TK Max on Saturday morning. We love their DW Home autumnal candles and thought that we might as well see if they have started to bring them in, and what do you know...they had!

Super exciting for all the autumn loving girls in my family. We LOVE Yankee and DW Home candles and the autumnal and Christmas ones are our absolute faves. So we bought a few. I couldn't resist these three and Miss Victoria settled for two. I will definitely be going back closer to September to get a few more. We honestly go through a good few candles in the autumn - we simply cannot resist our home smelling like pumpkin spice and toffee.

We are already planning our autumnal bakes and makes! Sad but true people 😂.

And speaking of autumnal plans...have you noticed that the blackberries are beginning to ripen? You do know what that means don't you?

Of course you do...it will soon be time to pull out the jamming pot and make this year's batch of apple bramble jam. It's our favourite homemade jam flavour and is always the first to clear off our pantry shelves.

Right my lovelies, that about wraps up my slow-living weekend. What projects are you working on and are you beginning to think about autumn yet? Leave a comment and let me know.

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