Pumpkins, sloes, damsons... and a print
It’s been a bit of a strange few weeks - cold nights, more hot days - and it seems like nature’s got one foot planted firmly in late summer and the other in early autumn. But yesterday the wind picked up and it’s the same today (and I love it). The temperatures have dropped again and the skies are grey with racing clouds, the jumpers are back in rotation and all’s well.
There have been one or two people on my Instagram feed berating us for welcoming autumn too soon. Each to their own, I say. I also say that I use social media as a place to look at beautiful photographs and not to be told what I should (or shouldn’t) be thinking or doing, so there’s that…
Moving on.
Joe’s brought home a cold from school and I’ve caught it and it’s not nice. Sleepless nights (sore throat, tickly cough etc) plus blocked up ears and a general feeling of weariness which I hope will pass soon. I’ve been drinking hot Ribena (was it always that sugary?) and eating soup and sucking on menthol sweets.
We walked from Oxenhope to Haworth a week or two ago, through the woods and along the river. Things were looking very crisp and crunchy, all those lovely textures and colours.
And Haworth itself: the old-fashioned sweet shop with treats such as apple and quince chocolate bars and treacle toffee lollies - always a yearly treat for me and yes, I bought one (Joe opted for rhubarb and custards, Jay was showing Restraint).
The beautiful independents selling covetable things and, other than said sweet emporium, Joe’s favourite which was once a Victorian apothecary’s shop. They make their own soaps and potions and it was a Halloween wonderland complete with velvet pumpkins, skulls, witches and a million and one other delights.
And the window displays are magical too.
We’re already planning this year’s Christmas tree and are collecting woodland-themed ornaments and pinecones. So there was much inspiration to be had.
Also: the house and garden near Oxenhope station that I’m obsessed with. Peering over the walls with my camera. Doing the exact same thing I used to complain about when we lived on Skye and the tourists kept photographing the house. Although I draw the line at pointing a zoom lens directly into the windows…
Closer to home, I’ve been out in the fields practising with my new lens. And we’ve picked sloes and now have two large jars of sloe gin in the cupboard - it’s Joe’s job to take them out every day and give them a good shake.
We also found a damson tree, so I’m going to have a go at flavouring vodka with them. Looks like we’ll be having a very merry Christmas…
I met up with a friend in Hebden yesterday and we had coffee at the cafe in the town hall. We worked together in the museum many years ago and it turns out our boys are a year apart in school and the house we’re buying is a few doors down from her. So we had a good raucous gossip session reminisce and it’s going to be great to have neighbours we already know.
When the house move actually happens.
Bloody solicitors.
That’s all I’m saying on the matter.
My new photography course started this week, and we had to send in self portraits/selfies - I literally squirm at the thought of being in front of the camera. But I did it, and here I am - a rare appearance. Joe’s getting more self conscious about having his picture taken, so who knows? Maybe I’ll stop putting him on here in a year or two. Maybe time it to coincide with him starting high school.
In other news, I worked the early part of this week and am working again on Saturday and Sunday. So tomorrow I might have a wander into town and peruse the flea market and vintage clothes shops. You never know what you might find.
I tried on some trousers yesterday - definitely NOT secondhand, and quite expensive- and I’ve been pining for them for a while. So it was a bit of a relief that they looked awful on me. Because if they’d looked alright I’d have handed over the money and felt a bit guilty (so much to spend on at the minute).
I had planned to write more, but my computer has been a nightmare recently and keeps freezing when I use it. So I’ll have to get someone out to look at it, as various ‘fixes’ haven’t worked. I think it’s something to do with Google Chrome.
There is one more thing, though: a giveaway.
If you’d like this print taken at Kylerhea, southern Skye, just let me know in the comments. It’s printed using archival quality inks on lovely paper and there’s only one of them. I’ll mention it on Instagram too but will ask people to comment here so it doesn’t get too confusing. A winner will be chosen at random in the next week or so.
Good luck!
