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Tuesday 24 September 2013

Wake me up, when September ends ...

Autumn is now in full swing, the long, heady days of Summer are finally over, and there's a distinct 'nip' in the air. The nights are drawing in, it's getting dark much earlier, and it's time to snuggle up and batten down the hatches.  I've been making a few changes indoors too ...

Bye-bye, Summertime

The Summer shelves have been taken down, dusted, and stowed away until next year ...


Hello,  Autumn!

...  and replaced with more seasonal objects ...




Is the weather good when the pine cones are open? I can never remember ... though I think it may be something to do with rain ... if the rain gets in they will rot, so they close up ... I may be making this up ...




Not a very good pic, but I just love this amazing tea set.  I think it is from the 1930's, when my house was built, so it fits right in!




Thrifted granny blankies are piled on the sofa, along with the hooky bag ... my evenings are sorted now!





All are safely gathered in ...




and turned into the most unlikely things! Chocolate Courgette Cake ... absolutely amazing ... please just try it, even my veggie hating lil sis was fooled!




We've been foraging amongst the hedgerows ... They are absolutely brimming with voluptuous, purple-black bounty this year.  Lots more to come too, as there were many unripe and still some in flower ... my freezer will be groaning this year ...




The old jam pan has seen a lot of action this year!




I think I've cheated, and this picture is of Strawberry Jam, but I've been making that too, with the last of the British strawberries.




The treacle tins come into their own at this time of the year ...




And old faithfuls come out of hiding once more ...




 I've even brought the garden bench in, to get warm by the fire!




Thinking fairy lights may be needed here ...




A really lovely book to snuggle on the sofa with ... Vintage Home from Sarah Moore ... only £5.99 from The Works ... my heart skipped a beat when I saw this, as it was on my wish list!




Stairway to heaven ... another basic need ...



I'd like to thank you for all your concerned comments about my last post ... Harry didn't get the best start to University living, but I'm so proud of him, for coping so admirably with everything that life's thrown at him these last couple of weeks ... his unusual arrival at university, then a broken laptop, and to top it all his student account hadn't been activated, so he has had no (and still hasn't) access to cash, because of the bank's mistake.


He had to come home the first weekend (Fresher's) to sort the latter two out, and on the train saw little Minnie Micra on the top of the scrapheap, minus her wheels.  I have to admit, I shed a little tear ....


I've got lots of fairs coming up, The Pop-Up Shop in Ulverston is coming back on 5th October, which I'm looking forward to, and my calendar is filling up rapidly ... going to be busy, busy, busy ... but never, ever too busy to catch up with my favourite bloggy friends!

Hope you all have a fabulous, golden, week!

Love from Claire xxx


29 comments:

  1. Lovely post as usual Claire - I'm feeling all warm and snuggly now and yearning to get home from this blimmin' 'orrible office and snuggle up with crochet and hot chocolate! Love it! Sorry to hear your son has not had a good start to his Uni life and really hope things improve for him very soon. All life's lessons I guess but a little less stress at the start of the academic year would be helpful eh? xx

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  2. ~
    BIG blooming heck Mrs thriftwood, poor Harry! and poor little Minnie Micra! Gosh she has served you well. But how sad for Harry to see her like this!
    ~ No going back is there and I know you feel it too...
    Cosy nights by candle light with a good book and a snug warm blanket! OOh !! Thank you for letting us know of Sarah Moore's delicious new book, what a steal...I will pop tomorrow! Sending winter warmer hugs your way...Maria x

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  3. You do such a nice job of cozying up your home for the coming cold weather. As far as I know pinecones just naturally open up when you bring them inside and the moisture is drawn out of them. My grandfather used to say when there were lots of pinecones on the tree, we were in for a hard winter .... um, there's LOTS of pinecones on our pine :[ And more troubles for Harrry?! Poor guy, I hope he was able to arrange a few meals with no cash! My daughter's laptop only breaks down when she's away from home too. Same thing happened to her last year, and she had to sort it all out with a loooong bus ride into town to take it to the computer store. Thankfully, it wasn't too serious, and she had it back the next day. How funny that Harry saw your little mini being carted away ... what a forlorn sight. Anyway, I must get moving along here too ... have a great week Claire ... enjoy the rest of that cake! looks delicious ;) Wendy xox

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  4. You have seasonal shelves? How great! Onwards and Autumn upwards x x

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  5. Gosh a lot is going on! Hope your Son get everything sorted with the bank. How awful for him to start a new chapter in his life this way. But at least he is coping!

    I love your bench it is too pretty to keep outside now the days are getting colder. It is funny how you start wanting to feather the nest at this time of the year. I have nesting syndrome big time this year.

    Good luck with all the fairs you have going on.

    P x

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  6. So sorry to read about your boy's problems - hope he has still been able to enjoy the best part of freshers week - it's so painful watching our sons dealing with what life throws at them, believe me I really feel for you as my son leaves for Uni this weekend and he has a lot of loose ends/finance issues still to sort out - they leave everything to the last minute it seems! This was a lovely post with delightful pictures Betty

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  7. Your house is looking so cozy and fallish. I hope Harry's school career looks up very soon, it does sound like a rough start for him. You have every reason to be proud of him for bearing up with all of the stress. I am sure he will do fine. :)

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  8. what lovely photo's - i'm afraid we don't really do seasonal shelves here - i really can't be faffed but like looking at yours ..... love the idea that the garden bench is having a warm by the fire - makes me want to bring ours in BUT where would we put the blooming heavy thing? i hope you aren't missing your son too much - i know you've been through all this before BUT it is so hard to let your children go - i've just about done it now that mine are 30 and 28!!!!!!!!! although i expect they would disagree there!! fingers crossed you do well at your coming fairs - i made enquiries into having a stall at our local victorian evening only to be told that i would need public liability insurance - when you only sell 50p or £1 cards i think that is just plain ridiculous and the world really has gone mad - sorry ranting on a bit but i feel cross about it ....... i am going to look out for the lovely book - you don't have shares in the works do you? xxx

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  9. Oooh your home is so inviting! I love the treacle tin planter, and I'm going to look out for that book next time I'm in town. x

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  10. HI Claire, we great minds think alike. I have been getting all autumnal too. And harvesting and cooking!! I think we have a basic desire to hunker down when the nights start drawing in and 'nest'. I'm loving all your autumnal things and you are right about the pine cones, they do close up when the weather is bad! Happy Autumn X

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  11. Hi Claire,
    I look the autumn look to your home, it feels so cosy.That's a great idea with the bench. Sorry to hear about the problems Harry has been having and hope the finances will come through quickly. How sad seeing Minnie Micra too.
    Sarah x

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  12. Poor Harry...things can only get better. Sweet home...I shall also be glued to my wood stove soon. EE xx

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  13. I love your autumnal changes. I'm doing the same, gradually. My first job of the autumn season is to make a Christmas cake. This has been done while having a BBQ outside, strange weekend weather! xx

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  14. Hi Claire..I love that you have a summer shelf and an autumn one too!
    Your Jam looks scrummy...!
    bestest d xx

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  15. Hello Claire
    Your home looks so warm and cosy, I love your Autumn touches, I hope Harry is sorted out soon..they say bad luck comes in threes so lets hope tha'ts an end to it now..
    Your poor little car, I felt the same when my little Metro went to the scrap yard in the sky..but I did keep her number plate and hung it in my kitchen!
    I shall look out for the book thanks for the tip, sounds like you are going to be a busy girl so good luck with your sales.
    Happy Week Claire, and thank you for your kind words
    Thea x

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  16. lovely post, lovely photo's :)

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  17. lovely post claire, its funny that as you put your summer touches away, we are putting ours up over here! nice photos!

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  18. What a lovely cosy home you have - it is so pretty. Never thought of bringing the garden seat indoors though. Think I'll do that in future!
    Julie xxxxxx

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  19. I love the way you decorate your home so seasonally, changing around displays to suit the time of year. It looks very cosy right now! I'm sorry to hear about you boy's start to uni life - how unfair and frustrating to have everything go so wrong. I've just read your previous post and shame on that taxi driver! Things can only look up for Harry now after such an eventful start. xx

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  20. A lovely cosy, homely post ...
    M x

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  21. This post has a really hunkered down feel ... you'll be snug as a squirrel in a tree come winter!

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  22. My you have been having adventures, Claire! Me, too, on my side of the pond, but like you I am enjoying the change of seasons midst challenges. I too, enjoy the cozy sights you shared, and loved the beautiful floral patterns of the book you just purchased. Thanks for posting. Blessings to you and yours, Gracie xx

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  23. Dear Claire
    what a lovely post to start into autumn and all the niceties it brings along. The woods are still pretty green in my part of the world, but we're back to the foggy season, which is always hard on me, so I'm longing for the warm and cosy colours that October will bring. And although I'm not very good at decorating I will have a go with a few vibrant orange pumpkins - and may even invest in a new cosy blanket. I love that book, too; so inspiring!
    Heidi x

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  24. I love how you mark the seasonal changes Claire and I am rather partial to a bit of home made jam - thank you
    Still quite mild in this neck of the woods and going round in a T-shirt but I am sure that will all change soon. All the best with your forthcoming fairs
    Best wishes
    Jenny
    PS: Glad that your son is settling in and hope that the bank is sorted soon - happens every year I think!

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  25. Lovely Claire, I'm definitely going to try that courgette cake xxx

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  27. oh your poor son! what utter pants. Hard start but he will come through it ok. I am dreading all these years! want them to stay small? do you feel the same?
    haven't you been busy? the cake looks gorgeous me dear x x x

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  28. It looks as though you are certainly ready for autumn Claire. So sad about Minnie being without her wheels! Perhaps she will go on to bigger things - an aeroplane next! I think the pinecones thing is open dry and closed wet. A bit like the seaweed thing.

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  29. Hi Claire... autumn is being kind to us up to now ... a bit of an Indian summer really... that cake looks yummy .. I make an ordinary courgette cake but haven't tried chocolate ..mmmmmm ! love your garden seat , the colour is gorgeous and what a great idea to bring it indoors. I think the pine cones are.. open = fair closed = rain ..mind you I have found quite a lot of nibbled cones which I think means ..nibbled = squirrels ! hehe !
    Gail x

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I love to hear what you think of my ramblings and value all your comments ... I will try and get back to you, but am sorry if I don't always manage this ... sometimes real life just gets in the way! Claire xxx