general stuff

autumn

I know I've gone on about it before but autumn really is my favourite time of year. I love the colours on the trees, the picking of blackberries, apples and chestnuts, the cold mornings and the bright crisp days.

Tree

I also love the first daytime lighting of the fire after the summer, then curling up with my knitting and just enjoying being peaceful.

Autumnday

Autumnday2

Hope you have a peaceful, relaxing weekend where you are.

PS: I took the pictures to remind myself how nice the room looks when it's tidy – it doesn't often look like this I can tell you!

chicken stuff · garden stuff

tidy up time

The last few days have been spent in the garden where everything is winding down. We've picked the last of the tomatoes, courgettes, raspberries and carrots and have lots of onions now in storage. There are a few beans still producing, a couple of potato bags left to dig up and the cabbages, kale and broccoli are still going strong. But it definitely feels like we're getting down to the last of the yummies our garden has to offer us for this year.

Grapes

We've had a bumper crop of grapes this year – although we mostly leave them for the birds as they're not very sweet.

Autumn grapes 

Now the garden is being tided and cleared ready for digging in some compost to get everything ready for next season and then a nice winter rest. The chickens have been helping me tidy up – they do a great job of breaking up the soil!

Chick3 

It's been lovely to watch them roaming around outside of their run which is possible once again now that Toby isn't spending so much time in the garden (a small boy who likes to put anything in his mouth and run around barefoot does not mix well with large quantities of chicken poo on the grass!)

Chick4

Chick 

autism · general stuff

caught in the act!

Toby has always had a sweet tooth but up to now has been more of a biscuit boy than a sweetie fiend. Last week however that all changed when he discovered Colin Caterpillars. He's been leading me to the cupboard all week and it doesn't matter how many times I move them – he always seems to suss out my hiding place! On Sunday I finally decided it was time to give him a PECs card for them so that he can add to his growing vocabulary (it also reinforces the concept of communication for him and using his latest desires is a great way of building on his communication skills). So there I was setting up my photo shoot and look who found me and made off with the props!

Sweeties

Caught!

Now Toby has a proper way of asking for Colin Caterpillars and I have a cupboard full ready and waiting!

I want