Preparing for Winter V

Cheapskate

Fuddle, I remember my Scottish gran wearing lined tartan skirts wth very thick tights, too! My mum always told us girls that we'd be cold in jeans when we were teenagers, but of course we thought we knew better...but she was right, and I caved one year and wore a skirt (trendy!) and thick tights.

My fruit trees are heavily laden this year - cooker has fruit for the first time ever, dessert apples are already huge and red, and the plum tree looks like a bumper harvest - just praying for not too much wind before they're all ready. Brambles in our garden and in the village are also looking lush this year, and we've loads of elder trees nearby, so I'd like to try that syrup, too, besides adding them to bramble dishes or making booze.

We have new, double glazed windows, just waiting for the last door and then we'll be cosy for the first time in our entire lives, having always lived in draughty terraces. The original 30s windows we had were beautiful, but so draughty and inefficient, especially as our house bears the brunt of the weather due to its position. The leaded tights are being encapsulated and put back into the new windows soon, so we'll still have the original prettiness that sold us on this place 21 years ago!

The little both need LOADS of winter clothes, not having bought any for the last couple of years, but I'm tightfisted (see username :rotfl:), so already hunting bargains. As we're home educating now, at least I don't have to buy uniform stuff, and if the weather's really foul, and we have no lans, we can just hunker down under blankets with hot drinks, enjoying the wood burner. Also need to crochet some more blankets, bit of stash busting over the next few weeks.

Sorry for the essay, just got my MS mojo back and getting up to speed with all the threads!

A xo

[Deleted User]

I am in process of sewing warm long skirts at the moment, for house use, rather than going out use. I don`t always feel like dragging warm tights on but long warm socks under a warm skirt are good too. Much warmer than trousers. Ooh and you cannot beat home made long socks, where are my needles

I put a throw on my bed last night and slept much better, yes it is definitely cooling down, I was much cosier

alice-mary

Afternoon All

I too feel that autumn is already approaching and have started my preps for winter.
Yesterday I booked the chimney sweep who will be here next Wednesday and I ordered some coal. The lovely lady that I spoke to said that it would be about 20 days before delivery which was fine by me as I am on my school holidays...then she rang me today to say that the delivery will be tomorrow

I have also spent a few evening knitting socks...my first time on dpns and I am thrilled with the results....so much so that I am on my 3rd pair!

On Friday last week, I had to walk to the local royal mail depot to collect a parcel and on the way I spotted blackberry and elderberry bushes, near the local railway. I made a mental note to keep an eye on them and maybe take a carrier bag and a couple of plastic boxes with me next time I am in the area
I also spotted some pine cones, which fell into my bag and pockets. They have now been thoroughly dried out and dipped into melted wax, ready for use as firelighters (thankyou to whoever it was that suggested this)!

I am already looking forward to cosy afternoons and evenings in a few weeks, even though I will be back at work (I love my job really)!

Alice
xx

mardatha

I love winter, but hate autumn. And I feel that I haven't really had summer yet
Busy knitting socks here too.
Suki I'm close to the same latitude as Malmo in Sweden. My son got told that at school lol that's how we know!

[Deleted User]

Lots of usefulness in autumn Mar, fruit, nuts and berries for the gathering thereof and making nice things to ease the winter blues. Dead wood and fallen wood to gather and process to keep you warm, frosty mornings to sweeten the sprouts and parsnips, bonfires small bright ones for the garden bits and big roaring ones on the allotment that can stay in for the whole weekend too for the end of season clearing of the plot. Evenings drawing in and lighting the log stove, candles to enchant, casseroles and stews instead of the summer salads and cold cuts, afternoon tea after a dog walk in the chilly outside, hot water bottles to warm your toes when the bedroom is less than warm and that lovely feeling of pulling on an extra blanket as it gets cooler. Snuggly winter dressing gowns and sheepskin slippers, bed socks, pyjamas, hot chocolate, frosty mornings where you get 'dragon breath' when you open the back door and sunrises to gladden your spirits.....not all greyness and drizzle pet

suki1964

mardatha wrote: »

I love winter, but hate autumn. And I feel that I haven't really had summer yet
Busy knitting socks here too.
Suki I'm close to the same latitude as Malmo in Sweden. My son got told that at school lol that's how we know!

The only planes going over us are heading to Iceland and Canada, its cold out there

happyin_devon

I thought it was just me who was feeling autumnal,but it's seems like my fears are shared,summer is over( think it happened whilst I was at work!) and an early autumn seems likely. Lots of blackberries ripening here,and elderberries on way too. Booked the chimney sweep today and found a fleece for sofa as I was chilly earlier,and have found my mind wandering to thoughts of oven baked potatoes,slow cookers and winter boots!

Moneysaverme

That was a lovely list of wintry pleasures MRS LW, thank you very much!

I get a ridiculous amount of pleasure reading this thread and all its previous versions. It has definitely turned chillier here and the blackberries are ready and waiting. I'm sure I usually don't pick them til September. I want to find elderberries too and make that magical potion to keep the lurgies away.

Nargleblast

The method I use for elderberry syrup involves putting the berries in a pan (no stalks) and covering with water, add four or five cloves and a stick of cinnamon. Bring to a boil then simmer about 15 minutes. Strain through a cloth into a clean pan then simmer fast for about 20 minutes until reduced a bit. Stir in enough honey to sweeten then pour into clean jars/bottles. I read a recipe that recommends using half and half elderberry juice and honey, then adding vodka to improve its keeping qualities, so I might try that this year. Take a shot glass of it every morning to ward off colds. If the lurgy gets you, take some every 3-4 hours.

I forget who originally mentioned the subject, but I would be interested to see their recipe. All these old recipes have their variations.

[Deleted User]

Evenings definitely drawing in right now, here we are at 8 minutes to 9 and I'm typing in distinct dusk! will have to put the light on in a mo as the monitor is all that is letting me see the keyboard.

Blackberries, picked one of our bushes yesterday for a friend and got 2 and a half pounds off it, left the other one until this evening and got 3lbs 12oz off that which are now in the freezer. The bushes are absolutely loaded with berries still, I'll be harvesting for weeks to come and we've already got lbs in the freezer, lots of compote in the offing over the coming winter I feel.