Five Things

sparrowhawk perched on a garden bench under a leafy canopy

Five things… Wednesday.

Doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, but Friday managed to slip away from me last week. Still, a lot of good things have happened over the past fortnight and I wanted to note them down.

1. We spied this gorgeous Sparrowhawk visiting our neighbour’s garden last weekend. We do occasionally see them in the garden, but they’re usually fleeting visits, snatched views out of the corner of your eye. This one hung around for over an hour in the drizzle. I suspect it was nice and dry under that tree canopy…

I spent far too long watching her, but it’s not often that they’re so cooperative for the camera! In the end, I had to tear myself away to get on with making dinner but I did manage to sneak away and catch another glimpse of her later on – she’d caught a sparrow, which is a little sad, but that’s nature.

2. Brambling. I have been watching the brambles burst into flower all through the summer, greedily looking forward to the ripening fruit.

This past weekend we finally got our act together, grabbed a container, and headed out to the woods in the drizzle. A couple of happy hours later we emerged, rewarded with purple stained fingers and pile of fruit.

It seems to be a good year for the brambles – they are everywhere and they are delicious. Definitely one of the joys of late summer/autumn. We’re planning lots more brambling, and are keeping a keen eye out for the elderberries too!

I’ve also seen a lot of really beautiful, bright red rosehips, and I’m really tempted to try making some rosehip syrup. I’ve never tried any before but am very intrigued, so please let me know if you’ve ever tried it. I’d love to hear what you think of it!

3. It was so cold and drizzly last weekend that we caved in and lit the first fire of the season. It felt a little indulgent, lighting a summer fire, but the glow, the crackle, the smell… it was all so cosy and heartwarming that I have zero regrets.

The temperature seems to be creeping back up so it might be a while before the stove is lit again, but that little taste has me looking forward to huddling beside it in the coming months.

4. Woodland walks. Hands down, autumn and winter are my favourite times of year to be outside.
These silver birches brought me particular joy – maybe I’ve been watching too much Lord of the Rings, but the bark patterns really looked like Tolkien’s Middle Earth maps!

5. Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

These just scream September and the start of autumn to me.

Graeme’s birthday is at the start of September, so every year we take a week off work around his birthday to celebrate, and this generally coincides with the PSL launch. That sweet, spicy coffee is so evocative for me, heralding the last days of summer and the start of woolly jumper season, giant scarves, and boots. It’s joy in a (reusable) cup for me!

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