The glorious summer/autumn weather continues and brushes everything with a golden light. So beautiful the mix of hot sun and chill air at either end of the day. The marigolds are still flowering madly on long stems perfect for cutting, the petals catching and holding the sun even in the shadier parts of the garden.
My pretty Lauren has caught the gathering & preserving bug, making bramble jam yesterday which filled the kitchen with rich perfume (and not a few wasps!).
A beautiful walk at the weekend with the children through woodland running deeply on the banks of a river creek uncovered a grove of mountain ash covered in bright berries which we gathered to make into rowan jelly. It is the first time I have come across these pretty trees growing wild in Cornwall, though I dare say there are other hidden spots, and I am most excited at the chance to make this particular jelly as I have never tasted it before. I don't imagine there will be more than one tiny jar from this haul as jellies bear far less juice than jams, but those jewel colours more than make up for it.
The haze on the river this morning created soft watercolours of the scene, erasing the edges of boats and trees, and merging the whole into one fluid painting. It is so very beautiful here and the brush of chill breeze as I stood at the water's edge was as refreshing as a cool drink on this already hot day.
I am off now to my sewing room where the orders are a-waiting: beach bags and cheery bunting will make a pleasing change from all things Christmassy!
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And it is Friday...Hurrah!
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Happy Friday to you x
Happy Friday to you too Pipany x
ReplyDeleteAnd to you too. Love the bunting.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it so welcome to have some nice weather after such a bad Summer.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous autumnal images, love the colours of the flowers and the berries. Hope the jelly making goes well ;0
ReplyDeleteI think Happy Friday's should be a regular thing! Happy Friday! Hope the Rowan jelly is good. Right in the middle of making crab apple jelly, then plum jam, then damson jam, then starting to do the chutneys - although I love this time of year it gets a bit hot in the kitchen!!!!
ReplyDeleteEveryone has got the preserving bug at the moment it seems!
ReplyDeleteI am very suprised that you have not come across wild rowan trees before in Cornwall as there are tonnes of them in south Devon.
Your bunting looks fabulous! x
Isn't it just THE most fantastic year for berries? I commented last week that two Rowan trees near us have the most berries I have every seen.......
ReplyDeleteLoadsof Rowan berries here in Dorset but have never done anything with them, would you eat the jelly with cold cuts? Happy Friday to you all in Cornwall.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday too and I hope you have a lovely weekend with lots of beaching and kite flying.
ReplyDeleteLove the bunting and I'd really love to hear how the rowan jelly turns out as the blooming blackbirds had all ours before I could pick any!!
take care,
Nina x
Envious at bramble jam, whereas last year I picked and froze pounds of blackberries, there are precious few this year. I am hoping the elderberries will make up for the scarcity of brambles.
ReplyDeleteLovely pics, as always, a pleasure to read your blog. x
Yes, it is a happy Friday! Same to you, Pip.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday to you to, Pipany! I've decided to give myself a day off - all play and no work today...hurray!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of making jelly from Mountain Ash. Please let us know how it is, as my sister has a large Mtn Ash an I wouldn't mind giving it a try.
Hurrah for Fridays, chickens and bunting! I would love to live in such a beautiful part of the world. Have a lovely weekend. x
ReplyDeleteHappy Frisay to you too, enjoy the weekend to its fullest.
ReplyDeleteI love the Autumn colours, I find them very very comforting.
Great bunting!
Carol x
I've never made rowan jelly - I haven't seen any berries round here, but I will be really interested to see how it turns out. Lovely pictures as always - I'd love a shed like yours!
ReplyDeletePomona x
Hello Pip - heavenly post as always. Those images of the river make me want to be there NOW! I can smell the water, see the scenes - what a fantastic place for little Isabella to grow up in. Actually, thinking about it, my eldest, Elena, went to a nursery by the river Thames at Old Isleworth near Richmond. I used to love it on a beautiful sunny morning. We used to go down to the water's edge, watch the birds and ducks and throw stones. Oh, and there was a great pub there too (though not first thing in the morning, mind - I hadn't quite come to that!!) Anyway, maybe that's why your post has made me particularly nostalgic...
ReplyDeleteAm in fact heading towards your neck of the woods in two weekend's time - have a 40th in Penzance, and we're staying with some other friends in Carbis Bay. Can't wait!!
Now, think I will have to email you to get you to send me a recipe for Rowan jelly. I guess I could make it up, but would be good to get some guidance. We have tons and tons of Rowan trees round here all absolutely laden and I hadn't realised you could make jelly out of them....
Have a lovely sunny weekend.
xx
Oops - me again - just realised I've written a comment on the wrong post - or rather my thoughts on both this one and the previous one I have combined into one comment and have just ended up confusing everyone (not least of all myself!!). Your river post was the one before, which I also read just now. Sorry! Anyway, it was all lovely!!
ReplyDeletex
This is just a lovely post, Pipany. Full of happy contentment. So nice to read and such pretty photos, too.
ReplyDeleteHope you are having a lovely weekend. And get the things that you had planned doing... done!
ReplyDeleteENJOY LIFE`S SIMPLE TREASURES,
DEBBIE MOSS
hope you're having a great weekend, isn't September sunshine fab?
ReplyDeletetwiggy x
Rowan jelly is delicious, you can bulk it out if need be with apple. Add a sprig of rosemary too divine with beef, or over roast potatoes or as a stiky glaze for chicken, fabulous with venision. And the colour of clear clear jellies sitting in the sun - homemade jewels.
ReplyDeleteCKx
I'm very intrigued by the thought of rowan berry jelly. The trees are beautiful and the birds are very happy with the berries but I didn't know about jelly. Tell us more, please.
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