Autumn

We've had a glorious bright harvest moon the last few days, and during the day the lovely dappled sun light of autumn as the sun angles lower and shines through the leaves.  We're waking up in the dark, and it's dark again soon after dinnertime.  It's quieter too as the cicadas are winding down, instead we have a fluttering of butterflies and a few lazy wasps circling the grapevine.

This year we have too many grapes and too many pears.  A couple of branches actually snapped on the pear tree, I really should have thinned the fruit, but usually the spring winds take care of that and its not been a problem before.  I picked 12kgs of pears off the the broken branches - that was just the ones worth keeping (not too small or bruised or bug-eaten) - no wonder they snapped!  I've made one batch of chutney, I think there will have to be another.  The grapes we just eat and eat and eat until we can't take anymore.

I've got pumpkins from the garden too.  I really feel like lighting a bonfire and making jack o lanterns, but no, it's bunnies and eggs and fluffy chicks in our crazy upside down part of the world.  Oh well, eating chocolate is ok with me anytime of year.

The cooler, darker evenings have started a bit of a knitting flurry.  I've almost finished the man's Rowan sweater, halfway through a big baggy one for me, made a start on my 40s fair isle (at 30sts/4" - eek!), and started a tunic for miss almost 10.  I made the mistake of asking her how long she wanted it.  She has now totally redesigned it with a diamond and wave pattern and flaring medieval type sleeves.  Righto.