Why I love Autumn

You can't disagree, Autumn is beautiful. The trees start to turn and the landscape becomes a sea of yellows, reds, oranges and browns. Mushrooms pop up everywhere, I've never seen so many mushrooms as I have this year. I took these photos on a walk with friends (and their lively pups) this morning. We walked for about two hours on trails, tracks, alongside the rivers and waterfalls just north of Merthyr Tydfil. This area gets such a bad press but its outstandingly beautiful. We even came across a group of walkers who had come miles to walk along this specific route. They had come to see some interesting geology on the route, which we would have  never had known about. An area of completely unspoiled natural beauty right on my doorstep. A-amazing. 

This entire tree trunk was covered in mushrooms, I've never seen anything like it before!

Not only do I love Autumn for the changes in our surroundings, but also for the way it seems to spur me on in my creative pursuits. I always feel very inspired in Autumn to both create new things and try out new crafts, but also to finish up long-neglected projects. In January I often start new things, but Autumn is usually the time that I finish them. This Autumn I've felt a need to declutter, to work my way through the bags of yarn shoved under my desk, on top of my wardrobe, on my shelves (you name a place and I'll have a bag of yarn or a half-finished project there). I've also been making the most of the abundant berries, picking sloes in the Isle of Wight last month (which swiftly went into gin!) and blackberries which have made their way into a bottle of vodka! Last weekend I picked some crab apples from a tree at the end of my street (I got up super early on the Saturday morning so that no one would see me- its a busy street) which are also submerged in vodka to make Crab Apple Schnapps, a Danish delicacy. I also made jam for the first time. My friend has a glut of apples and I made some apple and chilli jelly using this recipe (here) and it worked! It was amazing, I was worried that it wouldn't set but it set really quickly. I think it would be great with cheese and its so easy I would definitely recommend giving it a go.

Getting back to my need to declutter I've been working through some longstanding projects, knuckled down and got them done. Do you remember by sock yarn hat that I started last summer (yep, I am that bad at finishing things)? Well I only finished it!

I'm so pleased with the way it turned out, and its lovely and warm too. The pattern is "sockhead slouch hat" by Kelly McClure and the yarn I used is Lana Grossa Meilenweit in India. 

I also finished my Worcester Scarf by Kat Goldin for The Crochet Project. I just love those little puff stitches! I used the suggested yarn for the pattern, Socks Yeah by Coop Knits

Two completed projects is enough for one post, more to follow :-)

Time for a bowl of crumble, my friends' apple trees giving again......