Properly Autumnal

I love, love, love, love this time of year! Right through from September to January. All the good stuff happens, the new college year (despite my best efforts of avoidance I will not be missing the UCAS scurry after all, and will be writing some references having begrudgingly given into my colleague Paul's desperate FB messaging and big brown eyes), Halloween (already picked up a pumpkin carving set so that Noah can be the proud owner of his first scary effort!), Fireworks night (might be interesting this year, but Noah is proving to be rather fearless) and of course, CHRISTMAS, OMG there will be no stopping me this year as, AT LAST, I have a legitimate reason to create my own magical wonderland!!! Ivan (Mr Bicknell) has already adopted a look of panic, as he quite rightly should! I am slightly concerned however that I might be out done by my Mother who has of course spent many years fostering my love of Christmas, but is going to be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to her one and only grandson! 

The mild weather (so far) has allowed us to really enjoy our surroundings too, and the relative lack of rain has meant that Noah and I have been able to play outside a lot and explore and discover - of course he had no idea why I was getting so excited by a chance discovery of huge shiny conkers  but happily helped me throw handfuls into his nappy bag, but give it a few years and I am hoping that I will be stringing them for him in preparation for a few contests - hmmm, do kids still play conkers?

Our Babes in the wood adventures have also been devoid of general sogginess, which I have embraced, but this weeks water theme had to be adapted to avoid disappointment! 

I continue to make and we have even been sociable, both as a Mum and Son with our new friends Liz and Stanley and as a family collecting Sloes so that my Sister Lindsay's boyfriend Jack can make us all some Christmas cheer! We have even been to a party and left Noah in Oma's capable hands for the first time! Ha! never thought I would need a babysitter!!!

So the garden is looking awesome and slowly retiring for the winter....

AT LAST!!! They are turning red!!!!

Rick's windfalls - happily baked into crumble already!

Gorgeous Sedum

Heather's maple

Rick's figs

It happened - my beans grew!!!

Don't know the name - but pretty huh?

Lucky snap

Another lucky snap!

Smarty pants in his newt suit!

Important business at hand .........

Every tree elf needs a cocktail!

And a memory jar apparently - hmmm, ours has been lost.......

On our way home from the woods we often stop by our local farm shop for a treat - do you think they might be expecting a sudden rush?!

Talking of Halloween (which I was), the grating offered up a treat this weekend!

And umm, talking of treats, thanks to our pal Nicky we heard about a super duper new playground right up the road, and best of all we had it to ourselves and found the conkers!

Mum! It's not so easy to slide you know with this many clothes on! Well, it was a bit windy.....

An afternoon of picking Sloes

Just to prove that I have done some work towards my gin!!

Jack - giving Ivan (Mr Bicknell) a break! Noah seemed to like the ride!

Crunchy leaves - just the best thing ever!

Party props - huge thanks to Georgie for the speech bubbles!

New birds - no Ivan (Mr Bicknell) they DO NOT have elephant ears these are their wings!

Father Christmas asked us to look after a few things, and what do you think this might be all about? Well, I could tell you now, but I think I will make you wait!

Have a fab week. XXXX