Our Patty Pan squash on the allotment are prolific (or profilic as we used to say in our family) and today I have made a scrumptious batch of soup, Creamy Summer Squash Soup and have three pints to freeze along with just one pint of Runner Bean Soup. (Sadly, our beans are not very prolific this year.)
We had stir fried garlicky Tree Spinach with dinner tonight. Delicious!
Chenopodium giganteum wilting in the garlic butter
Making one of these quilts is on my bucket list!
Bookcase Quilt
First in my discoveries was a wonderful photo, caught up with some modern ones, of my Grandparents in 1919. Here is my Grandfather, the Reverend Richards, on his beloved motorbike and with my Mum on his lap and my very lovely Granny in the sidecar with my Uncle.
Next I found a little book which turned out to be the Manchester University Student Union Handbook the year my Dad was President of the Union..
I love his address to the students where his principles are clearly on show. 
Lastly, for today, going through my sewing projects box, I found an unmade Clothkit for dungarees for a 2-4 year old. I never got around to making them but have a lovely young friend with a two year old. I asked her if she might like to make these for her little boy and she was delighted, saying she had grown up wearing Clothkit clothing herself. I am equally delighted to be helping her to carry on the family tradition. 
I look forward to seeing A in his smiley lion dungarees……..
The following poem came to me the other day and so clearly expressed the joy of ‘gathering’ treasures along the way.
Something snapped the head off one of our glorious red frilly poppies still in bud but with the outer skin just opening. I put it in Mum’s green glass and over two days it has opened up beautifully.
ClothKitty now has some shorts and a sun hat.
I have been sorting through all my foodie magazines, cutting out favourites and decluttering the rest. I came across this recipe for biscuits with the most delightful name, Snickerdoodles, common in USA I think but not here in the UK. As I typed the name in to tell my neighbour that there were some waiting for her on her doorstep, my iPhone knew exactly what I was starting to write!
ClothKitty has a new bow in her hair (to disguise the small hole.) She looks pleased with it!
The salmon coloured Nasturtiums are blooming.
Yesterday’s walk offered so many photo opportunities. Here is the lovely front door of the Manor House.
I just love this lichen covered bench set on a rather precarious slope.
Much of today has been damp and mizzly so I spent my time making ClothKitty another set of clothes – a skirt (which was cut out many years ago) and finished off a rather natty waistcoat (I had done the binding but not been able to find the time to finish it 40+ years ago with four little ones to look after.)
I first made Cloth Kitty about 40 years ago and am now revamping her for the younger LiveWires. This is her in one of the outfits I made then and today I made her a lovely dressing gown. I’ll show you the new outfits as I get them done. They are very fiddly. I need to mend a little hole in her head too. I’m told LiveWire no 5’s favourite colour is red so I plan on embroidering a little red bow.
I had a sudden fancy for some Choc Chip Cookies this afternoon – they don’t take long to make. I added some chopped up crystallised ginger which made them super delicious!
There were just enough Purple Mange Tout at the allotment for us to harvest this evening and a baby courgette all of which I added to our mixed veggies risotto for supper – healthy and delicious!
I sent photos of the new masks to Barcelona last night and this morning had a call – teenage LiveWire doesn’t want beads this time, please can I make another with elastic? Of course! That makes a total of 50 and today I have cleared away all my sewing stuff ready to get my glass out again.
Patterned lining so it’s different from her Dad’s
Lunch was mini pizzas made with part baked rolls, some reduced passata with herbs, pomodorino tomatoes and cheese – scrumptious!
Coming up from town, we noticed a warning sign, kindly put out by someone along our lane. 
Monday night is choir rehearsal. I really miss my singing and the people with whom I sing.
The beautiful Autumn day saw us just take our local walk where there was a surprising amount of colour – and lots of blackberries still to snack on.
Much of my day was spent completing the next set of masks for our Barcelona family. That’s 49 I’ve made altogether, for us, family and friends and I think that’s enough!
Masks for Mum, Dad, teenage daughter and three year old twins
A week ago I made some masks for a friend and her daughter who is about to go off to University. I made plain black for the student and prettier ones for her Mum.
When M collected the masks, she brought me some beautiful Carnations and Freesias all in bud to say thank you. Now they are open and just beautiful. Thank you, M!
Thank you flowers
I read an old Cornish recipe today for Autumn Cake. The recipe came from an old Cornish Women’s Institute booklet and sounded good despite the fact that I didn’t have all the ingredients. I had the cooking apples and one eater and all the basics but substituted the cherries with ginger pieces and the nuts with fat raisins. It’s a success!
Autumn Cake
We chose a different route into town today and walked past a garage where they have planted Sunflowers on the grass beside the pavement, such a delight to see them!
Yesterday, after visiting friends in Truro, I went shopping for more embroidery silks and now I have all I need for the special wall hangings I’m making for Christmas!
I’ve made myself six more masks in the hope that choir will start again before too long. Research says we will need three per rehearsal so I have pretty ones, ones for Christmas and musical notes. I am so missing singing with my choir pals. I live in hope!
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