Today is another gorgeous day. Perfect to be outdoors in the garden (not in front of the computer Julie!). Summer has been amazing but I’m looking forward to autumn, there is a chill in the air at night and it won’t be long before those trees will be shedding their leaves peppering the ground in hues of gold and brown.
I don’t mind though, I do love the seasons.
Border collie love
Nothing like hauling in the peaches and letting them ripen on the bench in the garage. Perfect! The smell is just divine …
This time of year I am so lucky to have my father-in-law in town. Bill is not only a great bloke but a star in the kitchen. He soon becomes chief jam and jelly maker stocking up our pantry for the winter months ahead – Damson jam, crabapple jelly, and jars and jars of preserved peaches.
How lucky am I? I even surprised myself the other day, by making a particularly yummy peach and plum Indian pickle .. Think spicy hot.
I need to also grab pen and paper and get cracking on my winter planting plan! It’s time to decide on what goes where and with whom! I’m a fan of rotating crops, which is important to lessen the likelihood of pests and disease and to help with soil fertility and structure. It’s also good to think about planting green manure crops which will provide food for the garden when they are ‘dug back in’. I shall grab my seed box from the fridge with pencil in hand and start jotting down those seeds which I need to replenish! Does it sound nuts to say, I love doing this? LOL
I know a shot of a gate!
I loathe finishing on a sad note and I ummed and ahhed about mentioning this .. But for all those that have been following my blog and enjoyed the antics of my gorgeous black, naughty chicken called Sally, I’m so sorry to say that she died last week. Sometimes it is just so hard saying goodbye.
Missing my chicken ..
What’s nuts about liking this? How wonderful this all seems. Your great bloke-of-a-guy Bill seems to have mastered the jam and jelly. Looks yummy.
As you can see, I’m still sitting indoors 😀 I’m pleased you don’t think it is nuts – nor do I. And yes, I’ve sampled Bill’s jam and jelly and trust me they are divine! Thanks for commenting Bruce …
Beautiful photos, Julie! You have a good looking harvest. The spicy hot is inviting.
Hi, oh I have been trying to follow your blog but having problems. I miss your wonderful posts … So pleased that you stopped by. And yes, that spicy hot is brilliant! 😀
An absolute slice of heaven and I love the peaches shot. MM 🍀
Thanks MM 😀
Hi Julie. I am envious of your fruit harvest, my orchard didn’t do too well this year. I think it may still be considered in the juvenile stage, but next year it really needs to start earning it’s keep. Either that or the horrendous spring has a lot to answer for.
I’m sorry to hear about your chicken. I did a head count the other day and found we are down one. I am hoping she jumped the fence and will show up in a few weeks with fluffy bundles. I don’t want to think about any other alternative possibilities.
Cheers Sarah : o )
Hey Miss thanks for stopping by. Spring winds always nail our orchard which I guess is 4 – 5 years old. When it came into its stride it has been producing like mad. We are so lucky – although we always lose fruit because of the elements and those furry, winged pests. I hope your chook turns up. I’m missing mine 🙂
Beautiful post, but sorry to read about Sally, your chicken, though…
My kingdom for some fresh peaches…!!
Oh thank you Herman. You would love these peaches .. delicious! 🙂
I really enjoyed this post Julie. Peaches are out of season for us, but oh how delicious yours look. Thanks for sharing your day.
My condolences about Sally.
Hello Dan! So pleased that you enjoyed the post. I’ll think of you next time I munch on a peach. Thanks for thinking of me …
I always look forward to your posts Julie. They’re like National Geographic for gardening. Sorry to hear about your hen though.
I love sharing them with you too Dan. Oh National Geographic .. love it! Yes am missing that naughty chook, such a shame she was my favourite.
Gorgeous looking fruit and preserves; I love the gate shot at the end.
Shame about the chicken. I got five new ones at the weekend and one already seems to have disappeared. I keep hoping that she’ll pop up somewhere but who knows.
I love the gate shot too .. funny isn’t it. Yes lovely fruit and preserves – very spoilt. Missing that chook, she was such a character and used to jump the fence to come and see me every morning. I hope yours pops up again 🙂
Beautiful pictures again Julie! I love peaches and can smell them when I look at your shot! Sorry to hear about your hen…
Hi Josephine .. oh thank you, it means a lot you commenting. And those peaches they are so sweet and juicy – the garage smells like a fruit market. Yes Sally will be missed ..
Sorry to learn about your hen, Julie. You get so attached to them, don’t you, and they are such cheerful creatures. I wouldn’t want to be without the seasons as they make me appreciate and experience everything around me much more intensive. Then, come autumn, it’s lovely to see the larder fill up with goodies and to curl up in front of a fire. Life is good and it’s nice to share these joys with people like you 🙂
Hey Annette .. how are you? Yes I’m a season person – especially love watching the garden change and grow. Autumn is my fav though. I got so attached to that chook oh dear miss her very much. Yes life is good lovely girl .. and I’m so very pleased that I have met you in this wonderful blogging world!!!
I’m also very pleased to have met in outer space and who knows we might yet meet in the real world 😉
I do hope so 😀
Sorry to hear that Sally has gone so hard to loose a friend even one with feathers, just remember all the fun she had in your lovely home.
Hi guys .. hope you are good. Yes, it was very hard to lose Sally – she was my favourite and just adorable. Shame .. but so good having her. I still have her tiny little eggs.
Talk about bittersweet, eh?
I’m sorry to hear the news about Sally. Sending you a big hug.
Life’s like that, isn’t it? A touch of sadness, in the midst of joy.
When I see the photos of the preserves and the fruit – how lovely.
Hey Cynthia .. oh thanks so much for that hug. It was a very very sad day. In fact, the place just doesn’t seem the same without her. Very lucky having all this wonderful produce …
I can imagine how it feels without her. You keep looking for her before you realize she’s no longer around.
Hi Julie, I am sorry to hear about Sally. It looks like she had a good time around your place and she must have been fun to watch. The pictures in this post are wonderful, makes me feel like I’m there! Such an adorable dog and the photo of the ocean is incredible! Peach and plum indian pickle? I’ve never heard of it, but it sounds delicious. Take care! Bob
Hey bob .. so good to know that you have stopped by. Awful about Sally to be honest, I couldn’t believe it. The place seems so strange without her and her nutty antics. I’m so pleased you like the pics. Dan is a lovely dog – who oddly enough, doesn’t think he is a dog! That pickle is mind blowing – I threw in the plums for good measure! 😀
A beautiful post as always. Sorry to hear about your dear chicken. Your dog or who ever he thinks he is is absolutely gorgeous! You do some very impressive photography….post is a real joy! 😀 😀
Gill, oh thank you so much! yes Dan is gorgeous … he thinks he is a person (oh dear). I’m so pleased you like the photos and enjoy the post. Always good popping over to see you Miss 🙂
It might be a ‘shot of the gate’ but I love seeing all your photos. Sorry to read about your friend. What a lucky chicken to have had such a happy life.
Hi lovely and thank you! Don’t know why, but I really liked that pic (even if it is a gate LOL). She was the best chook ever and sadly missed – but she had loads of love. Thanks for stopping by 😀
No thankyou for posting Julie 🙂
Lovely summer photos Julie, especially the one of the big old copper with plums. Send Bill over here for a holiday! It is sad when a fave chook ‘falls off the perch’. Time to buy a handsome replacement.
You would love Bill! You two would cook up a storm in the kitchen. Wow! He is just amazing … in fact, next up he is preserving plums for me (oh heaven). Yes so sad when a fav chook departs .. damn! Always great to know you have stopped by 😀
I always get such a delight out of your amazing photos and stories – can just imagine the divine smell of those peaches! Sorry about Sally – she seemed to enjoy her short life of freedom to be a real chicken.
I’m so pleased you enjoy the stories and the photos. That smell of peaches was as good as any expensive perfume 😀 Yes, that chook sure did enjoy her life. Thank you!
Great post Julie and sorry to hear about Sally. Take care. -Max-
Thanks Max … always enjoy knowing that you have stopped by
All gorgeous photos! Youre so lucky having help with the preserving… Awesome!
So sorry to hear about your Sally – as you say, they come and go, but always hard to lose them xx
Love your shot of the gate 😜
We’re getting the cooler nights too. Its wonderful!!
😜 right back at you! Yep I too like the shot of the gate. Loving my help I the kitchen! Missing my chook. So pleased you dropped by Robyn 😝
😃😃
Gosh, your pantry looks incredible. If only I had a few more acres to grow things in. I have to say, I am looking forward to autumn this year, for perhaps the first time ever. I think it is the knowledge that winter will not be so cold and so dark and the long English ones were. I too love seasonal variation, as long as it’s not too extreme!
Thank you. I always look forward to autumn, it is such a pretty time of year .. Thankfully our winters aren’t too tough 😊
beautiful and what a life 🙂
Nice to know that you stopped by Joshi 😊
I can almost smell those peaches…divine! X
Hey Ross … they are so good. And so is all that help in the kitchen 😉
I’m drooling over your preservers. I love crab apple jelly – when I can get the crab apples. Think plannings the only way to go with a complex plot. I’m going extreme simple this year – alkaline chalk soil and an odd micro climate mean that too high a percent of stuff is frankly inedible after a lot of water used. So sorry about the chook!
They are so good. Better still given I didn’t make most of them 🙂 How good is crab apple jelly. I have done my planting plan (pat on the back) and will buy some seed. It’s a happening thing . Oh boy, your garden sounds tough. You can do it though .. that micro climate is a goodie. 🙂
… garden’s lying fallow this year as we will be doing some touring in the spring, so good to give it a rest this year and seed the veg bed…
Peaches are a summer favorite. Love the shot of the gate!!
Thanks Julie .. I like that pic too! Nothing like a good gate 😊
I’m not sure what looks more delicious, the fresh peaches or the canned peaches 😉 Love those jars!
They taste really good too!
Beautiful post!!! So sad to learn of Sally’s departure. Aye it is so hard to say goodbye, indeed, sometimes. Hugs. My condolences. P.S. Love the photo of the gate and looking forward to future autumnal photos!
autumn jade
Thank you so much! Appreciate your kind words. I love the gate too – especially when it is shut keeping my plump sheep out of the veg garden 😀
Those jars are great. Is that standard fare in NZ or do you pay extra. I go through so many jars! And all my fermenting things are in jars too- always the plain ball or kerr here. I’d love for someone to come and enjoy doing some canning!
And a chicken can really grow into your heart. How many do you have? We’ve got about 14 including 1 rooster. He’s a medium bully I respect and would be sad if he passed but he’s harder to love. My cuckoo maran probably stands out the most. I call her Alice. She’s gentle. And there is the speckled sussex, Bea, who drives me nuts as she can’t follow the crowd and is always the last one in the coop. Like she forgot. Maybe she’s just a daydreamer.
Anyway- I could go on about the hens – they are a joy and laying full on-6-10 eggs a day.
So I’m sorry you had to say goodbye to Sally… a whole month ago now. xx
Hey Wendy … I was so upset when Sally died – such a shame. She was absolutely delightful and a real character. We don’t have a rooster at the mo, I’m contemplating getting a replacement. Aren’t chickens the best? Such time wasters. Ah, we are down to about 1 egg a day already! Doesn’t take long for the supply to dwindle and I also have about 14 girls. I go through lots of jars when Bill is here – so good having someone do the preserving! 😀