Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness

If ever a month merited that memorable line, it’s been this November so far…

One day last week when it seemed as though the whole of the UK apart from us were in gloom and fog we basked in brilliant sunshine on our hill top bryn until late afternoon. Suddenly the fog rolled up the fields in a matter of seconds and for half an hour the world turned into a gloriously eerie bright mist before sunset.

A world between the worlds.

I stopped my work and went out to play with light for a bit…

The light was so painterly, so Turner-esque, I played with pushing the exposure to enhance it, shooting into the sun.

And then couldn’t resist pushing it further for a different effect.

In the thicker mist further down the fields, you can hear the animals grazing before you can see them. Munching indicated the general whereabouts of my sheep before they loomed out of the haze… although they’d long been aware of my approach and were waiting with pricked ears.

The slow damp mild autumn has meant the fruit ripened slowly and to a good size and the lack of winds up until a couple of days ago meant it hung well on the trees, as had the leaves. I’ve been picking apples – they’re currently stacked up in my dyeing workroom holding up things waiting for me to juice them or store them for eating. Marley and I may have eaten quite a few whilst picking them too…

I’ve not had any success with my pumpkins this year but I did buy a few of the tasty eating sort – not the bland, soggy giant orange jobs the supermarkets sell for Hallowe’en carving. The potimarron and other small squashes are the business when it comes to pumpkin soup.

And the sloes are massive in the blackthorn hedges this year. I’ve still plenty of sloe gin from last year but they’re too good to waste and a friend wanted some too so Mum and I picked some today.