As Summer subtly changes to Autumn

There's still plenty of warmth and sunshine around, although the trees give away the changing season.

 Towards Flamborough Head, East Yorkshire Coast

 Sewerby Cliffs, Bridlington, East Yorkshire

Found a useful site:  bramleyapples.co.uk which gives interesting recipes for using up those apples from the garden.  Tried the bangers and mash one with veggie sausages.  Who would have thought that adding apples to mashed potato, or sautéed with onions to make a sauce would be so delicious.
Any tried and tested recipes will be much appreciated, including any for may recently acquired bread making machine.

Reading:  Just finished Vivien's Hampshire's Losing Lucy, which I purchased as a cheapie from
 Amazon and can recommend it.  She really brings the characters alive.

Writing: Had two short stories accepted for October and read a couple of my pieces on local radio.
Arithmetic:  Paid an enormous bill for the repair of my central heating boiler.

On not having to go back to school

As an ex-teacher, I just love that feeling of not having to go back to school.  However, the grandchildren hadn’t started back yet, so they stayed with us at the coast for a few days and the weather was glorious. 

 

We visited Sewerby Park and, although the Hall is closed for a big refurbishment with National Lottery money, the gardens were still full of colour and the children found the zoo, the outdoor toys and the playground great fun.

Outdoor connect and Jenga

Brought home some green beans from the allotment, where I volunteer.  Another allotment holder gave us some beetroots, which I put to good use.  I find gardeners, like writers, to be so generous with their help and advice.

 

 

I had a short story accepted on Alfiedog.com for publication in October and a piece of non-fiction is being included on local radio next week

My new bread making machine is wonderful!  For Jewish New Year, I baked both round and plaited challahs for the first time ever and also a honey cake for a sweet new year.

 First attempts

 

 

I spied this plant display depicting the heritage of Stamford Bridge (Yorkshire).

 

It has been a great summer in which we celebrated our son's wedding, our ruby wedding, and the special birthdays of my brother and one of my sisters.  These are just the highlights of my life at the moment.  There are lowlights, of course, but with a large family there are always times for celebrations and commiserations.  I prefer to count my blessings.

 

 

 

A holiday in Calpe, Spain

 

Wall to wall sunshine, private beach and pool - what not to like!  We liked playing in the sea when the waves were high with the grandchildren's inflatables, watching from the balcony with the binoculars, eating out .....


 Penon de Ifach which dominates the resort

From the front balcony there was the ever changing scenery of the Med and the back balconies overlooked a salt lake; a haven for wildlife.

 

A paved walkway by the sea joins the new town to the old town.  This was used by joggers in the early morning and strollers in the evening.

 

 

 

 

 

Calpe is still a working fishing port and a fish auction is held every day at 5 pm.  The transactions are now digitalised, but interesting nevertheless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 



 The fishing boats bring their catch into the port where it is unloaded by the crew and family.  The fish are sorted according to type into plastic trays which are placed on the conveyor belt. As the trays begin to move they are weighed and on the screen appears the picture, the type of fish, who caught it , the bidder and the price it went for.  The bidders have black, palm-held sets by which they communicate their purchases.  Once bought, a printed ticket fall on the tray from a machine, a shovelful of ice is applied manually and the tray is moved to a pallet.  The restaurants will be serving the fish that evening.

 

 

We also visited Mundo Mar in Benidorm.  The park was well organised and the fish and animals were well cared for.  We saw a sea lion show, a dolphin show and variety of animals and birds.  A welcome fine spray of water was applied to the crowds to stop them overheating.  I was also impressed by the planting in the park.  The kids loved it!

 

All too soon it's time to go home.

Adios

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding in Sweden

It was our son's wedding and once again we found ourselves in a remote area in the north of Sweden, where we were royally entertained.  We were loaned this superb home by the lake from neighbours of the hosts.

 

 

 

There was boating, swimming and fishing and the weather was kind.

 

...... and of course the sauna

The ceremony was held on the lawn at the side of the lake at the family home.  Such a beautiful setting!  The guests were seated on benches made by the bride's father.

The bride's bouquet was made from flowers from the garden. A friend read a poem accompanied by another friend playing the flute.  A local lady sang and there were two accordion players.  The dinner was held in the barn interrupted every so often with traditional drinking songs which necessitated the partaking of Schnapps.  The speeches were made in Swedish and English (I did some of mine in Swedish after practising during the 5 hour train journey from Stockholm) and some friends displayed an illustrated timeline from the couple's first meeting to the present day and we were all asked to add our memories to it.  Such a lovely keepsake.  The bride's mother baked these excellent cakes using blueberries picked from the forest for one of them.

 

A free pub was set up; some of the British guests made this sign and the bride's brother built the bar.



 Grattis!

 

All too soon we were at the station on our way home, taking with us wonderful memories of a magical experience.

Floral Matters

An enjoyable visit to RHS Harlow Carr in the sunshine this week, although the herbaceous borders are very late.

 

At last my peony has flowered; they evidently don't like to be moved

 



 My flower arrangement from this month's session.

..... and what better to round off the week than a visit with my gardening group to a beekeeper's garden.