In praise of autumn
As a child I loved autumn. There were so many good things. Berries to pick, apples and pears to scrump. Conker games and Christmas fare to make. A hotch potch of good things that, in late November, led to counting the days to Christmas.
Where to start? Blackberries grew wild and still do. As a family we went blackberrying and my mother made jelly. Now we do the same and I make jelly. But we have new favourites; blackberry vinegar and blackberry and apple pies too. I still make Christmas cake in September and all present stir and make a wish. I loved the ritual. My job was seeding the raisins. They were large back then, not the sultana sized seedless variety we have now. Of course I tasted them for quality!
Then conkers a game we looked forward to all year. Sadly many schools now ban it on health and safety grounds. I sometimes wonder how the human race arrived in the 21st century. Conkers is fun, but above all it teaches kids fair play. It's not easy to hold out your prized “Oncer” and let your opponent try to smash it. Learn to take your turn. Learn to congratulate the other fellow as s/he proudly declares. ‘It's a sixer.' As your shattered dream lies on the floor and the object of its doom retires to live forever in a cabinet.
Halloween and cinnamon toast (delicious) and bob apple (horribly wet). We did not do trick or treat, but did make lanterns and talked of witches. It's fun that customs taken to the US by English settlers are now being re-imported. After that came Guy Fawkes Night. We started preparing for it in mid October. Dads across the land lost old pyjamas and socks, sometimes shirts and trousers too, as we created our guys. We drew a face and made a hat for him. Proudly we wheeled him around the neighbourhood. The ancient cry of “Penny for the guy” would earn us pennies we saved to buy fireworks.
Back to the present, blackberry jelly safely potted and now I'm waiting for quinces and medlars to ripen. Quince butter and medlar jelly. Heaven!
Where to start? Blackberries grew wild and still do. As a family we went blackberrying and my mother made jelly. Now we do the same and I make jelly. But we have new favourites; blackberry vinegar and blackberry and apple pies too. I still make Christmas cake in September and all present stir and make a wish. I loved the ritual. My job was seeding the raisins. They were large back then, not the sultana sized seedless variety we have now. Of course I tasted them for quality!
Then conkers a game we looked forward to all year. Sadly many schools now ban it on health and safety grounds. I sometimes wonder how the human race arrived in the 21st century. Conkers is fun, but above all it teaches kids fair play. It's not easy to hold out your prized “Oncer” and let your opponent try to smash it. Learn to take your turn. Learn to congratulate the other fellow as s/he proudly declares. ‘It's a sixer.' As your shattered dream lies on the floor and the object of its doom retires to live forever in a cabinet.
Halloween and cinnamon toast (delicious) and bob apple (horribly wet). We did not do trick or treat, but did make lanterns and talked of witches. It's fun that customs taken to the US by English settlers are now being re-imported. After that came Guy Fawkes Night. We started preparing for it in mid October. Dads across the land lost old pyjamas and socks, sometimes shirts and trousers too, as we created our guys. We drew a face and made a hat for him. Proudly we wheeled him around the neighbourhood. The ancient cry of “Penny for the guy” would earn us pennies we saved to buy fireworks.
Back to the present, blackberry jelly safely potted and now I'm waiting for quinces and medlars to ripen. Quince butter and medlar jelly. Heaven!
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