Friday 19 September 2014

Autumn Berry Woodland Walk

Hi all, good to see you again. I have had to put my blog on the back burner for a while but I thought I would quickly share some snaps from the little woodland area and pond that is at the bottom of the meadow nearby. We had a lovely wander and saw many signs that Autumn is on the way!

Beech Nuts.
Cow Parsley gone to seed. 

Arum maculatum, Lords and Ladies or Cuckoopint berries among Holly.
Haw Berries
Elderberries
Sweet Chestnut
Oak galls.
Lily pond.

I spotted a Moorhen that was on the other side of the pond so decided to try to get a little closer.
These are shy birds and as I approached I could see a couple young birds. The mother bird started to tell them to follow her but they didn't really want to so poor Mummy Moorhen had to squawk and tell her naughty children off!

Moorhens.
'But Muuuuuuuum! I don't want to go inside!'
Sloe Berries.
 Sloe Gin Recipe

Ingredients
Preparation method
  1. Prick the tough skin of the sloes all over with a clean needle and put in a large sterilised jar.
  2. Pour in the sugar and the gin, seal tightly and shake well.
  3. Store in a cool, dark cupboard and shake every other day for a week. Then shake once a week for at least two months.
  4. Strain the sloe gin through muslin into a sterilised bottle.
There are also some good tips here for making Sloe Gin.

A little Meadow Brown Butterfly enjoying the sun.
A cobweb hammock.
Wild Honeysuckle.
Rowan trees full of berries.
Autumn clouds.
I hope you enjoyed my autumnal stroll. I still have lots going on at the moment but I am sure I will get some Halloween crafts together soon!

Amber xxx