September

September - my favourite month of the year. The Anglo-Saxons called it Gerstmonath (barley month), with reference to the harvest of that crop, the main ingredient of their favourite beverage. Some of the celtic names of the month are also linked to the harvest, though less specifically: The Welsh "medi" means reaping, and the Scottish Gaelic "sultuine" means plenty.

The Morris Minor was launched by Morris Motors at Oxford on this day in 1928 -


Whilst growing up in Scotland, we had a light blue Traveller - frequently packed to the gunwhales with buckets, spades and picnics to go to the beach in, out bramble picking, just "for a run", into town, etc. I remember the "back space" where we sat when all teh seats were filled up! It was called Bonnet by my wee brother and that name stuck; it had a large dent in the right hand side of the rood at the back wehre a tile blew off the roof one winter and hit it on the way down. Mr Beverley our postman in the village then, had a Morris Minor van, in bright Post Office red, ofcourse. I love the distinctive noise of the engine, and the gentle, dignified pace that they demand to be driven at! If I did drive, the Traveller is the car I would have.

So - September. Month of our wedding anniversary - 19 years today. It always seems to have gone fast in hindsight, but happy with where we are now. The month of my birthday too, and several friends and relations, so card organising is a priority this month. Harvesting, pickling, jamming, planting,foraging, sowing and forward planning all underway too, plus thinking ahead towards winter now that autumn is here; livestock housing to repair and secure, beanpoles to take down, running repairs to the greenhouses, winter curtains and bedding to check over before they are pressed into use, alos winter clothing for us, earlier shutting up times for the ducks and chickens, darker evenings to sit and work inside, winter to plan for and look forward to. As ever, busy times. I love September.