Where are all the Autumn lovers?

[birdysong]

Please cheer me up with all the wonderful things to look forward to in Autumn.
I have had enough of heatwave after heatwave. Especially as a dog owner. Ive just stuck on Gilmore Girls as a means of escape!

So please join me here if you can't wait for Autumn and share any of your Autumn joys!

Put it in the Christmas section in the hope of finding my kinda people! I

So .... it's acceptable to start decorating? According to my camera roll I started decorating last year on the 8th. I'm just itching to start now.

Yeah, my wreath is on the door, my bedding is on, and all the autumn candles are out.

Tbf, the fabric pumpkins stay out all year round here on top of a wicker basket in the hallway, and DD has a permanent Halloween arrangement on the wooden beam above the stove. There's just the two of us here and no figs are given tbh.

Halloween I will decorate for from 1st October. I do like to get my money's worth!

Happy September 😊🍁🍂

Back to work today after a lovely 8 weeks off. Hit the ground running lol Got up early and it was lovely and dark. Been mild here so everyone was still in summer gear. Bring on the coolness and the autumn clothes 😎

Newsflash: I wore my jacket today! It was drizzling. Lovely.

Excellent @Whosthetabbynow! I got out the autumn decorations today and packing away summer things tentatively. Will keep fans out for now!

Can anyone confirm these are elderberries please, I don't want to just trust Google if there's anything similar that should be avoided? And if so, I know they're amazing for keeping colds at bay but not sure whether I could pick a few to eat raw (also, do they maybe have worms like blackberries? I read a few won't do any harm but not to eat too many raw, due to slight toxicity but apparently heating them up breaks down the toxicity?)
If they definitely are elderberries, how can I process them to get the best immune boosting and/or flavour from them?

I could ofcourse Google but I prefer real world people to tell me their methods than take a punt out of all of Google results ☺️

@Sasha07 this might help…
https://feralforaging.com/elderberry/ feralforaging.com/elderberry/]]]]

Started watching the Goosebumps series on Disney. Watched them when they came out but feeling a bit more like Halloween tonight 😊🎃 lol I used to love the books when I was a kid. Anyone else remember them?

Wild, wet and windy day today, up at the White Horse and Iron Age Camp. Could see where the wild fires had been, and could still smell them.
First day back at school tomorrow 😩

@Sasha07- yes they are elderberries

i find them too bitter to eat raw

To make a cordial (google a recipe for actual quantities) - pick the berries and then pick the berries off the branches - a fork is good for this. Pick out any crusty bits etc
cook up and strain through a muslin or a tea towel you don’t mind being stained or even a mesh fruit/veg back will do
Then you add sugar and heat through to dissolve it - et voila cordial to get best vitamin C

personally though I would also look for blackberries and hawthorn berries too and then make a jelly - same process as above but you boil like jam to get to a set point

I’ve often walked there, I lived in Westbury as a child. Wonderful place to walk with fantastic views.

First porridge breakfast of the season this morning. Topped with cinnamon, banana and sultanas. Definitely Autumn now!

@Tiddlywinks63
@Chocolateteabag
Thanks so much both! Really appreciate the link and the info, going to look properly in the morning with my coffee... I can feel myself getting excited at the idea but need to be winding down 😅 really interesting though, I think I'm going to enjoy foraging and trying to make cordial for the first time! Thanks again 🥰

This year's Poncetastic thread here, for anyone who would like to join:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas/5575724-poncetastic-christmas-thread-2026

Started watching Ghost Whisperer. Used to love this programme. Gives me autumn vibes too 🙂