The Year Round Nigel Slater discussion thread part 6

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello all, and welcome to this lovely space for our continued chats.

A bit of background for anyone not familiar with this topic:
The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles readalong usually takes place here on Mumsnet between November and February each year - the Christmas Chronicles being a book written by Nigel Slater full of winter recipes and anecdotes - It has been running for a few years, and the contributors collectively decided it would be nice to have it running all year round.

So here it is. It is a place to appreciate all things Nigel-esque. Think seasonal food and recipes, enjoyment of nature, gardening, appreciation of the weather, and sharing of news and small moments of joy. It's a calm, cosy space for gentle chat and merriment so pull up a chair, grab a drink and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old

N.B. The Christmas Chronicles thread proper will start in late October, ready for the book beginning on 1st November (seems a long way off, but will be here before we know it!)

Thank you @RainbowZebraWarrior I am looking forward to edging towards autumn and winter in good company here.

Thank you. Adding some melograno pomegranates to scent the new thread.

Just caught up with the last few posts on the previous thread. Was very pleased to hear your update @piscofrisco.

It's much cooler here today, although no sign of rain sadly which we desperately need. DH is off today so we are going to Biddulph Grange, a National Trust garden about an hour away. I am hoping to find a shady corner to read in a while and of course there's always an excuse to peruse the NT shop (for more candles and throws). My office is finished and I am very pleased with it, will do a photo later, but it is crying out for a cosy pink toned throw, and possibly a pretty mug, and candles, and there is space on the book shelves so that must be remedied immediately!

I have just realised that I have two whole days on my own next week as DH and DS are away and DD will be at her boyfriend's. I am going to book a small Ocado shop of tasty treats and hunker down with books. I might binge watch something. I don't watch much TV so I am very out of touch. Any recommendations?

Thanks for new thread @RainbowZebraWarrior
Such good news on all clear @piscofrisco.
For binge watching @petitpasta I've been enjoying the new Little House on the Prairie on Netflix. It's a bit twee and predictable as you'd expect but I'm finding it lovely relaxing viewing. Also like Ludwig which starts on bbc1 this week, silly but fun.
Had a nice weekend with a trip to a farmers market on Saturday. Bought some lovely dahlias which make me smile every time I walk past them in the hallway. Bought DD one of those biro pens which write in different colours, it has entertained her all weekend and she is still quietly drawing with it now! Best £2.50 ever spent!

Morning all, rainy and cool here, it's rather nice.

Enjoy your day out and shopping @petitpasta

I was also going to suggest Ludwig (is that the new series starting this week @Markknopflersheadband?), The Hairdresser Mysteries, Madame Blanc if you haven't seen it already - all ''cosy crime' things.

Yes @martha79 new series starts on Thurs I think. DH is a big David Mitchell fan so we are both looking forward to it. Not all that often we find a series that we both agree on!

Gorgeous pomegranates @Bimblesalong

My DD bought me one of those pens a few weeks ago, and I have been similarly entertained with it since @Markknopflersheadband 😅

We are almost finished My Life with the Walter Boys and I have to say I haven't really enjoyed this season. One ep left to watch tonight. Thinking of moving on to Little House on the Prairie next. I heard the new series of Ludwig being advertised on the radio, so might give that a go. Also that one with Sanjeev Bhaskar in it (Unforgotten?) And the one with Nicola Walker... oh wait, that's the same one! Also Patience is good, I really enjoyed Hairdresser Mysteries in the end (batshit and whimsical) and can also recommend Ann Droid. I thought it would be tripe, but it was actually wonderfully warm. I may also re-binge Happy Valley at some point. I don't do Strictly, so this will be my Autumn viewing schedule. Basically anything crime related with a female lead!

Aye it's a funny time of year. Definitely Autumnal here. Everyone with coats on at the beach. On the one hand though, I am desperate for the summer hols to last forever. 16 days left till DD goes back and planning on enjoying every second! I am devouring these giant flat peaches that are everywhere at the minute. Blinking delicious!! But I am also preserving like mad, collecting firewood, and starting to buy for Christmas (I have to due to being a single parent and budgeting for DDs November birthday) I also already have a massive stash of preserved Autumn leaves and berries.

It is equal parts lovely and sad at the same time, I think; this time of year.

Definitely going to harvest the apples soon, before the NE winds start their mischief. Braeburns, Golden Delicious and Russets all looking good. Dad's trees all now have mats underneath them to protect any fallers. (Which the dog promptly nicks and hoards)

Had a haircut on Thursday and booked next appointment for 7 weeks time. 1st of October.

I actually felt relieved that July/August won't last forever.

Just wondering if I posted that little observation on last thread? Apologies if so.

Thankyou for the new thread :)

and again for all your good wishes.

26 degrees here, so still warm but much more manageable.

I adored Ludwig. Is the new one out yet?

have a lovely Monday all

Beautiful picture

I got bee-stung again at the weekend. One of ours this time (I assume - as was in the garden and near the hive though not actively doing anything with the bees). It was right on the end of my nose and I looked like an extra from Star Trek the whole weekend. It's mostly gone now (fortunately because I had clients this am) but I did spend the rest of the weekend gardening in a hat and veil on the basis I can cope with another sting, but no more to the face.

I am starting to look forward to the new term. I've always loved the start of September; it feels like August stands still and then everything starts to move again. I like that: I don't enjoy stasis (or violent change - just bimbling change - gentle, predictable but still changing. Tides, seasons. I'm either very, or not at all, easily pleased 🤣).

"just bimbling change - gentle, predictable but still changing. Tides, seasons. I'm either very, or not at all, easily pleased"

Love this.

Sorry to hear about the sting on the nose @MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset My Dad's favourite place to be stung is right between the eyes. Both eyes tend to shut with swelling for a short time. You can always bet this will happen when you're in the middle of nowhere, 40 miles drive from home..

I found a fossil today. And some red glass. Trying to find out some more info about the fossil. Most interesting!

Ouch @MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset . I got stung yesterday too, not sure if it was a bee or wasp, it was much smaller than a common wasp, and left a little sting behind, it really hurt. I was with a friend having a picnic and she had an icepack so I rested my arm on that for an hour which helped a lot, no swelling but it is red and itchy today despite applying anthisan.

Responding to shout out and waving from the back.
I fell off the thread somewhere in the late 20's postwise, but have read page 40. (will eventually catch all the news up)

Glad you're Ok @piscofrisco and sorry Dh isn't @ElegantDress.
And a belated Happy Birthday Mr D! Hope the catnip hangover isn't too rough.

Things here where too difficult to mention already, and to top it all we've lost most of our garden and food stocks to fire. I do know we're lucky not to have lost homes as well, as others have, but heat, health issues, lack of work, and subsequent squeezed finances are cutting deep. It's all NVN.

I love a good fossil! My Grandpa (who left school at thirteen to help on the family farm) was an inveterate collector. He started on the farmland near here, and when he was older went further afield. I inherited his collection (as the only one interested) and while I can't display it, I do love getting it out and going through it. It includes a note from an eminent archaeologist who was taught by Darwin and to whom he sent a find asking for his advice. It was a very kind note and probably the gem of the collection (they were all things he recovered himself, so there is nothing terribly exciting, but some nice examples).

Good luck identifying it!

Sounds like a bee! If it's not improving can I suggest oral antihistamines? Last time I didn't go with them and I ended up in hospital (though I had more stings). This time, and despite the swelling going right up to my forehead, it has gone down much quicker and I have not ended up at urgent care with oral antihistamines.

I'm so sorry - that must have been so worrying for you, being so close to the fires. Hopefully they are retreating now, so that worry at least is gone. It sounds like you are getting a thorough dose of rotten luck, and I hope something, however small, starts to look up for you soon.

Thanks @MichaelmasDaisiesAndAutumSunset I have had so much else going on this weekend that I didn't think of that last night or this morning, will take one when I get home, we've got some of the Allevia ones. I have got my arm on a coolpack again now (at work, we use them there).

Oh my love. It's so good to hear from you, but I'm so saddened to hear of your additional awful luck. You've been on my mind for a while. Would you be happy to PM me you address as I would love to send you some of our gorgeous honeycomb and my chilli jam. I know you are a very resourceful person, but you can't make anything when you have nothing. Sending the biggest hugs to you and yours x

Thank you for the new thread. Slightly tipsy on sangria from lunch so will catch up with the last few posts from the last post and the posts on here by the pool.

Oh wow! This sounds amazing and reminds me of an old retired GP I made friends with when I was a chef. He had the most beautiful big old house in Tynemouth and in his kitchen was a massive dresser covered in fossils that he had collected over almost 70 years of living on the NE coast.

Mine rolled up to my feet in the waves and looks like a white dog poo (remember those?) It's really heavy and I believe it to be a fossilised bone from a turtle or some sort of reptile. Hard to know for sure, but I am going to try and get an expert to ID it.

Mr D is now Rainbow Cat. I found an old scarf that DD had as a child and have wrapped it around his basket.

Oh @EphemeraleEudemonia I'm sorry you've had such a hard time.

Sorry to hear about the stings, ouch!

I'm loving Mr Rainbow Cat.

Been quite a sleepy day here, quiet at work, gone quite grey outside. Have got rice, tuna, veg and pickled ginger for tea, and am browsing the library catalogue saving things I want to read over the next few months.

Hello everyone, It's been a while since I've been here. I thought 2026 was supposed to be the year of the fire horse for us Scorpio's but (to quote Bob Mortimer) it's been a total shithouse of job loss, illness for DS, suddenly loosing MIL and my DM having a life changing brain haemorrage and still being in hospital.
I need a warm place to just 'be' and as it's definately autumn in my part of the world now, I remembered to find my way back here and hopefully find my way back full stop.
Here's a photograph I took last weekend from our local forest. It looks onto the mountain we snowboard on and the little path is part of the cross country ski track. In summer roller skiers use it.

Ah, friends. Some tough times going on and at least the season of mists approaches so we can gather for moments of nurture and calm.

@EphemeraleEudemonia I am so sorry to hear of your troubles and , though a resourceful and resilient person, you must be so stretched though these challenges.

@IngenTing I think us fire horses are all due a refund on this year. I hope you can find some comfort in this gentle place.

we have just raided the garden for supper and have dined on courgettes and beans with herbs and pasta. We are still very tired after travels and it’s good not to have to go out to food shop.

Oh Lordy. You've been on my mind also, my lovely. Sending hugs to you too. That's a lot to be going on with x