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Friday, 6 September 2013

September - The Best of Months ♥

September is here and I can't contain my excitement!  This is the month where routines begin to be shaped and formed once again.  This is by far my favourite month with its transformation from the last days of summer to the beginnings of the rusty colours of autumn.  September is here at last, a busy month with the fruits of our labour now anxious to be turned into jams, chutneys, pot pourri, soups or to be stored for the future delicious warming dinners in the coming months.

My favourite past time for the month starts with crumbling gorgeous fragrant blue lavender flowers and collecting these little grains for pot pourri and lavender sachets for autumn and winter.  Such delicious bounty.
September is the month of the tidy up.  The hay bales being compacted and laying on the landscape in the low lying sun.
And the leaves just about to start their turn of colour to eventually fall around the feet of the tiring trees along with conker season.  But first of all the clearing of flower and vegetable beds and collecting our own personal harvest.  Not the best of harvests this year for vegetables but the fruit has been amazing with our grapes and figs in such abundance.  The next task will be a trip along the lanes in the village for the blackberry harvest with stained fingers and lips where the gorgeousness of the berries doesn't quite make it to the containers.
September is also a birthday month in our household, mine this weekend Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me (and yes I do EXPECT to be spoilt for once!) and then hubby's.  While looking out into the garden I noticed my sedum.  This was taken from a cutting of my Welsh Grandpa's when he lived in Flamborough Head in Yorkshire.  It looks like a huge bunch of tulips close up, so thank you Grandpa for my birthday treat.
September is here, and like this friendly bee, I am dancing a giggy little dance.
So, with the rain about to start running down the window panes once more (oh how I have missed this) and the chill back in the air, could my birthday weekend be any better?  Nope, I don't think so!
How are you celebrating the oncoming Autumn?

Have a wonderful weekend.

Take care. 

 ♥Chel♥

 (Remember that if you want to see a larger version of my photos just click on one and a slide will appear)

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34 comments:

  1. rusty duck6 September 2013 at 21:21

    Happy happy birthday!

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  2. Pamela Gordon6 September 2013 at 22:05

    Happy Birthday dear Chel! I hope you have a wonderful weekend of celebrating YOU! Lovely photos and thoughts on September. We are in the harvest here as well, in the countryside, and are bringing in a few goodies from the garden. Flowers are still blooming beautifully and the trees are still green but that will all change soon. Enjoy your weekend. Hugs, Pamela

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  3. Vicky Hunt6 September 2013 at 22:21

    Happy Birthday to my dear friend across the pond! I wish I had known sooner so I could have sent you a card! Sounds like you are in for a wonderful weekend. I am happy to hear the it is cooling off for you....praying it does here soon! That sedum is absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy being spoiled this weekend....:)

    Blessings, Vicky
    Life On Willie Mae Lane

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  4. Linda W.6 September 2013 at 22:22

    Happy B-day! Yes, I like September too. The days are cooler, and the leaves are starting to turn. Thanks for sharing your photos.

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  5. Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie6 September 2013 at 22:47

    Happy, Happy Birthday, Chel! We have 3 September birthdays, too. Wonderful, hard-working Virgo's! I love your thoughts on September and your beautiful photos. Fall is my favorite time of year, too. I hope your day is as special as you are. Hugs xoxo - Karen

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  6. Loo xx from Jumbles and Pompoms6 September 2013 at 23:12

    Happy birthday, Chel. Mmmmmm I can smell that lavender from here. Our lavender died last year and I never got round to replacing it - more fool me. I'm not a fan of autumn at all! I hate how the nights are drawing in - boo hoo! Xx

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  7. Thoughts for the day7 September 2013 at 01:05

    Hope you have a wonderful and fun birthday...and you do something special. I love the fall weather too, when the cool air comes in and it feels refreshing. Can't wait for the trees to start to turn into yellows and oranges along with the vineyards.
    Have a great weekend.

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  8. Julie's Lifestyle7 September 2013 at 01:48

    Hi Chel, wishing you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! I hope that you enjoy whatever you do this weekend! I love lavender and how nice it is to make lavender sachets and the fruit and vegetables that you were able to grow. It is so wonderful to be able eat from the garden. Have a wonderful birthday weekend.
    Julie

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  9. tlcukjourney7 September 2013 at 03:29

    I can't argue, I also think that September is a rocking awesome month!
    Your bees look different to ours, or maybe it's just that I've never seen them up close? I think they are adorable little things! Your harvest photos and your flower photos are lovely.
    Happy Fall!!!
    Have a great weekend,
    Tammy

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  10. Cranberry Morning7 September 2013 at 03:51

    Happy Birthday to you!!! ♫ and I didn't know that Sedum was that pretty! I just harvested one of my two lavender plants today and it's in the dehydrator right now. It's not hardy here, so I have just the two - but they're so beautiful. Someday I'll get to see the lavender fields in England. :-) What I love about autumn is the cooler, drier air and the colorful leaves of the oaks and maples where we live. Have a great weekend. Hope you get spoiled. :-)

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  11. My Garden Diaries7 September 2013 at 04:23

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I hope it is filled with beautiful things! Mine is next weekend...I just love this time of year as well. Such beauty in the air! Wow....how cool is your shot of the lavender and hay. Here is to a bountiful autumn and many new memories!

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  12. Pondside7 September 2013 at 06:05

    I hope your birthday weekend is wonderful!
    Like you, I look forward to the coming of autumn, so September is a very welcome month. Are you going to go out to look for sloes?

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  13. elaine 7 September 2013 at 08:27

    Happy Birthday Chel - hope it's a good one. Lovin' your September photos - I think it has to be my favourite month too.

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  14. Sue Garrett7 September 2013 at 09:33

    have a Happy Birthday - love the bumble bee doing her exercises.

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  15. Old Magnolia Tree7 September 2013 at 11:14

    Happy birthday to you this weekend. I hope that you are really spoilt. You deserve it. This is such a beautiful post. Brilliantly written.
    Rosie xx

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  16. Natas Nest7 September 2013 at 13:27

    Thanks for this beautiful post, Chel, what a poetic hymn on autumn! I have to admit that my heart's still sitting on summer, will take some time til I get along with autumn and the prospect of winter ;-). But you're right there, autumn als has its good points :-). Sending you my best wishes for a lovely, lovely weekend, Chel, Happy Birthday to you and also for your hubby then, nice that your birthdays are so close together :-).
    xxx Nata

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  17. Elizabethd7 September 2013 at 21:03

    Happy birthday!
    Sedum is a favourite plant of mine and the bees simply love it too, such pretty colours even when it is fading a bit.

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  18. Lorrie7 September 2013 at 21:57

    Happy Birthday, Chel! I hope your weekend is full of all the things you love.

    I do love September, too, for many of the same reasons you listed, but I hate saying goodbye to summer. We've had fog and drizzle for the past couple of days and that helps get me into the autumn mood.
    It's birthday weekend around here, too - but not mine. Two of my children and one son-in-law have birthdays in September and we're getting together tomorrow for a brunch. Will be fun!

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  19. Jennifer Hays8 September 2013 at 04:38

    Happy birthday! Friday was my daughter's birthday and my son's is later this month.

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  20. Sincerelyhooked8 September 2013 at 08:05

    Have a wonderful birthday & an enjoyable September

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  21. Ladybird Diaries8 September 2013 at 09:28

    Happy birthday! I love September too, one of my favourite months for sure. Gorgeous photos.
    M x

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  22. Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse8 September 2013 at 10:52

    Happy birthday! Enjoy the chilly but sunny days of September!

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  23. greenthumb8 September 2013 at 11:00

    Well happy birthday to you, sounds like a busy month.

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  24. Ashley cramp8 September 2013 at 11:49

    Me too.... and october...late summer sunshine is the loveliest!
    Happy Birthday to Yoooooooooooooo!
    bestest daisy j x

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  25. crafty cat corner8 September 2013 at 18:59

    Like you, I love the Autumn and Spring the best. This summer heat has stopped me from doing a lot of things I like doing because I have been exhausted.
    I see you have collected your lavender. Can I ask.. do I have to wait until the flowers drop off before I collect? You can email if you like.
    Briony
    x

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    Replies
    1. sweetbriardreams8 September 2013 at 19:13

      Hi Briony. What I do is cut the stalks down to another cluster that will grow next year and then group all the stalks together, tie them and hang them upside down. After a couple of weeks they should be really dry. Then get some newspaper and either rub the flower heads or just move your fingers in the opposite direction to the way the little buds are hanging and the little lavender pods will just come away. The smell is gorgeous and of course very relaxing! Take care. Chel x

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  26. Trisha8 September 2013 at 22:52

    September really is the best month of all, especially for birthdays! Your pictures are beautiful!

    ~Trisha

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  27. Nancy9 September 2013 at 00:18

    First of all, Happy Birthday!

    And that bee -- is he doing the limbo or what? :)

    Thanks so much for stopping by today.

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  28. September Violets9 September 2013 at 18:07

    Well, Happy Birthday to You!! I wish I could smell that bowl of lavender buds ... and the photo of the bee is pretty amazing ;) Enjoy your pampering! Wendy

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  29. Julie's Lifestyle10 September 2013 at 20:07

    Hi Chel, I hope that you and hubby had a wonderful birthday and thanks for stopping by for the visit! How do you dry lavender? I have a lavender plant outside and I just clipped some and put it in a vase without water, I'm not sure if I did that correctly. Do I then pull it off the stems? Maybe you might have some advice. Take care and looking forward to your next post!
    Julie

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    1. sweetbriardreams10 September 2013 at 20:28

      Now then, Lavender. What I do is cut them with the stalks intact, usually down to the next growing point or set of leaves. Then I tie the stalks together and hang them with the flowers at the end. Looking very pretty! After about two weeks they will be crusty and that's when I put them on some newspaper and give them a crush and squeeze and you will notice the flower heads will come away really easy.

      You can put them in a vase with no water and they will equally gradually dry out, the same - two weeks usually does it. Lavender is soooo versatile.

      Have a lovely drying period my lovely.

      Chel x

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    2. Julie's Lifestyle26 September 2013 at 15:25

      Thanks Chel for explaining the process and have a great day!
      Julie

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  30. crafty cat corner11 September 2013 at 18:18

    Just to say, the lavender is hanging up in the work room and you were right, it smells just gorgeous. thanks for the info.
    Briony
    x

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  31. Unknown13 September 2013 at 01:27

    Happy birthday, Lovely! I hope you were showered with love and presents!!

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