Clocks change

Today the clocks have gone back which means that the sun will set with us before 5pm. A bright cold day with another frost forecast tonight.

Autumn sunshine

Sunshine filling our living room and casting shadows across the landscape. The grass looks surprisingly green again and the areas we re-seeded have begun to sprout.

Snow

While I was serving breakfast this morning it started to SNOW! It has been a very strange year, grass just cut for silage and now snowflakes in October.

Dawn

After a sleepless night I was awake to watch the dawn unfold. Outside it's mild and damp with dew, lots of small birds sing unseen in the hedges.

Family time

Last night we sat around the kadai, lit sparklers and watched the stars! A lovely mild evening and time to relax.

Puss aka non-pet

Puss came and sat on the bench this morning giving us meaningful looks, we went and got her food and she immediately walked across the lane to inspect the sheep!

Sunset

Another beautiful but too early sunset, it's completely dark now before we finish supper and the sun has moved round to set at the bottom of the garden so I can watch it as I cook.

Still flowering

Flowers that survived the Storm Callum gales bringing late colour to the garden.

Haylage

The fine weather makes it possible to get a late cut of grass for haylage, very welcome after such a difficult year. It will provide the cows with some tasty winter feed. It is always scary to see the laden trailer squeeze past our stone gateposts!

Fog

We've had some very misty starts this week with still mild air. I love watching the way the mist tumbles down the Big Field, it moves fast and can form and be gone in minutes.

Walking

The wonderful weather is too good to be filled with domestic tasks so we drive to Alstonefield a little further up from us in the Peak District and go walking.

Grass cutting

With snow until March and the summer drought it's been a really difficult year for livestock farmers. This means that the fine sunny weather forecast for this week provides the chance to cut a late crop of grass from our fields. It will help feed neighbouring cows through the winter.

The grass is always greener

No matter how big your field is ... the tastiest bits are always just out of reach! I love watching the sheep in the field opposite us.

Sunny days

Pink roses against a blue sky ... it could be summer, especially as everyone is cutting grass and the lanes rattle to the sound of silage trailers.

Crumpets

Hot buttered crumpets with homemade Hill Farm damson jam, a great way to start a wet weekend!

Wet start

Woke to fine rain which has been falling most of the night. Again this morning I can hear geese flying over the farmhouse calling to eachother, I wonder where they go on their daily journeys. Little birds chatter in the hedge and the sheep have spread themselves out to enjoy the lush, damp grass.

Glorious colours

Last week's frosts have caused the leaves to start changing to their autumn colours. An afternoon of unexpected blue skies (and grazing sheep).

First fire of autumn

Tonight after a really grey day with plenty of drizzle it's a real pleasure to light our first fire of the autumn. I love the smell of woodsmoke.

Amazing sky

We have a glorious sky here tonight to mark the start of October.

Autumn colours

The light on the woodland opposite us looks beautiful this afternoon as the trees start to develop their autumn colours, helped by two frosts this week. I can't believe we've reached the end of September already.

Autumn Harvest

Despite the frost the dahlias have survived which is good news as later this afternoon I'll be using some of them to decorate our church of St Peter and St Blaise for harvest.

Drifting mist

There is mist drifting about in the field opposite us, hiding then revealing the sheep. Frost on the ground (for the second time this week).

Pink sky

We have a pretty pink sky this morning after a cold night.

Sunset

A pretty sky but the sun has set before 7 now. There are geese calling and it feels very autumnal.

North Wales

A few days away in North Wales ... the autumn colours are glorious and there is mist down in the valley. This photo would have looked better if the sheep hadn't run away as I picked up my camera!

Crab apple and chilli jelly

The wind brought down quite a few crab apples so on the spur of the moment I decided to make crab apple and chilli jelly, unfortunately I couldn't find my jelly straining bag and then I had to dash to the shops to buy some more small jars! I had some dried chillies so I thought it would look pretty to put one in each jar ... I hope this isn't a mistake!!

Autumn

Today I've been busy picking damsons to make jam and some for a friend to add to gin, it's been a poor crop after the summer drought though. I also picked flowers for a harvest inspired arrangement.

Cooking apples

Our Bramley cooking apples are starting to ripen, they are a favourite fruit and perfect for crumbles, pies and apple sauce.

Hartington Wakes

Enjoying a day out at the Hartington Wakes Country Show, there was lots to see and we ended coming home not (sadly) with sheep but with some bargain plants instead!

Vampire free

I've been plaiting our garlic, it is delicious when freshly grown and so much juicier than the bulbs you tend to find in the shops, certainly it should keep Hill Farm vampire free!

In flower

A few of last year's leeks and parsnips have stayed in the ground overwintering and now they are having a moment of glory.

July sunrise

Sunrise this morning, it's 6am and already the sun feels really warm. The lambs are laying in the hay-like dry grass and are almost perfectly camouflaged.

We have sheep neighbours

Yesterday evening we had sheep arrive in the field opposite, my favourite way to waste time is to watch them. They are this year's bottle fed lambs. Two were born blind and are still with their mums. The first night there is a lot of baa-ing as they orientate themselves.

Baling

Today we are getting our hay baled - I love the traditional rectangular shape. With the grass so dry it all goes smoothly and before long it's time for a beer in the shade.