October 24th 2023 and it is snowing. The change came quickly and that is fairly typical for this climate zone. It is a relief the temperature drop was not so huge as last year when leaves and apples froze on to the trees, remaining until spring. The apples have all been harvested and the leaves are changing colours and falling as they should. Just four days ago it was +21C and now it is -2C. The crunchy, dry leaves that came in with the dog’s whiskers and undercarriages will now be soggy, slimy leaves that still come in with the dog’s undercarriages! The chores that did not get done in the garden will now likely be left until Spring. I should still be able to pick my Parsley and Kale for a good while longer however. It is a bit of a ritual that I go out and pick parsley from under the snow, for the turkey stuffing at Christmas.

It is time for winter dinners. To celebrate the sudden advance of winter I will soon be making my once a year stuffed pumpkin in time for Hallowe’en. I like a small sugar pumpkin, which I hollow out carefully keeping the lid. It can then simply be filled with a favourite meatloaf mixture, vegetarian or meat and the lid popped on. Brushed with oil and roasted in the oven with some other vegetables it makes for an attractive yummy, seasonal dinner or two.

One of my favourire children’s stories for this time of year is ‘The Pumpkin Blanket’ by Deborah Turney Zagwyn. If you you have children or grandchildren around, they too, might enjoy it. Snow and Hallowe’en is a basic recipe for child frenzy so this story might go down well!