Neglectful but not wasteful

My blog postings have been a little thin on the ground this summer. There is an explanation for this and that is I have been writing a gardening blog for my local newspapers website The Daily Echo.
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/blogs/grow_your_own/

It is said that women are good at multi tasking but I think I was at the back of the queue when they were handing out that skill!

So although I have neglected this blog, I haven't been wasteful with my time.

I have been picking tomatoes, like they are going out of fashion. We have made oodles of tomato sauce for pasta, sun-dried (oven-dried really) tomatoes, to remind me of warm summer days in the winter and some scrumptious tomato soup, courtesy of a Sarah Ravens recipe.http://www.sarahraven.com/learn/this-month-in-kitchen/cleopatras-tomato-soup I have picked loads and given lots to my family and there are still plenty more for picking.

                                                     Tomatoes ripening on the greenhouse bench

The squashes are ripening and the raspberries are dripping from their stems; so its time for jam making.

My recipe of choice is Hugh's (Fearnley-Whittingstall) raspberry fridge jam, from Pam Corbin's river cottage book. It's so easy and what I love about it, is that it uses less sugar than regular jam so this means once opened you need to keep it in the fridge.

Today I have been cutting back the lavender, which is still smelling gorgeous. I felt all relaxed in the autumn sun, which still had warmth in it but not for long, with the passing of the autumnal equinox, darkness is on its way.

There are still plenty of flowers in the garden. The dahlias are still flowering their socks off and the sunflowers are hanging on in there. The bonus of planting them up late.

                                                                  Sunflower

Knautia

 macedonica

All my photography for the National  Garden Scheme, is done and dusted and I am hoping they will want to use them again, to help promote a very worthy cause. They have used one of my images to promote a Mary Berry cake recipe on their website, which made me very proud.
http://www.ngs.org.uk/news-features/features/classic-cakes.aspx

My garden photography is still my biggest passion but this summer I have rekindled my love of portraiture.

                                                                                        Engagement Photography

                                                                                    Wedding Photography (obviously!)

                                                                Children's photography courtesy of my gorgeous nephew Tono

Lots more about my new venture over the coming months but until then I shall be enjoying my garden and taking in every minute I can before it starts to fade before my eyes and the winter chill sets in.