Autumnal Household.

The house smells of readiness for winter this evening - D-d and I have put blackberry brandy down to steep until Christmas, and have since pickled a pile of pears a friend gave me - now the house has that wonderfully evocative autumnal aroma of spicy pickling syrup.

We plan to make the Christmas cake tomorrow evening - after the Harvest Festival at church. Yes - autumn is most decidedly here.

I must finish sorting out my summer clothes and putting them away, and get my winter skirts out.