Good morning, and welcome to the week! It's time for another Year in Books post, and at this time of year I revel in devouring a few pages before bed each night in the cosiness of our cottage while the elements whirl wildly outside. If you read October's post, you'll have seen that last month I was making my way through The Dog Whisperer by Jan Fennell. Not only fascinating for dog owners, but also those interested in animals more generally, it made for an informative read and we've been using tips and advice for training Bella. The general idea is to praise the good and ignore the bad, and although this hasn't proved easy (after the clocks went back she decided 4.15am was a sensible time to wake up and seize the day), we have persevered and for only fifteen weeks old she isn't getting on too badly.

For the month ahead and into December I'm throwing myself wholeheartedly into the season and have selected a suitably wintery tale - Kate Mosse's The Winter Ghosts. I've never read a novel by Mosse before, despite her critical acclaim, and I'm looking forward to enjoying it curled up in front of the fire with a mug of hot chocolate. Have any of you read this one before?

On the topic of hot chocolate, I'm making it my mission this week to try out as many different recipes as I can fit in. We visited Bruges a few years ago and nothing has ever compared since (although the Whittard version pictured comes pretty close) so I'll be grating chocolate, adding spices and experimenting to find the most delicious accompaniment to my book. If you have any hot chocolate tips, please do let me know!

As always, for more recommendations or to take part in The Year in Books, head over to the link-up at Circle of Pine Trees and while you’re there, catch up on the other lovely posts written by Laura.

November is the month for eating game in our household. Pheasant, partridge, rabbit; you name it and we'll stick in in a stew or pie and devour it with a mountain of buttery mash and a side of curly kale. The leftovers of October are still lingering at the bottom of our veg boxes, so squashes and root vegetables still star, but taking centre stage throughout the month is without a doubt the meat, and by far the best way to enjoy it (in my humble opinion) is to slow cook.

Returning home to a cold house at the end of a long day toiling at work is always vastly improved when wafting through the front door is the smell of a pheasant casserole. Why not try Jamie's recipe here for a full on blast of autumnal flavour - it even includes chestnut dumplings.

As the cold air blows into our lungs and through the nooks and crannies of our house, we know it's time to start ordering a veg box again as the garden no longer produces enough to sustain our hunger throughout the week. As November appears, we also make it a priority to order some venison alongside the veg box. A lean meat, venison can be somewhat dry if you don't cook it right, so stewing it is a great way of preserving its flavour and rich texture. However, it's just as good in burger form. Try this recipe or head over here to order them ready-made to enjoy with homemade wedges and ketchup.

Meat aside, there are many other gastronomic delights to be had and recipes to try out over the month, including this kale and mushroom lasagne - perfect for a family dinner. If you're after something sweet it's still prime time for apples, so why not try an apple pie?

What will be on your plate this month?

Hanging a wreath to welcome visitors is such an easy way to bring nature into the home; it acts as a reminder, too, of the seasonal changes as we hurtle head first through yet another year. Creating an autumn wreath has long been top of my to do list, and last week, as the morning of Halloween dawned and copper and claret leaves fluttered around the garden, I decided I would put it off no longer. I spent a happy half hour searching for materials, and although I had been planning to create the wreath inside, it was so warm I remained in the garden, making the whole process seem even more peaceful and gratifying.

I started, then, by searching through the garden for branches and berries to use, and managed to find an interesting mix of hedgerow clippings and herb patch discoveries (rosemary proved a particularly useful filler, and smells delectable). I then picked a couple of pieces of holly and added conifer foliage for a brighter green colour to lighten the overall effect.

For the base I used a willow wreath that I bought from a local shop last year (see here for similar), but you could use a wire one if you prefer.

Wicker wreaths are so easy to work with, so in the end I used no string or method to attach everything together other than sliding in the stems and branches between the wicker. I began with the foliage and longer stems before adding the holly and berries at the end.

It really was as simple as that! What do you think of the finished wreath?

What I love is that I can remove and add foliage and berries as the month progresses and nature begins to adapt to the fall of the year. I'll be using the same base for my Christmas wreath too, but adapting the style and colours to fit the festive season.

Do any of you display wreaths throughout the year?

Hearing the crunch of crisp autumnal leaves under your wellies as you stomp through the countryside has got to be one of life's greatest simple pleasures. The russet and honeyed hues of nature can lift even the gloomiest of skies, but last weekend we were lucky enough to choose a day to revel in these seasonal joys when the sun sat still all day long, and warmed us through our many layers of clothing.

Nestled in the heart of Lincolnshire on the edge of the picturesque Wolds is a small wood where you can crunch leaves and wander beneath the vast canopy of trees to your heart's content. Usually a spot heralding the start of a biking route, Willingham Woods is actually a small slice of countryside where you can escape and explore all year round, though it holds a particular ethereal beauty during the autumn months. You can also take the opportunity (as we did) for an al-fresco hot chocolate still piping hot from the flask and somehow more enjoyable because it is consumed outside.

The rolling fields of the Wolds stretch out like a muddied patchwork quilt in the distance, but inside the wood everything is dense and earthy. Scarlet berries lace the branches that lead you down windy paths, and you are followed only by the rustle of pigeons as they spring from their perches high above the ground. Bella (the pup) was terribly excited as it was her first exploration of the woods, and seeing her paw at the leaves and test the waters of the stream was a joy and we felt like proud parents showing her off to the world.

It's not that having a dog forces us to do things and go places we wouldn't normally, it simply means we are more likely to create opportunities to explore both the surrounding countryside, and the seasons. What could be better than that?

A visit to Lincoln is always a joy; it boasts historic buildings and quaint tearooms and is without a doubt the place to go for the best of Lincolnshire food. It is no wonder, then, that the annual Lincoln Sausage Festival manages to lure us back to the city to explore and taste the best of what's on offer. This weekend we visited and sampled sausages in preparation for our wedding - I'm quite aware that for many people this may be an odd concept, but we are food lovers and as such what we eat on our wedding day is up there in terms of importance with what we will wear and where we will get married.

The sausage festival gave us the opportunity to taste a range of options and we have pretty much made our decision now. Not only was the day productive in this sense, it was also a lovely chance for us to spend some quality time together and sample other foodie delights that lined the lawn inside the grounds of the castle, before wandering down Steep Hill and returning home together.

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The sun was (thankfully) shining all morning long as we explored the different stalls in the grounds of Lincoln Castle. The sausages were all delicious, but this rare breed variety particularly impressed us.

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I love mushrooms. This stall was pretty much my idea of heaven.

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Other meat-based products on offer, including chorizo crisps, which we decided against in the end.

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Alongside the sausages I managed to sneak in a couple of other purchases too: sourdough, whisky and orange cheese (which is absolutely delicious despite how it might sound) and some truffle oil from the mushroom stall. I mentioned in my last post that I'm trying to be more creative in terms of my cooking ingredients, and I'm hoping that the cheese and truffle oil will inspire me to create autumnal feasts. Any recommendations for what to cook with them?

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Although this post is excessively late in that we only have a few days left of the month, I still wanted to post it as one of the key seasonal meals of October is served up on the 31st - Halloween. I've never been quite sure what to make of this annual celebration; trick-or-treating didn't really take place in our household as I was growing up and it would often drift by without me or my sister really noticing. However, I'm more than willing to embrace the joys of cooking a hearty meal and partake in a spot of apple-bobbing should the mood take me.  But what to cook?

The obvious choice is pumpkin, and how much simpler could you get than pumpkin soup in a pumpkin? Head over here for a delicious, easy recipe.

Or if you've got a sweet tooth, why not try this pumpkin and ginger teabread - perfect fresh from the oven with a thick smearing of butter that soaks through the crumbs.

If pumpkins and squashes aren't your thing (and despite being an autumnal food-lover they're not my favourite thing in the world), go for something a little less orange and try a chicken and leek pie with celeriac mash. If you've never tried out the glorious vegetable that is the celeriac, make sure you do this year; it's a triumph and works especially well roasted alongside other root vegetables if you're not in the mood for mash.

If you're thinking ahead to Christmas and beyond, why not make the most of a seasonal glut of apples and try your hand at cider making? Darina Allen has the easiest apple cider recipe that dates back to the 19th-century in her recipe book Forgotten Skills of Cooking (featured previously in this post) and I have used this recipe with no problems for the last couple of years. Simply do the following:

• Grate 3kg of apples (the recipe says cooking apples but I used a mix of both) into an enamel/stainless steel/fermentation bucket. I use a food processor to do the grating for me as I make large quantities.
• Cover with 7.5 litres of cold water. Stir with a sterilised spoon every day for a week.
• Strain and stir in 900g sugar, 50g fresh ginger and 3 cinnamon sticks.
• Leave for another day then strain again through muslin.
• Pour into sterilised bottles and seal tightly.

The theory is that making the cider now will provide enough for over the festive period, but if you leave it a little longer I have found that the taste does improve.

I'm more than a bit disappointed that I missed September's Year in Books, but I'm back just in time for October! Over the last month (and a bit) I've read Colin Elford's A Year in the Woods: A Diary of a Forest Ranger and it was one of the easiest books I've devoured recently. Not only did it appeal to me to read specifically at this time of year (large proportions of the book describe windswept, rainy days trudging through the forest, or crisp snowy mornings trying to spot the deer), it also was very different to other books I have read in that you can tell it is written by a man passionate about the woods, rather than writing. This did not make it any less enjoyable - the writing was in fact wonderful - but it was his passion for his environment and livelihood that were so endearing, and made me wonder how many of us feel this way about our daily lives.

The book I've just started to read and will continue to do so over the rest of this month is The Dog Listener by Jan Fennell. Those of you who read my last post will recall we have just got a new puppy, and even as I write this she is sat at my feet trying to engage my attention and distract my best efforts to get on with life. In fact I have just resisted and am now sat on the floor with her nose nestled into the crook of my arm. So far our attempts to train have gone fairly well, mainly I believe because we have followed Fennell's advice to ignore the bad behaviour and praise the good. Although not a concept all dog owners will be familiar will, the book I am sure will be an interesting read for anyone with a new puppy or indeed an unruly dog.

On a side note, we have finally sorted the garden out and prepared everything most things for winter. The grass has been strimmed, the patio weeded and most of the veg beds have been laid to rest. Many gardeners and allomenteers dislike this time of year as everything comes to a close and life seemingly seeps from the land as the days draw ever shorter, but I find pleasure in knowing that the earth only lies asleep, dormant in anticipation of the new year and new life.

What have you been reading this month? Have you put your garden and/or veg patch to sleep yet?

As always, for more recommendations or to take part in The Year in Books, head over to the link-up at Circle of Pine Trees and while you’re there, catch up on the other lovely posts written by Laura.

Well, it's been a little while, and it honestly feels quite strange and wonderful to finally open a new blog post and begin to write. The last month has been hectic, emotional, stressful, joyous and a whole host of other things I won't go into on here, but I finally feel like I'm coming out the other side. The blog has, inevitably, been neglected amongst the chaos, so if you're still here and still reading - thank you!

One of the happier moments of the month has been the arrival of our new puppy, Bella.

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Labradors are usually one of the easier breeds to train, and Bella has been a delight, especially now she's had her final injection and we can take her out for walks. However, it hasn't always been easy, and there have been some frantic moments as she likes to eat anything and everything (another typical labrador trait, I fear...). We have both agreed, though, that her addition to the household now makes us feel like a fully functioning family, and her greeting at the end of a long, hard day at work brushes worries and stresses aside.

We've also been lucky enough to taste the first of our home-grown apples.

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Last year the trees did not fruit and we were truly disappointed; this year the branches are weighed down by the crisp apples and they have been delicious. Perhaps next year there will be enough of the cooking apples for making a pie or two? I've not really relished the change of seasons in terms of altering what we eat just yet, but this week I am determined to start varying my recipe choices. I'm thinking roasted butternut squash, mushroom soup with crusty bread and some sort of pie definitely needs to feature. What have you been eating so far this season?

Some other good news is the development of our new house in the village - the first stones have been laid!

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The initial stages of the build have been fairly slow, but things are now moving along and I'm looking forward to seeing the evolution of our new home. I'm already excitedly planning floor tiles and kitchen units, even though these choices still seem a long way off, but there's no harm in being prepared!

I've got a few days off work now anyway, so I'm hoping to make my return to writing a permanent change; I've got so many post ideas I just need to get around to actually writing them! What have you been up to in my absence anyway? Any posts I should be reading that I might have missed out on?

Wishing you a wonderful start to the week!

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Good morning, and happy Sunday! First off I want to say a huge thank you for the kind messages left after my last post - it has been a very difficult week but knowing there are people out there who care makes things a little easier. As a result of what's been going on, I haven't had a great deal of time to read other posts this week, but I have managed a short round up of posts you really should check out...

"The first peepings of Autumn" from Sally over here - beautiful photographs of vast skies as well.

Have you been watching the bake off? Jenny has been baking along with it and I am loving her Lemon Meringue Baked Alaska.

Some lovely moments of happiness from Sarah - she's been picking elderberries which I did a lot of last year, have you picked and preserved any yet?

A very simple DIY coconut and sea salt foot scrub. I've made this sort of thing for presents before and it's perfect for this time of year after a summer in bare feet and flip flops.

Have you got any must-read posts for me to catch up on before the week is out?

This blog is intended to be a collection of happy, positive memories, and it will continue to be just that, but some days there are no words you can formulate, and instead you must turn to those of others to help you through. Today I must bid farewell to a loved one, and I know it will be the hardest day yet. So I'll be clinging to that light and the happy moments we spent together as a family, as we remember and celebrate the life of a great man.

Living life by the seasons isn't something I've always appreciated. Despite the fact my parents have always lived in a similar way, as a teenager and even into my very early twenties it wasn't top of my agenda; I was distracted by the dreams and desires of others. Although this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, I neglected to consider what I really deemed important in life and what made me truly happy. I will readily admit that I'm not a positive person every minute of every day; I fall into spells of blue moods, get riled up when things don't quite go to plan and snap at others if I'm tired. But no one is perfect. Choosing to live a seasonal life has without a doubt improved my health, my mood, my relationships and my  happiness.

There isn't a one-formula-fits-all for living seasonally, but there are certain principles which weave their way through the lifestyle. Eating what's currently being picked on English soil is one. Not only is the taste superior but your bank balance will thank you throughout the year, especially if you shop locally as well.

Another is to understand and appreciate what makes each season so different, and revel in it. Spring brings new life, a freshness that is missing from the other seasons, and the chance to breathe into the year. The sky is often crisp and light and it is the perfect time of year to sow seeds, plant ideas in preparation for later in the year. Spring is also about faith: faith that the seedlings will turn into magnificent flowers and succulent produce; faith that the ideas you plan for today will succeed tomorrow; and faith that after a deep, dark period of the year there is hope of fresh, new life at the end of it.

Summer is the season of hard toil, long days, and feeling the heat of the sun on your skin. It's also about long evening walks and stargazing without a jumper, a glass of something sweet in hand and the warmth of the day still tingling on your cheeks. Summer is a time to relish the green of the English landscape - whether hiking up a mountain or meandering through a meadow surrounded by the hum of bees, the colour seeps into all the eye surveys.

Then, quite suddenly, things turn. Autumn creeps upon us and turns the leaves crimson and brown, turns the garden into a patchwork quilt and nips the hairs on the back of our necks in a morning. Haystacks litter the horizon, glinting as the late afternoon sun slowly seeps away. It's a time to preserve both our memories of summer and the berries in the hedgerows, and to take stock and prepare for the final stretch of the year.

The winter months are spent squirrelled away, taking solace from the elements in front of a roaring fire. The air is cold, menacing even, but the wind and snow form an impressive backdrop to cheerful carols and celebrations with friends and family. It's the time of year to open a few books and be creative, to return from a long frosty walk to a hot cinnamon tea and admire the persistence of nature through the cruellest of weathers.

I honestly could not imagine living anywhere that did not ebb and flow with the seasons. My house looks different in every one; I look different too. Until returning to live in the countryside I didn't fully understand how much life can be led by these changes, but letting nature dictate certain parts of your life has a strong sense of primitive purpose. The outside world has, and always will, alter with the year, so why shouldn't we?

August in Pictures

(From top left): turning back the decades over the bank holiday; exploring vintage displays on a whirlwind visit to Lancaster; the last of the garden's summer wild-flowers; camping coffee pot; beautiful butterflies; harvesting the corn; collecting lavender to dry and freshen linen; outdoor theatre at the Old Palace, Lincoln; embracing the new season picking blackberries.

The cooler weather as we entered August made every summer's day feel like it could be the last, so we squeezed everything we could from the sunshine hours. We haven't done everything I wanted to this month; stargazing has slipped by the wayside and our barbecues have had to be hastily rushed inside because of the rain, but as we leave behind balmy nights and golden hours we can look back and feel content. This month more than any other I have struggled to choose images for this round-up because I have documented so many happy moments, so many snatches of memories.

When I was younger my friends would question my desire to take so many photographs, and after I left university I lost the urge to chronicle every step of my life, but as the days slip away and the seasons wane I find myself returning to the camera. This is only my sixth post of the year in pictures, but already I find myself looking over the previous posts, recalling just how incredible a year it has been, and I think it is the very act of storing memories to return to at a later date that truly makes us appreciate the positives in our lives.

So onwards to September in just a few short days. A breath of fresh air and a rustle of leaves and we'll be into the new season before we know it, so let's revel in the excitement of change as the light fades and the rain lingers.

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