The shift in the weather this week has a very definite autumnal feel to it. Last weekend we basked in the Indian summer, spending hours in the pool and barbecuing the contents of the fridge. It was absolute heaven and I confess to feeling somewhat gloomy now that we are on the rapid descent into winter.

Thankfully, we have just started calving our autumn cows. It is impossible to be completely pessimistic in the presence of a newborn calf, and the babies are a good antidote to most of life’s challenges.

Undignified

With the agricultural shows over for another year, the cob has breathed a sigh of relief. No more undignified shampoo baths, or unceremoniously early starts involving being shoved into a horsebox and then dressed up as something preposterous.

However, the other horsey inmates are not quite as lucky. Next up on our schedule is the Dressage Ireland National Championships, which is conveniently being held just 20 minutes away from our house at Mullingar Equestrian Centre.

I have classes on all three days, the most daunting of these being on Friday morning. I am the first one in the ring at 8.30 am, and I don’t even want to think about what time I will need to get up at to make that happen. I’m just hoping that the judge has woken up in a good mood, has had a nice breakfast, and holds a particular fondness for grey horses.

There is also the small issue of the child. I’m not sure if “absent due to attending a horse show” is something that the Department of Education generally approves of?

Blackberry and apple

The only good thing about this time of year is the chance to avail of nature’s abundant bounty. Occasionally I like to have a go at some home produce, and whilst this does tend to alarm the rest of the occupants of the house, it can be quite enjoyable.

Encouraging/forcing my husband and child to help me, we head off around the farm like the midlands version of Little House on the Prairie. We pick blackberries and apples, whilst the child complains constantly and the husband looks long suffering.

I then set to work rustling up a series of liberally sugared blackberry and apple crumbles, the results of which no one complains about at all. I might go mad altogether, and give jam making a go this year. CL