I've been worried about the 'end of summer' which I have read so many eloquent posts about over the last week or so in blogland. Usually I'm in the front row of the "autumn appreciation society" but this year, I've been clinging onto summer with the tips of my fingers! It's strange and not at all like me. I can sniff out the faintest whiff of the approaching darkness, usually from about mid-July. It builds up as excited anticipation and even sends shivers of glee down my spine.. but not this year.
I solved the problem this weekend, after spending a while first at The Marmalade Patch and then in the kitchen processing the summer. Potting, pickling, preserving the bounty of the sun, has given me more of a sense of peace about laying this summer to rest.
And while working with all that fire, ofcourse I had a burst of unexpected inspiration... An idea which sprung into my mind whilst painting packets for the seeds I have also harvested, sunflowers, pansys, sweetpeas, hollyhocks, marigolds, aliums....
What about a seed swap?
Would anybody be interested?
Wouldn't it be lovely to receive some seeds from a fellow blogger to plant in your garden or your patch next year? Wouldn't it be such a lovely symbol of the sharing and kindred spirit feeling of the creative blogosphere? Something lovely and tangible to remind us of the friendships found and nurtured over the web, rooted in our gardens?
I envision a swap of two or three flower or vegetable varieties, from seeds which you have grown and cared for all summer long, and harvested the seeds from for next summer. They could be packaged up creatively, and sent along with a recipe or two for preserving summer - your favourite jam or chutney recipe, or a good way to pickle something, or a nice autumnal cake ...
What do you think? If you're interested, leave a comment here and if there's enough interest, i'll organise it.
