I smell winter

[keithmac]

Has anybody ever had a puncture through conker shell spikes?, I have no choice but to ride though a patch and have been lucky so far over the years.

 

[Moodyman]

There's quite a bit of greenery near where I live and there's a musky damp scent in the air not mornings.

It's lovely.

 

[coffeejo]

Has anybody ever had a puncture through conker shell spikes?, I have no choice but to ride though a patch and have been lucky so far over the years.

No, not even on my road bike tyres.

 

[biking_fox]

Longs on this morning, for the first time. I'm expecting to overheat on the way home. Didn't need full gloves yet. I t'll be that time of year, each morning guessing what's the least uncomfortable combination to wear for that day's weather. Shorts and a jacket, longs and the thin jacket? full jacket but half gloves? etc. Several days of rain is due this week too.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

First evening ride home tonight when I've been sure winter is well on its way.

Chill and crisp and properly dark at 8pm and that unmistakable smell of winter cold in the air that I mention to my friends who drive and they look at me like I'm strange. But I do, I smell winter.

Just like these guys did.

And I absolutely love riding at this time of year.

Yes, I smell winter here too. The only problem is it's mid-October, and Australia is supposed to be in mid-spring. Today, it's rainy and hasn't yet risen above about 10 degrees, even though it's almost 1pm here now. I picked up my bike from a local bike shop, as they were doing one of those rare maintenance tasks I couldn't do myself, and during the 4km ride back home, my nice-clean bike got dirty. Now I'll have to wipe it again. We've had fairly autumnal weather here all "spring".

 

[cyberknight]

Ground frost , well white grass the last two mornings on the back roads , half a degree C in one spot .

 

[I like Skol]

Im waiting for the first real frost as I have found masses of sloe berries.

Steve, you and me need to talk. I am aching to try making some sloe gin this year and need to know what the berries look like so I know I am picking the right thing.
Google isn't really giving me a definitive image that I can use for a positive I.D so can you give me, a total horticultural numpty, an idiots guide to spotting sloe berries?

I have bottles waiting

I have never made it before either so if I am telling you total rubbish on your head be it.

Sloe berries grow on Blackthorne tree
and are best picked after the first frosts as the frost helps them to lose their bitterness. The berries are not poisionous but the thorns are if they stab you.

The berry is a purple/ black/ green colour. I am sure you will find photos on the net along with photos of blackthorne
leaves.

If there are any experts who want to put me right. Please jump in.

Guess what? Tonight I tasted my first homemade sloe gin
It was awesome! Far smoother and more rounded than the Gordon's version. Bottled late October, so around 3 months wait. Didn't find nearly enough sloes (or so I thought) but the results speak for themselves. I will certainly get harvesting earlier next year and have a few bottles waiting.....

How did you get on @steveindenmark ?

 

[growingvegetables]

Didn't find nearly enough sloes (or so I thought) ....

Never, ever reveal where you pick your sloes - bad luck, and the sloe-gin fairy will have your guts for garters ...







unless of course you find plentiful stocks on e-bay