An early Autumn day in Ireland. The dry crisp air feels nice.
We were harvesting some elderberry.
Hmm... this one is not so easy to cut.
Ah, I did it.
Elderberry has a good immune-boosting effect.
So it's been used in Europe as a natural remedy,
to prevent things like colds and flu throughout history.
Today I'll make some elderberry syrup.
Water
Cinnamon
Clove
Let's add some ginger too.
Once the water has reduced by about a half, you can stop the heat.
After allowing it to mostly cool, add some raw honey.
Mix mix♪
When the honey has dissolved well, it's done.
Yep, it's tasty.
You can just enjoy a spoonful like that,
but it's otherwise nice to add into yogurt or tea.
It tasty so you want to keep having some.
Good morning bunny-chan.
Are you hiding from rain?
"Hope it'll stop soon..."
"Me too."
"Well, let's relax while we wait." / "Sounds good."
The autumn forest is very lively with many cute mushrooms.
Hello, red mushroom-chan!
You guys were eaten so much. You must be very tasty!
Some mushrooms growing on a fallen tree make the wood inside soft.
They're an indispensable part of the forests cycle.
Various organisms help each other to coexist and renew their environment,
Nature's harmony is wonderfully amazing.
Here is a spot we found last year where apricot mushrooms grow.
This vivid orange colour and fruity fragrance are their characteristic features.
It's very tasty sautéed with butter in a cream sauce.
We got some forest treasure!
We found another cluster up high.
Go mushroom hunter, J-san!
rolling, rolling...
Hey, we're home, cow-san.
You guys are already quite lively this morning.
Let's make some breakfast with the freshly-picked apricot mushrooms.
Isn't it good we got some nice sun this afternoon, bunny-chan?
Daytime has gotten much shorter these days.
Adding some pomegranates on top of crackers with cheese & anchovies.
This improvised food combination is actually quite good.
May you enjoy plentiful days with a calm heart.