Winter Retrospective and Sloe Gin Production

Some photos I didn't post from back in December include these Redwing pictures. The Redwings are migratory and visit the UK in October. Most will have left the UK by now - we generally see them around the fields around Naunton Beauchamp, particularly in December and January.

These photos were taken on a beautiful winter's day in December.

Here is a bit more about them on the RSPB site.

Red Wing in Flight

Sloes were really good this year - beautifully plump and plenty of them. The Local Nature Reserve at Piddle Brook Meadows and the public footpath along the Piddle is a great place to pick both sloes and bullace. Last year we made Sloe Gin and Bullace and Sloe Vodka. 

After maturing for several months it is now time to bottle the Sloe Gin ready for Christmas 2015!

The job of pricking the sloes was made easier this year by using the felting needle tool from Clover Japan which is ordinarily used for dry felting! Brilliant for pricking sloes although lots of people just pop them in the freezer and apparently this has the same effect.

A friend from Scotland gave us a bottle of Sloe Gin for Christmas last year and it was the finest Sloe Gin I have tasted. I've used her recipe this year so fingers crossed ours will be as good.