Another day

Good morning all we had a day of sunshine and downpours yesterday absolutely ideal for the garden and as I was occupied indoors it didn't affect my plans.  When Dennie arrived the first thing she did was go and inspect my lilies as she was really worried that the wind would knock them over so I gave her a couple of canes so she could stake them to her satisfaction!!!  I then had to take a photo so she could show her family. I'm glad to say they withstood the wind and the rain and are standing proud this morning.  I had a lazy day in the kitchen as Dennie spends some time giving it a birthday so with the limited time I made a quick risotto with some shellfish from the freezer and I also made some basil oil as I had a real glut.  I forgot to blanch it first so it has lost its vibrant green colour but it tastes fine.   Keith the gardener turned up just as I put my head down for a nap but the boys sorted him out with the jobs I had wanted done....

Good morning all and it is a lovely morning here the sun is blazing but there is a nice breeze blowing so the lilies are dancing!!  The big white one is now fully open and has 7 eleven-inch blooms on it so I have had to tie it up as it is so top-heavy.  The pink one has slightly smaller blooms so is managing to stand on its own but what a display.   Yesterday I had a quick whizz around Aldi for some needed ingredients and those I couldn't get were transferred to my Tesco list.  Today will be a bit chaotic as my veg box arrives Dennie is due the Tesco delivery is also due and the gardeners may turn up as they cancelled during the major heat so they owe me a day. I have had a bit of a reshuffle in the dining room and have found an ideal place for my fermentation box.  It is fine in the garage but once I start making bread I need to do things on an hourly basis so it would be nice to have it close by.  I am hopeful that my sourdough starter is ab...

Good morning all well we dropped down to 12ºC last night and I ended up folding my quilt in half so it was double thickness because I was cold!!!!  With the swings in temperature, it is a case of musical bedding from just a sheet to a doubled quilt it really is crazy. As promised the onion petal dish which is not easy to see but let me assure you I was lucky to get a photo at all as they disappeared in milliseconds.  This was just one onion in future I would do two as they are very morish and the boys loved them. They are easy to eat as you just pick up a petal no cutlery needed.  They would be good as nibbles with drinks and really easy to make. this is the link if you fancy the idea. https://youtu.be/BZxLf9-pYzk How about this for a colour for a lily  I have never had any success with lilies so I am astonished at just how well they have done this year.  I have a large pot in which there used to be a camelia which has died so I have orde...

Oh yes, it worked beautifully and tasted delicious. This is definitely a keeper, served with some nice salad bits and pieces made a very acceptable lunch.  Takes no time at all to make, then an hour in the oven and away you go.  I made one alteration I used Bovril not marmite as that is what I had. Sadly I didn't have a roof tile on which to serve it so I had to make do with a white plate. My fermentation box is set up in the garage and my sourdough starter is happily ensconced in it at 22ºC.  It only has one more day to go before it should be ready to use but we will have to see I dont want to ruin a loaf by jumping the gun so I will continue to feed until I am happy it is really ready. We had lots of rain yesterday and this morning it looks very dull and we are down to 16ºC perfect.  I believe we are due to have another heatwave but not for a couple of weeks in the meantime I am really enjoying the cool and the garden is loving the rain.  The strugg...

Good morning all this morning it is raining and down to 16ºC.  It is no wonder we suffer from the heat when the temperature can drop 20ºC in 48 hours.  Anyway, I am happy as I will not have to water the garden today as the rain is forecast for the whole day. I had a lovely breakfast with Sandy and purchased the missing ingredients for the jumbo sausage roll but by the time I got back I wasn't in the mood to start cooking so it is all in the fridge and today while it rains, I can cook to my heart's content. In the spirit of learning something new every day, I have learned a good trick with sweetcorn, you may already know this, but it came as news to me.  You put the corn with its jacket in the microwave and give it three minutes full power then take it out with gloves, it's hot.  Chop off the blunt end and squeeze from the pointed end and out pops a cooked and clean cob with none of the silk strands, magic. The last time I had coffee with Tak her husband ...

Good morning all and it is a good morning it is 21 degrees and raining WONDERFUL!!!!  The less said about yesterday the better it was absolutely ghastly.  My thermometer in my bedroom hit 37ºC with everything shut and the blinds down and the blackout curtain pulled and the fan going full tilt. I think the problem with the UK is that we don't get a chance to acclimatise to the heat.  It hits us like a brick and then it is gone.  The heat didn't dissipate until about 4am when it finally cooled down so sleep was an optional extra.  Both the dogs were miserable so they were very pleased to have a nice cool dip in their outdoor bath and cool off a bit and I am sure Dan was pleased to be in nothing but his underwear I know I was!!  Fortunately, none of us had to go out so we all dossed around in our underwear trying to keep cool.  I made lots of salad bits while it was cool and then it was every man for himself.  Supper was icy cold melon and parma ham...

Good morning all I am bracing myself for another killer hot day.  My solution is a spray bottle of water and a fan.  I hope my physics teacher is pleased that I did pay attention to the lesson on evaporation!!!! We had a wonderful day yesterday despite the heat we were eating lunch under the shade of a huge wisteria which shaded the eating area which was right by the riverside.  The restaurant has a Michelin star so everything came with flower petals or gold leaf and as the wisteria was in flower extra were added to our drinks and I had some in my hair too.  The food was spectacular and served in a variety of unusual containers, not a plate to be seen.  We started our meal at 12.30 and didn't leave until 3.30 immaculate waiters just kept bringing more things.  Even the bill arrived with three types of petit-fours in little boxes. More importantly not only was it visually stunning but it tasted terrific, just imagine tiny warm savoury doughnuts with a duc...

Good morning all what a hot and horrid night we finally got a breeze blowing around 4am which made it bearable.  I believe it is going to be even hotter today and I am going out for lunch to the Fordwich arms which is a really posh restaurant so I will have to wear clothes. YUK.  Somehow I don't think they would let me in in my underwear!!!! Finally, my big lily has burst open and there are loads still to come so I am delighted they have done really well this year.   James had his pasta lesson yesterday and discovered just how easy it is to make and we put together a lovely lasagne which did us fine for lunch with enough left over for his lunch today and for supper, we had just a cold sausage and mustard sandwich at about 10pm as no one felt like eating in the heat. I made a batch of pesto which I gave to my neighbour Tak as we are getting sick of it.  My veg box comes with complimentary basil and a large quantity which I don't know what else to ...

Good morning all well the heat is starting to build here already and it will soon be time to slam everything shut and put down the blinds. Dan is looking blissfully happy now he only has his underwear on and is ready for the heat.  The groomers have cut his coat nice and short so he can keep a bit cooler.  This morning I was greeted by another lily open and sadly you cannot see that it is really quite pink however the sun is so strong it looks white. On the fence, I have a clematis armandii which had gone insane and is flowering now when it should actually flower in the winter. Today James has decided he would like to make lasagne which will require making the pasta so a pasta making lesson is in order.  Fortunately, the sauce is already made and the thermomix will make a bechamel so actually, there is not too much slogging over a hot stove to be done. Did any of you see Nadia last night I will have to make her jumbo sausage roll that really ap...

Good morning all the sun is shining but we still have a pleasant breeze blowing and according to the weather forecast it is not going to get unpleasantly hot until Wednesday. Yesterday went according to plan and the piece of ham made a lovely supper with enough meat leftover for lunch today.  I was stunned when I looked at the price of the ham it was £5 and it will make 6 meals so under a £1 per head.  We had a bit of excess mustard sauce which the dogs had on their biscuits and surprisingly they loved it.  Given that it was made with English mustard I was quite surprised. I don't know if you can see but my sourdough starter is already bubbling and it is only day 2 so I am delighted.  I think what has made it so lively is the use of rye flour anyway I am hopeful that by the time my new box arrives I will have a starter ready to make a loaf.   Denzil has already left and is on his way to Hadlow and the grooming school as Dan is booked in for...

Good morning all the sun is shining and the weather looks set for a nice day.  Yesterday we had over an inch of rain which has given the garden a good soaking.  I shot out between showers and gathered some of the gooseberries which I made into a deconstructed crumble.  By that I mean, I cooked the crumble mixture separately from the fruit which was really very successful.  I had added flax seed and jumbo oats to the mixture so it is almost like granola which went down well with some custard. As you can see the gooseberries are lovely and red and very sweet for gooseberries but still retain the basic sharpness. My bed of lilies is also doing well each morning when I get up there seems to be a new flower opened and there are plenty more to come if I can keep the lily beetles at bay or at least encourage the birds to help me. The blackbirds have completely stripped the mahonia of its berries which seem to be their favourites.  I am surprised that ...

Good morning all.  I feel very old today as it is Denzil's 49th birthday where has all the time gone.  He is working this morning but will be home for lunch and then he has a weeks holiday which no doubt he will spend playing with his new phone.   Yesterday went according to plan and I managed to get some rye flour in Tesco's which saved me the drive to Faversham.  So this morning I am going to start off the sourdough starter hoping it will be nice and lively by the time my proofing box arrives.  Fortunately, it folds flat and is about the size of a laptop so I shouldn't have any storage problems and now that the garage has been cleared I can set it up there out of the way of the kitchen. I made the chops into saltimbocca and rendered the offcuts to make lard for the birdseed and the leftovers went in the dog's bowls so all in all every bit got used.  Dan was very confused when he discovered that I had put the delicious smelling food out for t...

Good morning all.  As luck would have it the rain gods did the watering for me yesterday and I believe they are going to repeat the performance again today.  Oh well, at least it is one less job on the list.  At the moment the sun is shining but I just looked at the radar pictures and there is a good downpour on its way which should arrive around lunchtime. My feathered friends have finished eating the suet and seed so today I will melt a bit of lard and stir in some bird seed and make a new block.  At least in block form, it takes them longer to go through the seed than if I put it down loose.  I thought I had two baby robins but this morning there were three looking for food so the robins have done well to raise three chicks no wonder they were so busy and now look thin and exhausted.  I have put the feeding station very close to the bed of lilies which I hope means that the birds will eat the lily beetles which have ruined the flowers in the past so...

Good morning all another chilly night but that is good for sleeping and I must say I slept like a log until I got cold around 5am but that is fine.  We still have a cold breeze blowing down from the north which is fine by me as it means the days don't get too hot. Word of my bird food seems to be spreading in the bird community and the collared doves have made an appearance and this morning I saw a thrush for the first time in ages.  We are still missing the little birds like sparrows and tits but once the word gets out they too might join the queue for food.  I gave up feeding the birds when we had a lot of cats about as I discovered that they were waiting for the birds and killing them so I was just entertaining the local cats rather than feeding the birds.  There is a cat next door but it is too scared of the dogs to venture into my garden so the birds are safe.  The pigeons are very cocky and stroll around as if they own the place but Tubby soon puts pa...

Good morning all.  It is marginally warmer this morning but there is still a chill breeze however the sun is shining so it will no doubt warm up as the day wears on. The dogs had a nice run yesterday but came home very hot and panting so we put out their bath and filled it with some cold water so they both had a dip to cool down.  However, what we forgot was that once wet they would run indoors and soak the kitchen and dining room, fortunately, we had shut the door leading to the bedrooms or they would have dried off in our beds.  Oh well, at least the floors got a good wash! It looks like a perfect day for some laundry so I think my bedding can go through the machine and as Dennie manages to use dozens of cloths I can put them through as well.   I am in two minds as to whether to make some pasta for lunch it is so nice but it does take a bit more effort than just opening a packet.  Like so many things the thought of it is worse than the actual...

Good morning all well it is at last a bit warmer this morning yesterday was freezing it really struggled to make 20 degrees.  Today we have sunshine and the cold wind has dropped.  I took a few snaps of the garden yesterday everything is doing well but in desperate need of water and gone are the days of watering the whole garden. Dan seems to think this table is his grooming table and promptly jumps on to it as soon as he goes into the garden.  As you can see it is desperate need of sanding and painting and it was only after I had taken the photos that I realised there was a smudge on the lens. Last night we had a nice supper of prawns and salmon on a bed of finely sliced lettuce with a Marie rose sauce so in effect a sort of large prawn cocktail but that and a slice of crusty bread was just right. I overslept this morning having been awake until gone 3am I finally went to sleep then completely forgot that Dennie was due so now I am all confused....

Good morning all its freezing cold here again this morning so warm dressing gown and hot coffee much needed.   Yesterday was a day of sports excitement I must say I did mostly watch the tennis - if ever there was an occasion for a draw that was it. Both men played so well it was really sad that one had to be beaten.  Lewis Hamilton won the Grand Prix and England won the cricket what more could you ask for.   Needless to say with all the TV I didn't do much else but keep us fed and watered. We had a light sprinkle of rain around lunchtime but not even enough to really wet the ground.  On the bird watching front, the berries on the Mahonia must be ripe as the blackbirds are here having a feast.  They have them all to themselves as the berries are too big for the little birds and the pigeons are too heavy to land on the bush.   Marjory, I think the only way to watch cycling is on TV.  We are very lucky as our TV is not too expe...

Good morning all.  I was woken this morning because can you believe it I was cold.  We were forecast rain yesterday but not a drop fell here however we do have a cold breeze this morning.  My bedroom is at 14 degrees so quite chilly. Yesterday I had a busy morning I actually made it to the shops for the first time in ages.  I feel so much better now I can actually walk a little without running out of air.  I made a chicken curry for lunch and for supper we had some rather superior hotdogs.  Brioche buns, good quality frankfurters, lashings of fried onions and a healthy dollop of English mustard.  There is leftover curry which will do me for lunch and I have some Aldi Thai fish cakes for supper.  All nice and easy as I intend to watch the men’s finals at Wimbledon this afternoon.   The ladies was a surprise all the pundits were backing Serena but she lost.  It’s nice to have a new champion but I would still like Roger to win one last ti...

Good morning all we are dull and overcast this morning but we saw none of the rain that was forecast for yesterday so just as well I had a good watering session.  The tarragon is planted in a large pot and I broadcast the dill seeds and hope that they germinate.  Hopefully, with the exception of coriander, I have a full complement of herbs available for the kitchen. The bacon joint I did yesterday worked out perfectly with a good portion hot with mustard sauce for lunch and then cold with salad for supper.  Having it all done in the morning left me free to watch the tennis and for my money, the match between Federer and Nadal was one of the best ever.  The commentator at one point described Federer as Majestic and I think that is absolutely the right word.  I was pleased he won as it is nice to see the old master still able to take on his younger opponent.  The final will be interesting but I'm not convinced Roger will have enough left in the tan...

Good morning all it is a lovely sunny morning here but I do believe we are due some rain.  I had a good watering session last night so if it stays dry it will not be a problem.   Yesterday was warm but overcast with odd breaks in the cloud, however, there was quite a breeze blowing.  I met Len and Margaret at the pub for lunch and we decided it was too windy to eat outside.  The menu is very standard stuff for pub food so I asked if I could have ham egg and chips even though it was not on the menu.  Len was delighted as they had liver and bacon on the menu which is one of his favourites.  The dessert menu is what I call a school food menu Margret had syrup pudding and custard and Len had spotted dick and purely to keep them company you understand I had to eat a plate full of profiteroles drowning in chocolate.  Needless to say, I was very happy with a sandwich for supper.   The gardeners came while I was out and have done most o...

Good morning all another dull start this morning it really looked like it would rain yesterday and I believe there were showers about but we didn't get one.  Thank goodness for the new hose pipe it does make watering so much easier.  In years gone by I used to water most of the garden but now I restrict it just the patio and all the pots.  The vegetable garden and greenhouse are both shut down so they don't need attention.  The grass being fake stays lovely and green without the benefit of water so that too is a help. I was surprised this morning to see that the Robins have two youngsters no wonder they were so busy but both of the little ones were happily feeding themselves and squabbling. I successfully hid the turnips in amongst the corned beef hash so that has got rid of those.  Today I am out for lunch with some friends at a local pub which has a nice garden and reasonable food.  I have got the boys out some sausages and if they don't eat them...

Good morning all, there is a glimmer of sun showing through the blanket of cloud so marginally brighter than yesterday.   I had a lovely visit from Elaine and one of the twins yesterday so at last the 21st birthday presents got handed over.  We had a nice chat and spent some time picking gooseberries which were destined for a crumble.  I was glad to see them go to a good home it is a pity to just let them fall on the ground and as I am the only one it the house who eats them that is what happens. We demolished the chicken hot for lunch and cold for supper.  In the end, I did it just plain roast which in the halogen is wonderful.  Today I am at a bit of a loss so I think I will do a corned beef hash with some boiled spring cabbage.  I forgot to get anything out of the freezer last night so opening a few tins is the solution.  I have yet more turnips so I think I will try to hide them in the hash along with some potatoes and plenty of onion...

Good morning all.  This morning it is dull, dull, dull but no sign of rain so just as well I attached the new hose and gave everything a good drink yesterday.  If you read the weather headlines they are aways dramatic if there is going to be rain we need an arc if it is sunny we are going to be burnt to crisps.  I think I will just look out of the window and see what it looks like and make up my own mind. The lilies in the new bed are doing well and I have largely saved them from the lily beetles that turn the leave into lace. I expect you are sick of hearing about the lasagne but I do have to say that some things are worth the effort they take to make and this is one of them it was really lovely and made with fresh homemade pasta makes a big difference. Now on to the tennis. Roger did well yesterday and I was thinking why I particularly like him and I decided that he is my idea of the consummate professional sportsman.  Andy Murray lost me as a fan ...

Good morning all it is really chilly here this morning down to 13 degrees so definitely dressing gown weather, however, the sun is shining so I expect it will warm up soon.  I have a resident robin who has found the suet and seed I put out of reach of the pigeons and I was really interested to see him come take a beak full and leave.  The pigeons just stay and demolish everything then later I discovered why the robin was going back and forth he has a baby who is as fat as a barrel and still demanding to be fed.  The baby is being introduced to the feed location I guess the parents are fed up of feeding him and are trying to encourage him to feed himself. The other day when it was hot I was watering the pots on the patio and discovered that my hose was leaking like a sieve.  First, I tried to make a new washer to stem the flow but with no success, the water just bucketed out of another place so I took the bull by the horns and ordered a new hose.  I ...

Good morning all. It is a very pleasant 16 degrees but heavily overcast. We have had a splash of rain overnight which the garden was very happy to receive.  I planted up my window boxes full of herbs so now I have available to me bay, chives, sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley both curly and flat, mint,  basil and Kafir lime leaves. I also have a pot of ginger growing on the kitchen window sill.  I have never had any success with either dill or coriander I would like to grow both but coriander always seems to bolt on me and dill just dies.  Where we walk the dogs we have access to sea purslane, sea beat, samphire, rocket and margerum all of which grow wild. I made the pot of bolognese which today I will divide out into sensible portions for freezing and as it is just James and I for lunch we have some chicken wings which I will do something with I can't make up my mind whether to do them in a sticky sauce or fried crispy in the Japanese style.  We will be three...

Good morning all.  It is another lovely start to the day but according to the weather forecast, we are due for rain which if it is true will save me watering.  We had a bit of a drama yesterday around lunchtime I noticed the postman wandering about looking lost with his van parked directly outside my front door so I went to the porch to see what was happening and of course Dan came too.  The postman took one look at Dan and backed off so I opened the door and asked if he was looking for something.  As it turned out he and two ladies were looking for anyone who knew where a little jack Russel lived as the dog was running loose in the street with no collar or identification.  I immediately recognised next doors barking beast so I told them but there was no one at home so I suggested that Denzil could post the dog over the back fence into its garden.  That done James then arrived home and almost immediately the barking dogs went mad so James went round and ...

Good morning all it is bright and sunny but the sky is peppered with what looks like cotton wool balls which are moving very slowly.  I had a busy day in the kitchen yesterday and have partially prepared the salad Nicoise for lunch today.  This morning I have some herbs which need attention.  I got a bag of basil as a free gift in my vegetable box so I think I will make pesto minus the cheese so that it freezes well.  Then I have a large bunch of chives which I am going to pack into an icecube tray and then cover with melted butter so they are ready to drop onto boiled potatoes and other vegetables etc. Now that I am feeling so much better I actually tackled my wardrobe and moved the heavy winter things and replaced them with light summer stuff.  Many years ago I made myself a couple of dresses which only contact my shoulders with tie straps and for really hot days they are the answer to a prayer so they are still in use I hate to think how old they actuall...

Good morning all another lovely day in prospect the sun is shining and according to our local weather, we are in for a mini-heatwave then rain at the weekend.  That sounds fine to me I was just beginning to think I would need to start watering seriously but rain is so much easier. This morning typing is much easier minus my talons at last my nails are at a sensible length and I drove myself to the shop which is the first time I have driven in over a month. I didn't feel safe driving when I was so seasick and dizzy.  It is quite surprising how quickly you lose confidence.  When I got to the shop there was nowhere to park and I ended up having to do a three-point turn in a very narrow road which is no joke with the very large landrover anyway I managed it all without incident so my confidence is a bit boosted.   The boys have got some burgers out of the freezer so I guess that is what is for lunch and Denzil came home with a large chocolate fudge cake so ...

Good morning all it is a lovely cool sunny day here absolutely perfect for me and what is more, I am at last getting my nails done at 4pm this afternoon. Ok, so the Korean beef it was way too sweet for my liking and the sauce was closer to syrup than gravy however I had used a piece of brisket which is about a tough as you can get and very definitely not for a quick stirfry but though it was not meltingly tender it was not too tough to eat so a partial success.  In future, I would make the marinade myself and leave out the sugar. On the menu today I have the duck legs which I blasted in the pressure cooker so they will just be crisped up in the oven.  To go with them I have some broad beans which were nice and young so I haven't skinned them.  Then I cut the turnips into matchsticks and cooked them with a few carrots in the stock from the duck - I tired them for flavour and discovered they taste of absolutely nothing so I think I need to make some kind of sauce t...