TARRAGON & THYME

Just when I thought it was all over and had a more manageable day walking to work today (Most of the snow and the compacted ice had disappeared apart from in the car park at work) where most of us have managed to slip on during the course of the week.  I poked my head out the door to see if I could see the moon and found more snow falling thick and fast there is already a medium coating of snow after only a couple of hours.  Oh well its wellie boot weather again.  They have a lovely grip on the snow but boy even with socks on my tootsies are going blue.   Fortunately I do not have to walk to work tomorrow but I do have to be up early as the boiler is due its annual service tomorrow  and the chap who comes to do it is due around 10:00 am.  I have a big pile of ironing to do so might keep myself occupied with that whilst he comes to sort things out. I am off to a fair tomorrow evening where I will be doing some Reiki so it looks as though it is going to be ...

That quiet period after OH goes to work he leaves early.  I then have the menagerie to feed, let animals out and feed the birds.  Then its time for me for a little while at least whilst I get myself a nice hot cup of tea (Missy joins me) and then I gradually come too in readiness for the new day.  I am not really a morning person I tend to be more of an owl but I do welcome the time on my own to compose myself and get things in perspective for the new day. I can hear the blackbird calling he has located the food and is kicking up a right chattering.  Becuase of the cats I use the lower roof over the bathroon to feed the birds as it is safer for them and the back garden is full of snow and no place for them to feed from.  We do not see many sparrows these days I tend to get Magpies, pigeons, crows blackbirds but rarely see the smaller birds although I have feeders out for them.  I have also left some warm water out as well. Will not be long before I have...

Lets start with yesterday; I had another lay in and then started with the housework and pottering in the kitchen tidying, washing, drying getting clothes ready for work; watching a little tv here and there and cooking tea.  We had roast chicken last night with mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and then mixed roast vegetables (red onion, sweet potato, squash, roast potato and parsnip) and it went down very well too with this cold weather we are having and the snow.  I then had home made Tarte Tatin for pudding and it all went down very well.  We had a late tea due to my potterings, and morning of the new day soon comes round.  The snow always makes everything so quiet.  I was awake at 6 am but did not officially rise until 7 am when I was greeted by Squeak trying to move in on me and missing sitting on me.  After the animals were fed I nipped out to put some bird seed and some bread out for the birds on the lower roof as they certainly w...

We have had snow all day with hardly any let up gentle constant snow.  Demetri does not like it at all and has a hissy fit - he wants out he just does not do snow. We will have to see what tomorrow brings

Its been a busy pottery day here today; cold and freezing it started with me having my lay in and I did not rise until 11 am I was out for the count probably due to all that walking yesterday. I have felt drained most of the day so it has been a very quiet day. It was then feeding time for the animals and letting out Demetri was in a hurry as usual so I let him out he then for the next 5 minutes continued to voice his displeasure at the snow he just doesn't like it one little bit.  Sqeak doesn't mind it and tends to go scatty as does Missy who really loves it.  I also popped some bread and wild bird seed out for the local birds. I then paid a visit to the veg shop and stocked up on fresh veggies, sweet potatoes,  swede,carrots, squash, parsnips, broccoli, cabbage, red onions, cauliflower, leeks, apples, pears, oranges, cooking apples,  and 6kg Seville Oranges to be processed into Seville Orange Marmalade and Vin D'Orange respectively for the Pantry shelf, and I ...

I have been and bought some Seville Oranges today and I intend to have a few more when they restock I took the last of a box today.  However marmalade is in store for this batch and also the Vin D'Orange that I have written about previously. However I have been browsing  and have come across this new recipe  to me and which I intend to have a go at shortly.  My argument is if you have a recipe and keep it safely you are creating your own Treasury of Recipes.  This recipe  is from a book called Pru's New Country Kitchen by Pru Coats.  Its something slightly different to do with Seville Oranges.  I just need to get the Vodka at the right price.  I might also freeze the Seville Oranges whole so I can make this later on in the year. 4 Seville Oranges 4 lemons 4 pints vodka 1 1/2lb cane sugar Peel the oranges and lemons very thinly taking care not to leave any pith on the zest. Place the zest into a 4 pint jar.  Add the sugar and the...

Oh what a busy week in an out like a fiddlers elbow - have been here there and everywhere. Tonight I have been to the works Christmas party together with a live band and lovely food.  Bit noisy but then again it always is with a live band.  However getting to the party was another matter all together. OH was not available to take me so I arranged to come home get washed and changed and then would go back to the pub where the private party was to be for 6:30 pm.  I booked a taxi just after lunch to come and fetch me at work for 5:30 pm they took the booking and I also made a further booking for 18.10 pm to go back to the venue. I was out dead on the dot  - it was snowing prolifically (yes we have plenty of the white stuff) No taxi - so I rang back and was told they hadn't got anyone to cover - so I asked about the later one and he was umming and arghing about that as well (so they would have just left me standing there waiting in the cold).  So I cancelled th...

I have come to the conclusion that its very easy to moan about things - words come cheap they roll off the tongue.  But to listen and/or do something about it takes a lot more gumption.  I like that word that also rolls off the tongue!   A good old fashioned word the sort that my grandparents used to use.  Instead of letting situations get you down don't get mad get even and try digging yourself out of the mire and/or a situation.  Take control instead of just accepting things as is.  In reality this  can take a lot of time but if you split it down into bite sized chunks you can eventually get the better of things.  So it might take several attacks but its not necessarily unreachable just needs concerted effort. We are in reality sometimes the author of our own misfortunes without realising it.  If we are having a bad day we don't always think straight its easy to moan about something - heck I am guilty of this but I am trying to watch my ...

I woke to snow this morning  -there was certainly plenty in our back garden, but by the time I left for work a lot of the initial first snow had melted well in the street at least although the dustbins had a 3 inch top hat.  I left a good 10 minutes earlier to go to work and the going was slippery and rough; a couple of times I nearly ended up skiing on my bum and ended up getting into work at my normal time.  However the roads had been well salted and were clear, the underpass was clear but the connecting pavements had not seen any salt at all.  It has snowed most of the day and even when I went out at lunch in the middle of a snowstorm I jokingly said to the girls to send out the St Bernard with its barrel of brandy if I did not return.  It snowed most of the afternoon and has been dreadfully cold and freezing.  |It is going to be difficult and slippy tomorrow as it is bitter out there at the moment.  I left bread out for the birds this morning I sha...

Obituary printed in the London Times.....Absolutely Dead Brilliant !! Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense ,who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:             - Knowing when to come in out of the rain;       - Why the early bird gets the worm;       - Life isn't always fair;       - And maybe it was my fault.         Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).               His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy ...

We have snow and quite a bit of it.  I thought we would have as it warmed up before I went to bed wasn't so cold.  I have woken to a winter wonderland and ghostly trees all spray dusted with snow.  It looks as though we have had a good inch.  I have just had my porridge which has warmed me up and given me some fuel to tackle the walk to work.  I now just have to locate my boots.  Will be leaving slightly earlier just to make sure that I get there in one piece.  The cats were let out Demetri disappeared over the fence 15 minutes later he wanted in and rid of the snow please.  Squeak took a look and then decided better of it and beat a retreat inside.   I have left some bread out for the birds (I put it on the bathroom roof as is it lower and safer for the birds to get at and cat free).  I will see if I can get some photographs on my phone on the way to work to download later on.  It is cold out (well I was only wrapped in my PJs and...

Boy hasn't it been cold today.  Too blooming cold.  I have had a lazy weekend for me I have not done very much apart from crotchet, some washing, and I cooked tonight's tea.  So it has been quite a relaxed day.  For the best part I have closed myself in the front room and kept this room warm.  Even Missy has abandoned her master in the computer room and is sat on the back of the setee hogging the radiator.  She like me does not like the cold.  It is when we have weather like this that I wished I had a log fire/log burner here.  I was having this coversation with my mother earlier on and she asked if we would put one in here; but it will not happen here due to it being a rented property, it is an old house (over 150 years old) and where the landlord has not kept the maintenance up everything has been done on the cheap and nasty and I think there could well be hidden problems and I do not think the landlord would countenance it in any event....

No not doing time but porridge for Breakfast the one meal of a day that we should all have no matter what.  And what better way to start a cold autumn or winter morning than a bowl of steaming porridge, something that does not do you any harm, but is good solid food which keeps you going until lunch time.  You can add jam or fruit to this hot little number to vary the changes.  I am on about buying the porridge oats loose in a bag (at a cheaper price) I get mine from the Coop  currently £1.25 for 1kg (but you may be able to source them cheaper and all power to your elbow and your purse if you do) as they are cheaper than the well known Brand and because I make Flapjacks on a regular basis it is something that I always tend to have in the house anyway.  An ingredient that does double duty or more in my store cupboard is more than welcome and worth keeping in as it has earned its place.  Its also a very healthy ingredient although if you have a gluten intole...

Morning everyone boy was it a cold un last night. So much so I cooked we had cod, home made chips and mushy peas followed by treacle sponge and custard.  Warmed us up a bit on a very cold evening This morning have woken up to what looks like frozen roof tops (this morning it is cold but slightly warmer than last night) but on closer inspection it looks like a very light sprinkling of snow, hardly perceptible and OH confirmed that whilst he was out with Missy that it had indeed been snowing very light tiny flakes but still sno.  As a result I have had a look at the weather forecast today we may or may not get snow showers today but tomorrow looks as though it is definitely on the agenda. Oh well in for a penny in for a pound after all it is still winter.  Needless to say that the animals are all in cozy and warm.  A certain Demetri had managed to let himself out overnight he is now snuggled down on the settee So far a laid back weekend, a gentle pace where I ...

I no longer see the moon when I get up in the morning hanging on to say good morning to those early risers.  Slowly hardly perceptibly the light is returning ever so gradually.  This morning I did not want to get up neither did Squeak - no way Jose was she getting up comfy and sprawled it was only when her food packet was rattled that she came charging down the stairs and straight into her dish.Demetri has gone over the fences will probably be out most of the day (unless he pays a surprise return visit)  Whilst it is fine he stays out for ages but if its wet or rough he is in like a shot. Right its time to wend my way and get ready for work. I am out to a Reiki Share this evening which I am looking forward to. If I can pop by later on I will do. Hope you have a good day (I could quite easily return back to bed and sleep for England - but as that is not allowed) upwards and onwards. Pattypan x

Well I got 9 jars of the Cranberry and Apple Jelly to add to this year's Put Down.  Not bad from 1.5 kg of apples and 1 kg of Cranberries and It has made an extremely clear red jelly which I am well chuffed with. That is approximately 9 months worth of jelly (1 jar per month) and a couple of months without any unless I come across any more cranberries in my travels including frozen ones with which to make another batch.  I have a few cranberries left over and intend to make a small quantity of Cranberry Curd.  I have never had it before so it is worth a try. Can always be used to fill cakes or pastries.  Will post photos later on. That reminds me will have to start the Put Down List for 2013. Later in the week I have orange and apple jelly to make. Catch you later Pattypan x

I have dragged a couple of projects out of the cupboard in readiness to start them again and get them out of the way. Here are the projects with where I am up to so far and when I finish them I will pop up another post showing the completed items.  I hope to get these done in the next month or so and if I get them done any further all the better because that means I will be able to go on to the next couple of UFOs.  There are a lot of lovely items I have part started and its time to get them finished, completed and in use or if not in use put up ready. I love flowers and roses in particular and both of these projects feature roses. The first is a little green pot with an embroidered lid -  the image you see is a cardboard impression of what the pot should look like and I have only done a few stitches so far and have to work out where I am up to from the chart.  The pot itself is a lovely sage green. The second project is a Rose Floral Spra...

I nearly forgot but my blog will officially be four years old on the 6 January 2009 this being  the date I really started to post regular articles from.  I do not know where the time has gone but in the process I have managed to have 086482 hits according to the meter absolutely amazing as I had never had a blog before and it has been very much a learn as you go process  May I thank you all for your support during this time and to the friendship I have found along the way.  It is a wonderful thing the Internet is when it is used properly. Thank you all for being part of it in the past, in the present and I hope in the future. Love and light Pattypan x

We woke to thick fog, swirling and draping everything in sight; making everything ethereal and not of this world.  It has been a grey day generally since then even though the fog has cleared the sun has not found us today and it has felt damp and indeed the paths and roads are wet and greasy.  It has been a quiet day and we are having a later tea; minted lamb chops, mashed potato, peas, brussels, carrots cauliflower and broccoli with roast taties and parsnips.   I cook the chops in a little water (for the gravy and add some extra mint jelly to the water, and some white pepper and put under a hood of foil so that the chops cook gently at Gas mark 4 half way through cooking I take the foil lid off and then let the chops brown.  I haven't cooked for a few days and the veggies needed using up and on a Sunday normally speaking we do have more veggies than during the rest of the week.  I also cook more than I need as it is nearly always used up either with a dup...

Well the best laid plans of mice and men - I overslept!  Never mind. I have been to the charity shop and bought another mans shirt to put into my stash for the quilt that I am going to make and which I am currently collating the fabrics for.  This shirt is a pale lilac which will go well with the stripey fabric, purple and pink fabric I already have in my stash in readiness for the quilt.   I am enjoying the process and am itching to get on, but everything will happen  in its time and place.  It will happen when the timing is right  in any event I do not wish to rush the process as this is a learning curve for me. However I understand it is an integral part of patchwork of thinking carefully about the fabrics to be used and also as to the placing of them.  It will be a very simple quilt to start with, will not have cost me as much as buying new fabric and is re-purposing something i.e. the fabric and using it for something useful rather than sa...