TARRAGON & THYME

Its been hot hot hot here in Peterborough a lovely summery day and there is a lovely summery strawberry smell emanating from my kitchen which is slowly scenting the whole house.  Jam you ask, but  surprisingly no - not on this occasion although it is on the list.  Last week I bought some strawberries to make some jam they have been on offer at the Cooperative two boxes for £2 so I bought some to turn into  jam and unfortunately it did not get made.  My mum has been in hospital with suspected blood clots on her lung and I have been up to the hospital most nights to sit with her.  But she is now home and it is not what the Doctors thought and she is on the mend. Arrgh all those strawberries gone to waste.  Not so it is a happy mistake as I have decided to make a couple of gallons of strawberry wine (Hopefully I should get about 8 bottles 4 per gallon or thereabouts).  I am from a family who has made wine for as long back as I can remember; most...

Apologies for the delay this should have been posted at the weekend but I have been run off my feet. My rescue cat Molly decided she was going walkabout on Wednesday night as I was taking rubbish to the dustbins, she skipped out like a streak of lightening into the street and then despite a good couple of hours out on the street trying to coax her back in she was having none of it. In the end I had to give up she had scarpered it was jet black and It was 2 am before I gave up the search as she had disappeared into the dark and so I went to bed.  Got about 4 hours sleep and then was up at 6 am trawling the neighbour-hood for her.  All to no avail.  I started to fret because we could not find her could not see her there was just no trace as though she had just vanished into thin air. I have been out everyday calling and searching for her not a sniff or a sight of her.  Then on Friday evening I went out after dark whistling (all my cats come to the whistle) and I got ...

This morning I have had a real treat for my breakfast a bran based breakfast cereal with fresh raspberries on top and it was delicious. I try and eat breakfast every day as it is what it says i.e. breaking the fast.  To me it is the most important meal of the day.  Breaking the fast  is the point where our body's natural blood sugars are at their lowest that it is why it is important to top up and feed our systems and boosting our blood sugars..  According to statistics that is why most accidents happen early morning although not conclusivesly but there is evidence to suggest that most accidents happen because our blood sugar levels are low and the driver has not had breakfast.  The same as young children who have skipped breakfast do not concentrate as well for similar reasons.  So for me breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  With me being on long term medication breakfast is also one of the times when I take my pills and I usually try an...

I saw this and just had to chuckle - I think in this household it amounts to three cats and a Jack Russell - who all have their humans trained. I hope you all have a lovely day we have sunshine again here today although the wind maybe a little chilly Have a good one and hopefully will catch up later Love and light Pattypan xx

Well after the quietness of the earning morning I nipped to my local Cooperative store primarily to see if they had any chocolate and custard twists and cheese twists for OH for what is fast becoming a Sunday morning custom is a nice steaming mug of tea followed by one of these enriched bread creations - and me I am in heaven.  I am rather fond of pain Au chocolate as well for which I have a recipe but I am going to look out  for a recipe for these divine twists as well.  They are rather naughty but oh so nice.  OH had been up earlier than me having walked Missy and then slipped back to bed and he was flat out so I left him to come down under his own steam and I had my breakfast on my own such decadence. When he did eventually get up I asked him if he would take me to our Butcher's to pick up a supply of cat biscuits (which Missy is also rather fond of as well) as they are a lot cheaper than going to the pet store.  Needless to say we came away with a few m...

It is the weekend and I am up early again, when I could really do with a lay in as I did not get one yesterday.  However I am up  and having  a cup of tea in the quiet of the early morning;  there is something about the energy of this time of day especially when the sun is shining that wants me want to bathe in the rays of the sun and the quietness and the stillness; it is very soothing and allows random thoughts to take hold and be explored further and to take root without being fettered in the minute of every day more like a meditation a recognition of what is and an acceptance.  Recharge time. Yesterday we had our first English Strawberries  grown in Wisbech down the road and we have another punnet for today; such bliss and such taste  especially served with simple vanilla ice cream or just cream; or may cook some plain scones and serve them, as a fresh strawberry tea. I personally do not think you can beat the English Strawberry for it has a d...

Its been a busy day here; starting with trying to get a full sized dishwasher into the kitchen.  I have been very lucky in having been given a large dishwasher (only a year old) [thank you bruv]; the small table top one I had is designated to go to my step-son and his partner, together with my old washing machine. (they have not long moved in together and not many pennies so it will help them out for a little while). As space is somewhat limited in the kitchen we have had to put a work top in over the top of the washing machine and then stack the new dishwasher on top of that.  After some heaving the dishwasher high up over the sink to get it in situ and one or two adjustments at the back, the machine is now "home" and earning its keep.  Now all I have to do is re-home the items that used to be above the washing machine and that is easier said than done.  Buy hey I am chuffed, very chuffed. I have had to wait in for the postman this morning but as OH was in the ...