Pleasurable things

Like gentle rain, the first elderflowers and the pungent aroma that they give off -sometimes very light another time not so nice. However ever so useful in the pantry.  I need to put down elderflower cordial, elderflower champagne (an absolute favourite) elderflower wine, elderflower liqueur, elderflower vinegar, elderflower jelly, dried elderflowers for making wine later on. Fresh to make sorbet or ice cream or turned into elderflower fritters - something seasonal and different something to tickle the taste buds. 

A favourite  Wild pale pink roses sprouting looking frail and pretty and beautiful and ever so slightly scented. Also useful for making delicate rose petal jam or jelly and later the bright jewel red hips a favourite with children for the itching powder they contain (ie the seeds) but me I value this wild plant for the vitamin c the husks of the hips provide when ground down into a powder they also make jellies and jams and lovely wine

 Trees that sway in the gentle breeze and rabbits that hide in the long grass and then take off as our Jack Russell thinks its great sport to chase but she never catches and never harms.  All of this I have seen this evening as we walked Missy.  It was gently raining I had my brolly and we walked in open spaces.  The rain was only light but it was so good after being cooped up in the office all week to get out and about into open spaces and to actually breathe and just relax and breathe.

Today has been really busy as usual .  One of my colleagues is getting married this Sunday and last night I stayed late to decorate her desk up with my other friend.  So last night after finishing work I went into town and bought some things to decorate her desk up with. We wanted to make a little bit of an effort to make her last day special.  I think we achieved that she was very surprised.  I bought balloons two Helium decorated ones and some traditional balloons but bright pink.  I looked everywhere for a balloon pump and could not locate one so when I got back to the office there was serious huff and puff on my part to blow them up.  I did not leave the office until quite late and then walked home.  My phone died on me and I did not have OHs number so I used shank's pony and legged it home; my foot was not happy though, its still not quite right.  My walking is a lot better but I cannot at the moment walk any great distance but we will get there.

So with one thing and another it has been a bit hectic. 

All my plants have taken well and are growing well in their new pots even the Globe Artichokes.  I need more compost but hope to get some seeds set tomorrow.  I am out in the afternoon at a friends so will not be back again until early evening.  Then it is household chores and by the time you get into things its time to go back to work again.  Well I will just have to do what I can  I have another couple of trees to plant up as well and I need more plant pots and boxes in which to plant the strawberries so I may make an early trip tomorrow into town to get some more.

We have had a lovely tea tonight; OH paid a visit to Mr Tescos which is a rare occurrence and he came back with two nets of mussels. Mussels are a favourite here and I cooked them in two wine glasses of water, four cloves of garlic and some butter in a very large stockpot and then served them hot with crusty bread and butter.  They went down very nicely and were a nice size and very clean and very sweet in flavour.

So many pleasurable things tonight most of them culminating in food somewhere down the line it nearly always comes back to food with me.

Enjoy your evening

Catch you soon

Pattypan

x