More Preserving and Playing

I am hoping other half will take me blackberrying this evening if not tonight sometime over the weekend.  I also need elderberries for jelly and wine as well as Pontack sauce.  

Preserving is planned for this evening.  I have some more shallots to process and I have a batch more expected next week.  My friend lives in the Fens and there are a couple of gardeners near to her that sell their garden produce at very good rates.  Cannot get much fresher than that.  I have about a stone to come for the first batch and will probably reorder more as well.

I also have some Lemon Marmalade to make this may not get made today but it is on the list and I want to get it sorted reasonably early on and then it is out of the way and I can forget about it and it is there for morning toast.  

I must say though that in the winter months I very much enjoy proper honey on toast - not the clear the solid especially if from a local apiary.  It is very good for you.  We used to have this growing up both at my mum and dad's but also at my grandparents.  It was always home made bread and home produced honey then as my Nan made the bread and my grandfather managed the hives that produced the honey.  Nothing better.  One day that dream house will come and then I will be able to have my bees.

I am lunching with a good friend at dinner and will no doubt come back via Waitrose.  It is becoming a Friday ritual.  I don't buy a lot in there I suppose it is more the herbs and speciality items and I look out for ideas and if I can get stuff cheaper I will do and make it myself.

I must say that I am very much enjoying my time at home as it has meant that I have been able to take advantage of some of the bargains at the veg shop and put some different stuff on the pantry shelf which is always pleasing. 

I would love to continue doing this full time but one has to be realistic and I will have to really start getting serious very soon.  It is nice to potentially have the time to do stuff but enjoy doing it rather than just producing it.  It makes a heck of a difference and amongst the rest of the chaos of the household at the moment it is a welcome respite.  It cannot always be hard work there has to be some play time.  However I am now wondering how the heck I managed to go to work as well.

Next week I will focus on the piccalilli and getting that made and the first of the plum chutney, plum sauce, bottled plums, plum jam and plum jelly.  All standards of my pantry.  

I also need to get the peach chutney done as well and maybe some peach wine.  Will see what I can find cheaply enough to achieve this.

I have a kit that someone bought me a Kirstie Allsopp kit for making bath bombs which I am hoping to have a go at and then maybe make some others.  I have the rest of the ingredients in bulk.  So that will be playtime next week and will be something else that I have crafted for the bathroom.  They might make nice Christmas presents too.  I also have some of the melt and mould soap as well for having a go at making soap although would love to have a go at making soap from scratch and then there are the candles.  Will have to get to these in the next few weeks or so if I don't manage next week as some will be for pressies and if I can get them made and out the way with it will give me time to do other stuff but be well forward with the Christmas pressie stuff as well.

As usual there is a lot to do but that's what makes my world go round. I am in my element when I am doing this sort of thing as I really enjoy it and the creativity.

Right must get a wriggle on catch you later on.

Pattypan

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