TARRAGON & THYME

I overslept this morning and it was 11:30am before I rose.  Its gone very cold again and OH decided we were going out for a meal  rather than me cook something. So we pottered off to where we had intended to go only to be told that there was an hours wait for a table.  Not good enough so we ended up going elsewhere namely to the Fox and Hounds in Longthorpe, Peterborough where we have had a delicious roast dinner that has gone down a treat.   I had traditional roast beef and all the trimmings.  OH went for a trio of meats. Now I am stuffed.  OH is still chilling.  We have the dog to walk soon I do not think will be too long as we are starting to lose the light.  Think there might be a bit more winter food on the menu this week like cottage pie, stew, meat pie and lots of soup to give us some inner heat and nourishment. I have some office work to do later and so am not sure whether will be back on the blog or not. Right upwards a...

I seem to have a right "bee in my bonnet" at the moment about plastic bags and cling film, realising just how much we have taken them for granted without realising the full implications and effect on our environment.  I am holding my hand up. to be counted.   Now however I am doing what I can to get organised on this front, what with the Beeswax wraps, my own version of Eco veggie bags and some cotton carrier bags for starters.  I have an embroidery machine to decorate the bags up and it will be a good starting point I think for me to learn to use the embroidery machine. I also saw this link Eco veggie bags whilst on Facebook and was quite intrigued with it. However not with the price.  This led me to think and focus on what I really need when it comes to shopping in any event. I am keen to go as green as possible, I am thinking of investing a little money to get things right from the off.  My biggest problem thus far has been forgetting to take carr...

Very sleepy again and no energy and I managed to oversleep this morning.  OH came home as he worked overtime today and then we did not do much for a little while.  Sometimes you have to just give in. Prepared cheese on toast for lunch with a mug of tea each and then doing some further pottering downstairs.  Walked the dog and the nip of autumn is very much in the air.  We then went and bought some fish and chips and mushy peas.  We had a portion of each between us and it has gone down nicely.  I suggested half a portion each as I cannot always eat a full portion to myself and I hate wasting anything.  OH was happy to oblige and was quite happy with the portion size he got.  Worked out cheaper that way too. Now just sat chilling giving OH sometime doing nothing as well as he has had an extremely busy week at work.    Heating will be going on soon (not tonight) as it is getting too cold of an evening in particular for muggins.  H...

I have been up since 6:00am.  A very chilly start but a very serene dawn with touches of pink in the sky.  Some three hours later I feel ready to go back to bed but that is not happening as I have work to do and I am also meeting a friend later in the day.  Have had a cup of tea and a croissant for my breakfast but am about ready for another cup of tea as I still feel quite chilly.  The colder weather is getting into my bones. I have been doing some research into natural pet cleaning solutions.  Still in the middle of my research and I am trying one or two to see if they will actually work for my household.  Having five cats and a Jack Russell is very hard work at times but I will see how I get on and if I find something that works in the process will let you know.  It is trial and error at the moment but I am determined to get there, but I will cover this under a separate post as I am looking for a long term solution and/or method to keep everyth...

It has been a very active social day today meeting up with a friend and going to another friends and then going off for a long lunch. Have come back this afternoon and OH has arrived home.  He has had fun and games with a certain little Jack Russell his partner in crime.  He fished overnight and left his rods out and has caught a fish before he has been able to get to the rod Missy has launched herself after the fish and landed in the lake at 3:00am!  The night when we had the frost!. He has managed to haul her in, deal with the fish and then get her all dried down and warm before retiring the rods.  Apparently later that same day he had a repeat performance from her.  As she has been out in the fresh air and in deep water as well for the past two days she has done nothing but sleep since coming in. After walking Missy later on we ended up going to our favourite chippy for fish and chips and mushy peas for tea.  It went down very nicely.  I am not...

I want and am aiming to have a Christmas this year like I used to have when I was younger and hopefully with me being at home I will be able to get those things done that are important to me. As a child I grew up amongst a close knit very warm and loving family on both sides and we saw a lot of both sides of the family.  However most of my customs for Christmas come from my Dad's side of the family as my mum's mum died when I was 17 months old although my mum did follow through with the customs her family maintained when she was growing up.  Christmas to both sides of the family - well is and is always about family and friends.  My mum's mum (my grandmother) used to do all the baking for Christmas on Christmas Eve.  Mum always followed through with this, and I in my turn did the same. My Mum's Gran also did the same. Mum also said that they always used to go to my great grandmother's for Christmas for a big Christmas dinner.  There were 12 in my mum's b...

Just in case anyone thinks I am being politically incorrect.  To me it has always been Gingerbread men!   I really should not have started this project off not with everything else I have planned but I had to.  It is one of those that I can pick up and put down with quite a lot of hand sewing so it will "grow" as I keep working at it.  Something to have on the go in the background in my little basket. Gingerbread decorations are something that I have always eyed up as being something that I would want in the form of Christmas decorations for my home but up to now apart from the odd single ornament that is as far as it has got.  So I decided probably quite rashly to have a go myself. This is the sort of thing I am aiming for but with the addition of cream and red jingle bells inbetween the hearts and slightly different embellishments on the little felt bodies. Like little ribbon dickie bows and may be some rick rack on there somewhere with the hand sti...

Gives me the greatest of pleasure and takes me into another place as I get lost in listening to the beautiful music and singing.  Helps me to relax. We have access to Amazon Music Library and not really having played with it I have this afternoon been listening and finding songs from way back and which to the youngsters of today would probably be out of fashion.  I am particularly fond of English Folk Music I find it diverse, entertaining and it tells a story.  From a story telling family this appeals probably most to me of all as it preserves a moment or a real life story or event in time. This afternoon I have re-acquainted myself with The Albion Band and one of my favourite modern day Folk Artists Kate Rusby.  She is brilliant and down to earth and I love her music.  I have been following her on and off since she first started out. I have also been delving back to music that used to be on radio when I was growing up.  My Dad used to listen to a ...

to arrive for some of the projects I have in mind to do over the next few weeks. Aided by a shop on the market today. I have picked up some felt to make some gingerbread men decorations and I found some cheap cookie cutters to use as a template a set of three for 99p in three different sizes including Gingerbread lady and Gingerbread baby. I also purchased two metres of hessian; together with two metres of muslin.  The muslin is required for Christmas pudding covers and other culinary craft items.  The hessian is going to be used in the autumnal leaf crafting I have started.  Hopefully there should be plenty left after the crafting is concluded to do some clippie rugs. That is for a far off project though. The white felt has arrived for the White Poinsettia Christmas tree skirt and the White Poinsettia Christmas stocking. It was expensive approximately £20 for two metres.  However it is a thicker felt and a 60 inch width and has quite some substance to ...

On my travels on Pinterest researching different things I have noted of late that there are a couple of new traditions that families are taking up with as a regular tradition in their households. One of these is the Night Before Christmas box which I think is utterly charming and very much a family based Christmas event so I can see why this has taken off. This seems to be a continuation of a custom that my mum and dad used to do.  We always had new pyjamas to go to bed with on Christmas Eve, but this gears it up more towards today's children. There is a link here on how to do this  Night Before Christmas Box It is from Susan's blog "Oh my Creative". There are lots of other options though. The other one that tittled me was the "Magic Elf seeds" that the littlies have to plant on Christmas Eve and when they wake up on Christmas Day it has turned into a Candy Canes/Sugar Pop cookies.  Its a little bit of innocent pleasure i...

Just grabbed a cup of coffee so thought would update on today. It was very cold last night and indeed I believe we had a slight frost.  At this rate the heating will be going on sooner than later.   It has been a busy day for me, but really doing nothing but socialising  but busy all the same as it has not been "work work"! OH departed early on and went fishing, after I had rescued his stew for him and packed it up. so that he could travel safely with it and then at least get it for his supper this evening.  Sounds as though he is chilling which is what he needs at the moment. I then had a luncheon appointment with a friend who has been having a bit of a hard time at the moment.  I legged it into town and then I spent a very pleasant two hour lunch hour with her which made a nice change because it is usually only for about an hour and then one of us has to run.  There are many advantages to being at home and I wish it could remain so un...

Now that we are officially into the Autumn Equinox I fancy making something seasonal for my corner dresser in the dining room.  Something that will blend in with Halloween decorations. I have just come across a candle decoration that I think fits the bill nicely.  The plus is that I have already in house all the bits to actually achieve this which is a novelty.  Now I just have to find the leaves.  I bought them in bulk last year from the Works when they were on offer (they are somewhere) [in fact they still have them on their online website at £1 for pack of 50 leaves].  The website is here:  The Works .  I have also bought some hessian today (for the rustic look) and I already have jute string.  I need to find a tray of some sort to balance it all on as well.  I have a couple of baskets that might suit the bill. The centrepiece is from a blog  written by Cheryl at "That's what che said" and the link to the post and the blog is h...

I have sent off for a bit of more kitchen equipment this time a food sieve for canning tomato pasta sauce and also screens for dealing with pumpkin, apple, grape spiral, berries, and salsa screen.  The chap who is selling this does not have the motor although the motor is shown on the picture.  I have sent off for this via a separate source but hopefully it should make my life easier in the longer term. I first saw a similar piece of equipment on a You Tube Video  Italian Grandma Tomato Sauce Processing This was the one I found on Amazon and as I want to can pumpkin as well as make grape juice I thought that this might help and make my life a little easier in the long run.  I am looking forward to using it when the motor arrives.  Apparently it is on its way.  Not cheap but if it makes my life easier then it will be worth it. The accessory screen kit I think will be very useful.  We love pumpkin in this house and so it will be good t...

OH is on holiday until Thursday night and plans on going fishing for a couple of days.  I thought he was off fishing today whilst I was off with my friend for lunch but he had changed his mind.  So I believe he is now going tomorrow. My friend had given me a load of old magazines and I am currently working my way through the pile.  So as I say a bit of a down day (i.e. in that I have not done very much). We then went to the local tip after OH had picked me up from town and got rid of another pile of rubbish.  Then came back and sorted something out for this evening's tea.  I have managed to get the cat in early this evening and am going to try and keep this up as he rarely comes to me and never to OH.  However last night he did come in of his own accord tempted by a packet of kitty biscuits.   Otherwise I have to wrestle him. He used to come in reasonably easily but all the light nights and good weather have put paid to that.  back to basics ...

As a result of seeing a post on the Pinterest board I have ended up buying a load of wooden pegs from B & M for the sole purpose of making something for the Christmas stash.  I initially thought ornaments but the more I am thinking about matters and needs I am thinking trivets for the kitchen and then coat them with a nice jolly paint. Or indeed for the Christmas table, or stars for the window. The post is here  Clothes pin snowflake tutorial There is also a post for using up the metal bits as well Clothes peg metal star you will have to scroll down the page to read it. There are lots of other pictures and ideas and tutorials out there and also different ways of finishing them off for star decorations. For the trivet idea I saw this: Clothespin trivet So I will be playing with my pegs in due course.  Will show results soon. Pattypan x

It has been a busy day here on all sorts of counts and the day is not over yet.  It has also been very cold.  Perhaps a touch of what is to come this winter.  However I am still resisting the urge to put the heating on. It is warmer in the house than outside but I know I am going to have to give in soon and flick the heating on. OH finished the stew off that I made yesterday this morning and I have a request to do another pot full so that he can take it fishing with him and have something nice and warm to eat come meal times.  So another pot is on the bubble. I have some more preserving to do tomorrow but am in the midst of tidying the kitchen out before I do that.  Piccalilli has been finished.  Still a lot to do though. I have not cooked a main meal today as we had the rest of the stew earlier as I need to be able to get on quite a bit in the kitchen.  There is plenty to grab if we need it. I cooked the stew in a multi cooker that I ...

Hubble Bubble toil and trouble the phrase which is quite easily directed that play the Shakespeare one beginning with M and the three witches.  Well tis not the correct saying which is Double, double toil and trouble. However in regard to this post "Hubble Bubble toil and trouble" is perhaps more apt in the circumstances.  There is a little bit of alchemy going on as I am brewing up a storm here with wines, ciders, beers, ginger beer and apple pop.  Ginger beer and apple pop being the main culprits as far as my father was concerned.  Everything was okay until one summer's afternoon he got shot by low flying corks whilst mending his motorbike. Apparently the corks once they started flying went all at once with poor old Dad trying to dodge the "bullets" - corks in the process.  On the inner side of the garage we had some beer racks hung for said ginger beer and apple pop and this particular summer's day the sun had been warm and shining along that side of t...