TARRAGON & THYME

 .......oh what a beautiful day in the words of the song from Oaklahoma.   The weather for the time of year has been absolutely glorious even I have ventured out in the sunshine for vitamin D and without a coat.  I am hoping the weather continues for the rest of the week then I will be able to get into the garden. Sadly today I have other tasks that take precedence but it is not for the lack of wanting to get stuck in.  I am housebound today unfortunately. We went off to the tip to get rid of some old TV.s and computer screens as well as loads of cardboard from recent deliveries.  We got to the tip and it was our turn to go in and we were told that they were closing the tip as there were just too many people inside.  We therefore chose to come home and will go back a little later. Very frustrating but it is how the cookie crumbles.  We were greeted by a very unhappy Jack Russell.  She does not like being left, but we chose to leave her today ...

Was grey, but warmer although the wind was blowing slightly when we got up.   I honestly did not think that the sun was going to shine, but it has turned out to be a very pleasant day, and one where I am wanting and itching to be out in the garden.     We sorted out some more of the rubbish to go to the tip. After we had that sorted, I then unwrapped my strawberry plants (now 24 of them), and gave them a drink. They are doing well too.  On first inspection my trees seem to have made it through okay (I had wrapped them up as well), but they do need pots of their own and I need compost as well.  Hopefully that will get sorted out during the week. Tomorrow the weather is meant to be better.  I hope so as if it is I will take advantage and get out into the garden to try and sort it a little.  I need to get down to the bottom of the garden to get the greenhouses sorted. We have a roast chicken with all the trimmings for tea this evening and are lo...

In other words having a good nosey into bags and boxes in the back bedroom that I haven't looked at for ages.  Finding kits and wool that I had forgotten that I had bought and my fingers getting itchy as a result.  I have been disciplined though and am not starting anything else until I have the current projects i.e. my cross stitch and embroidery Christmas lap quilt, my decoupage project box and my scrap wool blanket (unless of course I come across a small UFO project that can be finished quickly).  I have not done anything on the lap quilt for the past three evenings but intend to get stuck in again tonight. It has been giving me a lot of pleasure in being able to work and focus on this and I have missed working it. My finds today were some extra large men's shirts, bought for general crafting and also for doing some patchwork.  You get about a metre of fabric out of a man's shirt for about £2 to £3.  Bargain. These once cut down will be packaged into small ba...

 I have been a little unwell for the past couple of days but am now a lot better than I have been. Today has been more normal, but as a result of being unwell, I have not carried out any work on my embroidery for the past two days. To make matters worse, I have had a flare of the fatigue which I frequently suffer from as well as some other issues and so in reality have not been able to do much but rest. Today I have taken things easy again, and I cooked a meal fillet steak with all the usual trimmings.  It went down very nicely but I could not eat all of it but that is the way the cookie crumbles.  Nothing was wasted I had assistance. I did however receive a lovely gift from OH today.  He has bought me this dress ring.  He knew I liked Opals.  He has treated me to this lovely Opal ring.  It has purples, reds, pinks, turquoise, purple and gold tones in the stone itself.  I am extremely chuffed with this. I am very lucky. It will be another easy day...

 Have been off colour again. Hopefully normal service will be resumed tomorrow Pattypan x

  Here is the follow on post to  Week One of progress on my lap quilt. Time input carried forward from last week is currently 31 hours and 15 minutes Thursday 18 March 2021 I spent part of the evening working a Holly Leaf motif photo below then started working this wreath which has slowed me up to do as it is more fiddly.  I worked from 8:00pm  until 11:00pm only some 3 hours only due to me not being 100%.  I have found the smaller items more fiddly than some of the larger ones as I am literally having to count the crosses to make sure that the placement is correct like you would with a counted cross stitch project. Total time engaged 34 hours and 15 minutes +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Friday 19 March 2021 I have managed to complete all the firs colour Dark Red I have been working on the wreath motif this evening. I started working at 7:30pm until 11:00pm = 3 hours 30 minutes Total time engaged 37 hours and 45 minutes ++++++++++++++++++++++++...

  Well our Cheese Box delivery from the Fine Cheese Company of Bath has arrived today and of course we have had the inaugural tasting and we are well pleased with the cheese selection which is called "Spring for the Moment".  It consists of a goat's cheese called Golden Cross - this will be lovely with French bread toasted and melted with a fresh herb oil drizzled over.  However it has a good robust flavour very different to other goat's cheese that we have tried and we liked it straight on its own. Baby Baronet is very different as well which is made with Organic Jersey milk and the texture is very creamy but very different to what you think it will be it is also quite strong would be good melted or served hot with crudites. Beauford is a delight.  You can smell the flowers of the Alps and it is full of flavour.  Reminded us of Comte or Gruyere but softer textured but much more floral.  Very tasty. The Gorgonzola al Cucchiaio is soft, creamy and not as str...

  I have spoken of this lady before namely Diana Vingert, who sells on Etsy but also has her own shop.  For those of you interested in having a go at  a new hobby Diana has produced some freebie patterns which are available here. https://vingert.store/free-patterns-c58323207 She has her own shop here as well: https://vingert.store/ Also check out her main patterns and kits via her Etsy store which is here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/VINGERT?ref=shop_sugg I have to go and collect some threads soon from Hobbycraqft and have bought in the threads needed for the third free pdf pattern which will be my next project after my cross stitch/embroidered lap quilt which is currently being worked.  I have some vintage linen I am going to work this new pattern on. Just thought I would share for those of you who want to have a go.  Even if you only download the pdf patterns you will have them for when you do want to play. Catch you soon. Pattypan x

OH had a delivery of an item for his fishing, the outer packaging of which is an ideal size for keeping my current embroidery project in, particularly my lap quilt with my frame.  I had been using a shoe box but that was a bit of a squeeze.  This holds everything just nicely, keeps everything to hand and keeps everything clean. It would be a pity not to use the box because of its logo. Here it is: Let's turn it round That's better!  Yes you are reading it correctly although perhaps instead of "Carp" it should have read "Crap".  Please excuse my sense of humour.  OH goes fishing in some wild and wonderful places where there are no facilities available and so he is providing for himself. In this house if it can be revamped then I will use something more than perfectly suitable for something else.  A case of "Waste Not, Want Not! I have therefore decided that to make it more "lady-like" and pretty for use that I am going to decoupage it.  I have ...

 Not a very early start to the day.  Well to tell a lie it was I was awake at 7:00am but fell back to sleep for another three hours so you could say I had a bit of a lay in! Since getting up have been pottering around in the house and done a bit of food shopping as well. We had roast chicken for tea tonight.  The chicken from Stilton Butchers.  Was not too bad. Served it with plain boiled potatoes, shredded buttered cabbage, carrots, peas, broccoli and cauliflower.  Also cooked some whole garlic heads and had some of those all nice and gooey with the chicken as well as some roasted red onion and lashings of gravy. The bonus is I now have some for during the week.  I absolutely love garlic. I do not always do mashed potato as both of us like boiled potatoes that you can crush down with your own fork, which also soaks up some of the gravy and has a bit more texture.  This is how my Nan used to do potatoes for the best part and my mum the Mash! Needless t...