TARRAGON & THYME

Its been miserable weather wise today but my heart goes out to all those adveresely affected by flooding over the past few days I hope things calm down for you soon.  Equally I hope my friends throughout the country are all safe and out of harms way. Well things have certainly been busy here today and there likely to get a lot busier as the week commences.  I have a lot to do before I break up at the end of a week so that I can get on with preparing the house for Christmas and prepare a lot of food, get the decorations out and it also includes a lot of cleaning. I had hoped to have some photographs for you concerning the pomanders, but my camera is playing up so for this evening at least I have given it up as a bad job. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to play and create it really has been very enjoyable.  I have also found some proper wooden clothes pegs upstairs that I had forgotten about.  I have seen an idea for making some soldiers out of the woode...

We have bright sunshine but it is chilly out.  I have therefore kept indoors wrapped up just pottering about planning and plotting getting things that are chaotic into some kind of order.  We are not having a roast today but we are having the Yorkshire Pudding Supper but with chicken and veggies (the chicken breasts are defrosting as we speak).  Hopefully will have some photos later but am having problems with my phone at the moment but will see if can take some piccies later if not I will appropriate OH's mobile phone. When sorting out The Jam Store the other week I have found all sorts of bottles I knew I had and could not locate.  So now I have found them am going to have to get the thinking cap on, but I have in mind some Orange Wine, some Apple Pop, some Ginger Beer and a lager and bitter kit that I have in house.  I love the plotting and planning stage and then I do everything in one fair swoop - have to with working full time otherwise if I did not c...

No peace for the wicked (although I am not quite sure what I have or haven't done!)  I am trying to make the best time and use of the time I have to get the house nice and tidy prior to me disappearing to my mum's to look after her Removing furniture and items from my bedroom - I am in the process of having a major bottom out;  Curtains are going to be washed tomorrow and re-hung - the carpet is going to be cleaned and the wardrobes and chests of drawers  polished with beeswax and then sorted and any suitable items being put aside for the local charity shop.  I am also going to go through OH's wardrobe and sort out those items he does not want any more.  I am hoping that there are some shirts he doesn't want anymore that I can re-utilise in the patchwork bag and hopefully make a good start to a quilt (am thinking jelly roll here).  I have also located a small tray embroidered tray cloth which I am going to turn into some lavender sachets I have already dec...

Today has been busy busy busy.  I first woke at 6.30 p.m. the sun was blazing the bedroom got very warm; I must have dozed off again as the next thing I knew both Squeak and Missy were making themselves very much at home at which point I gave up and went down.  It was about 10.00 a.m by this time. We then took Missy down for her constitutional walk and I went collecting nettles for making some wine. I ended up bringing back two carrier bags stuffed within an inch of their life.  I have then spent the best part of this afternoon stripping leaves from stalks and disposing of the stems. I have prepared two gallons of nettle wine and I needed 8 pints of leaves for this purpose.  I ended up using a pair of marigolds for preparing the stingers.  Hopefully I will be in time next week to make another couple of gallons of wine.  Nettle is one of my absolute favourites and it will be something to the Put Down this year Whilst out I also spotted some Jack by ...

Its been a variable day here in Peterborough and we have had rain againt this evening; the cold and the damp is really affecting my movements at the moment and my joints which tends to slow me up a bit.  Oh well these things are sent to try us but at the mminute I feel very much like the Tin man. Sorry its so late in the evening/morning that I have been able to post; it has been a particularly busy day; a very busy day at work then the servers packed up and we were unable to use our system so we ended up doing those jobs like filing and sorting out any rubbish; by the time we got back on the day had almost gone. Since getting home, we have had tea; I didn't fancy too much  my appetite isn't what it was and so I just had a pork and apple sandwich and OH finished off the remains of yesterdays lunch; the extra crumble got frozen the other one is in the fridge for tomorrow nights tea; which is going to be chicken kievs with a selection of veggies and then pudding to follo...

I forgot to tell you last night whilst calling for his lordship I saw a shooting star and I made a wish.  What was unusual was that it wasn't high in the sky and it looked as though it was a falling one heading for a garden further up the street; but I still made a wish all the same. Its been very cold and wet here this afternoon and into the evening. (I have had to put the heating back on) At the moment it is raining cats and dogs; even Demetri found his way in through the window he is now cuddled up on the settee fast asleep - Squeak is on the other one. I did a little baking earlier on a couple of batches of coconut cheesecakes and two rhubarb crumbles one of which is destined for the freezer and I made four batches of pastry in the food processor. (still have to use this up probably finish tomorrow night.   I am quite chuffed with the pastry it tastes really good if I do say so myself but for some reason I always make very short pastry.  My mum has told me th...

Just a quick pop by to say good morning. Well it was lovely sunshine here first thing this morning; it was that which stirred me and the fact that I was warm (the sun was streaming through the windows and me being me was under the quilt and getting slightly overheated). So up I got and enjoyed a few hours peace and quiet on my own just pottering enjoying the peace and quiet  a cup of tea; and enjoying listening to the birds singing their songs and just generally being in the moment after another very busy week.  Just letting myself go arrh!  That has been a rare pleasure. Mission accomplished I was ready to get stuck into what I have today today and it starts raining; gentle rain from an overcast grey sky.  We very much need this rain (my joints don't) so upwards and onwards as they say I still have things to do and I want to get the best from this day of ours.  I have regular chores to do but may well do a bit of baking later on.  May make some breadbu...

It has been a busy day at work today; quite a few members of staff are still away from the office; and after the horrendous day I had last Thursday I had a lot of files to relocate, and I still have quite a lot of filing to complete as well.  Managed to get quite a bit done but still have a long way to go; with four lawyers it gets more than a bit hectic at times; bless their cotton socks.  Never mind. I got a good nights sleep last night, but I was very stiff again this morning; am going to have a couple of paracetamol before going to bed tonight; it will be later as I have quite a bit left to do in the bedroom.  Have found even more stuff I haven't finished so that has been decanted into a large bag and is going to come downstairs so that I can work away at it in the evenings.  I have four little crotchet scarves which will not take much doing so will probably tackle those first; then there is my knitted blanket all the squares are knitted just need the balanc...

Sorry I did not get back to you last night  as things got a bit late and I did want to get to bed.  (although most of this post was written then so please excuse the tense as it may not be quite correct). Monday Night ...... I have still been pottering away in the bedroom.  Have managed to get some of my clothes put away (Squeak was helping and trying to put herself away in to the wardrobe in the process.  Its nice and dark in there and a nice hidey hole away from everyone.  She was removed quite quickly. Still loads of ironing to do but that can be done later at night.  I am mindful of the young family next door at night as they have young ones and I don't want to put the vacuum on later on, whereas I can get on with the ironing later as it is something you can do at unsociable times.  I still lots more clothes to get put away; and more work in that I have some skirts to put new zips in so some more work for the sewing pile.  However it ...

We have had chicken and chips for tea; rotisserie cooked chicken which was moist and delicious and then home made chunky chips sprinkled with pickled onion vinegar (I never waste the vinegar from a jar of pickled onions) this together with a pinch of salt gives the chips lots of flavour.  I had pickled onions as well today although quite frequently I serve with sweet chilli sauce and bread and butter.  Goes down a treat. Have been beavering away in the bedroom; have found a heap of UFO's including two cardigans,  a turquoise blue one and a purple onea needlepoint panel of roses (for a cushion insert), an art glass window panel, a wild strawberry panel a photo frame done in fabric and the list goes on.  I have also found a huge pile of fabric which is also going to be converted pretty quickly into some table covers (my guess will be that I will start these at the weekend probably Saturday night when I get a few hours to myself will whizz through them on the overl...

I have had a particularly busy day at work today its been non stop all day as Lawyers are going on holiday and I was on my own as my colleague was also on holiday and not due back until the middle of next week.  However, I received a surprise  I have my first Easter egg from the firm all the staff received one.  That's enough about work as I am now on holiday and don't go back to work until Tuesday.   Since being home from work I sat and relaxed for a little while; I then went out to see a friend for a little while longer, and then when I came in around 9.00 p.m.OH sent for a prawn balti with rice and Naan for me.  I was just in the mood for one and it went down well.  I am now in holiday mode Yippee and we have the card back.  Phew! Going back to last evening though Houdini did it again; I yelled at approximately 5.30 am again no response so I left him to it and went back to sleep. It would appear that he has thrown his whole body weight a...

Last night I went to bed early for me; it was cold and wet and off I trundled up the wooden stairs to Bedfordshire; all the animals were in safe and sound.  At 5.30 a.m. I had to get up to come downstairs and noticed that a certain cat had escaped the house. I have to keep the bathroom and toilet doors closed but I think OH had been down and not closed the door and so the ratbag escaped. He has developed this habit of rattling the window catch and working on it until he can escape.  Me thinks he should be called Houdini - and they say that cat's aren't clever. At 5.30 a.m. precisely there is me hanging out of the little bathroom window calling the cat.  No answer so I went to the back door and down the garden in my dressing gown (not a pretty sight) ; it was chucking it down.  I called him, I could hear him he was calling back but would the little ratbag come in - no not on your nelly.  He thought it was great japes to get mum out in the rain getting wet and r...

We have travelled by car down to but not quite at the riverbank, into playing fields that run alongside the river; we have walked the paths in a circular route in the bright sunshine, noticing the wild vegetation springing into life there is a lot of blossom that has come out and lots of plants that have set buds that could be affected and knocked back by the threatened wintery weather that is due certainly around here come Tuesday. The consequence of this will to be to knock everything back and if the weather is as cold as it says it is going to be affect the blossom ; the weather coming at the wrong time which in turn could impact on the promise of  fruit wild produce and crops to come.  We had a leisurely walk for us (Missy went off like a mini missile as she always does running in amongst the trees and the hedgrows putting up birds and rabbits and  just being mischievious not hurting anything, but running and running just full of fun and enjoying the freedom of the f...

Sorry have been missing for a few days this week.  We have had further problems with the car; an oil seal went and also the motor on the passenger side of the car got stuck and the window could not be made secure.  I had to walk to work and also home again for three days this week. I did though managed to get into town yesterday dinner; on a Friday dinner I tend to go to the market and to Wilkinsons. I managed to get two metres of tiny green gingham check from the market for £1 a metre and also 10 metres of white tape to make some home made bunting for 20pence a metre = £2.  Something else for the playing box.  The green check is destined for a lap quilt in due course. Things have been a tad busy at work; it has been year end and I have been  billing forever and ever.  A load of us ended up in the pub for a little while; and I ended up drinking cider Aspalls a sweet one for a change and it was really good.  In fact I stayed  a little longer t...

Its been a lovely day here in Peterborough, the sun has been out although the wind is a little chilly; we went walkies with Missy down to the river and let her run.  Lots of nettles coming on with new growth, some cowslips and primroses and a big patch of wild violets.  It is so lovely to see Spring in full swing;  the resident swan was guarding her nest she always parks herself in the same spot every year.  Peterborough Volunteers have been out around the boardwalks clearing all the dead brushwood, and giving trees a haircut and letting them breathe once more.  Its just lovely to see all the new growth and there is lots of wild plum blossom again so we are hopeful of being able to get to the plums before someone else does later on.   Well since my quiet minutes earlier on today where I enjoyed some ME time for a change, I have been in the garden fighting brambles overgrown Buddlehia's rose bushes - and quite frankly it looks a mess. More of a mes...

Today has been a busy one and I am still suffering with the cold I had last weekend - it just will not shift; I met my friend for lunch and we had a good natter , but as always time always goes very quickly.   OH has been busy applying for a job/jobs this week although had come to a standstill as he could not locate his exam certificates.  I told him where they were roughly, but he would not have it.  I told him that I would fish them out tonight, but there is no need.  I got a phone call earlier in the day to say that he had found them where I had said, so I am pleased about that and he can now get his applications completed.   However there was also an extra bonus he has also found my overlocker and my sewing machine so I am hoping to have a bit of a play around come this weekend; I really could do with some time to play with my crafts and get some of the bits and bobs I have on the go completed.  I am particularly keen to have a play w...

Despite the Pea Souper this morning, today has been a busy day at work. I normally meet my friend on a Thursday for lunch but this week she wasn't available, but I will see her again next week.  It was bitterly cold this morning on the way to work, although I ended up having a warm stretch in the office and ended up taking off my purple jumper; popping it on just before I left the office this evening (I was late 5.45 p.m again). I am glad I did as it was freezing again when I did get out. We have had chicken curry and rice together with home made chapattis for tea and it went down very well; the curry was a little hot for me - I don't like it over hot but it was very tasty.  I have another busy day tomorrow.  Hopefully we will have the car back tomorrow night; I am hoping to have another bash at the back garden again this weekend so Iheres hping the weather cooperates is good enough for me to get stuck in and do a bit more.  Need to get the heavyweight gloves out...

Its been a cold day here in Peterborough, and as per usual I have plenty of layers on to help combat the cold; although unusually in work this morning I had a hot session and had to strip off the thick cuddly jumper I was sporting; in retrospect I am not sure that was the right thing to do as I now seem to have the beginnings of a sore throat. Just what I did not want.  I think another early night cuddled up under the quilt with my hot water bottle is in order I ache also so a couple of paracetamol should help together with the warmth from the hottie bottie. The cats are already out for the count snuggled up in their blankets. We are still without the car  - although we are hoping that it will be done and dusted by the weekend.  The gear box has arrived and we have been without it about 3 1/2 weeks.  I hope it is ready soon as it is Mother's Day this weekend and I would like to get to see my mum as we have not seen her for a few weeks.  As our parents get o...

I feel decidely off colour this evening; i hurt again haven't been able to settle to do anything and in the end I popped over the road to see my friend.  She has now got a new computer and I have shown her how to download her photos (its a much better one than she had before) and introduced her to some of my eclectic taste in music.  I have a job for Friday evening (not cooking this time just sorting her out a bit more with the computer). So please forgive my brief post but I am off to bed to get some much needed shut eye; and then perhaps I will feel brighter tomorrow. We are still without the car that is nearly three weeks. However I did get a lovely surprise from one of the lawyers I work for; she had bought me a little pressie with a lovely message inside for all my hard work the past three months or so.  The words meant more to me than the pressie although little surprises are always appreciated. I hope everyone is keeping well andis okay. Sorry must go hopeful...

Well what a busy day it has been a lovely one all the same and it has been brilliant to be out in the fresh air, enjoying the first real touch of spring.  I still haven't finished all the herb border, but it is well in hand.  I want to get some seeds on but my little mini greenhouses (their covers at least) have perished during the winter months (together with what I think is one of the cats landing on it) so it is not weather proof at the moment.  In fact each of them have no roof!  I love growing plants from seed and I think that is where my real love is and I am itching to get going; but patience I have a lot to do before that.  My Cold Frames need new glass as well. I am hoping we get the car returned this week (we are still without it) so that hopefully I could do a bit more of an evening when I get in.  I can only hope. We have had a lovely tea tonight; Rotisserie Spit Roasted Chicken, purple sprouting broccoli, cauflower, roast potato, mashe...