TARRAGON & THYME

I have had the migraine back today - which was not good news and I have felt tired and out of sorts and am therefore off for an early night. OH picked me up from work and we took Missy for a walk and as planned went back to pick some of the Sea Buckthorn we located the other day.  I have read of all sorts of horrors in collecting this up to now unknown plant to me as it has a nasty thorn just like a sloe on its stems.  We did try running the tynes of a fork down the branches but this did not do much good at all.  In the end we noticed that off the main branch were lots of little spurs off of which the berries were growing so we harvested these tiny spurs with scissors and bagged them up and brought them home.  Weather permitting I will also be foraging each evening for the rest of the week. Whereupon I have spent the rest of the evening listening to the TV and working each little spur and stripping the berries with a large pair of craft tweezers.  They are ide...

Its been a lovely day; I still have remnants of the nasty migraine from Friday in that I am a bit heady, but I have been getting out in the fresh air in order to clear my head; its helped but it is still hanging around. We have had a lovely time at my mum's when we eventually got there.  We had forgotten that it was Deeping Raft Race weekend where all sorts of water filled fun happens, all in the aid of charity.  Deeping St James where my mum lived was totally cut off and we had to go in the back way by driving down the bypass and then cutting cross country back into the village.  Hey these things are sent to try us but we got there in the end. We had a lovely time at mum's.  Bless her heart she had cooked a leg of lamb with roast potatoes, boiled potatoes, fresh green runner beans, broccoli, cauliflower, yorkie pud, carrots with lashings of gravy. And then for pudding we had fresh English strawberries, meringue and ice cream. Unusually for me I cleared bo...

We got up early for us on a Sunday and went and walked Missy  and there were loads of cobwebs in amongst the bushes and the brambles..I have managed to get some of the  sea buckthorn and wild brambles.  I have a big bowl full plus a separate bag which I am gifting to my mum.  We are going back tomorrow as time escaped us -  there was only one of us picking  but I am still pleased with this little haul.  Bramble and Apple jam is on the cards for when I get back and the other berries will be fridged  until I can get some more tomorrow.  I got stung by a wasp as I was picking the brambles, but we got the sting out and my hand knows it has been stung. Talking of a different kind of stinger I notice that the nettles are srouting new growth again so I may well nab some to make some nettle beer to" pop up" up in the pantry for later on (please excuse the pun).  I was after elderberries today too but because of time contraints did not get an...

Today has been a good day from the perspective that I have had an opportunity to research some other blogs which is always a pleasure for me seeing how other people portray themselves and having a small peek into their lives, so that we get a flavour of what they really are about and what they have been up to.  And there are so many lovely blogs and lovely people out of there.  Its interesting that at the end of the day we are all after a better, simpler quality of life for ourselves and our loved ones - we just achieve it all in our inimitable way and style. I have been to the shops this afternoon, primarily to the Co-Op to pick up some essential basics like butter, vinegar etc.  I also went to the Veg shop.  They had the first of the Victoria plums at £3 per kg, maybe next week but not this.  They also had black skinned apricots which I haven't seen before. This week however I have bought two pineapples, some chillis that have been reduced (hot ones), a ...

Well after my peaceful sojourn earlier this morning OH then took me to the Pork Butchers Franks and I purchased bacon chipolatas, a pork pie, a haslet, two cornish pasties and then decided to walk Missy.   They did not have any Savoury Ducks (Faggots). OH called to get petrol, grabbed a couple of drinks and then we walked the dog.  It was nice to get out into the fresh air, especially after my migraine yesterday, its still hanging but I am a lot better than I was and it was just great to be out in the peace and quiet down by the river and in the fresh air.  We happily chomped on our "Cornish" style pasties followed by our drinks. There is always an ulterior motive for me walking the dog - I only manage perhaps once or twice a week as OH walks her early morning usually on a daily basis and I am of course usually at work by then. Today did not disappoint, blackberries are starting to be ready to be picked.  Sadly there were no puffballs today. I have located some Sea ...

I had intended to pop up a post last night, after being missing for a couple of days as I had been out on Wednesday evening and had just got dropped off when my friend over the road came flying over saying that she had lost the kitten in the garden and he would not come to her.  Needless to say Tiddles came straight away to me and was just "jerking her chain" as the saying goes, so we quickly got him restored to his mum again.  Also with walking backwards and forwards to work this week it had upset the left hand side of my lower back again and made it very sore and uncomfortable.  Fortunately by Thursday evening the car had been returned to us repaired and so I got a lift home on Thursday night and was able to rest up.  Yesterday however I woke up a bit headachy, thought nothing of it, but as the day went on I started to develop a headache and by lunch yesterday it was turning into a raging headache and quickly turned into a migraine  I had found some pills and ...

For the best part of today life has been good apart from the fact that my jam maker is not co-operating but I am looking into that.  I had a lovely lunch with one of my good friends from work.  I don't have many friends but those I do are good ones and I would trust them with my life.  As if often the case with all my good friends they are not afraid to be themselves and often come over as characters, and a good belly laugh.  I even have very good Internet friends who I have never met, but nonetheless the bond is there.  Work has been hectic but that is par for the course.  OH was supposed to fetch me but I ended up having to walk home as the car was not co-operating again. On the positive side the walk did me good but I hurt now and it will not be long before I am up away to bed with the cat, my constant companion when I am home.  OH doesn't see anything of her during the day but as soon as I come in at night down she comes to greet me and then snuggl...