TARRAGON & THYME

Just when I thought it was all over and had a more manageable day walking to work today (Most of the snow and the compacted ice had disappeared apart from in the car park at work) where most of us have managed to slip on during the course of the week.  I poked my head out the door to see if I could see the moon and found more snow falling thick and fast there is already a medium coating of snow after only a couple of hours.  Oh well its wellie boot weather again.  They have a lovely grip on the snow but boy even with socks on my tootsies are going blue.   Fortunately I do not have to walk to work tomorrow but I do have to be up early as the boiler is due its annual service tomorrow  and the chap who comes to do it is due around 10:00 am.  I have a big pile of ironing to do so might keep myself occupied with that whilst he comes to sort things out. I am off to a fair tomorrow evening where I will be doing some Reiki so it looks as though it is going to be ...

That quiet period after OH goes to work he leaves early.  I then have the menagerie to feed, let animals out and feed the birds.  Then its time for me for a little while at least whilst I get myself a nice hot cup of tea (Missy joins me) and then I gradually come too in readiness for the new day.  I am not really a morning person I tend to be more of an owl but I do welcome the time on my own to compose myself and get things in perspective for the new day. I can hear the blackbird calling he has located the food and is kicking up a right chattering.  Becuase of the cats I use the lower roof over the bathroon to feed the birds as it is safer for them and the back garden is full of snow and no place for them to feed from.  We do not see many sparrows these days I tend to get Magpies, pigeons, crows blackbirds but rarely see the smaller birds although I have feeders out for them.  I have also left some warm water out as well. Will not be long before I have...

Lets start with yesterday; I had another lay in and then started with the housework and pottering in the kitchen tidying, washing, drying getting clothes ready for work; watching a little tv here and there and cooking tea.  We had roast chicken last night with mashed potatoes, peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and then mixed roast vegetables (red onion, sweet potato, squash, roast potato and parsnip) and it went down very well too with this cold weather we are having and the snow.  I then had home made Tarte Tatin for pudding and it all went down very well.  We had a late tea due to my potterings, and morning of the new day soon comes round.  The snow always makes everything so quiet.  I was awake at 6 am but did not officially rise until 7 am when I was greeted by Squeak trying to move in on me and missing sitting on me.  After the animals were fed I nipped out to put some bird seed and some bread out for the birds on the lower roof as they certainly w...

We have had snow all day with hardly any let up gentle constant snow.  Demetri does not like it at all and has a hissy fit - he wants out he just does not do snow. We will have to see what tomorrow brings

Its been a busy pottery day here today; cold and freezing it started with me having my lay in and I did not rise until 11 am I was out for the count probably due to all that walking yesterday. I have felt drained most of the day so it has been a very quiet day. It was then feeding time for the animals and letting out Demetri was in a hurry as usual so I let him out he then for the next 5 minutes continued to voice his displeasure at the snow he just doesn't like it one little bit.  Sqeak doesn't mind it and tends to go scatty as does Missy who really loves it.  I also popped some bread and wild bird seed out for the local birds. I then paid a visit to the veg shop and stocked up on fresh veggies, sweet potatoes,  swede,carrots, squash, parsnips, broccoli, cabbage, red onions, cauliflower, leeks, apples, pears, oranges, cooking apples,  and 6kg Seville Oranges to be processed into Seville Orange Marmalade and Vin D'Orange respectively for the Pantry shelf, and I ...

I have been and bought some Seville Oranges today and I intend to have a few more when they restock I took the last of a box today.  However marmalade is in store for this batch and also the Vin D'Orange that I have written about previously. However I have been browsing  and have come across this new recipe  to me and which I intend to have a go at shortly.  My argument is if you have a recipe and keep it safely you are creating your own Treasury of Recipes.  This recipe  is from a book called Pru's New Country Kitchen by Pru Coats.  Its something slightly different to do with Seville Oranges.  I just need to get the Vodka at the right price.  I might also freeze the Seville Oranges whole so I can make this later on in the year. 4 Seville Oranges 4 lemons 4 pints vodka 1 1/2lb cane sugar Peel the oranges and lemons very thinly taking care not to leave any pith on the zest. Place the zest into a 4 pint jar.  Add the sugar and the...

Oh what a busy week in an out like a fiddlers elbow - have been here there and everywhere. Tonight I have been to the works Christmas party together with a live band and lovely food.  Bit noisy but then again it always is with a live band.  However getting to the party was another matter all together. OH was not available to take me so I arranged to come home get washed and changed and then would go back to the pub where the private party was to be for 6:30 pm.  I booked a taxi just after lunch to come and fetch me at work for 5:30 pm they took the booking and I also made a further booking for 18.10 pm to go back to the venue. I was out dead on the dot  - it was snowing prolifically (yes we have plenty of the white stuff) No taxi - so I rang back and was told they hadn't got anyone to cover - so I asked about the later one and he was umming and arghing about that as well (so they would have just left me standing there waiting in the cold).  So I cancelled th...