Hello I'm Freda, the Earthy Homemaker.
I have been running a home for 55 years and I'm married with a wonderful husband, son and daughter. We moved around a fair bit when we were younger and I gained a lot of experience along the way.
I've had lots of different jobs - worked in a computer factory, sold Tupperware, been a dental nurse, hospital nurse, receptionist, university lecturer and researcher - to name a few. Since having children I only worked part-time in paid employment because my domestic life is more important to me than money or a career. Retirement has been a joy for me. Never too many hours in a day.
I strongly believe that home life is the key to happiness. Time spent preparing tasty, nutritious meals, growing some of your own food, making things, is time well spent. It gives more tranquility to our lives, time to breathe, to listen and be more independent. Also time to be ourselves.
My blog is all about satisfying our inner needs - food, home comforts and creativity in ways that are easy and pleasurable. I'm not in the business of making you say ("Ooh, I could never do that!")("Oh, that's too complicated - can't be bothered!"). If you're looking for down-to-earth creative ideas and tips to smooth your way then look no further.
I love to paint, garden and bake and I occasionally crochet, knit or sew but I don't believe these things need to be complicated, over fancy or time-consuming. Instead I hope to inspire you with my own way of doing these things, simply, satisfyingly and happily.
Oh, by the way, I also love to scribble, so here's a little poem I created to get us started:
A happy home is one where time dwells
Where tantalising aromas fill the kitchen
Where jars of pickles fill the shelves
And heads can rest on home-made cushions.
The clock ticks but no-one minds.
It beats a gentle rhythm as we bake
And arrange our pre-loved finds
Of pretty china to hold our cake.
The pleasure of a carrot grown at home
A pudding to ward off the winter's chill,
The artistry when you're in the zone
And paint a picture. What a thrill!
It's home we love, where minds can grow
And nimble fingers create beautiful things.
Join me on my quest to show
The satisfaction self-sufficiency brings.
Here's a little painting I've just been working on.
It’s going to be cold and wet for a while now. If you need an easy, warming and satisfying meal, why not try this? It’s my alternative to fish cakes. If you like fish cakes but find they’re a faff to make try this easy version. If you’ve been to work they don’t make much time and you will have the ingredients to hand most probably.
Easy Fish Cake
For two people: 2 medium potatoes, I tin of salmon, mackerel or sardines, salt and pepper
Boil potatoes, then mash them. Drain the can of fish and mash into the potatoes with a fork. Add salt and pepper. Heat a little oil in a frying pan, then add the mash to the pan and flatten out. Let it sizzle until it is browning underneath then turn it over. Doesn’t matter if it breaks up. When both sides are well browned, serve with peas or a side-salad and some chutney, picalilli or your favourite sauce.
You can add snipped or chopped parsley, dried dill and /or lemon juice at the mashing stage, if you want to tart it up, but it isn’t necessary. This is a nutritious, tasty and appetizing meal which costs very little.
Here’s to happy days in a warm kitchen. More to come.
The garden is fading fast. There are some asters still flowering and an odd rose or two but it’s summer glory has all but disappeared.
As you can see there are some little pleasures still to be found though.
The ground is covered in leaves. Their damp fragrance scents the air and makes the paths slippy on wet days. As fast as we sweep them they reappear. I love the leaves. The acers are changing colour – red, yellow, orange – and the crab-apple has golden leaves.
We love the trees behind our garden. We’re lucky to have that backdrop. You can see a photo of them above.
Creatures are finding winter homes among the leaves, log piles and crevices. I don’t keep a perfect garden. I encourage wildlife and an organic system which maintains a balance between pests and predators, so a few scruffy bits here and there don’t matter. Better for the wildlife and definitely better for my back.
The veg garden is still in full swing though. In the polytunnels I have leeks, parsnips, turnips, kohl rabi, carrots, spring onions and salad leaves. Kohl rabi are sweeter and more tender than turnips and look fabulous with their odd shape. The second sowing are beginning to swell now. I use them while they are small and sweet.
The purple kohl rabi lose their colour when cooked but they’re delicious and grow very quickly.
Under the cover of the tunnels I also have spring cabbages. These will grow slowly through the winter and provide a welcome veg in April. I grow one called Spring Hero which , as far as I know, is the only spring cabbage which forms a ball head.
When they’re ready I either steam them or make a lovely salad. I discovered that if I shred them finely then add salt and pepper and a little drizzle of ginger syrup, it makes a really tasty salad to have with a ham or cooked meat sandwich. I often make my own preserved ginger and use the syrup for this but stem ginger from the shops is perfect. I will post another time about how to make your own stem ginger. Easy and delicious.
Living a contented creative life. 