Busy Days

I’ve had a few things to do over the last few days. The garden needed attention. The brown drooping leaves were looking sad so I spent a little time cutting down the perennials.

The woody aster stems with their fluffy seedheads are ideal for starting the fire so I save those along with marjoram sprigs with their scenty tops and the big mop-head flowers of the dried hydrangeas. Just need to be sure that they are very dry.

When I was snipping off the dead leaves of the alchemilla I disturbed several ladybirds. Felt bad about it. They’d probably found a nice hidey-hole for the winter and I came along and shoved them out! There is plenty of shelter around the garden though so I’m sure they’ll survive.

I love to see the garden after the rain. I wander around with my camera and catch glimpses of raindrops clinging to the leaves and flowers.

There was a marigold with a tiny green caterpillar nestled in the flower.

The birds and squirrels are making the most of the food we’re providing. Sunflower hearts and peanuts are very popular. We love to watch the antics of the squirrels as they try to open the bird feeder. Not successful but we put some out on the birdtable so they can help themselves.

Yesterday a flight of geese went over in a lovely v-formation, honking very loudly. A wonderful sight. Too quick for a photo and my little camera probably wouldn’t be up to the job. It’s something we see every year as there is a lake nearby. Always thrilling no matter how many times I see it.

I like it if it rains after dark, when I’m snug in the kitchen. The rain lashes the window and glistens on the pane.

When I took this shot I was busy making my cheesy potatoes. Cheese stirred into hot mashed potatoes and spread on top of steamed kale or broccoli, then browned in the oven. Delicious and a good alternative to meat if you’re trying to cut down.

I was thinking again about my kitchen favourites. I have quite a few, as all cooks do. Some are not just essential tools but also make some jobs a lot simpler than they often seem. Scissors for example. Of course we all need scissors from time to time to cut things open but I also find them useful for snipping parsley or chives for instance. Easier than chopping, especially if you only need a bit to top a dish or a sandwich. Saves washing a chopping board. I use them too for trimming the fat from bacon or for cutting out the stalks on kale leaves. Kept just for food and washed up afterwards.

Cake liners are another thing I love, for loaf tins. I make a lovely banana and cranberry loaf ( recipe on a future post) and the liners make it so easy to release them from the tins when they come out of the oven. It’s horrible when a big lump of cake sticks to the tin and spoils a beautiful cake. They tip out perfectly with a liner.

Measuring cups are not only useful but somehow pleasing to look at and to handle. My little set sits on the worktop ready to be used.

My pastry mat is something I bought last year and wouldn’t be without now. It protects the work surface and the measurements on it are brilliant if I need to know the size of a cake tin or a circle of pastry.

I’ve made some mince pies for freezing so that I’m ahead for Christmas and in case of any unexpected events. Not going to post a recipe. There is nothing special about my mince pies. We love them though, especially with a dusting of icing sugar. I use my own mincemeat and always stir in a little extra brandy when I open the jar.

And finally here is a painting of some ducks in an autumnal setting. I painted this with gouache from a photo I took while we were out one day. I hope you like it.

With you again in a few days. Thanks for visiting. Comments are always welcome.