Flowers and Wine

The days are lengthening, just slightly but even a bit is welcome. Even though the garden is damp and dreary there are signs of life. Snowdrops will be in flower in about a week and the birds are singing. Looking for mates and anticipating Spring, no doubt. Bulbs are peeping through the soil. I have seen a few Ladybirds about too.

I intend to sow some broad bean seeds in the greenhouse soon. They are very hardy. Some people grow them outdoors through the winter months after an Autumn sowing but I haven’t tried that. I usually buy some plants and put them out in April but this year I will grow my own. I have always grown runner beans and French beans from seed so why not the broad beans? Not sure why I’ve never done this. New year, new ventures!

I’m fancying a bit of knitting again. Before Christmas I made a few little things. Some of my regular readers will remember the crackers I knitted and a pair of cherries with leaves and stems which will make a nice brooch.

I enjoyed these small projects. The book is enjoyable to browse and the patterns are easy but very clever in the way they shape the flowers or fruit. I made two flowers; a rosebud and a carnation. A very relaxing hour or two to take my mind off the worries of the world.

I’m thinking of trying to do some snowdrops and a spray of lavender flowers. I will put some photos on to show them if I succeed.

I finally got round to bottling my parsnip wine. It’s been in the demijohn for two years so I thought it was about time. Homemade wine does improve with age so no harm done but it’s the time of year when I usually make some more.

Although I do all the winemaking myself I have a bit of help from my husband to cork the bottles. It takes a hammer, a corking tool and a bit more muscle power than I’ve got.

Slightly disappointed with my new wine. It’s usually a glorious golden colour but it’s paler this time. Tastes fine though. Perhaps the parsnip juice was not as colourful to begin with. When it’s first fermenting it looks extremely cloudy but eventually it ends up usually looking like this. It tastes absolutely wonderful.

I keep the wine in a cool dark place for a year or more before opening and drinking. Something special to enjoy in the winter months.

So looking forward to daffodils and tulips again. I put a lot more bulbs in during Autumn and it will be a lovely surprise when they all pop up. A few years ago I saw some pretty tulips for sale at Attingham Park in Shropshire. The arrangement in a basket was so pleasing that I took a photo and later painted a picture from it. Here it is.

Although tulips never seem to last in my garden they are a beautiful sight in their first year. I’ve had some pretty ones in gorgeous colours. Here are some which I grew over the last few years.

As much as I love flowers my mind is never far from food so I also enjoy growing fruit. I’m using some gooseberry jelly I made a couple of years ago and it’s so good with a bit of greek yoghurt. When gooseberries are made into jam or jelly they turn red and look wonderful.

If you’ve never grown gooseberries you’re probably thinking of those hard and sour green things from the shops. The ripe fruit in the garden is so different. Picked at their peak they are softer and really sweet and tasty. When I was washing and topping and tailing them last summer I ate loads as I worked because they were so tempting.

When we bought our house we were lucky to have fruit trees already in the garden. I have added gooseberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and rhubarb. Freezing them or bottling and storing apples means we can have fruit throughout the year.

Cooking apples store well but any blemished ones rot pretty quickly so if I can catch those in time there is still plenty of good apple to cook. When I peel and prepare them I slice into salted water. No need for lemon juice. Salt water works well to stop them from browning before you cook them. Stewing is simple and delicious when there’s no time to make a pie. Also brilliant with pork or chicken as apple sauce.

Enjoy your winter treats, whatever they may be. Please feel free to leave comments. It’s so nice to hear from you. With you again in a few days.