It was an exciting weekend with the pomp and ceremony of the coronation. We have a new monarch and whatever you think of that it was a moment in our history. I certainly enjoyed watching it. A new era has begun.
Back to our daily life now. The garden is a bit bedraggled at the moment. The leaves and flowers are dripping. The lovely Meconopsis cambrica, Welsh poppies, were facing the sun a day or two ago but now their drooping petals are protecting their precious pollen for another day.
Two years ago I sowed oriental poppy seeds and the plants are now well-established. Their fat buds are just waiting to burst open and show their scarlet silky petals.
I had an enjoyable visit to my favourite nursery and bought lupins and other perennials to restock the borders. I love everything about lupins; their leaves, flowers and their peppery scent. Next month should be a blaze of colour. They have plenty of flower buds promising a lovely show. I have a pink one, two blues and a yellow.
Meanwhile there are other flowers to enjoy. The apple blossom is out and other treasures look wonderful even in the rain.
Lily of the Valley have pure white, tiny, bell flowers and their perfume is exquisite. I only have a few but I love them.
The strawberries are beginning to show their pretty blossom with the promise of delicious fruit next month. Strawberries are my favourites and I usually have a bountiful crop so I can freeze plenty for winter treats.
It’s time now to sow more tender crops. Things like runner beans, squashes, cucumbers and courgettes need warmth to grow and would perish if frost struck so I leave these until the weather is more dependable. I will have to protect them too from nibblers because slugs and snails love their fleshy leaves. The rain has encouraged them to slither out already.
While I wait for summer crops I have delicious cabbages ready. I harvested one and it made two meals. For the first one I softened the outer leaves with boiling water and filled them with a mixture of cabbage, breadcrumbs, onion, tomato, cheese and basil. I cooked these in the microwave oven but I think they’re better steamed. A tasty vegetarian meal.
For the second meal I did traditional bangers and mash. I steamed the cabbage over the boiling potatoes. Saved more vitamins in the cabbage and used less electricity in the cooking. I cooked the sausages in the air-fryer. Ten minutes, with a turn-over halfway through, left them cooked to perfection.
Although I read as much as I can, I do enjoy an end product from my sitting spells, so my knitting needles are clicking again. I couldn’t resist the new yarn I bought and I had some lilac coloured cotton which was tempting me. I’m making a summer jumper, something for those days when it’s not too hot but a bit warmer. An easy pattern, because I can’t do complicated ones, in a nice simple style with a pretty edging. I can really recommend this one.
Lots to do this month and looking forward to pleasant weather. I hope you will have pleasures of your own and the time flies by. Bye for now. With you again next week.
Living a contented creative life. 