April showers! Feels more like a monsoon at times but between the downpours there are moments with bright blue skies, pure white billowing clouds and welcome sunlight.
As I write the wind is whipping the house walls and the trees are swaying. The pear and plum blossom has been lovely but is now falling like snowflakes.
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Insects are busy. Ladybirds are visible all over the garden and very welcome because they eat aphids. I found two different kinds of caterpillar in my anemone flowers. I photographed them and left them in peace. I don’t mind sacrificing a flower or two.
Sadly, the only butterfly I’ve seen for a couple of weeks was dead in the greenhouse. They fly in through the roof vent but can’t find their way out and flutter about until they die of exhaustion.
My Spring cabbages are growing well. These “Hero” ones form a ball head in two or three weeks time but I usually end up with too many to use at once. I decided to start using them while they’re not quite mature. This year the leaves are enormous. Allan took a photo of me bringing one in from the garden. It was nearly as big as me and filled the sink.
I steamed it over boiling potatoes. I had plenty for two servings so the first day we ate it with mashed potatoes, bacon and mint sauce. I made and froze the mint sauce last summer. Just like fresh when it’s thawed, and delicious. I popped the extra cooked cabbage in the fridge.
The next day I made my cheesy potatoes. I boiled potatoes, mashed them with Cheshire cheese and added a little soured cream. While the potatoes were cooking I softened chopped onion in a little olive oil in the microwave. Then I added the cabbage and topped it with the cheesy mash. I baked it in my tiny airfryer for about twelve minutes at 173C until nicely browned and heated through.
Lancashire cheese is good for this too. Or Cheddar, if you prefer a stronger taste.
This is such a satisfying and homely meal. Very tasty with some ketchup or chutney. It can of course, be cooked in the conventional oven. My full instructions for this are in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook. Here’s the link if you’d like to see this and my other recipes.
The tomato plants are coming along nicely. I potted them when the true leaves had formed and I’m keeping them on a warm windowsill for a while. Too cold at night in the greenhouse just yet. I have to turn the pots a few times a day to even out the light from the window or they will stretch too far towards it and become leggy.
As my regular readers know, I love surprises in the garden. This year I found wallflowers growing under the bird feeders which hang in the pear tree behind the house. Perhaps the seed was in the bird seed mix but it might have blown around the corner of the house from a border in the front garden. Wherever they came from, I’m well pleased. Such beautiful colours and fragrance.
So much to do in the garden now so baking needs to be quick. I made my super-quick brownies. Easy to do and only take 20 minutes in the oven. A sweet treat full of chocolate flavour. Really nice just as they are but extra good with some icing. They freeze well too. If you have my cookbook you’ll find the recipe under Sweet-Treat Squares.
While I’m relaxing I love to paint. I have a challenging new work in progress. Two glorious poppies with the sunlight shining through the petals. Difficult to capture but enjoyable to try. More of that next time.
And finally, a few lovely things in the garden at the moment.
I hope you’re managing to dodge the downpours and enjoying every minute of Spring sunshine. With you again in a couple of weeks. Bye for now.
Living a contented creative life. 