Living a contented creative life.

The weather is very changeable. One minute the sun is beaming, the next the clouds are covering the sky and the rain comes splashing down. The garden though is loving it. All the plants are thriving with the warmth and moisture.

I dug up a few new potatoes. Still small but really delicious. The skins just rubbed off and they cooked in a few minutes with broad beans and mange-tout peas. I shall use the broad beans as quickly as I can while they’re small and tender but I will allow some of the peas to fill their pods for later. If black fly strike it’s best to nip off the tops of the broad bean plants and dispose of them. That usually solves the problem as the aphids collect on the tips.

The runner beans are climbing their canes. One has had the growing point bitten off by a snail but the others are healthy and strong. The French beans have suffered badly from slugs or snails but I have replacement plants coming along in the polytunnel. Where there’s life there’s hope! I shall allow them to grow a bit bigger before I plant them out. Perhaps sturdier plants will withstand the nibbling.

The roses are opening their lovely blooms. Sadly, some have a problem with a fungal infection called black spot. Fortunately it doesn’t affect the flowers and they are a joy to see.

Campanula persicifolia, the beautiful bell flower, pops up all over the garden, growing wherever the seed falls. I leave them alone to do as they like because they are so lovely to see.

I love to see their satin bells with raindrops. I painted a small picture a couple of years ago to try to capture the beauty.

The new paving seems to have redirected the rain water onto the borders at either side. They have never looked so bushy and abundant. Previously the old crazy paving soaked up the water but now it has to run off at the sides, so the plants have benefitted. An unexpected bonus!

Most of the cabbages have been used now. I made my cheesey potato bake last week to make the most of another one. This is a homely meal which is simple to do and very satisfying to eat.

I boil potatoes in a steamer with the cabbage on top in the perforated section. In a baking dish I soften sliced onions in the microwave. I heat the main oven to 200C. When the potatoes are tender I mash them and add crumbled Lancashire cheese and sometimes a spoonful of creme fraiche or sour cream, if I have them. I put the cabbage on top of the onions and then spread the cheesey mash on top of that. I rough up the surface a bit with a fork, then bake until the cheese turns golden brown. About 25 minutes.

Really good with chutney or tomato ketchup. Tasty, filling and easy to do. I sometimes add tinned organic sweetcorn to the cabbage layer for extra nutrition and flavour.

I have a family visit coming up so I baked a pecan pie, a great favourite of ours. Very rich and calorie-laden but a sensational dessert for special occasions. It freezes well and is good warm with ice-cream or cold on its own or with single cream.

The recipe is on a previous post with the title,”Pecan Pie and Painting” or in my cookbook compiled from my recipes, some of which I posted on my blog. You will find the cookbook with this link, https://geni.us/eANQu

I hope you’re enjoying the Summer and finding pleasure in your own way. With you again next week. Bye for now.

There’s been quite a buzz going on with the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. I have not been involved although I’ve enjoyed the atmosphere. I’ve been busy in my own way.

You might remember from last week I had a disaster with mail-order grafted tomatoes. Not good, I’m afraid. The plants perished and I panicked at the thought of not having my own tomatoes this year. However, after I sent out an SOS, offers of help came my way and I’m now the happy owner of some gifted plants.

Fruit and veg are coming along well. The strawberries are not quite ready but with the benefit of sunny days they will soon ripen. Celeriacs are growing nicely in the greenhouse and will soon be snugly planted in one of the polytunnels to grow slowly for Winter meals. The onions I planted in autumn are fattening now too.

I saw a beautiful tiny spider on a rose yesterday and managed to take a reasonable photo. I know spiders are not everyone’s cup of tea but just take a look at how colourful it is.

Not many butterflies sadly, but the bees are sipping nectar in the flowers and there was a very busy, shiny, black beetle scurrying about as well.

The roses are opening their lovely blooms and the campanulas with their shining bells are pretty in blue and white. I brought in a few blossoms to enjoy in a vase.

Here are some flowers gracing my garden right now.

It will be good to have ripe fruit in the garden. I bought some nectarines, a favourite of mine, but the fruit was rock hard and sour. These are meant to be ripened at home but they’d been harvested too soon and would never reach a stage of sweet juiciness. All was not lost however! Unripe nectarines stewed with a little sugar are not just nicer, they are a gourmet treat.

I sliced them and removed the stones. Not easy when they’re under-ripe but worth the effort. Placed them in a pan with a small amount of water to prevent them sticking and cooked them gently for about 20 minutes. It’s a good idea to stir occasionally to make sure they all reach the hot juices as they cook. Once they were tender and had turned a lovely pink colour I stirred in a couple of spoonfuls of sugar. Not too much or the flavour would be lost.

While they’re warm, they’re delicious with vanilla ice-cream and when they’re cool, lovely with greek yoghurt. A flavour sensation, a wonderful colour and an amazing transformation from the unappetising originals.

I had an idea for some little sweet treats. These are little baked cookie-type bites.

Nutty Bites Makes 12

2 large Egg Whites
50g Pecan Nuts
50g Plain Flour
50g Caster Sugar

Grease a baking tray.(A silicone sheet lining is a good idea if you have one, as these can stick to the baking tray.)
Grind the pecans in a food processor or nut mill.
Heat the oven to 180C.
Beat egg whites until stiff and no liquid is left.
Fold in the ground nuts, sugar and flour.
Drop small amounts, to make twelve, onto the baking sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Lift off with a spatula.
Best eaten on the day they're made.

Still some showers around but the garden needs them even if we don’t. Here are some glimpses of wet flowers.

I hope everyone enjoyed the Jubilee celebrations and the rain stayed away for you. With you again next week. Bye for now.

I’ve always been happiest at home and now I’m older I appreciate more than ever the things which I’ve collected over the years. I love pottery, whether it’s antique factory ware or contemporary studio pottery. I also have a fondness for wooden objects, known as treen, and old furniture. The subtle colours of wood, the texture and the grain are all pleasing. I have many bits and pieces which I’ve picked up here and there.

This little collection has special memories for me. My husband made the candlestick from a piece of oak he found in a previous home, he made the wooden bowls and tiny lidded box while he was teaching students how to turn wood. The tobacco jar was a find at an antique fair and still has a tobacco fragrance when the lid’s removed. The little owl was found in a Canadian junk shop.

These two bowls were made with Edwardian pokerwork. The design was burnt into the wood and painted. The bigger one belonged to a much-loved aunt and the little one was found in a flea market. Both have lost the knob from the lid and the paint is very worn but I love them.

The patina of old furniture is pleasing too. It has a soft sheen which can only come about after years of polishing and use. Wood grain is fascinating and beautiful even on more rustic pieces. The old chair, below, is one of a pair from my parent’s home. They were bought from a very old pub.

For me a garden is also an essential part of a home. Growing food and flowers has been a lifelong pleasure. Summer is just about to begin. More beautiful blossoms are filling the garden with colour and the humming of bees. Here’s a selection of pretty flowers.

Roses struggle in our dry sandy soil but a few lovely flowers appear every summer to give me so much pleasure.

Been busy sowing seeds again and planting squashes. Last year the squashes didn’t grow so I’m hoping for success this time. I grow a type called “Buttercup”. Delicious orange flesh and they keep in a cool room for months.

I used to grow tomatoes from seed but a few years ago I decided to buy grafted tomatoes. They’re developed to yield more fruit. They have been very good but as I can only find them by mail-order, they often arrive in a sorry state. This year’s tomatoes have been delivered and I doubt they will make it. The box was crumpled and they were dry and knocked about. I have planted them but not expecting great results. I will let you know how they fare.

I wish I could grow tomatoes all year round but sadly I can’t. They like a lot of heat and sunlight. I did bottle some last year to save for Winter and they were delicious and very handy to have in the cupboard.

When I need quick and easy food I make a one-pan meal. So tasty and no trouble at all. The other day I had some leftover, cooked, sausages. I put cauliflower, carrots, garlic and frozen rice with a little water and a crumbled vegetable stock cube into a deep frying pan. I sliced the sausages into chunks and added them. Simmered it all for about 15 minutes until the pan was almost dry, then stirred in a spoonful of creme fraiche and stirred. Delicious.

When I have sausages or meat, I always cook more than I need for a meal. It saves a little on fuel and means I have something ready for the next day to eat cold or add to a quick meal like the one I’ve just described. Or freeze portions after I’ve cooked and cooled them so I have something conveniently ready for another time.

Eating less meat though now. It’s not healthy to eat too much and I always have vegetables and herbs in the garden. I use cheese, eggs or nuts for protein and I find breadcrumbs are good in so many meals. A little imagination can go a long way.

That’s all for this week. I hope you enjoy your own garden or have the opportunity to visit others and find plenty of pleasurable moments doing interesting things. With you again next week.

Another week has whizzed by. Summer will soon be here. So much going on in the garden at this time of year. Vegetable planting, harvesting cabbages and salads and more seeds to be sown.

I can’t keep up with the cabbages. I always grow too many despite writing in my garden diary every year a note to remind myself not to.

You might remember my attempt to grow cauliflower. Not a pretty sight but still tasty and tender to eat. When I removed the head I left the plant in the bed. Now it’s growing a fresh set of shoots and soon will provide another meal.

The same thing happens with cabbages. If you remove the ball head and leave the leaves, new smaller cabbage heads grow which can be harvested later when the main crop has been used.

The poppies I grew from seed are opening their flowers. Each plant has just a single bud and only one has revealed itself to me so far. Predictably, it’s a classic red even though they promised mixed colours. Beautiful, but I was hoping for something a little more exotic like a deep pink or apricot. Perhaps the remaining three will be more exciting. Shouldn’t complain though because it is a stunner.

Most of the other flowers in the garden have softer pastel shades. Pink, white and lavender.

A few bolder colours pop out here and there, begging to be noticed.

I had a fabulous peony called “Alexander Fleming”. It was a sensational shade of pink with luscious, voluptuous flowers. Sadly it died during the winter. This is a photo from last year. I shall miss it so much.

My “Sarah Bernhardt” peony is also lovely but not flowering yet. Meanwhile the ants are feasting on the sugary buds. They don’t do any harm so I leave them in peace.

My daughter has the classic red peony in her garden and every Spring she brings me a bouquet of them. Absolutely lovely. They only last a day or two before the petals fall but such a pleasure to have them.

I love the surprises of the garden. So many interesting insects and birds. A sparrow was killed and eaten by a hawk right outside the kitchen window a few days ago. Not pleasant but a very natural part of garden life.

Our resident blackbird has found a perfect singing spot on the power pole near the house. He perches right at the top and sings his lovely song every evening.

All this gardening deserves nice treats to keep up the energy, so I baked my super-quick chocolate brownies. Really easy when time is short but you want something delicious to enjoy. All the ingredients are mixed in one go and baked in 20 minutes. Good as they are but even better with some icing.

I don’t think I’ve given this recipe on the blog before. Sadly the sunflower oil I always use in my cakes is difficult to find at the moment. I can’t vouch for the other oils, although vegetable or rapeseed might work. Perhaps you can try them if you can’t obtain sunflower. Hard fats such as margarine will work but will not be super-quick and taste different to my recipe. I can only guarantee the result if you follow this recipe.

Super-quick Brownies

4 large Eggs
200g Caster Sugar
200g Self-raising Flour
2 heaped teaspoons Baking Powder
4 heaped tablespoons Cocoa Powder
4 tablespoons Milk
200g Sunflower Oil

Grease a large baking tin or roaster. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan oven.
Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly or use a food processor.
Spread in the roaster or baking tin and bake for 20 -25 minutes. Usually 20 minutes is enough but check with a skewer to make sure the centre is cooked and the skewer comes out cleanly.
Allow to cool and cut into squares.

Deliciously chocolatey but even better with some buttercream icing.

The recipe is also available with other delicious cakes, simple meals and useful tips in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook. This is a collection of my own recipes which I published after requests from readers of my blog. You can find it with this link: https://geni.us/eANQu

Since I stopped knitting teddies and dolls I’ve managed to do a little painting. Nothing special but still enjoyable. Just a Still Life of kitchen containers. Everyday objects can be interesting and I like the shapes and the way the light is reflected. I drew it with pencil and painted it with gouache, a bold watercolour medium.

Time to say bye for now. I hope you have plenty to keep you busy and enjoying life. With you again next week.

At last the rain fell on our dry, sandy garden. So grateful to see the drops splashing on the window. Time to do some indoor tasks, like removing those horrible labels from the back of the neck in some new clothes, sorting old clothes and making lists of things to do outdoors when the sun shines again.

Of course, it was another opportunity to catch some lovely wet moments, with my camera, among the flowers.

The rain inspired me to write another little poem. Not profound but expresses how I feel about the effect of rain on the garden.

Refreshing Rain

Rain splashes on the paving
And brings up unexpected shades.
Drenched leaves are gently waving
With glistening drops on grassy blades.

The sky is dull and overcast
Yet the garden sparkles in the rain.
Such a pleasing contrast.
Why should I complain?

Diamond droplets drip from flowers,
Astonishly beautiful to see
And those life-giving showers
Refresh the garden and, also, me.

My Clematis “Elizabeth” is dipping her pale pink flowers gracefully from the top of the plum tree. The tree is old and very high and the clematis scrambles through the branches. A lovely sight in early May.

Clusters of baby fruit are abundant on the pear trees. Many of them will fall off in the “June drop” when the fruit is naturally thinned by the tree. I don’t bother to thin them further. We have enough fruit and I don’t need them any bigger.

Pears ripen very quickly when the time comes so I usually dry or bottle some to preserve them.

I think the electricity will be too expensive this year to dry them. The dehydrator has to be on for several hours. I will probably bottle some as they’re a real treat.

Not everything in the garden goes to plan! I have never successfully grown cauliflowers, one of my favourite vegetables. I think they need very rich, fertile soil, a lot of water and loads of attention. All of which are in short supply in my garden.

However, nothing ventured, nothing gained. So I bought some plants in the autumn and attempted to grow some. I put two in the polytunnel where they would, I thought, be protected from pests and stand a better chance.

Only one cauli began to form a head. Beautiful white “curds” appeared. Then the slugs found it! For days I was having to remove them and the top was beginning to be spoiled. I mastered the slugs, watered well and folded the leaves over the top to keep it white. All to no avail. This is what I ended up with!

I shall give up and admit defeat. I grow plenty of other good vegetables so I won’t miss them.

I have planted my sprouts and kale, runner beans and kohl rabi. Carrots, parsnips and onions are in their early stages too. The potatoes have fresh green leaves so hopefully things are going on below the soil. The mange-tout peas will soon be flowering and then, not long afterwards, we’ll have some tender pods. Basil is germinating in the greenhouse and parsley is at it’s best.

The mint has aromatic leaves now and I shall be making mint sauce very soon. I love it and it goes well with many meals. You can’t beat the taste, freshly made in the kitchen. Nothing like the strange slimey stuff sold in jars. Of course, it’s perfect with roast lamb but it’s also delicious with bacon or ham and my vegetarian sausages.

Easy to make. Just pick a good bunch of fresh mint stems. Wash well and strip the leaves from the stems. Put the leaves into a food processor or chop finely. Cover the chopped leaves with vinegar. I use malt vinegar but cider vinegar would probably work too. Add sugar, a little at a time, until it’s sweet enough.

I found that it freezes well in small containers and when it thaws it tastes exactly like freshly made. So it’s a good idea to make more than you need and pop some in the freezer for another day.

Middle of May already. Weeks are flying by. I hope you have an enjoyable time until I’m with you again. Bye for now.

The merry month of May! The blossom is fabulous on the hawthorn with it’s pure white petals, dainty pink stamens and a lovely fragrance. The flowers deserve to be appreciated in close-up.

The blackbirds are singing their melodies, high up in the trees.

What a lovely sound to start and end each day.

The garden is full of promise. I have some oriental poppies which I grew from seed last year. Mature enough to flower this year but I have no idea what colour they will be. I used mixed seed and I’m excited to see what they produce. Possibly just classic scarlet but who knows? They might be a bit unusual. Whatever the outcome, I’m sure they will be gorgeous with their silken petals and dark centres. Look at these fat buds almost ready to burst into glorious colour.

When I was out with my camera I saw some handsome flies, with blue-black wings, on the Polygonatum. I suspect these are sawflies. After the flowers fade their caterpillars appear and strip the leaves from the plants. I leave them to it. I’ve enjoyed the flowers and once the leaves have been eaten by the caterpillars, I cut down the stems and compost them. The plants reappear as healthy as ever the next Spring. Not everything in the garden needs to be interfered with. An organic garden finds a balance. I try to live and let live as much as I can.

Here are some flowers and leaves I’m enjoying right now.

The last picture of a tulip was one of those delightful surprises that a garden produces now and then. A pair of them appeared this year. I don’t even remember when I planted them but I do know they haven’t flowered for years. So why now? Not my favourites, as they don’t hold that elegant tulip shape, but still a pleasant novelty. I think this type is called a parrot tulip. They have frilly-edged petals.

The strawberry flowers are every bit as beautiful as ornamental flowers. The plants are looking healthy and lots of flowers have appeared. There was a bumper crop last year and I’m hoping for the same this year.

The vegs are coming along nicely. The seeds are popping up green shoots. The cabbages are fat and tasty.

The ball head of the cabbage is delicious shredded raw and drizzled with a little ginger syrup and salt and pepper. I also steam it when I’m boiling potatoes to make my tasty fishcake. I mash the potatoes and mix in a drained tin of fish, usually salmon, then brown the mash in a bit of heated olive oil. A really flavourful and satisfying meal with the steamed cabbage ( or other veg) and some chutney or sauce. Cheap and simple to do. One of our favourites.

If you’re a gardener, when you bake cakes, it’s a good idea to rinse the empty egg shells and pop them into the bottom of the oven on a heatproof plate or baking tin. While the cakes cook, the shells will dry and become brittle. Then they are easier to break into tiny fragments, or powder, if you smash them. Brilliant for sprinkling around tomato plants for extra calcium.

I always do this now and my tomato plants are much healthier. Any surplus can be worked into soil or added to the compost bin.

My little knitted toys have gone off to new homes, so now I have time to do some painting. I’m intending to do some more Still Life, my favourite subject. Simple things like tools in the kitchen, pottery or flowers. Objects with form, colour and definition. I prefer bold shapes with an emphasis on light and shade. Must get those brushes going!

Meanwhile, here is an old painting. I was fascinated by the light through the blind, falling on the chair, on a bright sunny day. Painted with acrylics on a canvas board.

With you again next week. I hope you have lovely, warm days and plenty of pleasurable pastimes. Bye for now.

Flowers provide such fleeting pleasure but what a pleasure it is! I walk around the garden every day to feast my eyes on whatever is in bloom and sometimes bring in a few to enjoy close up. Even in Winter a few flowers or some bright berries can lift the spirits, so the aim in the garden is to always have something to see.

The beginning of May is a time filled with promise. Weeks ahead of us with glorious colour, fresh new leaves, blue skies and birdsong. As I write, a blackbird is singing nearby. A lovely sound.

Lots of green in the garden now. The Spring bulbs have mostly finished except for a few tulips and daffodils and the leaves have to be left for six weeks before I can remove them. Bit scruffy after a while but patience is rewarded when they return next year.

A few treasures are pleasing me, here and there, despite the green blanket. Here’s a selection.

The strawberries are flowering so there will be delicious treats in a few weeks. Meanwhile the blossom is very beautiful and so are the leaves. It will be important to keep them watered now especially with so many dry days.

Last year I had a bumper crop of strawberries and I’m still using them from the freezer. Stewed with a little sugar and eaten warm with vanilla ice-cream, or cold with greek yoghurt. Mmm! Delicious.

In the vegetable garden I have sown more seeds. Radishes , salad onions, carrots and basil. I have French beans, runner beans, courgettes, outdoor cucumbers and squash just peeping through the surface of the compost and little seedlings of kale, sprouts and lettuces looking fresh and promising. It’s such an exciting time of the year.

We have four Acers; the Japanese types which don’t grow very big. I really love them with their graceful dipping branches and elegant shapes. In Spring and Autumn they develop glorious colours and right now they have fresh, delicate leaves.

New sights are a delight in the garden but indoors I’m very sentimental about old possessions. Some people enjoy the novelty of new things. I understand that. It’s very stimulating to have something fresh which brings a new experience, but for me, the older the better.

If I have had something I like for a long time the pleasure increases. Although, in reality, life can turn at the blink of an eye, the continuity of keeping a treasure for ages is very reassuring. It makes me feel everything will be alright.

Simple everyday objects are included. I love my wooden cooking spoons, colanders and jugs, just as much as other more expensive objects. Especially if they’ve been handed down.

Of course having such an attachment to objects can lead to misery if they are broken. Mistakes happen and you have to make the best of a bad situation.

Sometimes, though, other kinds of mistakes can lead to new discoveries. When I made my apple and cinnamon squares one day I forgot to sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon over the apples. To my horror, I’d spread the cake mixture straight on top. What on earth could I do to remedy the situation? Not much, I thought, so in desperation I mixed the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkled it all over the top of the cake mixture and popped it in the oven. I dreaded the end result.

When I removed it from the oven I found the cake had baked perfectly with a delicious crispy sweet topping. In fact, it tasted even better than the way I had always done it. So, it seems, mistakes can lead to surprisingly good discoveries.

My knitting yarn and needles have been put away for a while. I completed the second teddy and knitted it a little dress. I’m hoping some little children will be delighted when I pass them on.

I felt I’d had enough of knitting for a while, but then I was a bit lost without it for a couple of days. It’s so nice to have a little project on the go which you can pick up at odd moments. Plenty more to do though. I might do a painting.

Another week over and a new one ahead. I hope you stay safe and well and enjoy your time. With you again next week. Bye for now.

It’s been a very dry April so far. Normally we have April showers. The garden is suffering a bit and some watering has had to be done. Still some lovely things to see though.

The apple blossom is wonderful. Pale pink and fragrant with the prettiest clusters of petals.

Forget-me-nots with their dainty blue flowers and citrus yellow, or orange, Welsh poppies are springing up here and there. The poppy petals are like crumpled silk. So lovely. The seeds blow around in the Summer and I let them flower where they choose. Nature has a big part to play in this garden.

In a small bed we grow wildflowers and a few annuals and it’s interesting to see what appears each Spring. This year some lovely pink Campion have popped up. The flowers are pretty and good for bees and other insects, so they are welcome.

Other lovely flowers are sprinkled here and there.

We have a tiny purple Rhododendron and a bigger, deep pink, one. They’re both in pots. They struggle a bit but are lovely at this time of year. If only the flowers would last a bit longer! Of course, that brief pleasure makes it all the more special each time it happens.

Talking of struggling – I have one cauliflower forming a lovely white head but everyday I find little slugs on it! No matter how many times I remove them I find more have taken their place. This is inside a polytunnel, well protected, you would think. I might have to give up on cauliflower!

My stored garlic from last year’s crop is on its last legs. I just have two bulbs left and they’re sprouting and losing their juicyness. This year’s look promising but won’t be ready for a few more weeks. I might have to dig one up before harvest time.

I’m nursing little seedlings now for this year’s vegetables. It’s important to keep them sheltered and moist but not over-watered or they will rot. That’s known as “damping off”.

I enjoy watching them appear and grow. The novelty never wears off, even though I’ve been doing this for a very long time. I still love that miracle of new life.

Some of my readers might remember I have a thermal cooker. It’s basically a large thermal flask with an inner pan which enables me to cook with a minimum of power. I use it to cook meat and soups mainly but I remembered I had a cake tin which sits on a trivet inside. I only made one cake and didn’t like it. It was soggy and solid. But, I began thinking that with the ridiculous cost of electricity perhaps I could use it to cook other things.

So I harvested a lovely cabbage for an experiment. I made cabbage parcels. These are cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling. I popped them inside the cake tin, which stands in boiling water in the pan, simmered the water for ten minutes, then transferred the pan to the thermal container and left it for three hours. No electricity required at this stage. It would have taken at least forty-five minutes in the oven with a surrounding sauce or stock or much longer by steaming on the hob.

It worked perfectly! The filling was cooked to perfection and it was really nice.

I also did stuffed mushrooms in the same way and was pleased with the result. A thermal cooker is definitely something to be recommended with the price of fuel.

I had four small, very ripe, bananas to use up, so I baked my banana and cranberry loaves. Really nice, sliced with a spread of butter.A firm favourite of ours.

The recipe can be found on a earlier post with the title, “Banana Loaf and Apple Blossom” , April 21st 2021, or in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook which can be found by clicking this link:

https://geni.us/eANQu

My knitting needles have been clicking again. I’m making small teddies. One is finished and he’s now smartly dressed in trousers and jumper. Another is on the way and will probably have a dress. A pleasant way to spend a little time and fun to see the end result.

I hope some little person will love to have one and treasure it.

Another week gone. The time flies by. April almost over. Time to sow more seeds for hot weather plants like runner beans, cucumbers, squashes and courgettes. Must get on with that but keeping an eye on the temperature because they are susceptible to frost damage.

I hope you’re enjoying Spring and finding lots of things to do. Bye for now. With you again next week.

It’s been a busy fingers week. Sowing seeds, knitting toys and sewing. All of them pleasant occupations.

In the garden the Spring flowers are still lovely but some are fading fast. The pear blossom has been a treat but now the petals are drifting gracefully from the trees.

Lots of lovely colours and beautiful shapes among the other flowers.

Even as they fade Hellebores look lovely. I’ve had so many flowers from them this year. It’s been lovely to see.

My Clematis “Freda” is opening it’s flowers and will soon be a picture on the fence. It’s a beautiful plant and very special. My sister gave it to me as a gift because it had my name. I love it.

I can’t resist taking photos. The only way to fully appreciate plants is to look at them close up. Here are a few more.

In the vegetable garden the spring onions and chives are at their best. Fresh, sweet stems to liven up a sandwich. Just scissor-snipped over an egg and mayonaisse or cheese, gives added colour, a pleasing hit of flavour and a little more nutrition.

I have chives scattered around because they grow wherever the seeds land but it’s a good idea to have a pot of them by the back door in a sunny spot. Within easy reach when preparing a sandwich. Easy to snip off a few stems and leave them to grow more.

I’ve sown another couple of rows of spring onions in the tunnel. We like these while they’re tiny. Lovely and sweet and not too “hot” at that stage.

I’ve had to resow the celeriac. The seeds are extremely tiny and a bit difficult to get going. I’m determined to grow them again this year. We had some delicious ones during last Winter and they’re good raw or cooked.

Indoors, I had a “make do and mend” job. The zip broke on Allan’s favourite old garden jacket. The jacket is a good one and although it’s faded and frayed on the cuffs it has lots of good use in it yet. So I bought a zip, removed the old one and sewed in the new one. Not a posh look but with the cuffs trimmed and oversewn it will serve him well for a long time.

You might remember I made a tiny toy owl last week and wanted to make some more little things. This week I made two tiny dolls. I used the patterns in my lovely book by Sarah Keen but changed them a little to make my own versions. They’re fun to make and so cute.

Now I’m knitting teddies. A tiny brown one is on the way and I have some lovely golden yarn to make a couple of slightly bigger ones which will have jumpers and trousers. That’s the plan, at least.

Here’s a poem I wrote about the knitting.

Toys and Teddies

Needles clicking. Knitting! Knitting!
Fingers busy
While I'm sitting.
Follow the pattern, take a look,
Each one tempting
In the book.
Snuggly teddies, playful toys,
Little dolls
Like girls and boys.
A happy way to while the hours.
Simple pleasure
And creative powers.
Producing something at the end,
Making treasures
For little friends.

That’s all for this week. I hope you have had a good Easter and the sun has warmed your back. Bye for now. With you again next week.

The wind and rain were playing havoc with the daffodils so I brought in a few to enjoy indoors. Since then the weather has been kinder.

From an upstairs window we have a lovely view of pear blossom. It won’t last long so we feast our eyes at every opportunity.

These fleeting pleasures are to be enjoyed as long as they last and are such a welcome sight in Spring. Soon the garden will be covered in drifting petals and for a few days it will look as though it’s been snowing.

Some lovely tulips are opening their blooms to the light. The colours are wonderful and the shape so elegant.

Shrubs are also coming back to life. The Berberis is a picture with it’s egg-yolk yellow flowers, like miniature daffodils. The Pieris has lovely cream bells, the Skimmias are in full bloom and the Chaenomeles has beautiful orange flowers.

Whenever the sun shines the tadpoles collect around the sides of the pond, wriggling vigorously as they compete with each other in their haste to grow into froglets.

There are interesting insects about now that the weather is kinder. I found a fascinating tiny fly on a lettuce leaf in the polytunnel. Difficult to photograph because I didn’t want to scare it off. Perhaps, though, you will still be able to see its lovely patterned wings.

New vegs are appearing from my earlier sowings. Peas are peeping through, little lettuces appearing and the Spring cabbages which have been growing over Winter are coming along beautifully.

The kale is now sprouting flower buds but that, for me, is a bonus. They are so sweet and tender that I love to eat them raw. Very similar to broccoli when they’re cooked. I need to use them up now, not only because they’re going to seed but also because I shall need the space for something else in a few weeks’ time. Before then, I shall enjoy the buds and if I keep snipping them the plants will generously produce more.

I made a flan to use some kale and leeks. Delicious, with bacon and sweetcorn added. A hearty meal. Simple to do. I softened the chopped leek and kale in the microwave while I made the pastry. Added the cooled vegs to eggs beaten with milk, stirred in some sweetcorn and seasoning before pouring into the pastry case and placing bits of bacon on top. Baked for 35 minutes. Good hot or cold with some chutney.

Talking of food, many thanks to readers who have bought my cookbook. It brings together my own recipes and some useful tips which I have developed or learned over the years. As regular readers will know, I often put my recipes on the blog and I was asked to put them into a book. So that’s what I did.

The self-publishing route seemed to be the best way forward. My daughter, Sam, who is an author, guided me through the publishing procedure. I’m so grateful for her patient assistance.

The book is available with Amazon, in paperback or kindle editions. If you’d like to take a look, you can type in my name on the Amazon website to find it, or here is a useful link to take you straight there. https://geni.us/eANQu

Now I’m no longer typing for the book, my knitting needles have been clicking again. I’ve done a lot of reading too and needed a change so I got out my wool and pattern book. I made a tiny toy owl. These toys are such fun to knit. Easy, clever patterns that are quick to do and use up odd bits of yarn. He’s not what you might call realistic, with his bright colours, but he’s probably more appealing as a toy for little fingers.

I find the hardest part is sewing the bits together. They’re tiny and I’m not good at keeping things in line. It’s also important to secure every part so they are safe for tots. I enjoy the process though. I will make a few more and donate them to refugee children. A little soft toy might be a comfort while feeling lost in a new home. There are lots of nice ones in my pattern book. Teddies, dolls and little animals. It will keep me happy for a while.

That’s all for this week. I hope you find lots of pleasures of your own. Bye for now.