Living a contented creative life.

With these hot days of summer the garden is curling up in places. The dry soil is slow to respond despite continuous watering. In places it’s crisp underfoot. Luckily the best part of the garden is the bit viewed from the house and that’s holding its own.

The bees are keeping busy and a few butterflies have appeared over the last few days. I haven’t captured any butterfly action with my camera yet but the bees are more obliging.

The lavender always attracts pollinating insects and I like the way some of the plants splay onto the paving with their fragrant flowers.

It seems a good year for lavender. My roses, though, are struggling for various reasons. I was dismayed to find that my “Scarborough Fair” has been munched by rose sawfly caterpillars. It was looking so pretty too.

Finding caterpillars on my roses is a first for me but this year I’ve had them on a potted pine as well. They can strip all the leaves very quickly. The only remedy is to pick them off and dispose of them. It’s important not to use insecticides because of the damage they do to bees and other creatures.

Late summer perennials are coming out or on their way. The marigolds are glorious and a few poppies are still popping up here and there.

Beautiful flowers appear in the veg garden too. Just look at this fabulous squash.

The squashes are tiny baby ones yet but they have plenty of time to grow for storing in the winter. These are called “Buttercup”. They have dark green skin and orange flesh. Much tastier than the “Butternut” ones, in my opinion, and delicious roasted with a light sprinkling of olive oil.

The basil in the greenhouse has loved the heat and the leaves are enormous this year. So good for Italian-style salad with bread cubes tossed in garlicky olive oil, tomatoes and olives and served with grated cheese. Great for pesto as well. My recipe is a bit different. It uses cashews instead of pine nuts and Lancashire cheese. The recipe is in my cookbook or you can find it by scrolling back to the post called “Delicious Pesto and Lovely Spoons”.

I’m also growing a pepper plant in the greenhouse. I don’t normally grow peppers because my husband hates the taste but I couldn’t resist buying one plant for myself from our local nursery. I’m thrilled to see little fruits forming now, following the nice white flowers. It will be my treat when they are big enough.

Regular readers might remember my recipe a couple of weeks ago for strawberry mousse. I froze some and when I thawed it I discovered that it’s even more delicious semi-frozen rather than just chilled.

I’ve been toying with variations of this mousse and here’s one I made at the weekend. Different than the fruity one but very enjoyable, especially if you love chocolate.

Toasted Pecan and Chocolate Mousse

25g Pecans + a few for decoration
40g Dark Chocolate
3 rounded tablespoons Caster Sugar
200g Cream Cheese
300ml Whipping Cream

Break the 25g pecans into bits. Heat the grill.
Place the pecans in a roasting tin or heatproof dish and brown under the grill. They will go dark but take care not to burn. Only takes a couple of minutes.
These must be completely cold before proceeding, so it's a good idea to do it the day before.
Place the chocolate in the fridge to chill.
When the chocolate is cool, grate it coarsely, or chop into tiny pieces.
Beat the cream cheese with the sugar and mix in the toasted pecan bits.
Add two tablespoons of the cream to the cream cheese and mix.
In a separate bowl whip the rest of the cream until soft peaks begin to form. Don't allow it to become stiff.
Stir the chocolate and the cream cheese mixture into the cream.
Place in dessert dishes and decorate with extra pecan halves.
Chill for several hours. 

With daisies in the garden and in the house they reminded me of a lovely meadow we saw ar Harlow Carr in Yorkshire, a few years ago.

I used my photograph of the flowers to paint them. Painted with acrylics on a canvas board. Not satisfied that I captured the beauty of the originals but it is a lovely reminder of a happy day. It hangs on our landing and the evening glow from the sunset lights it up.

Bye for now. Enjoy the summer but stay cool and safe. Remember to open windows while it’s cool in early morning and close them during the heat of the day to keep out the hot air. With you again next week.

This dappled light through the window during the evening is a pleasure to see. It set me thinking about how wonderful glass is. Everything from a window pane to a delicate crystal wineglass is a thing of beauty and yet so functional.

We don’t often appreciate the wonder of glass as a product. Even ancient civilisations made and used it and it contributes so much to our daily lives. A windowpane allows us to see the daylight while it also protects us from the wind and rain. A drinking glass enhances our pleasure whether we’re drinking water or wine and many lovely things are made simply to look pleasing as they capture or reflect the light.

I have always loved glass and have a few bits and pieces just because they’re nice to see. Like the old oil lamp we bought in Canada many years ago. We’ve never used it, of course, but the look of it pleases me.

Or the lovely scent bottle I found in a charity shop. The twists of glass as it was being formed make a delicate pattern and I love the stopper. It has maker’s initials scratched into the base. Perhaps someday I’ll track down who made it.

Here’s a selection of some of my favourite things.

Jewel colours and pleasing shapes. Lovely to see those in the garden too although it’s a bit forlorn at the moment. The early flowers have gone and the soil is so dry despite bouts of rain and our frequent watering. Still a few treasures dotted here and there though so I make the most of them while they bloom. Lovely marjoram, a herb which is good to eat and has pretty pale pink flowers which attract bees and butterflies. Alchemilla, with leaves which catch the raindrops like diamonds and golden flowers which splay in a pleasing way. Purple Iberis, known to some people as candytuft, with beautiful flowers glistening with raindrops. A few roses here and there as well.

Here are some flowers which caught my eye.

The vegetable garden is giving up tasty treats. The peas have been very generous and the lovely yellow French beans are now producing a crop. Runner beans are just producing tiny pods but will soon be ready.

A lot is written about growing runner beans. For instance, that they need masses of food and water to produce a crop. Old advice is to dig trenches and incorporate loads of compost material over winter. I used to do this years ago but since I grew old I’ve had to scale back some tasks. For a few years I’ve simply planted them without any special treatment except some homemade compost as a dressing on the bed and a few comfrey pellets. They’re watered regularly but have little attention otherwise. I have a huge crop, more than needed, so I think sometimes old ideas are not necessarily the best. Trying out other ideas can also bring about a desired result.

Salad onions have been a flavourful addition snipped over open sandwiches and the radishes have been tender and hot. I had some setbacks with lettuce seeds but luckily the few lettuces I have keep providing new leaves. I never pull up a whole lettuce. If I take the medium sized leaves from the outside and leave the middle to grow they continue to produce for weeks. I’ve grown my favourite called “Buttercrunch” this year. Fresh and crisp and sweet.

I used the first tasty kohl rabi of the season and some peas to go with my nutty sausages. I make these from cashew nuts, onion, apple, egg, breadcrumbs and herbs. The basil is abundant in the greenhouse with big flavourful leaves, so I added some with fragrant marjoram.

The sausages are easy to make and the nuts are a good source of protein. Good hot or cold and for a quick meal they are great with baked beans. My recipe is in my cookbook along with other ideas for using nuts. You can find it with this link:

https://geni.us/eANQu

Cashew nuts make a good alternative for vegetarian meals. Although cheese is a popular option, nuts give a bit more variety and are quite versatile. Cashews grind well and can make a creamy sauce to serve with vegetables or they can be used in nut loaves.

With so much gardening to do and time in the kitchen I haven’t painted for a couple of weeks. I need to search my photo library on the computer to find a good subject. Perhaps flowers, although a Still Life of other objects would be pleasing too. I brought in some flowers for my favourite vase so I might try painting these.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my ramblings this time and you are having many pleasures of your own. Bye for now. With you again next week.

As much as I love strawberries, I’ve had my fill now of picking and preparing them! We’ve had many scrummy bowlsful though and I have a good stash in the freezer. I will make some jam on a cold winter’s day. A favourite job in my warm kitchen when rain is lashing the windows and the garden has gone to sleep.

I kept some jars from jam I bought years ago with lovely strawberry patterned lids. I love to see my own strawberry jam glistening inside them.

Here is a recipe I came up with for a summer dessert.

Strawberry Mousse

200g Strawberries
3 tablespoons Sugar
200g Cream Cheese
300ml Whipping Cream

Wash and prepare the strawberries. Save a few nice ones for decoration.
Put into a small saucepan and crush with a potato masher. Don't add any water.
Add the sugar and stir well to dissolve. Heat until bubbling and allow to bubble for 5 minutes. 
Cool and chill. ( Leave overnight if more convenient.)
Whip the cream to soft peaks.
In a separate bowl mix the strawberries into the cream cheese.
Add the strawberry mixture to the cream and mix well but gently, making sure the strawberries are evenly distributed.
Spoon or pipe into dishes.
Place a strawberry on each dish.
Chill for a few hours before serving.
Can be frozen but don't add the decorative strawberries before freezing.





The peas have been very generous. Podding takes time but is worth the effort. The peas are delicious and my treat is eating them raw as I open the pods. That fresh Summer taste takes some beating. I grow a variety called "Sugar Ann". They can be eaten as mange-tout or left to ripen into peas. Both are really good.
I grow peas in the polytunnel. No little grubs to spoil them because the pea moths can't find them and lay their eggs. Perfect peas every time.

I harvested my small crop of onions. I planted these last autumn. They were tiny, bought plants and didn’t look promising. They haven’t grown very big but that’s fine. I don’t need large onions. I have spread them on the greenhouse bench to dry. When the tops have withered I’ll trim and store them.

The kohl rabi are swelling. They’ll soon be ready. Best eaten just slightly smaller than a tennis ball for tender sweetness. The French beans are just developing some pods.

Here are some other treasures in the garden at the moment.

I spotted a beautiful dragonfly resting on the rosemary.

With so many strawberries to eat I overlooked a couple of bananas. They were very ripe but still edible so I made some custard and sliced them into it. Haven’t done that for years. It was really nice.

I’ve never mastered the art of making custard from eggs and milk ( except in a baked flan or pudding). The tubs of custard powder make quite good custard though and take the strain out of the process. It’s easy to make it thick or thin and here’s a tip you might not know. If you sprinkle sugar, lightly and evenly over the top of the hot custard it will not make a skin as it cools.

That’s all for now. I hope you too are enjoying summer fruit and lovely flowers. With you again next week.

It’s been a busy week in the garden and kitchen. Harvesting is in full swing and I don’t want to waste a scrap. Strawberries are ready every day so I’ve been squirelling away all the surplus. The freezer is almost full now with scarlet treasure for the winter. I might make strawberry jam this year. Such a power-pack of flavour on hot buttered toast on a cold day.

Broad beans have almost finished. The last few were growing faster than we could eat them so I’ve frozen a few to prevent them from becoming tough. I always “blanch” them first. This is cooking in boiling water for two or three minutes before cooling quickly and freezing. I spread them on a baking sheet first to open-freeze them then transfer them to a container. This way they don’t stick together in a frozen lump and it’s easy to shake out as many or as few as I need when cooking a meal.

I froze only enough beans for a couple of meals and with the cost of electricity it’s not economical but it’s satisfying to have your own produce stored away for later.

I also made and froze mint sauce. For some reason my mint is a bit sparse this year. I usually use my favourite apple mint but had to add some spearmint this time. I had enough to put four little tubs away. It tastes exactly like fresh when it thaws and it’s such a treat.

So easy to do and delicious. The kitchen smells fantastic while I’m doing it! The recipe is in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook. You will find it with this link: https://geni.us/eANQu

Thank you to everyone who left a review about my cookbook, on Amazon. Your kind comments are so much appreciated.

The garlic had dried off on the bench in the greenhouse so I trimmed the dry leaves and outer skin. Stored in a basket in a cool place, it’s ready for use now and will last for a while. Tastes wonderful.

Still lovely flowers to enjoy when the hard work is done.

And on a hot Summer’s day it’s cool and lovely under the trees. I love the dappled light filtered through the leaves and the shadows cast over the paving.

I was delighted to see a hedgehog in the garden the other day. I haven’t seen one or any traces of them for a while. They are very welcome in our wildlife-friendly garden. They will eat the slugs and snails which make gardening a frustrating process at times.

These light mornings often wake me early and inspired me to write another poem.

Summer Mornings

Sleep eludes me on these Summer mornings
As light fills the room.
Blackbirds herald the early dawnings
Wakened from night's pitch-black gloom.
They speak to me of day's renewal,
Time to stir and rise again.
The sun is shining like a giant jewel
And the moon is on the wain.
All thoughts of sleep are fast receding,
I'm wide awake, alert and keen.
The energising light of day is leading
To pleasures which are yet unseen.

I was up very early on Saturday and baking by six o’clock. I’ve been toying with a recipe for carrot cake. I know there are numerous recipes out there already but I’d like to create my own using my quick methods and wholesome ingredients. I want it to have a good texture and plenty of flavour so that it can be eaten with or without icing. For some reason, carrot cake is usually served with cream cheese frosting but I’m not too keen on it. Although I love other kinds of icing, I’d like to make a cake good enough to be enjoyed for itself.

I did a try-out but I’m not satisfied yet. Wasn’t bad. Nice crumby texture. But I’m going to tweak my recipe to see if I can make it special. I will post it if I succeed.

Meanwhile, much to keep me occupied. The peas are swelling their pods so they’ll need using or freezing for later, roses and campanulas need dead-heading to encourage them to flower again and constant watering of our dry sandy soil always needs doing.

I hope you’re finding jobs which bring you pleasure and not just work. With you again next week. Bye for now.

I love Summer. Longer, light-filled days. The calm and gentle atmosphere of the garden in the evening after a very hot day. The welcome showers after the dry heat. The abundance of flowers, fruit and delicious vegetables. So much to enjoy.

June is my favourite month with roses, foxgloves, poppies, marigolds and campanulas. Bees humming as they sip their nectar and collect the golden pollen. So much to see and appreciate.

The opium poppies have lovely buds, flowers with their silky petals and are just as fascinating when they have seedheads.

My peonies have only a few smaller flowers this year but very pretty. They’re a fabulous shade of pink. Romantic and beautiful. I just have one plant now, called “Sarah Bernhardt”, which grows in a pot.

Fruit is growing well. Apples and pears will not be ready for a few months but are looking decorative. The redcurrants are my gift to the blackbirds but the strawberries are precious treats for us. I do leave a few outside the nets and there are tiny wild strawberries for passing creatures.

As you can see from my last photo, even the sepals from the strawberries look lovely.

Good things to eat now. Broad beans, peas and another meal from my quirky cauliflower.

One of the things I love about the garden is finding surprises. This big fungus popped up the other day. I think it’s a puffball but I know very little about fungi.

Another unexpected find is possibly a wild orchid! I’m not certain but here it is.

I’ve been sowing seeds a lot but I was also thinking about the other kind of sewing. Different spelling, different process. Although I love sewing, my dress-making days are over. I have a lot of patterns, some of which haven’t been used. Far too good to throw them away. My lovely neice, a keen sewer, said she’d like them. Very happy to see them going to a good home. Here’s a small selection.

Long Summer nights with plenty of light have encouraged me to paint. I dug out a photo from my huge collection and spent a few happy hours stroking the paper with my brushes. I haven’t used my acrylics and oils for a while. Instead I have painted with gouache , a favourite medium of mine. It’s quick, clean and satisfying. I like the boldness of the paint although it’s also possible to produce subtle effects. Here is my latest picture.

That’s all for this week. I hope you’re enjoying Summer too. With you again soon. Bye for now.

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.