Living a contented creative life.

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.

It’s been an exciting week with the launch of my little cookbook. Many thanks to those readers who’ve either bought it or expressed an interest. My only regret is that I can no longer say I have nothing for sale on my blog. It’s really just my hobby and I never intended to sell anything. Several regular readers asked me to compile my recipes in a book. I thought, “Why not?” So here it is at last! It’s been a pleasure to work on over the Winter and I’m pleased with the end product.

Back to the real world though, of sunny days and cold nights. The garden is holding up well. It’s not been severe and nothing seems to have shivered too much despite a few snow flurries. The Spring cabbages are snug in the polytunnels along with this year’s garlic, Spring onions and lettuces.

The fruit trees are coming on apace now. The plum trees are covered in pure white blossom. The pears buds are about to burst. A huge ornamental cherry behind our neighbour’s garden is always a picture at this time with it’s lovely pink flowers.

Around the garden little violets are looking pert and pretty. They grow like weeds and can be a nuisance but at this time of year they’re delightful and I welcome them. I just wish they were the scenty ones but they’re lovely to look at.

The wonderful Fritillarias with their chequered petals are nodding their bells in our little orchard.

The shrubs are colouring up as their leaves or flowers make an appearance. Berberis is a mass of tiny daffodil shaped blooms. The female form of Skimmia has waxy white petalled flowers among the scarlet berries. Mahonia has acid yellow blossom among its dark green spiky foliage and Spirea “Gold Flame” lives up to its name each Spring with its wonderful leaves.

So much to please the eye and still good things to eat. Spring onions and chives are spicing up sandwiches, the kale is still producing, I have a few leeks to use up and the lettuces are providing a few little leaves. Stored apples and garlic are beginning to show signs that they need using soon.

The cooking apples need using as soon as possible. They’re beginning to shrivel slightly but when I peel them they’re still juicy and firm. I stewed a good amount and froze some of them. I find it’s best to cook apples before freezing. Although the raw apples keep well in the freezer, they quickly go brown as they thaw. They don’t look appetising like that. Golden apple sauce though, looks tempting and is delicious, either hot with icecream or cold with greek yoghurt. Or it makes a filling for a scrummy apple pie.

Best to slice them into salty water until they’re all peeled, rinse and drain them in a colander and tip them into a pan with just the water clinging from the rinse. The heat needs to be high at first to rapidly begin the cooking process but it’s important to stir at the same time to prevent sticking. When the apples start to go mushy the heat can be turned to low and let them simmer for a while. A few lumps are fine and will be sweet and tender when the sugar has been stirred in. Best not to overdo the sweetening or it will mask the flavour.

Next week I’ll be making my Iced and Spiced Squares. Perfect for Easter. I love these, especially with that delicious pop of sweetness from the icing on top. I find them a good substitute for hot cross buns which are far more difficult to make.

The recipe is in my new cookbook.

Available on Amazon in paperback or kindle, with the link https://geni.us/eANQu

If you don’t want the cookbook but you’d like to bake the cakes you can find the recipe in my post from last year, titled “Spicy Cakes and Spring Flowers”. Just scroll back to find it.

Although it’s April, I’m still thankful for warm clothes, the fire at night and any glimpses of sunshine. I love the way the sun floods the living room, warms my back and lights up the paintings and pottery. They seem to come to life in the glow.

Time to say bye for now. I hope you are enjoying Spring, keeping warm and baking tasty treats. With you again next week.

We had beautiful Spring weather last week, so the Daffodils are singing out in their golden glory and even Tulips are beginning to add their glowing colours to the garden. Some of these flowers are not subtle but that’s a bonus after the drab months of Winter.

The garden is filled with the scent of Hyacinths. I love the blues, mauves, pinks and pure white as they open their waxy flowers.

I bought some Primulas, the colour of egg yolk, and I discovered a pink bud nestled alongside one of the plants. I separated the two plants and I now have a lovely bright pink one in addition to the others.

I have a few more dainty Primulas dotted around, looking lovely.

The fruit trees are opening their blossom. Plums are the first with their snow white flowers looking wonderful against a blue sky.

The Magnolia is blossoming. Fewer flowers this year because it had to be pruned. It had grown tremendously and needed checking. It still looks lovely though.

I have only seen a few butterflies so far. It’s a sad fact that they are declining. I still catch a glimpse of them now and then. A Brimstone went flitting by, a Comma was airing its wings on a warm surface and a Red Admiral was taking nectar from the flowers.

The shield bugs have been out, basking on sunlit leaves.

In the vegetable garden the Kale is doing well, since we covered it, after an attack by pigeons.”Red Winter” is our favourite and I always grow it for Winter meals. Deep green leaves are very nutritious and said to be able to prevent cancer. I picked a trugful the other day and made our favourite cheesey potato bake.

I find the best way to cut the stems off Kale is to use scissors. I fold the leaf inwards , exposing the stem, and cut along it to snip it out.

Talking of cooking, I have some news! My little cookbook has now been published and is available on Amazon as a paperback or a Kindle edition.

It has taken me a few months to put together my recipes in a form which others can use and I’m pleased to now be able to share them in this way. I’m very grateful to my daughter, Sam Maxfield, who helped me to navigate my way through the publishing process. As an author herself she has a lot of experience. I couldn’t have done it without her.

I include line drawings to mark each chapter and an introduction to explain how it came about.

I would welcome feedback from anyone who buys it and tries the recipes. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do.

You might remember the drawing I did last week of Muscari (Grape Hyacinths) from my garden. I outlined it with pen and since then I’ve painted it with gouache. It’s not what I would call a painting. It’s more of an illustration. I usually make a painting with a background and a story to tell, or at least a context. This is simple and fresh looking which I think is enough with some flowers.

I hope you’re making the most of the longer days, the sunshine and the flowers. With you again next week. Stay safe and well.

It was the Vernal Equinox on March 20th, so Spring has officially arrived. The sun has been shining on the garden and flowers are bursting out. The bumble bees are busy and taking advantage of the Crocuses.

The Hyacinths are opening but some are not quite there yet. I’m looking forward to their wonderful scent wafting around the garden. The pink ones I have at the front of the house are always first to shine and look pretty with the blue Muscari.

The Ladybirds seem to enjoy basking in the warmth of the sun on the Sage leaves. I find lots of them on these shrubby plants.

Here’s a selection of lovely flowers and things I’m enjoying in the garden at the moment.

A visit to our local nursery provided bright new additions. Vividly coloured Primulas and delicate Violas and some perennials to enjoy during Summer.

In the vegetable garden there is much to do. I have some enormous parsnips which are going past it now. I need to compost these and replenish the soil ready for a fresh crop of mange-tout peas. You can see how fat the parsnips are compared to my hand trowel in this photo.

The rhubarb is coming up but not ready yet. I still have some in the freezer from last year. I thought it was time to use it so I stewed some. Very nice with greek yoghurt and a square of ginger cake.

A little tip if you like the taste of rhubarb but don’t enjoy that bite on the teeth. I put it into a saucepan of water, bring it to a boil, then immediately drain and rinse it. Then I cook it gently with some sugar. It takes away a lot of the unpleasant acidity but doesn’t spoil the flavour.

Also have plenty of strawberries stashed in the freezer from last Summer’s bumper harvest. Strawberries are not very exciting after being frozen but cooked gently and sweetened they are wonderful. I thaw them in a saucepan on a low heat and when the juice has run I cook them for a few minutes with some sugar. Absolutely delicious warm on some vanilla icecream or cold with greek yoghurt.

My little cookbook is coming along. Just had a proof copy and it’s looking very nice. Just found a few small errors which need correcting and it will soon be ready to launch.

It’s taken a lot of thought to arrange my recipes into an order which others can follow easily. I have enjoyed doing it though. Producing the book is very exciting and a bit daunting. I hope it will be well received.

The garden flowers have inspired me to start a tiny painting of some Muscari, often known as Grape Hyacinths. I have only drawn it so far and outlined it with pen. I shall paint it with gouache in beautiful bright blues and greens.

There is a lovely Robin flitting about the garden and it sings in a tree at the front of the house, often during the early hours of the morning. It makes me feel grateful to be safe and happy. So many people are not. I wrote a poem to express how I feel.

A New Day

The curtains glow with dawn's golden light
And I lie and ponder before I rise.
Thankful for the ending of the night
When morning's promise greets my eyes.
The Robin sang his familiar song
As darkness ebbed and sunlight grew,
Assuring me that I belong
Among that very fortunate few -
Those who have a happy life
Filled with simple pleasure,
Love and laughter, free from strife;
The values which we treasure.
The daylight starts another day.
Who knows what it will bring?
But I'm reassured it will go my way
Now I've heard the Robin sing.

Stay safe, well and happy. With you again next week.

Spring is definitely in the air! The birds are calling, the frogs are spawning in our pond and the pear trees have lovely fat buds.

More Daffodils are appearing with their glowing yellow or orange trumpets. Perky little “Tete-a-tetes and “Jetfire” are the earliest to appear in my garden. The Crocuses keep surprising me although the best of the show is almost over. The pink Hyacinths are almost out in front of the house and multi-coloured ones are peeping up at the back.

So many lovely flowers appearing now. Leucojum is blooming and resembling a giant Snowdrop with it’s green-tipped petals.The white Iberis is an abundant flowerer and goes on for a long time. So fresh and pure looking. The beautiful Corydalis under the fruit trees is a pretty sight and will be even lovelier when the blue Muscari pop up to complement it.

I discovered I have a yellow Hellebore. It started flowering this year. A small plant with only two flowers but very nice. The pink ones are still a wonderful sight.

One of the unexpected pleasures of the replacement paving is the shadows which fall across it from the trees. Lacy streaks cast by branches give an added appeal to the eye.

I’m sowing seeds now in the polytunnels. Early carrot “Nantes” and parsnip “Tender and True”. The carrots will only take a few weeks but the parsnips will grow slowly and be ready next Autumn.

The garlic is coming on. Nice green leaves are standing up and looking promising. I hope the bulbs are fattening beneath the soil to produce delicious cloves in May. I only have a few stored ones left to use in the kitchen so the fresh crop will be eagerly harvested when the time comes.

The Spring cabbages and the kale are growing nicely with the extra light and warmer days. The kale was almost destroyed by Wood Pigeons a few weeks ago and had to be netted but it’s recovered well.

This is my favourite kind of kale called “Red Winter”. It’s more tender and sweeter than the very curly types and cooks very quickly. Goes brilliantly with my cheesey potato bake. ( The recipe will be in my cookbook, which I hope to publish soon.)

The longer, warmer days are welcome but it’s still nice to snuggle up by the fire at night. I enjoy making up the fire in the morning, setting it ready for a chilly evening. I never need to buy kindling. We use the dried flower stems, small twiggy bits which fall from the fruit trees and little branches from pruning, to start the fire.

The logs are placed around and over the top. Some paper underneath and a match will bring about a good blaze in minutes.

If you have a log stove it’s worth remembering that you don’t need to buy cleaning products for the glass door. Just wet a piece of kitchen towel and dip it in the wood ash. A rub over the glass with this will bring all the smoke and tar off like magic. Shine it up with a clean dry piece and it will be crystal clear. We’ve had our stove for thirteen years and the glass is still perfectly free from deposits.

When I sit by the fire it’s nice to have something to do. Although I struggled with my last knitting project I’m missing it now. There’s something satisfying about having a bit of knitting or crochet ready, to pick up and do a row or two whenever I sit down. Won’t be long I expect before the needles are clicking again. I have some very tempting balls of yarn tucked away to inspire me and bits of wool to make little flowers or nice stripey things.

I haven’t painted anything for a week or two. I did some little black and white drawings for my cookbook, outlined in pen, but I’m itching to paint some lovely colours again. I often do Still Life, usually objects I love around the house; pottery I have collected or kitchen utensils.

Familiar everyday objects have beautiful features as well as sentimental value. If you like to paint but struggle to find appealing subjects just look around at the things you love. It can often be something so familiar that you hardly notice it but when you paint it you will be surprised how lovely it really is. Painting and drawing make you observe proportions, light and shade, the reflections on a shiny surface, or a rough texture. The roundness of a pot or the angular lines of a knife are challenging to draw or paint and this is what makes them interesting and satisfying to reproduce. Close observation makes you appreciate the design, the craftsmanship and the beauty.

Here’s an acrylic painting I did of some favourite pottery.

I’ve probably rambled on enough for this week. I hope you’re finding pleasant ways to relieve sad thoughts at this worrying time. All our hopes and wishes go out to all those who are suffering.

Bye for now and with you again soon.

With the cost of living rising so dramatically I’m more than ever glad that I invested in my thermal cooker. It saves so much on fuel for cooking.

It will take a small, whole chicken, a meat joint or a ham. A few minutes of simmering on the hob then the pan is placed inside the thermal shell and left to continue cooking for a few hours without power. I was sceptical before I tried it that meat cooked in this way would taste as good but I needn’t have worried. The meat is tender and delicious. I add a couple of stock cubes to the water and it works well. Vegetables can be added too. It’s also good for rice pudding and if you don’t like the skin that forms in the oven, this is ideal.

Last Christmas I bought a couple of extra frozen turkey breasts. Last week I thawed one and popped it in the thermal cooker. About 20 minutes on the hob then into the thermal cooker instead of an hour and three quarters in the oven. I could just leave it to continue cooking without power. Almost free cooking. Provided three very satisfying meals.

Turkey mince is also an economical and healthy meat. I sometimes make turkey burgers although I can’t do these in the thermal cooker.

Turkey Burgers (makes four)

454g Turkey mince
1 sweet Apple
1 Clove of Garlic
1 large Egg
Salt and Pepper
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan oven.
Peel and chop the apple into small pieces. 
Place in a bowl with the mince.
Crush the garlic and add to the mince.
Add the egg and salt and pepper.
With a fork or clean hands mix well.
Form into four flat cake shapes.
Place in a greased roasting tin and cover with foil.
Cook for 30 minutes.
Uncover, flip over and cook for another ten minutes.

To make full use of the oven it's a good idea to roast parsnips or squash and potatoes at the same time.

I have been working on a small cookbook which I hope to publish soon. A few of my blog readers said they would be interested in having my recipes in book form and I thought it would be an interesting project to work on. I have enjoyed compiling it and have done some simple illustrations to decorate it. They will need a bit of freshening up before adding to the book. A couple of examples here:

Meanwhile outdoors the garden is springing to life. Yesterday we had this year’s first frogspawn. Unfortunately the frogs have placed it over the tiny new plants I put into the pond a few days ago! I hope they will thrive along with the tadpoles.

Flowers appear almost every day and look so beautiful even in the rain.

When the sun comes out the lovely Crocuses open their petals to reveal golden stamens.

More Daffodils are appearing and the Corydalis are producing their pretty pink flowers under the fruit trees. The Primulas are holding their own against the slugs and the arch has lots of lovely cream Clematis bells.

The Snowdrops are withering now. It’s time to transplant, to spread them or to fill up odd corners of the garden. Best to lift them with soil under the roots and plant the bulb with its leaves into a new spot. Many expert gardeners recommend this. They seem to thrive better than when dry bulbs are planted.

Sometimes potted Snowdrops that haven’t been sold are discounted in the nurseries and garden centres around this time. A few planted now will spread eventually and give you pleasure in the darkest days of Winter. An inspiring and hopeful sight.

Still a bit chilly out but the longer days are so welcome. I love the sunlight flooding the living room when the weather permits. It lights up the pottery and paintings and warms my back while I read or write.

These little pleasures mean so much and my thoughts are with the people everywhere who have had their lives disrupted and lost their homes. At times we need to take stock of what we love and be thankful.

With you again next week. Meanwhile stay safe, keep warm and enjoy the things you like to do.