The Merry Month of May

Drifts of May blossom petals scatter over the paving, the scent lingering in the air and the satin flowered Welsh poppies are lit with a golden glow, filling the garden with welcome colour. So much to enjoy in the month of May.

My Clematis montana “Elizabeth” scrambles right to the top of the fruit trees and cascades beautifully overhead.

The “GoldenShowers” rose has a few lovely blooms but it’s already suffering from the dreaded Black spot, a fungal problem. I try to remove the affected leaves as cleanly as I can so as not to spread it. I prefer not to spray as I have been managing the garden organically for about twenty years. It’s a good system and doesn’t harm any essential insects or other creatures.

Some pretty things to enjoy in our garden right now.

Leaves are pleasing too. The ivy is fresh and green, the acers have lovely shapes and I found a curiously coloured leaf on the ground.

My peonies are not flowering yet but have some buds. Some gardeners are alarmed when they see ants on their peony buds but they really do no harm. The buds exude a sugary substance which the ants lick. They don’t damage them in any way and usually disappear once the flower opens. You can see the sugar oozing from the bud in my photo.

I love fresh mint at this time of year. My favourite is apple mint but I also have spearmint and chocolate mint. I don’t use the chocolate mint for anything but it’s a pleasure to rub a leaf and catch that delicious scent of chocolate peppermint.

The apple mint I like to use for mint sauce. It’s really good with new potatoes and so easy to make. I freeze small containers of it to use in winter. When it thaws, it tastes exactly like freshly made and it also keeps well in the fridge. It tastes so much better than those jars of mint sauce to buy in the shops. Homemade isn’t heat treated and has the most wonderful flavour. If you’d like my recipe and full instructions, it’s available in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook. If you don’t have the cookbook, just chop the washed mint leaves or put them in the food processor and add malt vinegar and sugar. Just enough vinegar to cover, then sweeten it to the level you like.

The strawberries are flowering well so there should be a good crop again. My favourite fruit and a real treat fresh or made into jam. I also freeze a lot of surplus berries and cook them with some sugar for dessert in winter. Delicious warm with ice-cream or cold with Greek yoghurt.

I give the beds a fresh layer of homemade compost in early Spring after removing any dead foliage and then mulch around the plants with coir. I buy coir bricks and soak them to reconstitute, then spread it between the plants to keep in moisture and help to prevent mud-splash on the fruit.

The “Spring Hero” cabbages are always good. They grow slowly over the winter in the polytunnel then put on a spurt in February when the daylight increases. I feed them once with comfrey pellets and although I only grow a few there still seems to be a surplus because they mostly mature at the same time. The heads are substantial and although they’re so tasty and tender we don’t want cabbage every day. I gave two away so that someone else could enjoy them.

I sowed runner beans in the greenhouse in plugs. They’re germinating nicely. In about ten days it will be safe to plant them out in the garden. Although there has been little frost this Spring, I’m not taking chances. They’re sensitive to cold and will quickly grow when the nights are warmer.

I haven’t been able to do as much in the garden as I need to so I started knitting. I’m making a jacket with tweed yarn. It’s a mixed yarn with some wool in it, in a nice shade of steel grey with tweedy flecks. A pleasant way to occupy time if I can only sit for a while.

With you again in a couple of weeks. Enjoy this wonderful month while the weather is warm and inviting. Bye for now.

Petals, Perfume and Painting

April ending and the merry month of May to enjoy. The garden and countryside are bursting with new life. The grass verges are golden with dandelions and new leaves are clothing the bare trees. So much is happening in the garden, it’s hard to keep up.

The tomato plants have been growing but nights have been so cold that we’ve brought them back indoors at day’s end. Now though, they’re outgrowing their pots and I felt it was time to plant them in the greenhouse bed. They should be fine as long as frost doesn’t strike. I can’t see any in the forecast so fingers crossed.

I sowed broad beans because my local nursery said they weren’t growing them this year. Mine grew well but then I discovered the nursery had them after all. I bought a few extra and have planted them outside. The ones I bought are “Bunyard’s Exhibition” and the ones I grew from seed are “Masterpiece Green”. Will be interesting to compare them.

Broad beans are very hardy. They can be grown outdoors over winter but I’ve not had much success with that. I prefer to start them in Spring. When they reach a bit of height they often attract blackfly, a type of aphid which seems to favour broad beans. The best way to stop them is to pinch off the top of the stem as soon as the blackfly show up. Best to eat the beans while they’re small. The skins harden as they mature. Delicious with freshly made mint sauce and new potatoes.

Rhubarb is lovely this year. I think a dressing of homemade compost and more water has boosted the growth. We’ve enjoyed it stewed with vanilla ice-cream and I’ve frozen some but there’s plenty more to come.

To save time and energy when I chop rhubarb into chunks I line up the washed sticks and slice across several. Makes it an easier and quicker job. Then the chunks can be put into a container for freezing. They keep for ages and are a winter treat.

The apple blossom has been a sensation. I love the way the buds are deep pink opening to pale delicate petals. Such a beautiful sight and full of promise for delicious apples later. The petals are falling now. Still look lovely on the ground.

For me a garden has to be more than a collection of flowers or a utilitarian vegetable patch. I need it to be a sensual experience with sounds, shadows, colours, wind, water and wildlife. I like to have trees with the sound of the wind in them and shadows cast by strong sunlight, blossom followed by fruit or berries, the reflections on water. Scents are important too. The perfume of wallflowers and lily of the valley, the aromas of mint and rosemary. Plus I enjoy the natural comings and goings of wildlife in a garden like birdsong, the buzzing of bees and the beauty of butterflies. It has to be a total experience.

In the past I’ve had no garden, tiny gardens and allotments, but now I have a good sized garden. It’s a lot of work and it’s never really tidy and has lots of weeds but it satisfies my senses and my need to grow things. Wildlife flourish in it and so do I.

Here are some pretty flowers growing right now.

Under and around the fruit trees I have some wildflowers. Campion is a favourite and plantain has taken over a bit but it’s a handsome plant.

I’m not able to do as much gardening as I’d like so I’ve had an urge to knit again. I can’t resist buying yarn. I like to have it in for when the inclination strikes, so I’ve just bought some. Some chunky yarn in a subtle shade of green, some random dyed double knitting with cotton in it and some lovely grey tweed . Exciting! Might knit myself a cardigan. A nice bit of creativity when I can’t manage all the gardening.

I have managed to do a little painting. I photographed a lovely Nerine flower in the garden last Summer and made a drawing then painted it with gouache.

I hope you’re enjoying the pleasures of Spring. Don’t forget to sit in the garden and look around if you’re a busy gardener. So much to take in.

Bye for now. With you again in a couple of weeks.

Fresh Veg and Easter Treats

Easter time and the garden is bursting with life. Something new to enjoy every day.

The plum blossom was beautiful but falling now.

The pears are smothered in lovely cream petals. The view of the pear tree nearest the house is fabulous when we look through the landing window

The crab apple has deep pink flowers.  Opening its blossom now  and will make a splash of colour in a day or two.

There is nothing like the wonderful colour of garden flowers. So pure; sometimes startlingly vibrant, sometimes subtle with the delicacy of a watercolour painting. The textures are like satin and silk and hidden within the petals are the nectar and pollen so necessary to reproduction. The bees and butterflies need them and so do we.

The pond is full of wriggling, tiny tadpoles and the marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) is looking splendid with its astonishingly bright flowers.

The birds are very busy. Although I haven’t seen any of their well-hidden nests there is a broken shell in the big holly hedge and on the path. I think it’s a robin’s.

So much to see in the garden. The trees and shrubs are coming back to life. Acers are beautiful trees. I have the Japanese varieties which don’t grow too big. The leaves are lovely in Spring and glow with blazing colour in Autumn. Right now they’re unfolding their fresh foliage. One has red leaves and the other green at this time of year. I have another beauty which suffered last Winter but it has a bit of new growth. I’m hopeful it might revive. Acers need to be in semi-shade and out of strong winds. They can be temperamental but so beautiful when they’re happy.

A few other lovely flowers catching my eye at the moment.

In the vegetable garden I’ve almost used the celeriac. I thought I might try celery instead this year but the seeds don’t seem to be germinating. I will wait a little longer and if they don’t I will sow some celeriac again.

The garlic is coming along. I fed it with comfrey pellets and we’re keeping it watered now it’s growing rapidly. I planted it in the tunnels in October and it won’t be ready until June.

Some lovely little radishes are adding a hot crunch to sandwiches and salads. I always grow “French Breakfast”. They have a long tapering shape and are a pleasing red with a white tip. Very tender and sweet for a radish. I’ve sown another row to be growing while we’re using the current crop. I do this every few weeks to keep up the supply. They grow very quickly and are best eaten while small.

I’ve got lettuces and mustard leaves coming on and delicious fresh chives to enjoy. You really can’t beat the taste of homegrown food.

Rhubarb will be ready soon. It’s flavourful in Spring. The leaves are poisonous but make good compost. I always cut the stems into chunks and bring to the boil in a pan of water. When it’s boiling for a few seconds I drain and rinse in a colander then continue to stew it with some sugar. It helps to take away most of the characteristic bite that spoils rhubarb for some people.

Talking of food, before Easter I like to make my Iced and Spiced Squares. They are an easy alternative to hot cross buns and a favourite of ours. The recipe is in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook , available with this link

https://geni.us/eANQu

but I will also give the recipe again here.

You will need a large baking tin. I use a roasting tin 30 x 25cm (12 x 10 inches)


Iced and Spiced Squares

140g Raisins or Sultanas or a mixture of both
Approx. 50g Candied Peel, chopped fine
200g Caster Sugar
4 large Eggs
200g Self-Raising Flour
20g Bran
1 teaspoon ground Ginger
1 teaspoon ground Cloves
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 tablespoon Dried Milk (optional)
200g Sunflower Oil
Icing Sugar

Grease the baking tin.
Boil the kettle and pour 100ml of water into a heatproof jug. Add the raisins and/or sultanas and leave to soak.
Chop the candied peel if not already done and add to the jug.
Heat the oven to 180C/ 160C for fan oven.
Put all ingredients into a mixing bowl.
Add fruit and soaking water. Mix well.
Spread in greased tin and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Press centre. If it springs back, it’s cooked.
Allow to cool completely.
Don’t worry if the fruit has sunk to the bottom.
Cut into squares and lift out with a cake spatula onto a suitable surface.
Mix icing sugar and a little water to a thick but spreadable consistency. Spread over the cakes.
If you want to freeze them, do this before icing.

Lots more of my Sweet-Treat Squares in my cookbook. Full of good wholesome ingredients and very easy to bake. Made in minutes and so satisfying. 
I hope you have an Easter full of treats and plenty of sunshine. With you again in two weeks time. Bye for now.












Bouquets, Repairs and Seed Sowing

We’re past the Vernal Equinox now so days should be a bit longer than nights. Good news for everyone and especially gardeners. April is usually a lovely month with warm Spring days, a few showers to keep the flowers blooming and fresh green leaves bursting out everywhere.

We celebrated our Diamond Wedding Anniversary and the house has been full of scented flowers and delicious chocolates. It’s been a magical time thanks to our wonderful family and friends. Our daughter gave us roses and freesias because I had them in my bridal bouquet. The scent transported me back to our wedding day. Our son gave us a lovely sundial for the garden. A handsome addition for our outdoor enjoyment.

Now back to tending the garden. So much to do!

I’ve sown seeds in the greenhouse, the tunnels and the house.

Indoors, on a sunny windowsill the tomatoes are thriving. I’m turning them regularly so they don’t stretch for the light and become “leggy”.

In the greenhouse I have celery just beginning to peep through. In the two polytunnels I’ve sown lettuces, radishes, spring onions, kohl rabi, peas and leeks.

The peas took three weeks to emerge from the soil. Usually it takes about ten to fourteen days but I think the cold held them back. They look fine now and will soon need some support.

I harvested and steamed a cabbage. It was tender and full of deep green leafy goodness. These are “Spring Hero”. Most of them I’ll allow to form ball heads but I use one or two before this happens so I don’t have too many to use at once.

Many beauties are springing up around the garden now. The plum trees are opening their blossom. The red currant is a picture and the amazing snake’shead fritillaries are showing off their chequered bells.

So much to enjoy. Here are some other lovelies to feast my eyes on.

The pond is awash with frogspawn and the pond plants are coming back to life. The marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) glows with its sunny yellow flowers.

Some of the structures in the garden are very old and in need of repair or even disposal. A little picket fence had rotted and was beyond patching up so had to be removed and burnt. A low gate needed replacing but we like the look of worn, weathered wood so Allan removed it and set to work. He found timber he’d saved in the garden and replaced most of the old parts. Not much of the original is left but it still retains it’s established, “been here forever” look which we like.

Although my photo makes it look slightly crooked, the gate is straight. It’s such an improvement and will last a good while now.

With so many bouquets gifted I had to find vases. Luckily I had enough big ones. When I bring in small posies from the garden I like to use jugs. I think they look attractive and show off the flowers. I have a collection to choose from. Here are some of my favourites. Even my tiny Toby jugs take a few dainty sprigs.

In the kitchen I try to be as resourceful as I can. I often use up scraps of cooked meat by making what I call “patties”. I put the meat into the food processor with a small, sliced onion, slices of apple and some dry bread. Sometimes I add parsley or basil. When they’re chopped finely I add an egg to bind the mixture, then shape them into flat cakes with my hands. It only takes a few minutes to brown them in the frying pan on both sides in a little hot oil. It uses up bits and pieces but tastes delicious.

April promises many pleasures. Enjoy as many as you can. With you again in a couple of weeks. Bye for now.

Spring Beauties, a Gardening Tip and a very Special Event

Halfway through March and Spring is definitely springing! So much going on in the garden and in my life (more of that later).

Here’s a short poem I was inspired to write.

Springing To Life

March is a mixture of sunshine and chills,
The satin petals of crocus flowers,
The golden glory of daffodils
And crystal drops of sudden showers.

While dreary Winter is fast receding
And new life delights our eyes
The natural world is now proceeding
To promise us the ultimate prize.

The prize is hope, another beginning,
And though it happens every Spring,
It's the possibility of winning
All the blessings that life can bring.

Pond life is waking up. The water has gone green again so we’ll have to add some barley extract. Doesn’t bother the wildlife though. The frogs have been croaking as they called for mates and they’ve evidently succeeded because we now have our first frogspawn of the year.

The crocuses are almost over but daffodils are blazing in the sunlight. Cream tulips with yellow violas are looking pretty and two small pots of anemones are just simply gorgeous with their wonderful colours. Lovely corydalis are opening their flowers beneath the fruit trees and a potted arrangement we bought from the local nursery is adding to the show.

I know I’ve mentioned hellebores many times but they’re such amazing flowers and are still giving me huge pleasure. An almost black one is stunning and the centre sings out in contrast. There are so many variations of petal colour, form and striking centres. I have several different ones and they’re all beautiful.

I have a Hypericum which bears lovely yellow flowers, followed by berries. It needed cutting back. This will enable it to grow healthy new shoots and flower well.

I also cut back the Rue. It’s a herb. Not a cooking one as far as I know but a lovely plant with shapely bluey-green leaves and yellow flowers. It tends to splay over the paving but it’s a pleasing sight. It grows in a very dry spot beneath our huge conifers so it’s not a fussy plant. You can see it in summer in the bottom right corner of this photo.

The Spring cabbages are growing but tiny slugs keep munching them. The garlic had several caterpillars snugly lying along their leaves! I just hand-picked these and threw them out. It’s a mystery how these find their way into the polytunnels. We keep the doors shut except for watering so the moths must sneak in unnoticed. Any opportunity I suppose.

I removed the dead foliage from the strawberry plants and the bed was dressed with some new compost. The plants look small right now but will fill out with new leaves and I hope will crop as abundantly as they did last year. Allan made netted covers to keep the birds off the fruit. They lift off and back on again easily. The netting needs stretching and refixing so that the birds don’t become tangled in it if they do try to land.

Allan dug out some compost and leafmould for me. I mix them together to make seed sowing medium. I riddled some to make it finer and used it to sow tomato seeds. I will keep them indoors on a warm windowsill until it’s safe to plant them out in the unheated greenhouse. Last year I was a bit early and the nights were too cold so we had to put a small radiator in there for about ten nights to protect the plants. This year I waited a bit longer before I sowed. I prefer to let plants grow naturally without artificial heating.

Many gardeners like to make liquid feed from comfrey. Here’s a tip I discovered years ago. A five gallon homebrew barrel is ideal for this. I bought mine from a car boot sale. People often sell them or give them away when the homebrewing has fallen out of favour. Best placed on a stand or a few bricks so that the tap can be used easily.

I put the leaves in a bag (usually the leg from a pair of tights) and place it inside the barrel, then fill with water. I screw the lid on and allow it to stand for ten days. Then I can draw off as much as needed from the tap. Keeps it clean and handy. Afterwards the bag can be easily removed and the contents composted.

And finally, I don’t often include personal information on my blog. I’m sure people would prefer to know what’s going on in the garden or perhaps my latest recipe, but, this is a very special event in our life. It’s our 60th wedding anniversary! We will be having a little celebration with family and friends to mark the occasion. The years have flown by and we’ve had a very interesting life together. I’m blessed to have a wonderful husband and the best son and daughter I could wish for. I hope we have many more years ahead of us.

This was our wedding day in 1965.

Pill box hats were very fashionable in the 60s and this bridal one caught my eye. I made the veil from the train which was too long for me. Pity they’re not coloured photos as my bouquet was a mixture of pink roses in two shades and scented freesias. I dried one of the roses and have it tucked away with other little mementoes. My three bridesmaids wore sunny yellow dresses with daffodil bouquets. Allan had a beautiful made to measure suit tailored by Burton’s . They did a wonderful bespoke service in those days. It was a very happy day despite awful weather.

I hope you’re having all the pleasures of the season. With you again soon. Bye for now.

New Life, Brownies and a Painting

“Mad as a March Hare”! That’s me now that Spring is on the way. The month has begun with glorious sunshine and flowers are colouring the stirring soil. What a lovely time of year. So welcome after the dreary cold of Winter and filling me with inspiration.

I sowed my first seeds of the season in one of the polytunnels. “Little Gem” lettuce, “Purple Vienna” kohl rabi, “Sugar Ann” mangetout and “Berlicum” carrots. The soil is fairly warm so these hardy vegetables should germinate but perhaps a bit slowly. Patience is a virtue, they say!

Our little orchard is a picture with the snowdrops, hellebores, and crocuses.

New pleasures surprise me every day. The satin petals of purple crocuses scattered around the garden are unfolding in the warmth of the sun. White and purple bi-coloured ones look pretty in a pot and the lovely pink flowers of cyclamen coum mingle pleasingly among the snowdrops.

The hellebores are magnificent with abundant flowers and glowing colours. There are so many lovely variations of petal shapes and centres.

Lonicera fragrantissima has, as the name suggests, delightfully scented flowers. The fragrance fills the garden. Another shrub, whose name I’ve forgotten, has pretty pink berries and one of my viburnams is just beginning to flower.

I’ve spent a few hours in the sun over the last few days picking up dead stems and debris from the borders. I haven’t noticed any disturbed wildlife so I think it’s time to do this now. I have a problem with moss because parts of the garden are in shade. It seems to like our light sandy soil. I don’t worry too much about it but it can be a bit of a nuisance in places. I can manage to scrape it off to an acceptable level.

I planted some Alstromeria last summer. I bought two lovely established plants from our local nursery and they flowered profusely during August and September. They have fleshy stems so I was worried that they wouldn’t be hardy enough to survive the winter. I was delighted to find new shoots coming up when I cleared away the dead foliage. I’m hoping for these blooms again in a few months time.

The frogs are not active yet in the pond but surely any day now the frogspawn will surprise me. Our robin has found a mate and they were together feeding from the fatballs today. I captured a photo of one through the window.

Such welcome visitors, absolutely beautiful, and they eat many of the garden pests. Constantly singing, they can often be heard even in the night. The robin is probably the most recognised of our British birds.

A few primulas have sent up their glowing flowers and fresh green leaves.

Indoors, life goes on despite the temptations of the garden! My freezer supply of cakes was a bit low so I made my super-quick brownies. These are simple to make and take only about twenty minutes to cook. They’re moist and deliciously chocolatey. My recipe is in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook for those who have it but I’ll give the recipe again here for anyone who hasn’t.

Super-Quick Brownies
Use a good cocoa for these, not drinking chocolate. I use Green and Black's for its rich chocolate taste. I use oat milk for my baking but most people will use dairy. Either is fine.
Grease a large tin. I use a roasting tin, 30 x 25cm(12 x 10inches)
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

Heat oven to 180C/160C for fan oven.
Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly with an electric mixer or in a food processor.
Put mixture into the greased tin.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Press centre gently. If it springs back it's cooked.
Allow to cool then cut into squares. Lift out with a palette knife. They freeze well if not all needed at once.

Good as they are but if you like an even sweeter treat try one of these.
Spread with jam or marmalade. Cherry jam is good for a Black Forest effect.
Slice and fill with buttercream.
Spread glace icing on top. Add nuts or glace cherries.


I keep intending to paint a picture but seem to have lost momentum. I used to paint regularly but somehow I’ve lapsed into a lazy spell. The house is fit to burst with my paintings, so perhaps it’s just as well. Here’s an old one with a breath of Spring. Painted with gouache from a vase of flowers.

With you again in a couple of weeks. I hope you enjoy the brownies and the sun shines on you. Bye for now.

Garden Notes, Colour and a Poem

Mid February has seen some cold, dull days. A few glimpses of sunshine have been precious. March is not too far away though and will hopefully bring sunlight, daffodils and budding trees.

The birds are very busy in the garden, fattening up for their Spring activities. Snatches of lovely song fill the air from time to time as they call out for mates and establish their territory.

Our little flock of sparrows finish off the food in the hanging feeders so quickly that it’s hard to keep up with them. The lovely brown and grey dunnocks bob about below the feeders to take advantage of dropped seed and the robins look pert and beautiful wherever they perch. The collared doves always arrive as a pair and are such pretty birds.

There was a Peacock butterfly in the woodstore. It was on top of a bag of logs, flapping its wings, but it seemed far too early for it to be awake and out in the cold. Allan gently put the logs back and replaced the cover to keep out the rain. We’re hoping it will stay sheltered until it’s safe to come out. I didn’t take a photo because I didn’t want to disturb it too much.

Although the garden looks damp and drab the snowdrops and hellebores sing out in their glowing colours. They look fresh and bright beneath the apple tree. In another place I have a tiny clump of double petalled snowdrops. I have to hold them up to see their beautiful centres. I can’t recall their name. I think my taller snowdrops are “elwessii” but may be wrong. I accidentally snapped off a flower but it looked so lovely against the dark soil so I took a photo to remember it by.

Evergreens are essential for all year round interest in the garden. So welcome in winter. We have two enormous conifers which we love. We have had to have these topped since this photo as they might have fallen in a storm. There are other less obvious ones which provide focal points. A small prostrate conifer at the edge of a path is a lovely blue-green one. Skimmias with their glossy leaves and scarlet berries are beautiful and Euonymus is a favourite with cream or gold leaves combined with fresh green.

A few flowers and interesting bits are catching my eye among the sleeping summer perennials.

Not much happening in the vegetable garden at present. The potatoes are being “chitted” in the conservatory. This means they’re exposed to light for a few weeks prior to planting them. This encourages small purpley-green shoots to form. Keeping them in the dark would produce those long white sprouts. They’re not what we want for growing in the garden. I stand the seed potatoes in egg boxes so they stand individually with some support. Works well. “Charlotte” on the left and “Accord” on the right. New varieties for me given to me by my daughter.

It’s far too cold and frosty to plant yet. The middle of next month might be worth trying but if the foliage comes up while frosts threaten it will be damaged. Best to keep an eye on the forecast and cover any tender new leaves to keep them from freezing.

I’m going to put a few seeds in the polytunnel beds soon. Peas are an early crop given a bit of protection and I will try kohl rabi and some lettuce. They might take a bit longer to germinate but will soon catch up as the days lengthen and hopefully become a bit warmer.

Talking of warmth, I was giving some thought to how much colour affects me. It’s something important to me in so many ways. I love flowers of course, whether it’s the blazing scarlet of poppies or the pristine whiteness of snowdrops but all the many shades of green are pleasing as well. The bright lime green of new leaves in Spring to the dark glossy holly of Winter are equally striking and proclaim their seasonal beauty. So many amazing colours in the natural world and the garden.

My home is also full of colour. The kitchen walls are deep red. I appreciate its warmth and cosiness. In the living room we have egg-yolk yellow walls and a green chimney breast. Visitors often say how much they love the vibrant colours but they wouldn’t dare to use them. That’s strange to me. Colour is so wonderful and it’s vital for myself.

When I paint pictures I love to use good strong colours. That’s why I enjoy painting with gouache. The paint is a type of watercolour but with stronger pigments and a heavier texture. It produces vivacious paintings full of life and emphasising the effectiveness of colour. I know watercolour can be used to beautiful effect but for myself a wishy-washy, sploshy technique is not pleasing to my eye. I feel more satisfied if a painting achieves a realistic depiction of its subject and the effect is arrived at by observation of light and shade and careful control of the paint. I realise that’s just personal taste and many people will not see it my way. My main point though is about colour. So important to me when I’m painting.

Often. when I’m in a thoughtful mood, I write a poem. Here’s one I wrote some time ago and I’d forgotten about. 

Brief Lives

How swiftly flies the time no matter how we try,
While the cloudy skies and sunny spells of life go by.
The smiles and tears are merely shadows which flit upon the wall,
Yet we strive, we love; we hope to leave our mark however small.
Both the genius and the dullest mind leave footprints in the sand
But some are washed away and others shape the land.

With you again in two weeks time. I hope you’ll enjoy my reminiscing. Stay warm if you need to and enjoy whatever the garden offers. Bye for now.

Garden Treasures and Jam Surprises

February holds more promise for longer days and lovely flowers. By the middle of the month there will be noticeable changes in the garden. Snowdrops, crocuses and hellebores will offer welcome colour and signs that Spring is just ahead.

Many of my snowdrops are already nodding their dainty petals and the hellebores are unfolding their lovely flowers. A few pale mauve crocuses have popped up here and there.

My daffodils will be a while so I bought a few. Such a cheerful sight with a few sprigs of euonymus from the garden.

I tidied one of the polytunnels. There were a few tiddler carrots to pull out and the celeriac leaves had flopped over the path so I tidied those away. Good material for the compost bin. I removed any weeds and stirred the surface of the soil a bit. The path was dusty so I swept it. I find it so satisfying when the tunnels are neat and looking productive. Now the beds are ready for some new seeds in a couple of weeks time. I will sow mustard for salad leaves, mangetout peas, lettuces and kohl rabi.

Some of the garlic leaves have shrivelled so they’re not looking as good as I would like. They need a good feed with some comfrey pellets. Must do that soon. The Spring Hero cabbages have a few tiny nibble holes on the outer leaves but they’re fine and will pick up as the weeks go by. These always grow well and are delicious.

In the other tunnel, the last few small leeks needed using so I pulled them out and cooked them. The cauliflowers are small yet but looking healthy. I gave them a liquid seaweed feed to encourage them to grow their white heads when the daylight increases. Will feed them more with some comfrey pellets later on.

While I was working in the tunnel I found two caterpillars. One was bright green and the other was a brown striped one. I think they may be moth caterpillars. I put them in the compost bin where they may have a bit of protection until their next stage of development.

Indoors, things have been happening too. I bought some basil leaves from the supermarket and because they had stems I popped them into water in a yoghurt pot to freshen them and keep them going a bit longer. After a week I noticed lovely little roots had formed at the bottom of the remaining stems so I potted them in a bit of houseplant compost. I removed most of the big leaves and used those but kept tiny new leaves to grow on. It seems to be working. The plants look healthy and have grown a bit.

Every Christmas for the last few years I’ve asked my son to give me an amaryllis bulb as one of my Christmas gifts. This year’s has produced lots of beautiful red flowers. Two stems have four flowers each. I’m so pleased with it. They’re easy to grow providing they’re not over watered and the bulb is standing slightly out of the compost. Such a lovely show.

Last summer we had a good crop of strawberries and I froze lots of them, so while the weather wasn’t too good I thought I’d make jam. I removed 1200g and thawed them overnight. Strawberries have little pectin, the substance which makes jam set, so I always add a few sliced pectin-rich cooking apples.

Usually I find jam making straightforward and not difficult to do but it was “one of those days”!

I removed the apples from the freezer and tipped them into the pan with the strawberries. When they didn’t start to break down I realised I’d added Cox apples instead of cooking apples! Big lumps of apple were floating around in my boiling fruit. I tried chopping into them with a knife. Helped a bit but not entirely successful.

Then I started to tip sugar into the pan, thinking it was a kilo bag and intending to empty it. I suddenly realised it was two kilos! Fortunately I stopped tipping just in time and was relieved that I hadn’t added too much. It wouldn’t have entirely ruined it but I prefer a lot of fruit rather than sugar in my jam. Equal proportions of fruit and sugar are best.

Things don’t always go to plan if I’m not concentrating. It wasn’t a calm kitchen that day but eventually the jam was made and tastes fabulous.

It’s not difficult to make jam if you’re organised and have some basic equipment. It tastes wonderful, far better than bought. I prefer to make jam in winter although it’s traditional to do it when the fruit is cropping. Because I have my own fruit I can freeze it and do it on a horrible winter’s day in my cozy kitchen. Tips for jam making and preserving are in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook which I published after requests from my regular readers. Available from Amazon on https://geni.us/eANQu or from myself.

I haven’t painted for a while. The house is stuffed with my paintings so perhaps it’s just as well. Here’s an old one. Worked from a photograph I took at Arley Arboretum. Drawn with pencil then painted with gouache.

I hope you have flowers in your garden or can enjoy them elsewhere. Bye for now. With you again in a couple of weeks.

Winter Chill and Healthy Eating

January brings a mixture of moods and changeable weather. The flurry of the festive season leaves a blank canvas to fill afterwards. It’s time for positive thinking and winter pastimes.

The garden had a covering of snow last week. It melted, froze and snowed again with sharp frosts overnight. I captured melting moments with my camera.

We had to give the birds extra food. It was a busy time as they tried to keep warm and there were tracks everywhere in the snow.

The bulbs are poking their lovely tips through the cold soil and are a welcome reminder of the pleasures to look forward to soon. A bit of cheerful colour is provided by the winter violas and hellebores.

The polytunnels protected our winter crops. The sprouts are outside but they benefit from a dusting of frost so I wasn’t worried about them.

I’m using the leeks, parsnips and celeriac now because they’ve had a long growing season and will soon be past their best. I sow the seeds in March and use the vegetables from Autumn into Winter. The space they take up is well worth it because it’s so good to have them when the garden is mostly dormant. Hearty soups and stews make the most of these tasty vegetables during the cold spells.

Talking of soups and stews reminds me of something I’ve thought about a lot recently. There’s concern that many people are living on ultra-processed food which is very unhealthy. Part of the problem is that it seems cheaper than fresh food and many people don’t know how to cook or aren’t inclined to cook.

I’ve seen various initiatives and ideas for promoting healthier eating but I feel so often they’re not tackling the problem in the right way. Recipes are put forward with lists of ingredients which to my mind are definitely not going to encourage anyone to change their non-cooking habits. If someone is put off by cooking they’re unlikely to be enthusiastic about putting together a long list of ingredients, many of which they’re unfamiliar with. Why not go back to basics?

For instance, potatoes must be the easiest vegetable to cook in so many ways. One of our favourite meals is mashed potatoes mixed with a drained can of fish, then browned in a little hot oil in the frying pan. No need to make individual fancy fishcakes. Served with peas and chutney or a favourite sauce, it’s tasty, nutritious and cheap. Canned salmon is good but so are sardines or mackerel which are cheaper. So easy to prepare and cook and really delicious.

What’s wrong with a fried or scrambled egg on toast served with a vegetable, Then what about that old favourite toasted cheese? Or tomatoes fried gently then cheese added and allowed to melt and eaten with some bread? This tastes very good cooked in a frying pan but I often do this in the microwave on the plates which makes it easier and a really quick meal.

Soup is easy to make with a stock cube or two, chopped onion, potato, carrots and red lentils. Other vegetables can be added and any leftover cooked meat or chicken. It can be thickened by blending to make it more substantial. Chicken soup is particularly good but vegetable soups are cheap and nutritious too.

My favourite way of cooking is a one-pan meal. I do these in a deep frying pan with a good lid. Frozen cooked rice and vegetables are good for these and frozen fish fillets can be placed on top of the vegetables to cook at the same time. I often stir in a spoonful of soured cream just before I serve it. They are versatile, nutritious because all the vegetable stock is retained, use less fuel and save on dish-washing.

I’m wondering how many people still eat these sort of meals and yet they are so simple, enjoyable and healthy.

Ideas for these and many other of my recipes are in my Earthy Homemaker’s Cookbook, available through Amazon or myself.

Sorting out some of my books. Too many to fit on the shelves and of course, new ones are always offering temptation. The colder days are good for these kind of jobs when the garden is a bit forbidding. I might have a look at my knitting yarns as well. I haven’t got a project in mind yet but I might do a bit of knitting or crochet before Spring stirs me and draws me back to the garden. Then again, I haven’t embroidered anything for years. There’s a thought.

Winter is a time for reflection. Cosy nights by the fire create the perfect mood for thinking, planning, dreaming of Spring. I hope you’re finding many moments like that. With you again in a couple of weeks. Bye for now.

Renewal and Winter Treats

Hello and Happy New Year! Christmas is behind us and it can seem like only Winter is ahead. However, there’s also a feeling of renewal and a determination to do better in the coming months. This keeps the cold miserable days in perspective and enthuses us.

I was inspired to write a poem to sum up these feelings. 

A New Year

The old year is behind us.
It's time to look ahead,
A time of hope and mindfulness
And other paths to tread.

A sense of renewal fills us
With determination to do better.
We set out fresh and more ambitious,
We'll do things to the letter.

Success is not the issue here,
It's our intentions that really count.
They drive away regrets and fear
And our human weaknesses surmount.

So embrace the new and be glad.
Be glad and full of cheer,
forget the past and don't be sad.
Rejoice in the promise of another year.

Even on these colder days it’s a pleasure to walk around the garden, We’ve had some frost since Christmas so I snapped a few treasures,

When the frost melts it leaves diamond drops which are just as lovely to see.

The first few snowdrops are showing their dainty heads and the hellebores are so beautiful when the flowers open. There are many different versions of this lovely plant.

Bare branches have a beauty of their own. Lichen on twigs shows up more clearly around this time and is lovely to see. It’s neither a plant nor a fungus and is said to be a sign of clean air. Whether or not it really signifies clean air I enjoy seeing it in the garden. Often, remaining leaves have glowing colour to enjoy too.

I’ve sorted out my seeds. I won’t attempt any sowing until Spring except for tomatoes. I will start my “Roma” tomatoes in late February in the house. They need a lot of consistent warmth to germinate and plenty of light to grow. I keep them on a south-facing windowsill and turn the seed trays at least twice a day. If this isn’t done they will struggle towards the light, become long and thin and they will not develop into sturdy plants. It’s also important to give them space. Two or three seeds to a plug are enough, then should be thinned to a single strong seedling.

Most of us will feel a need for healthier food after the indulgences of the season. That’s certainly true for me with my chocolate madness. I’m enjoying the vegetables from the garden. Winter vegs are comforting as well as nourishing and I have a small selection to use. The parsnips are at their best, so are the sprouts. These benefit from a bit of frost. Safely tucked away in the polytunnels I have celeriac, parsley and leeks.

I’m also reducing meat meals. Lentils are good cooked with a selection of vegetables in a little stock. Warming, nourishing and simple. I prefer red lentils. I like the way they dissolve into the stock and thicken it. Delicious just as a stew or mopped up with some crusty bread.

I buy frozen, deliciously sweet cherries which are easy to defrost and keep their shape, texture and flavour. I defrosted some of these and added mandarin orange bits and small pieces of peeled apple. I drizzled a little ginger syrup over them, stirred and left them to stand for a few minutes. Absolutely delectable and refreshing. Such a treat after rich foods.

I’m thinking it’s the ideal time to defrost my summer strawberries and make jam. It’s not difficult and tastes fabulous on hot buttered toast. There’s not much pectin in strawberries so I add some cooking apple to the pan to help it to set. I will say more about this when I make it.

May be knitting or sewing until I’m active in the garden again. I might have to re-cover a chair. I’m hoping it won’t be tricky. It’s a favourite and I haven’t seen anything suitable to replace it so I may just as well get on with the job. Might attempt a bit of cleaning first to see if I can improve it.

Since writing this post we’ve had snow overnight. Very wet and slushy so I’m not venturing out to take photos. It’s melting quickly and very slippy underfoot. Will have to give our garden birds a bit of extra food to help them to keep warm.

Meanwhile, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with good food and happiness and you feel full of enthusiasm for 2025. With you again in two weeks time. Bye for now.