My Weekend 04/07/2010
Have had a busy weekend doing the washing, getting it dried, especially in all the sunshine we have been having; and it has been a proper blowy day to day, not cold, but there has been a very refreshing breeze.
Went for a lovely long walk this afternoon with Missy down by the river. Its nice to pick up a few wild blossoms or fruits or whatever along the walk, but primarily I walk when I want to think things through and make sense of things that are happening to me or around me.
The wheel has turned another notch; the last of the elderflower blossoms are putting on a brave late show but the best of them are gone. You can see as you walk from bush to bush that each one along looks a lot more jaded or that seed heads have set. However I noticed amongst the hedgerows where the fruits are going to come in the autumn. I have done a recce and I have made a mental note as to what bush is where as I intend to take advantage of what I can as it all helps pad out the pantry, the freezer, the pickle store and the jam store. It looks as though it is going to be a very good elderberry season the seed heads are large and look promising; the haws are starting to form on the bushes showing as hard green berries at the present. Blackberries are starting to form; I don't think that they will be too long. Yet again there would appear to be a lot. Very few crab apples where I have been, but will leave them to OH to get from where he goes fishing. Was primarily looking for sloes again, but didn't spot any. May have to go somewhere else for these. I have always been brought up with village law that if there are many berries it is likely to be a hard winter.
Have had a tasy tea tonight. We have had roast lamb cooked and studded with garlic and rosemary and then fresh lavender in blossom and thyme sprinkled over. It was extremely tasty. I served with salad potaotes, cooked with garlic, bacon, onion roasted in the oven and then with carrots, cauliflower calabrese and peas and gravy. For pudding I have made a gooseberry crumble which was very tasty and served that with cream. I managed to get some gooseberries yesterday which although expensive at £1.25 per half punnet the balance will go into the freezer for either making into puddings or jam. I find that if I freeze the raw fruit down without doing much to it I have greater freedom of choice with how I cook it. I also made a scone round for cutting into slices with a bit of butter on to have with a cup of tea.
Lots to do so little time to do it
Catch up with you all soon.
pattypan aka Tricia
xx
Went for a lovely long walk this afternoon with Missy down by the river. Its nice to pick up a few wild blossoms or fruits or whatever along the walk, but primarily I walk when I want to think things through and make sense of things that are happening to me or around me.
The wheel has turned another notch; the last of the elderflower blossoms are putting on a brave late show but the best of them are gone. You can see as you walk from bush to bush that each one along looks a lot more jaded or that seed heads have set. However I noticed amongst the hedgerows where the fruits are going to come in the autumn. I have done a recce and I have made a mental note as to what bush is where as I intend to take advantage of what I can as it all helps pad out the pantry, the freezer, the pickle store and the jam store. It looks as though it is going to be a very good elderberry season the seed heads are large and look promising; the haws are starting to form on the bushes showing as hard green berries at the present. Blackberries are starting to form; I don't think that they will be too long. Yet again there would appear to be a lot. Very few crab apples where I have been, but will leave them to OH to get from where he goes fishing. Was primarily looking for sloes again, but didn't spot any. May have to go somewhere else for these. I have always been brought up with village law that if there are many berries it is likely to be a hard winter.
Have had a tasy tea tonight. We have had roast lamb cooked and studded with garlic and rosemary and then fresh lavender in blossom and thyme sprinkled over. It was extremely tasty. I served with salad potaotes, cooked with garlic, bacon, onion roasted in the oven and then with carrots, cauliflower calabrese and peas and gravy. For pudding I have made a gooseberry crumble which was very tasty and served that with cream. I managed to get some gooseberries yesterday which although expensive at £1.25 per half punnet the balance will go into the freezer for either making into puddings or jam. I find that if I freeze the raw fruit down without doing much to it I have greater freedom of choice with how I cook it. I also made a scone round for cutting into slices with a bit of butter on to have with a cup of tea.
Lots to do so little time to do it
Catch up with you all soon.
pattypan aka Tricia
xx
I loved reading this post about all the hedgerow fruits forming, I couldn't reach the elderflowers last week so shall have to settle for the berries this year and make elderberry rob from them. I have a crab apple tree that is covered in fruit and there is going to be a good apple crop too. The bilberries will be ready soon and hopefully my arm will be out of its cast in time to go up on the moors to pick them. Sloes I should be able to get from the river estuary path near our Lancashire house, the bushes were laden last year and the blackthorn blossom was prolific in the spring so should be good this year too. It will need some rain to swell the berries though I think.
ReplyDeleteFor the first time ever I think I have located some bullace too, so that should be quite interesting. Lucky you with bilberries - don't see them round here too much, but I am thankful for nature's bounty that does surround us.
ReplyDeleteTake care
Tricia