We have had heavy showers on and off all day and now the big black cloud on the horizon, which I saw on a short walk up the steep hill has finally reached us and it is chucking it down.
The day has been filled with bits and bobs. I found another recipe for Flapjacks, with a lot less syrup, and this has worked nicely. I got some chipolata sausages out of the freezer yesterday and cooked half of them up in the oven, and whilst they were browning off, made a double batch of cheese pastry to make sausage rolls with, and the left over pastry made cheese straws (which Keith loves).
I managed to get out in the garden long enough to bung plants in holes along the top of the wall. I've got the end bit to clear and a little bit a couple of feet on from that and then I have to work backwords with the clearing. The pretty pink Scabious which has been sat around in a pot for weeks waiting for me to decide where to plant it, now takes corner spot on the angle of the wall and looks perfect there. The other small Campanula has been put the other side of a big clump of hardy Geranium, which balances nicely. I've put in several "foraged" and well rooted pieces of hardy Geranium which I had in a pot, along the wall too, and moved a self-seeded Alchemilla mollis from the path at the bottom of the wall to grace the top instead. Progress. Photos to follow.
Now it's time for some Family History research again. Willing the days away as I've just ordered another death certificate, this time for my g. grandmother on dad's side, who died in 1897, within a year of her husband, leaving grandad an orphan (he went to live with big brother Ben - who was killed in an accident in WWI) and then to his mum's sister in Barnet.
Oh, and how's this for a moniker:
JEANETTE ENA EUGEN(I?)VICTOIRE (Victoria?) GIGINA LOUIS NEWTON HUSBANDS.
That is a name and a half!!
ReplyDeleteHer mother had a similar long-winded name too.
DeleteWith a name like that she should be easy to find.
ReplyDeleteIndeed Joan. Not one of mine, she just popped up when I was researching.
DeleteNow those flapjacks look a lot better than the last lot. ;-) I daren't make cheese straws, I eat them all while they are still warm!!
ReplyDeleteI have been grabbing a wee bit of Flapjack when I come in hungry from gardening. Cheese straws are moreish aren't they?!
DeleteThe baking looks good. I have a lot of flapjack recipes and these days usually make Mary Berry's. Cheese straws are always lovely :) That is a long name!!!!
ReplyDeleteJust looked up the Mary Berry one. I imagine the extra fat makes them softer?
DeleteI like a bits and bobs pottering day and yours sounds perfect. I also like the sound of your plants. I would love the pale violet blue Field Scabious to arrive in the meadow. In the big meadow bed I planted the giant Scabious - Cephalaria Gigantea which has primrose yellow flowers beloved by bees and flowers generously for months. I wouldn’t advise it in a garden border as it grows to a height of over 2m but here with a backdrop of shrubs not planted by me and alongside Miscanthus Morning Light, Buddleia Black Knight, swathes of magenta pink lychnis, sky blue geranium pratense and a white aster it looks great. I have a new flapjack recipe which goes something like this: 100g butter melted in a large saucepan. Off the heat mix in 75g soft brown sugar, a tbsp set honey, 140g rolled oats, 100g desiccated coconut, 150g mix of any seeds and nuts and tbsp wholemeal flour. Mix well and tip out onto a lined Swiss roll tin and press down firmly. Into a 140 Celsius fan oven for 30 mins, remove and score into 12 or 15 pieces and leave to cool completely before eating. I found the recipe as my son brought home last September two bags of opened desiccated coconut which I had to find a quick sticks use for and now I make them by request. We had about 30 seconds of rain yesterday but we did go swimming. The pergola is hanging on without any watering thanks to deep mulching this spring with grass cuttings mixed with leaves and left for years to rot together and I am only lightly watering by can the salads, leaves and French beans in the veg garden. The squash, sweetcorn and borlotti beans are all doing well, the blood red single dahlias are flowering and I am picking courgettes and raspberries daily - all without any water. The greenhouse gets watered daily but it is producing cucumbers, green chillies and lots of basil and the tomatoes are colouring and the melon plant has babies! Best of all, the apples are still intact on the trees. I wove quilting cotton around and around each tree to deter the squirrels and so far my cat’s cradling has worked! Looking forward to seeing pics of your garden and wish I could share pics of mine with you. Take care BB and know I often think of you. Sarah x
ReplyDeleteI lost my Cephalaria gigantea this past winter. I will see if the bigger (expensive!!) garden centre has them but perhaps better to buy online. Hah - not from Sarah Raven though - incl. delivery just short of £20 for a 2 litre pot!
DeleteI've just copied the recipe out for the Flapjacks and will try this next time. Many thanks. Sounds healthier than mine.
No need to water here as it's rained every day of July so far! Today being no exception.
Third consecutive day of rain here and the veg plot is growing like crazy! Next year I’m going to give the Giant Scabious the Chelsea Chop as it is flopping all over the shop now! Actually I should give it the Hampton Court Hack today as I’m sure it will bounce back. Have a look at Beth Chatto or Claire Austin (daughter of David the rose breeder) online for plants of Cephalaria Gigantea or I could send you a piece of mine? Would love to send you a parcel of plants with their roots wrapped up in damp Southdown sheeps’ wool such as a piece of Geranium Magnificum which originally came from my friend Sarah Mason who had the National Collection of Hardy Geraniums in the early 1990s and opened her garden for the NGS. She said this was the best hardy geranium ever and 30 years later I still agree with her.
DeleteThat name would be hell to fit on an immigration form!! Those cheese straws look delicious. My MIL used to make wonderful ones but I've never found her recipe... I'd love yours please.
ReplyDeleteI like cheese straws, too. My grandmother baked hers when the late Queen Elizabeth. and the Duke of Edinburgh came to the deanery He was rather taken with them and singled them out asking could he please have another one of those delicious cheese straws.
ReplyDelete