A gift from a Red Kite and some recipes

 

I went for a long walk on my own on Tuesday.  Tam's back from her Festival and full of a head cold (don't worry, she tested for Covid and it was negative).  She's been staying in her room anyway, so as not to pass it on to us.  So I set off up the hill, intent on walking the route along the bridleway through the woods which we last walked in February, only this time I'd be walking it in reverse.  I paused for breath on the way up, beneath a Larch tree, and found this beautiful Red Kite (tail?) feather on the ground.  I had a little rucksack on with a drink and a chocolate bar in, so the feather joined them.

I am assuming this is a Golden Bullace.  Just ONE fruit on the hedgerow bush.

Earth Nut/Pig Nut flowering on a bank.

St John's Wort - this one felt like the Square Stemmed variety.

 I think this is Common Catsear.

The very end of the Eppynt range.

Beautiful harebells on the bank at the top of the hill where I sat to rest.

Of course, the reward for climbing steep hills (for over an hour!) are the views from the top.  Enjoy.

The beautiful little church of St David's, where there was a service on Sunday.

This was where we all repaired to after church, for tea and cakes and chat.

Tam has been feeling yuk with her head cold, so yesterday I got busy cooking the evening meals and made this with two big chicken breasts I had.  In fact, after I'd butterflied them, I have enough chicken for another meal tonight.  This will be a regular in our household as it was SO tasty.  I think Velveeta cheese is an American ingredient, so I just grated some (2 oz/60g) Cheddar cheese instead. I put the oven on low and kept the chicken portions moist under the foil "tent" and cooked them right through as I made the rice part.  I used Basmati rice by the way.

 https://easychickenrecipes.com/one-pot-cheesy-chicken-and-rice/

I also had an Aged (e.g. forgotten!) Butternut Squash to use up so made Butternut Squash, Chilli and Coconut Milk Soup which she reckoned hit the spot, although with her sore throat, the chillis felt a bit spicier than usual.  We always have Coconut Milk in the store-cupboard as Tam uses it when she makes Chicken curry.

  https://www.easypeasyfoodie.com/butternut-squash-chilli-and-coconut-milk-soup/

 I did remember to take a photo of it.  I blitzed it to puree the Butternut Squash.  

I even found some Blackberries to pick, just yards from the house down the track to the farm.

Not many, but it's a start.  I'll see what I can find when we are out and about later.

Now I am in the mood for ironing, so I shall take full advantage of it.  I still shake my head over the young lady I know (no relation) who doesn't own an iron.  How on earth must she look after her clothes have been washed and dried then stuffed in black bin bags until she uses them.  She must look like she's slept in them.