Catching Up With Life Without Internet

Here I am...Yes you guessed it right!  No, or intermittent internet, but finally I am hoping to get a post done.  I am not missing in action and there are no health issues it literally is a lack of internet that has kept me away.  I will try to catch up with you all tomorrow and reply to the very caring e-mails for which I am very thankful and feel blessed by your concern.

I have wonderful neighbours and a very grateful for their thoughtful gifts left in my porch.  We certainly don't go hungry, in fact we have made an effort this past week and have eaten lots of salad.

The lettuce and rocket has been amazing fresh from the garden, along with the chives makes for a very tasty base to any salad.  Scones were left by one neighbour:

A cherry and almond cake by another:

Along with reels of cotton from another neighbour as I continue to add to the pile of face masks.  They are disappearing as quick as I make them.  It is so nice to be useful and be able to give back.

I place them in a polythene bag and leave them in the front porch friends and neighbours pop by and help themselves.  I have also been working on a small gift for my sweet little friend who is going to have a birthday next week.  She has lots of bits and pieces so I thought it would be nice to make her a storage bag, along with a heart filled with last years lavender that I dried.  She walks past our little cottage and waves it will be nice to be able to catch up with her, when all this shielding is over.

I have also made several more storage bags and lavender filled hearts for our Grandaughter all ready for her new bedroom as they have finally signed all the contracts on their new house they have had built.  Exciting times for them.

Little pockets in the front and bits of lace add to there beauty.  The Harris Tweed coats for the boys are finally finished and I also added a scarf and a face mask.  I am hoping that they won't be needing them but I had a little fabric left so thought they may be useful.

I am so looking forward to seeing them wear them.  They are all packed up ready for the post.

We had a Tesco delivery today so the store cupboard, fridge and freezer are all well stocked up.  I am grateful for the delivery and the staff who provide the service but I must admit I do miss not choosing my own meat, fruit and vegetables myself.

We continue to work outside when we can and have completed several projects which I will share in a later post.  In so many ways life appears normal and yet the hidden virus keeps us separated from each other, particularly family.  It seems such a long time since we have seen them all and my heart is heavy from yearning but deep down I know that we need to be sensible.  We are living in strange times that is for sure.

I will stop for now and press the publish button.  I will try to catch up with everyone tomorrow.  Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

Rain Has Stopped Play

It is Bank Holiday here in the UK and as is normal for a Bank Holiday it is raining.  The gathering in the harvest of the land began in earnest in the back field late Friday. 

 

Unfortunately natures bounty was not safely gathered in before work was abandoned, rain, rain and more rain has stopped play and the back field lays dormant.

 

 

The positive out of this is that I have stopped sneezing.

 

No getting out and about today, or getting out to do some work in the garden.  The forecast has predicted much of the same for the rest of the day.  I am keeping my eye on it though and keep nipping out in between bursts to harvest some of the herbs for the freezer.  I have run out of ice cube trays so I am snipping some into an empty plastic egg box to freeze.  They will be perfect for adding to stews/soups/casseroles in the coming months.

 

 

I intend to harvest some mint and lavender and hang in the kitchen to dry.  Last years harvest of lavender is ready to be put to good use.  The perfect day to start on some of the lavender projects.

 

 

I wish you were able to smell this stunning bounty, perfect for aiding sleep and keeping moths away from stored clothing/bedding.  Nice to make some little gifts for friends and families, filled with love and something grown from the garden.

 

 

I love just been able to walk into my craft room and have all the materials to hand, it is so satisfying finding the exact things needed.  Thank goodness for stashes.

 

 

I have made a start, I could be sometime...

 

Hope your day is not as wet as mine.

 

See you soon.

 

 

 

 

 

Five On Friday

The mini heat wave was indeed mini, a short lived sunny interlude which was enjoyed immensely but we are back to a typical British summer.  Cloudy and showers with sunny intervals seems to be the forecast for the next few days.  I am leaving shortly for a visit to my daughters and to see Bertie for the weekend so I will catch up with everyone on my return.

Summer means reaping the harvest of the garden and spending copious time weeding, to that end my five on Friday post is once again garden orientated.  This week I have chosen to share five herbs that I enjoy in my garden.  I use a lot of herbs in cooking, so they are a great addition to the kitchen.

First up is mint, we have tried many varieties but favour the common garden mint which is a perfect accompaniment to new potatoes.

 

Lemon thyme is another favourite that I use a lot.  It is great chopped up in scrambled eggs for something a little different, a thyme butter is perfect for rubbing on chicken or pork for added flavour.

 

 

 

 

 

Chives is next up, it has been a little slow to get established but I do have several pots.  It is my go to herb for salads in lots of forms but particularly potato salad.  It is great with cheese and adds flavour to sour cream for baked potatoes.

 

 

 

I have several containers all around the garden of lavender and I must confess I rarely use it for cooking but I grow it to dry out for gifts.  I dry the flowers and use to make lavender bags for the airing cupboard and drawers.

 

 

Last but not least is basil, a great addition to any Italian style meal it goes particularly well with tomatoes so is great added to any tomato based sauce.  Once again I grow it in pots and is a great asset to the kitchen.

 

 

Five herbs that each have their own personalities but are a great addition to even the simplest of meals.  Have you got a favourite go to herb?  I am once again joining Amy at Love Made My Home for the Five on Friday post, pop over and see what everyone has been up to.  Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, I will catch up with you when I get back.

 

See you soon.