Garden - Five on Friday

Hello there, a quick pop round the garden today. There have been a lot of changes in the 2+ years that we've been here. Mark is the main gardener, however he always has so many other things to do. Apart from his work (teaching people to drive), mostly part time now as he really wants to retire, he is often found fixing things - both inside or out here and at our old house. Obviously I'm involved with the garden, our bungalow and the old house too and sometimes Johnny gives a hand. Though the focus is to get the old property ready for sale, this one has had many urgent needs too. 

Overall it's hard with two properties constantly in need of attention. My health has been rubbish for years due to IBS, it's quite debilitating. With underactive thyroid thrown into the mix, any upsets take days to get over. I nearly didn't post this as it all sounds depressing. We aren't depressed, just muddling through one day at a time. 

Today, 'Five on Friday' is a quick walk round the garden, trying not to notice all that needs to be done. 
Except for the fruit trees and the tree with the bird box, all the trees in the background belong to neighbours.

1) Left: the back garden, all the petals on the grass are from the neighbours Ornamental Cherry Tree. As much as I like them, they are pretty, the constant sweeping up of petals being trodden in is wearing thin now. The garden is on two levels, with steps in the middle. The soil is clay, so lots of slipping and sliding about on wet winter days. On the first photo, there is a glimpse of the conservatory which can be very warm from now onwards. A path can be seen in front of the conservatory, this will link to the path in the last photo. Tucked round the corner is another small patio, at the back of the garage. 

There are four fruit trees - Pear, apple, cherry and greengage. Typically I can't eat any of the fruits, they are all part of the Sorbitol group of Fodmaps. Behind the trees is a raised bank area along the back of the garden. Bulbs and other woodland type plants are planted there. The garden had lots of bumpy hills randomly about the garden. Lots of clearing was done to level them, a skip was filled with excess clay soil, hedge cuttings, and a diseased apple tree from the middle of the garden.  

2) Lower part looking to the right: next to the greengage tree is a gazebo in the corner with paving slabs. Later we'll set up the table and chairs, we've had a BBQ up there. We put a cover over it in warmer, calm weather. One day it may have a more permanent cover like the swing seat - I was fed up with bird droppings on the seat. Originally it had a fabric cover which either flipped up in the wind, or was rarely out, so lots of chair cleaning. We don't really sit out much, always lots to do. 

Next is the greenhouse, at the moment it's home to the firewood for the stove. One day there will be a log store - low down on the list. Then a large area which will be a massive shed car workshop. The existing small shed will be dismantled, it's battered and far too small. Though we have a garage (back of it) to the right, it's too small for Mark's 'car hobby' needs. The existing garage will have decorating equipment, bikes, lawnmower, chipper etc. in it. 

3) Across: This area started out as a raised area, now flattened the bulbs grow happily there. Generally the garden will be wildflowers and bulbs, to the right of the existing shed is a few rose bushes, heather, hydrangea, lupines and lavender. Leading to a gate to the front garden and drive.  

4) Flowers: The apple blossom was caught too late but it still looks pretty. Angus amongst the Tulips, bluebells, peonies and probably chewing a stick.

5) Path & wild garden: Due to the slippery soil, Mark is putting in a path. We first tried covering it in untreated bark chippings but they rot down too quick. They did enrich the soil but it's still awkward walking over. Under the wheelbarrow a channel was cut out, barge boards were added for the edge support and stones added against the bungalow wall. There was grass against the brickwork but we felt this would be better drainage. The path is absolutely necessary for access to the front eg for the mower, coal delivery etc. The two sides of soil will have wild flower seeds soon and bulbs.

From the top level looking across the new path... you can see 'The Wolds' in the distance. Also the same view from the kitchen sink at the front of the bungalow. It's a lovely garden but sadly with our to do list, we never find time to sit outside.

It's all a work in progress with all the important jobs in the garden or bungalow going to the top of the list. There have been so many leaks here, it's unbelievable, also sorting the bathroom floor and wall cladding due to a massive leak. The fans in both the bathroom and the en-suite needed replacing, also the kitchen a new cooker and sink were urgent. Sadly things never get finished as something else crops up for attention. 

Our old house needs the new workshop put in here - so we can empty out the garage.
We are concentrating on tidying and cleaning up from decorating and re-grouting the tiles.
Outside - cleaning paths, drive and patio.
The gardening is obviously ongoing too.
So to summarise:
*Clean inside & tip run
*Sort loft water tank (to prevent leaks), check boiler - water leak 
*Clean patio and paths
*Shed base, shed, transfer garage contents
*House on market
You can probably tell as I write, it weighs you down, we really need to see closure at the other place as soon as possible. 

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Read-a-long - Five on Friday

Hello there, thank you so much for all your lovely birthday greetings to my eldest son. It's been a week of checking ingredients again! I hope we've got it sorted now... IBS is such a pain. I phoned Mum to let her know as my Dad suffers too... Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Carboxymethyl Cellulose & Gum Arabic. Some of these are in Aldi mint sauce, Gluten free cheese crackers, Co-op Bon Bons, Co-op Wraps. If you have IBS, the Doctor can help with a Dietitian checking for Coeliac, high fibre test and FODMAP testing. Then IF you still have symptoms - it's then a life of label checking on processed foods, as none of these are Fodmap or fibre issues. 

For this week's Five: some books or Read-a-longs that I've enjoyed recently. I was following the Agatha Christie book list this year but have abandoned it. I've joined in the last two years but sadly it felt like just another chore this time. I think that it's partly due to my (IBS) health and the need to get lots of things done. I also feel easily overwhelmed with too much information, so have taken a step back from some social media. I'm an admin on a Flylady group and have stepped back from that too, taking a Month's break for now.  

I'm just in from the WI craft evening (Bi-Monthly), lots of knitting/crochet of Helicopters, Poppies and Rainbow cardigans. Lots of chat, laughter, wine / tea and nibbles. Anyway onto some good books that I've enjoyed recently. 

1) Lessons in Chemistry by Garmus - Bookclub read for April. I've just finished this book and wow! What a book, I enjoyed the story, not so much the swearing but for women in 1960's life was tough in the work force. Unjust and no compromise, the 'Supper at Six' TV show at least spoke directly to women, to inspire them for change, ambition and confidence. I loved the dog 'Six Thirty' character, he was a very thoughtful dog with much responsibility. I definitely recommend it.

2) Sheltering Rain by JoJo Moyes - Bookclub read for March. I enjoyed last Month's book too, it started slow, with deep family issues lurking. I found myself wanting to pick it up and read more for days after finishing it. It is a true love story spanning three generations, unravelling family problems of not quite fitting in. 

3) Miss Read read-a-long - from the Facebook group. We started reading the Fairacre series April 2023. This year will conclude The Fairacre series, it will include two of the Caxley books, before finishing off with two Christmas titles. These books are so restful with some drama in each book. Overall they induce calm with beautiful descriptions of village life and the countryside. The 3 books above are for Jan - March this year. 
I first discovered Miss Read in my 20's, my Mother-in-law loved them... she loved the descriptions of the children's lives at school, their achievements and future plans. Sadly at the time, I found them a bit boring, preferring romance and mystery books. Several years later I discovered the Thrush Green series and fell in love with the village of Thrush Green. 
It has been nice reading through one book at a time, particularly as I've not read them all. 

4) Together Again by Milly Johnson - I read this last year. Milly Johnson often explores problems in families and this one doesn't disappoint. Family secrets and mistrust, deep painful issues that begin to unravel when the Sisters are Together Again. I was a little disappointed with the ending, family trauma... but maybe it was for the best. 

5) A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe - for the bookclub in 2023. This book was so good, it begins in the aftermath of the Abervan disaster, then goes back to trace the young protagonists life from his days at choir school to the present day. This book stayed with me for a very long time. We had a good dicussion about this one at the bookclub. 
Another good book from last year's bookclub list was One Enchanted Evening by Anton Du Becke. This is part of a 6 part series here  It reminded me of the 'signature dances' in Agatha Christie's 'Murder at the Vicarage' with Joan Hickson as Miss Marple.  

Have you read any of these books?
What are you reading now? 

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Craft Show & Tell - Five on Friday

Hello there, I hope you are well? If you've been following my blog for a while, I just wanted to thank you. I appreciate that it's been a bit of a stop start of regular blogging. Over the years I've struggled to feel well, I'm still trying to sort IBS issues. So with other commitments and feeling rubbish, sometimes things have slipped. I've recently found another thing that I'm intolerant too, or at least, one that I'd not thought to check on labels. In Aldi's hot chocolate there is a chemical ingredient that upsets my stomach. Google it if interested, it's called Carboxymethyl Cellulose. I knew about it in bread wraps from the Co-op, so only purchased wraps from Aldi. I was treating myself on bad days, to a nice hot chocolate. It makes me mad all this label scrutinizing.

Anyway onto nicer things. We went out for a meal on Wednesday evening to celebrate my son's 24th Birthday. Happy Birthday Nat, a favourite photo of him and Zola (his cat). To think that I once held this tall handsome young man, just like he's holding Zola - he's taller than me now and I'm 5'11". I'm proud of you teen1 Son, love you always x

This week's Five on Friday is a bit of a 'Show & Tell' 

1) A Christmas Bauble. A lady called Carole taught me to make these at the Village Craft Afternoon. It's simpler than it looks, starting at one end building up layers of folded 3" square pieces of material. Lots of pins are involved to secure each point. This one has a thin ribbon to hang it up as a decoration. 

2) Another Craft Afternoon, this time it was at a church ladies social. There were several craft options on offer to try out. Making Pom-Poms, with pattern ideas to make characters. Button necklaces, Macramé, knitting and making these Crochet Wind Spinners. There are some Youtube videos online if this interests you. They will stay in better shape if hung up and free to twirl. 

3) A simple restful portable knitting project. A washcloth, flannel or dishcloth knitted in Rico Aran 100% Cotton yarn. Front and Rear view, (not blocked). The pattern is called broken rib from this book: Knit Yourself Calm. I borrowed the book from the library. Lots of simple projects to inspire knitting to help calm.

4) A Dishcloth - For the Lent KAL (knit-a-long), following along on a Facebook Group. The official KAL was to make a shawl. I've knitted a shawl before and didn't want another, so I went for the alternative dishcloth - pattern on Ravelry. Each week is knitted in a different colour in Sirdar Happy Cotton yarn. The yarn had been donated at the church Craft Group. I will block it and probably use it as a table mat.  

5) A pair of socks for me. These caused me lots of unpicking... not surprising my husband would say. These are knitted in WYS 4 Ply, Blue Lagoon. The yarn started life being knit into a KAL shawl several years ago. It had beads along the edge, sadly I grew impatient with it, all the knots/bumpy edges you needed to add along the edge. So I unpicked it and continued my sock journey of  'improving each time.' These fit snug, though due to a difference in stitches picked up around the heel, one sock had a different finish point for decreasing. When I tried to match the row count for the feet length instead of  a measurement... it was completely too short! Cue another unpick session. Each time I knit socks, they are a better fit. I feel like I can get it right next time... I hope. Pattern on Winwick Mum's blog - Sockalong tutorial. 

I have a few projects on my needles at the moment, so I need to finish those first before I tackle another pair of socks. 

A) Knit a Helicopter - WI competition for May

B) Rainbow Cardigan - WI craft group - charity request

C) Vest - Fish & Chip jumper/vest

When I've finished these, then I can start another pair of socks, another washcloth and finish a Jacket/Cardigan. 

What are you making at the moment? 

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Cookery Challenge - 'Five on Friday'

Hello there, I'm just back from the WI (Women's Institute). I'm very pleased to have won 1st place with my Robin WYS Socks... photo on the side panel. The pattern is from Winwick Mum's tutorial on her blog here. Each month the WI have a competition, April was to knit a pair of socks. There's also a flower of the month too, you bring in a flower from the garden. The best are awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd. These two items each month gain you points that are totted up at the end of the year, for the March AGM. The competition for May is to knit a Helicopter in the Lincs & Notts air ambulance colours... watch this space ha ha. 

I've challenged myself to cook more the last few weeks. I've tried new things from 2 x cookery books, a youtube channel that I follow and a lady called Karen's blog. 

First: These are called 'Ears', I found these on a Youtube video by 'Bayley Made It' I subscribe to her channel, she used to do minimalism but now does a bit of that plus knitting, makes and buys etc. I took these for the shared supper at March's WI, this finishes off the evening whilst the raffle is called and you get chance to chat more over a cuppa or glass of wine. The competition is announced during the supper too. 

To make the Ears, you'll need a sheet of puff pastry. Sprinkle finely chopped onion, grated cheese and 2 slices of finely chopped bacon. Roll it tight on the long edge. Cut the rolled pastry in half, then each half cut in half... repeat until you have 16 ear shapes. Lay them on a baking sheet and cook as sausage rolls. These are perfect with soups or buffets.   

Second: Tonight's dinner was a Salmon loaf, very easy though I cooked 2 salmon fillets rather than tinned salmon. As the salmon was cooked, flaked and hot mixed with the hot mashed potatoes and all the other ingredients, I baked it for just 30 minutes. It was delicious, I'd definitely make it again. 

Third: Baked some bread with 750g bread flour, 2 x tsp salt, 25g marg or lard, 1 sachet fast action dried yeast, 3/4 pint water. 
Next time I'd only use 1 tsp salt as it was salty tasting. I used butter as I have low fat spread (not suitable for cooking). 
The method that I use is in the Kenwood big bowl mixer with the dough hook. Mix on slow for 2 mins, then 5 mins on a faster speed. Then flatten on a floured worktop, fold the ends in to make 3 layers. Place in greased or lined tin, cover and leave to rise - double in size. Conveniently the slow cooker had finished cooking our dinner of Spaghetti Bolognaise, so I took the crock pot out, put and small china dish inside and stood the covered loaf tin on the dish inside. The heat helped the rise without being too hot. It took an hour to rise and 35 mins to bake, 220*c approx.
Recipe from McDougalls Better Baking cook book. 

Fourth: I call this Strawberry Fluff, the recipe is here. It only has 2 ingredients, a red jelly packet and a small tin of evaporated milk. Nothing fancy as it's typically a wartime recipe (no I wasn't born then). 
Make up the jelly and chill, when nearly set, whisk the evaporated milk, then combine and whisk. Chill in the fridge and serve. 

Sorry we'd started this and the bread before I snapped the photo!

Fifth: Easter nests, or one big nest as bizarrely I didn't have any cup cases left. Since not eating eggs, I've cleared out lots from my cupboards, including the cup cases! So one big nest it is! Cadbury's chocolate bar 200g (a Easter present from a customer), cornflakes and a packet of mini eggs. Melt the chocolate and stir in cornflakes in batches, checking they are all coated in chocolate. Press down gently in the cake tin liner, adding the mini eggs. Place in the fridge until needed. 

So on a high note of winning first prize for my knitted socks, I wish you a lovely weekend. Let me know if you are inspired to try any of these recipes.
Cathy x

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