My son and I were to have gone on a bat walk last night, we had been looking forward to it for some time but by six yesterday day evening we were both so tired that we decided not to go. The bat walk was due to start at nine , by seven thirty we were both fast asleep. I woke at twelve thirty and not realising that my son was asleep knocked on his door and unfortunately woke him.
I was worried about Pa because I never go to sleep unlit he is bathed and safe for the night,I need not have been concerned, he had got himself ready for bed and all was well. I made us all a hot drink and then went back to bed full expecting that I would not sleep again but fell asleep almost immediately,I did not wake until seven in the morning.
I cannot say why we were both so exhausted but that good long sleep did the trick and this morning we both felt better. We chatted over our morning coffee and I went on line to order a him shirt while he was around to choose the colour he liked.
In the middle of the oven saga I have to report that yesterday evening the washing machine conked out, it has been quite a week as my food mixer gave up the ghost a few days ago My Grandmother always said that things went in threes so I am hoping this third breakdown will be the last for a time. The repair man is coming tomorrow and since the washing machine does not belong to the estate I shall be able to have it repaired properly thank providence.
The garden smelled sweet after last nights rain and I sniffed and sniffed when I went into the orchard after breakfast, the wind had brought down a few leaves and seeds and there was the unmistakable spicy smell of Autumn redolent of spiced apple pie.
During the last week I have begun to harvest the pumpkins and so far Two large crown prince and two pretty winter festival squashes are decorating my kitchen. The tomato harvest is in full swing and every day I pick a bowl full, cherry tomatoes in red and yellow, huge plum tomatoes, tiny pink ones, large red ones and some wonderfully sweet large yellow tomatoes that taste like a mouthful of sunshine. I have in the green house a large pot of Greek basil and I use this to make Pa's favourite tomato dish,
FRESH TOMATO SALAD.
6 large tomatoes
A good hand full of basil
half a cup of olive oil
salt and pepper.
Slice the tomatoes in to a bowl and add the chopped basil. Sprinkle on half a teaspoon of sea salt, cover and leave for fifteen minutes then add the olive oil and season with as much pepper as you like. If you make this an hour or two before you need to use it you will have a lovely dish of tomato salad and also a really nice dressing, two for the price of one.
I had some ironing to do but after that I did a little prep for dinner and then out again in to the garden where the air was cool and fresh, I picked a large bunch of sweet peas all in shades of purple and put them in to four small vases in Pa's room, he loves sweet peas and I I grow them for him each year. Damsons are ripe and I picked six pounds of these to make our delectable damson chutney,thank goodness that the cooker rings still work. Although with the oven out of action sterilising the jars is difficult.
Later in the afternoon the heavens opened and the rains came, one moment I was picking ripe damsons on and idyllic Sunday afternoon the next moment the cat and I were marooned in the greenhouse while the storm raged around us, Twiggy was most seriously displeased as she was very wet, poor love. During a lull I grabbed the cat and leaving the bucket of damsons in the greenhouse I managed to get the pair of us indoors before and even heavier shower made the gutters overflow and the ground appear to boil. We went upstairs,I to find a dry shirt and the cat to roost on the furry rug in my room,poor old puss, how she hates to get wet.
Without the use of an oven I am having to get very inventive about the cooking. We have not been able to cook a roast dinner for over two weeks and are all getting bored with Pasta and stir fry.
To day I took three large pork chops and browned then added a can of cider, a tablespoon of apple and thyme jelly and then covered the pan and simmered gently for twenty minutes,. I served the chops and the delicious onion gravy with mashed potatoes, runner beans and carrot and courgettes strips which I tossed in a little hot oil for about three minutes. I made some apple sauce and as the boys both like stuffing with their pork I mixed together equal parts of suet, bread crumbs a and flour with some chopped sage and thyme, salt and pepper and a little of the fried onion saved when I made the pork dish. Ten minutes in a pan of simmering water was all the cooking they required. The meal was well received, not quite a Sunday roast but almost.
Looking back over the weeks blogs I feel that I am in danger of becoming rather strident and yet when I began I promised myself that my blogs would be a truthful representation of my daily doings and of things that were important to me and which had an effect upon my life. I little thought when I began that just over a year down the line that I would be fighting on all fronts for the survival of our village, our garden and our whole way of life. Nor did I expect to be writing about the shiftless doings in the world of my sons work , yet all these things have coloured my life and therefore I shall continue to document these events,hoping that in the not too far distant future I can return to more peaceful pursuits than constantly trying to prove that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword!
What next? Who can say? My e mail to His Lordship goes off tonight and that will certainly set the cat among the pigeons. The Estate should by now be aware of our objection to their plans for the garden which will set the ferret among the rabbits and the Estate manager will have to answer for the list of untruths on the planning application so that will set the fox among the chickens. What a pity I do not have an oven in which to cook all this game.....one way or another before I am done I shall with any luck have cooked someone's goose!
No comments:
Post a Comment