Experimenting

Like many of you I watched the Festival of Rememberance coverage on Saturday evening. I’m afraid it has left me feeling a little out of sorts. My father fought at the battle of Monte Casino and coupled with losing him in the month of November old memories have surfaced. The video coverage of the battle brought home the realities of what so many suffered through and I know the nightmares never left Dad, not just of that battle, however he always maintained that his Italian campaign medal was the one he fought hardest for.

Luckily we finally have a few rays of sun here in Devon, so on the days I am not working I am making sure to spend some time out of doors. I was up early this morning and am more than halfway through my to do list so later I hope to take a quick stroll up the nearby lane.

On Sunday we headed out to youngest daughters for tea, we were not the only guests so for the first time ever I made some doughnuts…strawberry sauce and Holland cream were the fillings…

I weighed each dough portion into 60 grams, instead of the 100 grams the recipe called for, they were plenty big enough, and despite a piping bag disaster I was pretty pleased with them for a first attempt.

The Holland cream recipe made loads and I decided to go for the full amount as apparently it freezes well. Later today I shall see as earlier I made some rich sweet pastry and will be making an attempt at creating some pineapple cream tarts as I believe the Holland cream should go well in them. With a little luck the kitchen won’t end up in quite such a sticky mess as it did on Sunday…when left too long before sieving it strawberry sauce tends to set! Burst piping bags full of cream leave quite a clean up operation too.

Hopefully some will make it to my colleagues at work tomorrow, they would have liked the doughnuts but there’s no way I could make them before work and they don’t fare well overnight!

Right cup of tea finished, time to get back to the list!

Blessings, J. x

A Catch Up Of Sorts

Well well well…

How time has flown once again. For those interested my scarf came second in the knitting competition. It has also caused quite a stir. In all honesty, and not wanting to blow my own trumpet it should have won. What did win had the possibility of not warranting being placed, however the judge is sister to a friend of ours and is suffering from dementia. She has judged the handicrafts for several years. Sadly it appears she gets in a bit of a muddle and possibly recognises a name and puts that first in all classes. Oh dear. it doesn’t really bother me, but it is beginning to look rather strange and I just hope nobody decides to complain to her.

Anyway, other people I know have broached the situation with our friend, who of course is worried about her sister. 

We have celebrated with several of our friends last weekend who joined with us in welcoming the recent Mr. & Mrs. to Devon(Our son and daughter in law). It having been an away wedding was not conducive to inviting people just to the evening do.  Been rather busy, and we’re currently eating up leftovers. 

A day off today has been filled to the brim with computer accounting catch uping!

The washing machine we use to wash the really grotty boiler suits gave up the ghost and so our inside machine has been moved to the pig house to step into the role and a new one has been delivered this afternoon. Currently doing its first load. I hope it becomes a long standing member of the family!

The other week I took eldest grandson to the local pottery for his birthday treat. The scene has been painted and is currently in the kiln!

Hubby on that same day managed to have rather a nasty accident. He was up in the handler bucket cutting a branch when it flipped back and caught his foot. Somehow another branch then took him out the bucket. Luckily he managed to throw the chainsaw away, however there was only four year old second grandson with him watching from the cab. he climbed out and asked if Grumpy was going to get up then asked where his phone was. Poor little chap idolises his Grumpy and it really scared him. It really scared hubby too, he admitted a few days later he thought he’d lost his foot.

We think his foot was fractured however he did not go for an xray. His outer ankle is being dressed every few days by me, luckily I have access to specialist dressings from work, as his wound went slightly  narcotic. I also managed to measure him for some light compression that was safe to apply without having a Doppler.

Anyway, apologies for being absent from your blogs for a while, I hope to soon be back!

Blessings J. x

And Done!

 

All done!

Resting A While

So the weather has resumed its continuation of rain, rain, and more rain, just as it has been for much of this whole year. It just so happens to be the week I chose to take off from work. Big sigh…though I’m not sure quite what I would have got up to if it had been gloriously sunny. My energy has deserted me since falling foul of a nasty virus last week. Little steps I keep reminding myself as I wheeze my way through tasks. I’ve started taking my inhalers again, though the preventative one takes two weeks to get fully working and the instant Ventolin leaves me feeling like a wreck.

Hey ho as they say. With feet currently up and having just finished a cup of tea life can’t be all bad.

I need to complete the scarf I’ve been knitting as it is to be entered in a local show at the weekend. A lovely pattern I thought as I popped it into my Etsy basket, however upon printing it out on ten pages, yes ten, I began to realise its complexity. Should have been wary of the name…Everest! Anyway I now just need to weave in the ends and double graft the two halves together…oh my!

Most of the stitches are twisted…which made for fun taking back if I noticed an error. Something a little different anyway.

I have taken to getting a weekly delivery of groceries, and at the moment have been very pleased with how it’s gone. My first job of this week was tidy the pantry cupboard, a big tick, but I still need to defrost the two chest freezers and they’re in the old pig house so maybe not a job for this weather.

Any ideas as to what I can cook for tea, after two nights of chicken curry which was lovely my brain seems rather depleted on ideas. Knowing hubby will be out a night or two preparing for the weekend’s ploughing match has rather taken my mind off the what to have problem. That and a slightly wooly head.

Autumn has now well and truly begun, logs are in the storage shed and stacked in the rack in the passage…there are also the ones in the fireplace and yesterday was a day for lighting the fire after dinner.  Looking out at the rain, today could well end in the same hue!

I need to make a coffee sponge and some ginger biscuits for classes at the show too, so maybe this afternoon I will float off into my happy place and flick through a recipe book or two.

Looking forward to catching up on your blogs soon.

Blessings, J. x

It Was The Chocolate That Did It

Several weeks ago, when the sun was shining brightly in the sky I had an idea, which in hindsight turns out maybe not to have been a very good idea, however it was an idea all the same so I’ll tell you about it. Whilst shopping for our of course exceptionally healthy trolley of food I trundled up the confectionery isle and paused…for a little too long as it transpired…indeed long enough to get stirrings of want and need for chocolate. Now we all know that bars of melted chocolate are both messy and unappealing, so lightbulb moment of put chocolate in fridge occurred…and may I tell you how delicious that cold hard chocolate was to bite into…it was scrumptious…but then…I began feeling that all was not well in the area where I have had root canal work done..not really painful but wrong, and uncomfortable to chew on that side, eventually getting a funny taste too. In my head I decided that it would settle down, but oh no, settle down it most certainly did not, and so today on my lovely day off I found myself laying beyond flat in the dentist’s chair having all the filling removed and temporarily replaced. By temporary I thought a week or two, but no, temporary in this instance is six months, then if all is well I can have a crown fitted. So guess what I’ve had for lunch…no not crackers and cheese, but pasta and sauce. Am I allowed to be feeling a mite sorry for myself? That injection he gave me was horrible, and I didn’t even squeal. I did ask to sit up to spit all the old filling out repeatedly, as for some reason it kept settling under my tongue, and then one piece landed right at the back of my tongue. Not the most pleasant sensation.

Anyway I consoled myself with a trip to the garden section of a local sell everything shop and have come away with lots of mini cyclamen and some more miniature daffodil bulbs. I’ve rather given up on the taller varieties of daffodil, as we always seem to get such ferocious winds just as they come into their own, and in my humble opinion daffodils with broken stems do nothing to improve the beauty of the garden.

Having hung out the third load of washing on returning home today I had intended taking my lunch up in the garden, so was rather disappointed when reaching the back door, laden tray in hands only to be greeted by an overcast sky and feel the wind had picked up too. Maybe good for the washing, but not I feel for me, especially me with tender mouth!

Anyway I have more to do with my afternoon than idle it away upon the swing seat, even if it was more pleasant than it is outside, the inevitable paperwork always haunts me, and I have a new baby…not of the living kind, but an electric piano..well weighted keyboard to be precise, and am working my way through an online piano course. We had an old piano when I was young, yes I really was young once, eventually said piano was relegated to the garage, however I still enjoyed tapping away in a totally untrained fashion upon it. Then eldest daughter started learning the piano around age ten and we had a keyboard, progressing to a piano. However the piano was wooden framed and eventually we could find nobody to tune it. Eventually we said goodbye to it and later on the keyboard. Having had just a few lessons myself just before the foot and mouth outbreak I had to stop when we were forced to stay at home being farming folk and basically never took it up again, until now that is. I know I’m never going to be a great pianist, but I’d like to be able to bash out a tune or two and amuse myself. Middle grandson is also interested so daughter is relearning herself to then teach him. When Grandma is at work!

Well, it’s keeping me amused anyway, and hubby has been really really busy lately, sigh, though the job he’s doing is a good one, it’s taken some sticking as he’s trying to keep his regulars happy in the evenings and at weekends, leaving not a lot of us time…so the piano is my friend indeed.

Right, despite the weather forecast promising a dry day it looks as if the heavens could open at any moment so I’m off to pick in my pegged out!

Blessings, J. X

Rolling Down The Hill

Well rolling down the hill is just what life feels like right now…and it’s getting faster, sometimes scarier and hopefully with much laughter and love along the way.

Work continues to dominate, though in fact I now only do three days a week however these have been coupled with a few bouts of extra training as I have started my new role within the NHS plus our personal business paperwork so there has been much to keep me out of mischief.

Happily our honeysuckle repeat flowered so what I feared was a case of missing the boat in fact has become more opportunity to make honeysuckle cordial which I must say last Winter was the only thing that managed to quell hubbys cough! Quite a relief for both of us as it was disturbing both of our sleep.

I am looking forward in a few weeks to having a week off too, though I shall be happy to be home and begin the task of cosying up…you know what I mean…kind of an Autumn clean, thicker throws, fresh washed windows, de-cobwebbing the beams, and this cottage has rather a lot of both webs and beams at the moment!

Our day dawned wet this morning and was much slower to improve than anticipated, however now the sun is shining, though it looks rather blustery. Good enough for the entire washing line to be used up and I must  away up the garden path shortly to pick the next load of peas, beans and tomatoes. Of course after that comes the processing of said harvest! But that will be another story.

And I forgot to mention the carrots…we weren’t even sure they could have been of this Earth!

Blessings, J. x

The Air

Saturday…

And so once more the skies have changed to their post Summer Solstice hues…the feel is different…Autumn is but a few breaths away. Even shadows appear slightly changed.

Last evening my energy levels crashed to zero as soon as I made it through our cottage door. I just lay on the sofa for a good hour or more, and barely had the energy to drink a cup of tea. It has been an exceptionally busy week with training on top of my normal workload. It will be worth it , but my, the combination of the heat of the week, learning and physical work certainly depleted my store of energy. Hence today having been a very steady one. There is washing on the line, dishes are done and downstairs has been hoovered…but that is it. A simple stir fry for tea is the plan, I really haven’t felt this tired for a very long time. Some Olympic action has been on the telly and wow how do those dressage horses do what they do.They were so beautiful to watch.

Someone in the village is sawing wood, a sound I associate with the changing seasons and much loved from my childhood, and adulthood come to that!

The grandchildren next door have been interested in WW2 rationing for some time…we gave them a simplified reason why this was necessary, appropriate for their age and they each have a ration book and have to get things marked off from Mummy’s kitchen. An orange or banana is allowed but only one piece of fruit not from our locality allowed per day. They normally hoover up the fruit bowl so Mummy has purchased a large pack of British apples to supplement their appetites. God willing they never have to experience anything like this out of necessity. However we all feel it is a really good exercise in realising what foods are not from our country and so take more resources to reach us. I’m considering that Grandma and Grumpy should do something similar soon.

Sunday…

A trip out today with picnic lunch and browse around a very large car boot sale at Stratton…followed by a memorable family birthday party. I found a couple of pieces to squirrel away for later in the year and hubby was happy finding a few tool bits and pieces.

Monday…

Basically get ready for the working week!

Blessings, J. X

Of Blackcurants and Honeysuckle

And so here is Summer, fierce sun beating down upon us for a few days, after which who knows what.

I am grateful for its strength in drying several loads of washing both yesterday and today, and also creating energy via our panels. We need such days in order to build up credits for our energy use later in the year when the Aga goes back on.

Summer may have arrived, but it looks as if Autumn is only just around the corner, already several leaves have yellowed and fallen from our fruit trees especially. The air has changed, and our bedroom windows have condensation on them first thing in the mornings.

It has been lovely to at last have a weekend catching up on jobs at home. Our son married his fiance just over a week ago. This took place many miles further North so there was a fair bit of to-ing and fro-ing to help get things ready.

All went well with the wedding and it was good to catch up with family we don’t often get to see now we have spread far and wide.

I fear I almost left making honeysuckle cordial too late this year, and only managed to gather enough flowers for a very small amount.

Son in law gave me some blackcurrants the other day, and I finally managed to make some jelly with them. Not very posh jelly mind, though I tried dispersing the scum with a knob of butter, much remained and not wanting to waste anything it has all been put in the jars!

All’s well that ends well as they say, however shortly after the first photo I went outside to hang out some washing, and came in to find the blackcurrants had boiled over. EVERYWHERE!!

So until next time,

Blessings, J. X

About Time

This poor neglected space must be feeling rather left out of my life recently…I am still here…still flitting from this to that…Not sure if anything majorly exciting has happened…I have been working three shifts a week in a local hospital clinic and last Friday had a successful interview to make it a permanent thing. Need to jump through a few hoops, one being occupational health screening which always love to phone me up! Declaring you’ve had Long Covid and a few other bits and bobs in the past gets you a phone call. Hopefully as I’ve already been doing the job for nigh on five months without any sickness things should be promising. 

The grandchildren are all growing like weeds. And wonderful news is that youngest is expecting. After a couple miscarriages, the first being really traumatic, she has reached what is generally termed a safer time for pregnancies to succeed. So baby is due the week running up to Christmas…oh my I do hope it’s not a snowy time this year!

I ‘treated’ myself to a push manual grass mower a few weeks ago…hubby was using the strimmer, and what a mess that was making, also managing to damage some of the bark on one or two fruit trees. So I have taken charge!!

Oh, we had solar panels and batteries installed a couple of weeks ago. We are really pleased with it all so far, but are a long way from making the cost of the system pay!

I’ve just gone to upload some photos of the garden and well I haven’t taken any recently, life has just been so full on…good but full. So until next time,

Blessings, J. x

Lots to Tell

 I hope you are sitting comfortably...for I have some wonderful news to impart...We have become grandparents for the fourth time...Eldest daughter delivered another truly bouncing baby boy last Sunday evening. Wonderful timing as the two elder boys were able to come to us part way through the afternoon and stayed for a sleepover. At teatime when they asked where Mummy & Daddy had gone we told them as it was such a beautiful evening they had gone for a drive. After the boys had gone to bed we heard of the safe arrival and in the morning Daddy came round to help get the eldest ready for school. Mummy was apparently having a lie in after her late night so they continued to stay at ours so as not to wake her...what a surprise they had when Mummy FaceTimed them from the hospital at 7:30 and showed them their new baby brother. 

By teatime the family was all together in their cosy cottage. The third time Mummy was tired but happy and the older boys had met their young sibling. Not a small baby, he was just shy of 9lb 11oz. Mummy has been resting!

Our weather has been a truly mixed bag this week. Monday was lovely and I spent it outdoors doing our business paperwork. For the rest of the week we've had some showers, downpours, & drizzle mixed in with some blustery sunshine. Washing has dried mostly on the line.

The garden has continued to bloom. I wish we were forecast a better day tomorrow so I could relax outside in it, but alas it seems that is not to be.

Love it when this beauty flowers each year...

One of our window boxes, performing well...

The lilacs have now mostly gone over...

And in less than a blink of an eye May is almost over...life has been busy but good. Long may it continue.

Blessings, J. x

Mayday

Well folks, I've taken the plunge this morning and turned off the Aga...so now our small HYSapentia oven sits on the hot plate on the side of said Aga. Not sure my decision is really the correct one, however only time will tell us. It was rather stuffy in here this morning and I absolutely refuse to open a window due to it being too hot whilst the Aga is on. 

Having done that though I anticipate lighting the woodturner in the living room sometime later today. I do hope we will be able to give the Aga a good rest though as much as I love baking and cooking in and on it, being all electric it is rather an expensive hobby to have.

Bedding is flapping outside on the washing line, though not sure for how much longer, we started the morning with glorious sunshine, but now things have clouded considerably.

I feel a little con fuddled truth be told. Having worked mainly three shifts out of the home for several weeks, and one four day stint, I've been feeling rather bereft at only having two this week. I know, I just can't win. Think I'm happier being rather busy, though the balance between happiness and exhaustion is not that great a gap.

The weather hasn't been really conducive to taking pictures around the garden, but this snap is from when I started planting up some tubs a few weeks ago. They are now out and about taking their chances in our delightful English weather.

Blessings, J. x

Fast Is April Passing

Well dear reader, I know we still have some days left in the month of April, but I'm not really sure how we have made it to this date already.

Most of our daffodils have passed, and even the tulips are beginning to hang their petaled heads.

We have just had a lovely weekend almost full of sunshine, though with a wind which definitely had chips of ice in her fingers.

We are still glad to light the woodturner in the evenings. It's such a welcome comfort. After a busy day of work it's bliss to raise ones feet and wiggle toes in front of the warm glow.

Today I have tasked myself with making chicken stock from a couple of fowl cooked at the weekend for curry when we had several visitors.

A quiche is in the Aga...after work yesterday evening I spied the parsley looking rather lovely and full of vitamins. Needless to say hubby was pleased with my decision to make some pastry in readiness for today.

Eldest daughter is still travelling, with two weeks to her due date she is finding doing much rather awkward, however earlier I heard her mention window cleaning!

Today the weather appears to be very much a mixed bag...earlier it was glorious, then just as my first load of bedding finished washing it began to drizzle. I do still allow myself to use the tumble dryer for bedding so popped it in. The drizzle passed until just now when I hung out some boiler suits. I'm afraid they will just have to take their chance on the line.

Having purchased a dress for our sons forthcoming wedding I have been trying to lose a few pounds in order to feel more comfortable and able to eat at the event! You know the thing...the dress will do up...just...despite eating salads most days my weight has stayed resolutely the same. I do feel as though I may be carrying some excess water. My rings are giving me the clue, and my pelvis has been painful. Good old inflammation and hyper mobility.

Later I really need a bookwork session. Don't want to be getting too far behind with it. The old saying it's easier to keep up than catch up is very true.

One rather insignificant and totally unedited photo of some rose hips I pruned at the weekend, and a few narcissus rescued from one of our front of cottage tubs.

Until next time,

Blessings, J. x

B G...Before Gravy

Happy Easter everyone...Hope you are all in fine fettle! First lighter evening later so that in itself is something to celebrate. Rather hectic here at Little Winter...so just a quick glimpse of our Easter table...before the hoards arrive and generally make a mess of the white cloth!

Blessings, J. x

A Little of Lots

Yesterday afternoon I had a feeling something was amiss...my mouth didn't feel quite right...and this morning I have woken with an amazingly sore sore throat. It is what I term a lumpy sore throat, as opposed to a scratchy or sharp one...so I have some hope it will diminish once I've consumed some soothing liquid. Well I can hope anyway. My first cup of tea hasn't made any difference, but I let it get too cold I fear. The next stop will be coffee, and if that doesn't work an Oxo cube just might.

I had earmarked today as grocery shopping day, my working week being slightly different this week to last.

The morning dawned beautifully, and was full of sunshine, but now it is once more grey and raining. Thick mizzley rain.

...

Having returned from shopping at the moment the sun has made a welcome reappearance. I've popped the carcasses from three fat sparrows in with a concoction of other things to simmer for stock. Also on the go is some dough for hot cross buns, though I'm not inclined to make the crosses on them today. Hopefully my mixture will make more for our money than buying them would have.

...

Unglazed, with one tiddler, and one that caught on the Aga side making it misshapen, oh and minus one that landed...

                                                                               Right here!

It was delicious, and will have probably given me indigestion as it was not long out of the oven!

Blessings, J. x

Ready for Spring

So this morning I have finally taken down our Winter fireplace decoration.

Just breathing in some of the beauty!

 Yes, this will do nicely for Spring...

Currently pouring down with rain here and I willingly booked myself into an afternoon/evening shift at the care home. Thank goodness for my waterproof coat. Especially as hubby now tells me that all three Six Nations matches are today. Ah well...

Blessings, J. x

Choosing the Cheaper Option

Well good folks, I have recently returned from a local grocery store, now much lighter of pocket and ready to menu plan for the week ahead.

Whilst perusing the shelves and counters I spied some lovely joints of lamb, which would make us an ideal Sunday lunch, my hand even reached out to pick up one of these delights, after all Spring is in the air and so thoughts can often turn to considering lamb as an option. But I stopped myself, and pushing my trolley a little farther down the aisle happened upon some chicken, well they are calling them chicken, however I would label them plump sparrows. 

So I have duly returned to the nest with a plump sparrow, intended for Sunday lunch with all the trimmings including bread sauce. We shall need all the trimmings as there will not be a lot to go around, it's almost certain that the family next door will have their knees under  Grandmas table! I also happened upon some reduced packets of chicken wings. I shall cook some tonight and need to look up some sticky sauce recipes. 

Also jumping into the trolley were some reduced in price mushrooms...either fried or done as garlic mushrooms these will accompany the wings, along with mini corn on the cob.

I have recently been lucky in gaining some clinical work closer to home than the big hospital. It is a lot of learning at an age where my brain doesn't retain new information as readily as it used to, however the team are wonderful, and the hours allow me to have a life as well as work which is a real godsend. Long may these shifts continue!

The Spring Equinox is nearly upon us once more. I have allowed myself to order a new artificial flower garland for our main mantle beam, and a Spring-like wreath for the door. The older parts of our cottage are reasonably dark and so brightening up some of the space with pretty things really helps.

Really looking forward to this arriving!

And this has just been delivered, literally and is still in it's box!

So I shall admire the beauty whilst eating my cheaper chicken...and maybe some lamb will make it to our table for Easter. I don't mind paying for quality food, and would rather have less and it be better quality, however today I couldn't justify the price asked for just one meal of meat.

We have come once more to the time of year I find especially difficult, that being the anniversary of the passing of my Mother. It may be 21 years ago, but in some ways it gets harder not easier. So many things I want to tell her. What our children and now grandchildren are doing. After me being rather poorly in January our youngest then suffered another loss and it is taking me some time to come to terms with everything. It wasn't quite as dramatic as the last time, however I am her Mother and as such worry a lot about these things. All the if's buts and maybes, along with wondering how things will transpire in the future. I guess it's all part of life, just not my favourite part.

Blessings, J. x

After A Rough Night

Good afternoon dear reader, and what a day it has been. Many times I awoke in the night to hear the wind and showers beating ferociously against the cottage. I should have just given up on sleep and gone downstairs to seek solace in a cup of tea, instead I duly tossed and turned. Just when it was time to load the boys into the car in order to get them to school this morning the heavens opened and pelted me with cold stinging hailstones. The temperature has ranged from 3 - 5 degrees, with a wind chill bringing it down to around 2. 

Happily I have spent much of the day nestled close to the fire inside our home. It has made the atrocious weather almost bearable, that and making a Victoria Sandwich, which has yet to be sandwiched together with homemade jam.

Hubby came home at lunchtime for a warm up...can't say I blame him, in fact he should soon be returning for his evening meal so I suppose I should really be starting its preparation.

Glad to say that I took the opportunity earlier in the week on a dry morning to head out for a quick woodland walk. There were a few signs of spring, but it is being rather shy in these parts just yet.

Well, with food to attend to I must bid you adieu.

Blessings, J. x

Living Slower

Since being so poorly not long into the New Year I have been making a conscious effort to keep out of the fast lane so to speak. Nobody is going to come and steal the housework if it doesn't all get done. I've found myself sitting by the fire and resting more than normal. Lists have been made, but each item on the list needs to earn its place there and not just fill a space and time. Work shifts have been declined. (Politely) I'm always professing to everyone else they must take care of themselves, particularly after a period of illness...but have rarely heeded those words myself...To my utter detriment.

So on this rainy Saturday I've pottered, then sat and rested a while. I have made a quiche for hubby to take with him this evening to a local skittle evening his team have entered. There was a request for contributions for a bring and share supper. He asked for a quiche. And please could I cut it into small slices...whether he's thinking there will be a little left over I have no idea! I have pastry left so intend to make another tomorrow anyway.

The cake tins were empty so this afternoon I put together a coffee and walnut cake. And that has just about been it.

By the way...I shamelessly licked the bowl out!

I'm keeping our tea simple and we are having garlic mushrooms (we had leftover beef stew for lunch). 

Tomorrow we will be celebrating youngest grandsons birthday...thinking a rocket cake will be part of the goings on.

Blessings, J. x

Love In The Air

Good day to you all, After the fun of Shrove Tuesday and the inevitable pancake eating yesterday I hope you are treated well today, and feel loved. I am going to try to post a video, though never before having had success, if it doesn't work I'll just direct you to somewhere you may listen to a very talented singer whom we recently came across. Actually we came across his proud father but that's another story!

May I present to you...Leighton John...you can find him on Spotify

Well hopefully the video will play, however I'm not sure if the video is showing to it's best. I took it with the camera on its side, and then rotated the subject after. Shame if it doesn't turn out quite as expected, however if it shows up at all I'll consider it a minor achievement as I've never successfully uploaded any video previously.

Until next time,

Blessings, J. x

The Day The Music Died

Rest in piece Steve Wright. 

1954-2024

Such a large part of my life these past years listening to the radio. Shocked as many of you will be.

Blessings, J. x

Nothing Much

Dear Reader,

I do hope this finds you in both fine and hearty spirits. Many people close to us have been suffering with various ailments, from the sniffles to Covid...yes the beast remains at large, though thankfully now a much more relaxed attitude to it is the norm. However, old habits die hard and so as it's made its way to the care home I work in I find myself donning a mask if I need to see anyone I know to be vulnerable. My cold has largely run it's course and I really really hope not to pick up anything else I could so do without.

I am intending to have a be kind to myself sort of day. Making no promises of what I should like to achieve.  I have however removed quite a layer of dust from various surfaces in both the living room and dining hall. Our Holly & Ivy china has remained up on the dresser since the Midwinter Festivities and with a glimmer of sunshine outside I thought it the ideal time to have a change about to something a little more Springlike.  So far the space has been cleared and cleaned. I'm afraid the lure of a fresh cup of tea rather took my fancy and so I sit here now by the lit woodturner with an empty cup and only a crust remaining from the last of the potato pasty I made for our tea yesterday. Eaten with some homemade harvest chutney it made for a most welcome late Winter early lunch.

February is to be a month of living out of our freezers as much as possible. Therefore no Sunday roast transpired here at Little Winter yesterday, instead  a rather hearty cottage pie served us and the family next door well, with the added bonus of having enough left over for this evenings meal.

Also fresh from the Aga yesterday was a bacon, onion and cheese quiche (of which half remains for tomorrows lunches), a dozen raspberry jam tarts, some nutty flapjack, a lemon meringue pie and last but not least a potato cake.

The potato cake has all been eaten, it is delicious warm or cold with lashings of golden syrup.

I'm not sure if potato cake is a thing where you live, however I am aware that here in Devon the recipe can and does vary from village to village. 

My Mother used cold suet for the fat portion, I have changed that to melted butter. My husbands grandmother used to fry hers, whereas ours always go in the oven.

Potato Cake

Quantity of cold cooked potato

1/2 the weight of the potato in flour (SR or plain)

1/4 the weight of the potato in fat of your choice

A few sultanas

Method

Mash the cold potato and add in the flour and fat. Sprinkle in a few sultanas. Pack into a baking dish. I like to rough up the surface with a fork a little.

Bake in a moderate oven...using an Aga timings can vary so I just have to judge when it it cooked. It should be a light golden brown, roughly 25-30 minutes.

Delicious served warm with lashings of golden syrup.

I have spent some time looking back through my old photos for a picture of some potato cake, but have not had any luck as yet, I guess this means I will have to make some more and be sure to take a snap before it all gets eaten!

Instead I give you a picture of Hairy Harry...recently down from Scotland...the cats are unsure whether to love or hate him! 

So back to doing nothing much by the fire...it is still Winter after all and so very much allowed!

Blessings, J. x

A Winter Warmer

Or so the story said...the reality of an end of January trip to Scotland was rather more blustery and wet, however me and the hubby spent a lovely few days up in the Highlands of Scotland after heading up the long road by coach. It took us fifteen hours with many stops to reach our hotel which in the dead of Winter is quite a long time as getting on in the morning in the dark is a lot easier than watching the sun go down and realising you still have many more hours of road ahead of you. 

We stayed at the Lock Awe Hotel and the first morning awoke to frost which made for a lovely scene.

We travelled to Oban and spent some time there. 

The following day was our trip across Rannoch Moor and onto Glencoe. It was wet and violently windy so no trip up Ben Nevis. We headed on to Glen Nevis and walked a short way to see the falls. before heading into Fort William for some shopping.

The next day we were off to Inverary where we visited the jail which I found rather creepy and was glad to be back outside. After lunch we cruised along a very bleak Loch Lomond. Traveling in the boat the windows unfortunately were very steamed up and despite us trying to wipe them with what we had to hand visibility was at best poor.

Having said that we knew that travelling to Scotland in the Winter was going to be pot luck with the weather, our hotel was lovely and the staff all happy and friendly. We have returned to Devon with wider waistlines and stretched tummies! Maybe next time we'll look to book an Autumn adventure.

So now it's back to reality. Housework does not do itself, nor does anything else so despite having an annoying cold about my person I must get on with something.

Blessings, J. x

Being Positive

It would be easy right now to disappear into a fit of woe me...however I am grateful for the improvements the last week has given me. I can now cut up my own food, and don't need to use a china cup as I can manage to hold a mug. I do sometimes like to use a china cup, but when it became a need it wasn't such fun.

Yesterday I worked a light shift at the care home...was absolutely knackered by the end of it, but it was good to get out for a bit. Also managed to check in on the Auntie I've been helping on Monday morning. No long hospital shifts yet, but soon hopefully. 

So I've lit the woodturner...I can do that again now, which was a no no a couple of weeks ago. The rash has gone, it's just the joint stiffness that's causing a few issues now. It will pass. Just in its own good time.

Have found a couple of pork chops in the freezer so they will be for our tea, a few roast potatoes and some veg I have in the freezer. A part jar of homemade apple sauce is sitting in the fridge needing to be used, and lashings of gravy on the top should see two satisfied tummies. Sorry hubby, but as yet there will be no afters, even if you do look at me hopefully when you ask the question!

Hoping to Wassail our apple trees later with son in law. Not sure if the little ones will join in. I couldn't have even entertained it on twelfth night so it's rather convenient that there's old twelfth night too!

Currently drinking glassfuls of pineapple juice which I don't normally have. Just read that it's good as an anti-inflammatory so maybe it's a case of the body craving what it needs.

The cats are playing games of please may I...come in...go out...crazy cats!

This time of year I usually make plans...well that hasn't happened at all up to now.

We do have a trip away planned soon, but I'll tell you all about that when it's actually happened.

Have been spending some money from the fireside...darn that internet shopping...some wool underwear...and washing liquid to look after said underwear...My skin has become more sensitive to acrylic fabrics so I'm trying some natural alternatives.

Also have purchased a new hair brush...a wooden one. My plastic ones have developed a horrible tackiness which is truly yuck.

Have even purchased a Fussy deodorant which is more natural and refillable. Really pleased with it so far. May even go as far as trying to convert hubby to one from his spray.

Finally a totally random photo of the crackers I made for Christmas...they were rather large!

Blessings, J. x

Tentatively Getting Back in the Saddle of Life

So this afternoon I sit at our kitchen table...listening to some relaxing Don Williams on Spotify, and a small jigsaw just completed. A leg of lamb is sizzling in the Aga...mint sauce has been prepared. Stuffing and root vegetables are roasting. And what is really amazing about this...I have done the lions share of the preparing. Only a few days ago this would have been unthinkable. Our bodies really are wonderful. I still feel stiff in my joints, and am likely to on and off for the next few weeks, still such an improvement. The only sign of the awful rash is some mottling in certain areas. Hallelujah indeed!

The images are from our visit to RHS Rosemoor's Glow event just after Christmas...it was the best I'd seen it.

And so here's to onwards and upwards.

Blessings, J. x

A Journey Of Sorts

Just a quick pop in...apologies for my absence and lack of response to your comments on my last post. I've been in my pit of sickness well and truly.

New Years Eve we spent the evening with good friends. I noticed my neck itching slightly however was wearing a fluffy jumper. New Years Day scratching continued...was it a flea, or bed bugs...

Tuesday morning I was worse...the rash was in my groin, under chest, arm areas and back of head. As I'd recently taken antibiotics I was encouraged to see a nurse, and then a doctor, who decided I had a drug induced yeast infection. Lots of creams, shampoo, and on Wednesday the first of a weeks worth of tablets. The rash which was very itchy had meanwhile spread and I was beginning to feel pretty awful. Within a couple of hours of having taken the tablet my lower lip had swollen. A bit of reading and we were on our way to A & E. Preventative medication given, and a stay to make sure all would be well. We arrived home in the early hours of Thursday morning. Me feeling by now dreadful. Oh and by now they had decided it was not a yeast infection.

Thursday still feeling awful, my eyes and top lip swelled in a most delightful fashion. Aches and shivers stayed with me all the while. Through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the rash did it's best to drive me to distraction, fading to purple bruise like formations, then the next wave of angry red would appear.

Nights were fitful to say the least. On Monday youngest came over and it felt heaven like to have my hair brushed and put up out of the way of my itchy neck. I began to feel slightly better. I even sat up. We had decided I must show some pictures of my rash in its various stages to the doctor. They phoned and said not an antibiotic allergy, but a virus gone wild due to a compromised immune system, which could in part have been due to the antibiotics. However I am also pointing a finger at the varnish stripping gel I had used before Christmas. Anyway...spoke to the doctor at lunchtime, and then to aid my itchy skin I had an oatmeal bath which worked wonders, however my joints started to hurt. I couldn't use my fingers, elbows, wrists or shoulders. Since then it has worked through my knees feet, lower back and even jaw.

For want of better words it has been a blooming nightmare.

Slowly but slowly things seem to be improving. Still haven't come to terms the new year has begun, I fear January may well pass me by in less than favourable terms. 

Hope to look in on your blogs soon, but for now I hope you all have had a better start to 2024 than I have!

Blessings, J. x