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