Chitchat thread #24

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Another sunny frosty day. Our old neighbour picking up some jigsaws from me today and I'm making sausage rolls so some of them will be in the bag for them as well. Have a good day

[greenishfing]

Good morning all.

It's -3°C and sort of murky at the moment. I can see that the sun is trying in vain to break through though. Everything has got a good covering of frost again. In the shade it hasn't completely disappeared for days.

I've fed the birds already this morning and I must make more bread today as they are eating us out of house and home in the bread department. I also spent a small fortune at the garden centre yesterday on varying bird foods.

Rary, I'm pleased you drew my attention to the "basket blackberries" as it is the birthday of one of my nieces next month and I think she, and her little toddler, will really like that idea of them. I'll see if they are available locally, or failing that, keep my eyes open for a good offer or free postage online from one of the seed companies who inundate me with emails.

Last night was a night of upsetting phone calls. Firstly an old lady rang me. I usually hear from her every few weeks when she needs a good moan. She was really upset, this time she had good reason. Her husband, in his 80s, ended up in hospital just after New Year, with a problem with his hand. Evidently since then he has had two bad falls in there and has now got pneumonia..... on top of cuts, bruises and a useless hand. She is really scared for him. Then another friend rang to say her cataract operation had gone wrong and she was now nearly blind. Nobody seems to have any good news at the moment.

Mr GF is watching James Martin at the moment and is now fancying chicken blanquette. I must admit that James's recipes are usually a success when I make them, more than I can say for Nigella's and Nadiya's. Of course Mr GF is always going to love anything that's full of cream and butter. The last time a doctor queried his diet and I told her that he usually had more than the recommended 5 a day and lots of variety in his diet...... and then everything else he shouldn't have as well, including wine and whisky, she told him it was obviously doing him good and to carry on.

Off to make more coffee now.

[Bren In Pots]

Bren…how are you protecting your greenhouse lettuce from the cold?…is it a winter hardy variety ?

Nicos I grow ‘All year round’ and Arctic king both are winter lettuce, Valmaine does ok in the GH it’s coped with -5c. Then there’s Land Cress that self seeds just where it wants.

I sow at the end of August planting into buckets that stand on the GH borders once the Toms are out.

[bramble]

Good afternoon all
It's raining here now as I speak.
I had a busy day.
My grandson aged 4, was invited to his first birthday party which was being held in one of those play zones/activity centres.
As his mam had a hair appointment she asked me to take him.
He had a great time but I never saw so many children in a play area.
When it was time to go home his trainers were lost, after hunting around for ages we had to admit defeat
Lucky we had the car with us.
Hoping they are found when the place closes this evening.

[greenishfing]

I think Mr GF has managed to talk his little brother, in his 80s, to visit their sister with him when we go this week.....I'll believe it when I see it though.

I got an email from Dunelm, so I've just had a nice relaxing hour online browsing Dunelms sale items and daydreaming about having sets of beautiful matching cookware. Of course eventually common sense took over and I came back down to earth. There is nothing I actually need and I really like most of my mismatched cookware. Some of it is hand me downs and when I grab things I often remember long dead relatives. A lot has come from car boot sales including my beloved Le creuset frying pans. It is all tried and tested, well used, and does it's job.

This morning's murk has now turned into proper fog but the temperature has crept above zero at long last. The soil is still hard as iron and there is still some visible lingering frost. The sun never even managed to peep through today.

An elderly acquaintance/neighbour managed to waylay me earlier when I went out to the car. He'd got a letter from the council with a password etc to go online and claim a shopping voucher. He has no internet access/smartphone/computer or printer and was worried it was either some kind of scam or if it was real he wouldn't be able to claim it. Ten minutes later he was a very, very happy old man when I handed him his printed voucher. I wonder how many old people in his situation lose out due to a lack of technology and fear of scammers.

My chicken is roasting in the oven now and the breadmaker is chugging away merrily too.

[Bren In Pots]

Afternoon

The grounds still frosty here even today sunshine didn't make it disappear.

GF the only matching pans are my cast iron ones I've had for 45 year they've been well used and added to over the years. Most of the others are from the charity shop including a double boiler that I cook my pinhead oats in.

[Florence Fennel]

I've got two thick bottomed pans (pressure cookers minus their tops) that I bought in the Sheffield Rag and Tag open market 50 years ago. I still use them regularly, one for hash and the other for jam

[rary]

Rary, I'm pleased you drew my attention to the "basket blackberries" as it is the birthday of one of my nieces next month and I think she, and her little toddler, will really like that idea of them. I'll see if they are available locally, or failing that, keep my eyes open for a good offer or free postage online from one of the seed companies who inundate me with emails.

GF try gardening direct, I have, seen them advertising thornless basket brambles

[greenishfing]

GF try gardening direct, I have, seen them advertising thornless basket brambles

Thanks, I will.

[mothhawk]

Morning all.
Another frosty one and a bit of a hoar frost too. the birds are already beginning to clear their throats and chirrup. It's so peaceful at this time of day on a Sunday, I feel as if I am the only one awake in the village.

Right, time to get the kettle on, I'm feeling parched. Plenty for everyone, and porridge on the go too, with salt, or cream and honey, whatever your preference

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Bacon, eggs, mushrooms on a sourdough oatcake this morning, next will be filling the slow cooker then a dog walk. Not to sure after that probably sat in front of the fire reading its to cold to be gardening.

Wrap up warm and enjoy your day.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Freezing again. Breakfast on the way. Have a good day

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

ooo…good timing MH
Tea with porridge and honey for me please!…mmm….thank you!

It’s -4C here at the moment. I had a double take at our frost as I thought it had snowed.
The sun is shining and the garden is twinkling. Sooo pretty!

Its clearly another indoor day today although we might go out for a walk around the lanes.
Tis Chinese New Year - the year of the rabbit. Don’t get many of those around here- mostly hares.

Mustn’t let that porridge go cold!….is it your own honey MH?
…tootles off spoon in hand….

Enjoy your day peeps.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Bright blue out there but perishing cold. Would be a lovely day for gardening were it not for the bitter wind. Plenty to keep me occupied indoors for the day, though.

Got a visit to the neighbours planned to deliver bread, but will see if I walk or drive. A couple of weeks back one of the farmers got very badly mauled by hunters' dogs and his own dog was killed by them. Big outcry in the village, but the particular group of hunters to whom the dogs belong seem impervious to criticism and are still going out. Any sound of guns and I'm going in the car even though it's just a ten-minute walk through lovely woodland.

Right, on with the show. Wave if you see the smiles go by. I was still in bed when they set off so have no idea when they left.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Nicos]

Be careful out there snoop…Are there designated hunting days ?
I think that here, new laws have recently been introduced about not hunting under the influence of alcohol Yeh right…who is going to police that in rural areas. Beggars belief that someone could ‘legally’ be inebriated in charge of a rifle.

Really shocked to hear about your neighbour and his dog