Saturday, April 23, 2022

My roots are showing

Around now it's birthdays and feast days, my aunt Kitty, Shakespeare, St George, patron saint of England. So


Yesterday's Misfits arrived early and welcome. 





Prices are up enough that the minimum order is now a weekly, not biweekly event. And some common items are either not available, like yellow onions, or might as well be, like apples, at those prices. Nonetheless we eat okay around here. Thankfully.

The Friday evening salad includes some garlic scapes from the garlic you saw me plant. All the sections are growing, and it's pungent and lovely.  Dressed with a few crumbs of blue cheese. Dessert was blueberries and walnuts, a sprinkle of cane sugar.

Current cookbook to see if there's anything I fancy in here


Often cookbooks have only one or two recipes that interest me,  but good general ideas. I like her fearless slinging together spices and changing old traditional recipes. 

I think I'll try her savory Welsh cakes, and definitely veggie pancakes.  Simple ideas, and the kind you wonder why you didn't think of them yourself. 

Speaking of which, I thought of this in the middle of the night: using some of the sari silk I showed you when I got the cut price sari for the fabric, to line the denim vest. A statement!



It took a few minutes to locate the silk because I was so used to seeing it as a portiere, that I'd forgotten it was meant to be fabric. Duh.  There's still yards hanging in the doorway, saris being very long.

And I'm lining the pockets, too, bespoke touch.

The fence is complete, I put the bird feeder up and just now here's a female red bellied woodpecker breakfasting, yay. 


That cheered me up no end. If the birds can handle it, I can.

Here's one of the latest paintings from  Dave Flitcroft's studio, selling as a benefit for Ukraine.


I love his loose flowing style. He's painted a series of sunflower studies, all fresh and different.

Happy day everyone!





18 comments:

  1. That cookbook reminds me of when Hank was considering writing a cookbook called "One Man, One Pan."
    I still think he should have.
    That fence looks good to me. Except for all the beige, a color that affects me the way pink affects you. Why not a red fence? Or a green one? Oh well.
    Your vest is going to tres chic!

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  2. I know several men who could write One Man, One Can!

    The cat is the official mouser at the English Treasury, a rescue from the Battersea dogs' home which also places cats in high places.

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  3. The fence is too bloody neat. All trimmed in white, no imagination, nowhere to hang or attach anything. To quote my little nephew when a dog was brought home instead of the cat he wanted: " I'll feed him, but I can't love him".

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  4. I like to read cookbooks but like you, seldom find more than one or two recipes I'll actually fix. Love the sari lining idea.

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  5. I love the sound of using the sari silk as a lining for your denim vest. It is a special and luxurious touch!

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  6. The fence does look a little sterile. Perhaps you can hang some things over it, train some vines to grow up it, or - gasp- even drill into it so you can soften it up with plants, etc.

    The sari lining for the vest is such a terrific idea!

    I noticed that you got some Banza pasta. Have you had it before? We have tried the angel hair, which is wonderful and we use it often, and the rigatoni, which we did not enjoy but will finish the package anyway.

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  7. The banza is a first for me. Chickpea pasta. Just thought I'd try it.

    We're very limited in what we can do with the fence. It's common property, no drilling or cutting into it. It's sheer solid and slippery so I'm not sure how vines could climb it without supports. Too narrow to stand pots on it. Shrubs in front will be an answer I think. Anyway it's done and we're finished fighting with the contractors. So there's that.

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  8. I love the sari silk! What a nice touch!

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  9. It must be a relief to have the fence finished! Perfect!

    I love what you are doing with the silk to line the vest. Great recycling there!

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  10. The new fence looks nice! So glad for you that job is finished and you can have peace and quiet while enjoying your back yard and patio.

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  11. Yes, the peace will be welcome. I can learn to live with the fence, I guess.

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  12. I agree with you on the fence. No personality, no familiarity.

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  13. I love the painting. What is your verdict on the pasta???

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  14. Joanne, yes. I'm looking for the good bits, since I'm stuck with it! I'll let you know about the pasta when I try it, e.

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  15. Sari silk and denim - a good marriage I think. As for the fence, I'm sure you will think of work-arounds for the fact that it's not conducive to plantings.

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