Two Little Dickey Birds...

 

Two years ago, on my birthday, Steph, Gaz and the boys sent me a corn plant from Bloom and Wild. It has thrived in the lounge, and doubled in size. I may have to repot it soon. 
It has glossy green leaves, but was looking a bit uninteresting. I decorated the compost with the flowers and cross from Rosie's 2025 Easter garden...

Then when I was in the garage recently, I found something unexpected in ,y bag of silk flowers.  Two cute little orange birds with clips on their undersides. I have popped them onto the corn plant. I think they are fun - I shall wait to see if Jess and Rosie notice them when they next visit.

Blue Planet, Green Planet, Cornerstones Bathroom...

My orchids are spending the winter on the bathroom windowsill [waiting, like Eliza Doolittle, for spring to creep over]

If you look closely, you will see a little person in each pot. Despite his advancing years, Sir David Attenborough gets everywhere. These cute little resin figures were a gift from Julian. "David Attenborough will look after your plants" it said on the box. I thought maybe they were waterers or feeders or something. No, they are just little figures on spikes.

Julian admitted that he too thought they would do more than just stand there...
I'm not sure which one I like best. Top left with the butterfly is sweet. I think top right is a chameleon [but if so why is it still dark green?]  They one with the binoculars is looking for a better orchid, as the leaves on his are going yellow. And the pose with the camera looks a bit formal. I think butterfly wins.

It reminds me of the legend of St Kevin, an Irish monk who lived very close to nature, and all the wild creatures came and lived round his hermitage back in the 6th century
He is said to have been sitting in his monk's cell praying when a blackbird settled on his hand. The bird proceeded to build a nest and lay an egg - and the saint sat perfectly still until the egg had hatched and the mother and fledgling flew away. David Attenborough has been sitting on the bathroom windowsill for at least 8 weeks now, and his butterfly has not moved!
My beloved Auntie Peggy [Julian's Grandmother] almost met him once [that's DA not StK] He came to a bookshop in Romford to sign his latest publication. She spent about 30 minutes plucking up the courage to speak to him, but was so nervous, she never actually got to the front of the queue. I think she always wished she'd been more confident. 
There are a few buds coming on the orchids, so I hope for blossoms before too long.
Do you enjoy DA's programmes?
Which have been your favourites?

NOT Feeling Jaded

The word jade  has three different definitions - A verb, jade,  meaning to wear out, leading to the adjective jaded -  exhausted, lacking enthusiasm, often through being satiated. From the Middle English jade/chade for a worn out horse [and later, disreputable woman

A noun jade from the Spanish piedra de ijada  which means flank-stone. Centuries ago, people believed this lovely green semiprecious stone would cure ailments of the flank or kidney.

The jade plant, crassula ovata. Also known as the money plant or friendship tree. Liz has a very large plant, in summer 21, just before Jess was born, she gave me a small cutting, I put it in a coronation mug . Look at it now, three times the size. I am quite excited by this growth.

Later that year, Liz gave me a small Christmas cactus, to replace a much larger one which I had for years, and which died when we lived in Kirby Muxloe. I know it survived to 2023, as I blogged about it just two years ago. But I think it must have died. I cannot find it anywhere! I may treat myself to a new one.

How are your Christmas Cacti plants coming along?

Do you do the darkness thing, to encourage blooms on cacti and poinsettia?

Do you have any jade jewellery or ornaments?

Thrifty Thursday

 My apple peeler is still at my friend's house. Her family are using it daily and eating more apples than usual. The youngest particular likes the fact that the apples are corked [ie cored!]  So I am back to using my traditional corer and potato peeler.

But last week I saved the bits into a lok'n'lok which I kept in the freezer till it was full. Then I used them to make a true ZeroWaste preserve; "Compost Heap Jelly" This recipe comes from HFW's 9 years ago on Sue's Blog [THIS Sue - there are so many Susan's in Blogland] Thanks Sue

I made four little jars of jelly from the cores and peelings which would normally go into the compost. That's Thrifty Tip #1

I do the initial stage by putting peel etc in a pan, covering with water and bringing to the boil. Then I tip everything into the slow cooker, and simmer for a couple of hours. TT#2

And when I finished, I put the resulting slushy brown purée into the compost anyway! TT#3

You need a jelly bag to drain everything. Spend £10 or more on a metal one from Tala or a red plastic one from Lakeland. I make jelly about once every five years - so I have improvised my own jelly strainer from stuff in the house. No cost! TT#4

Begin with an old, clean teatowel. Place a stool upside down on the worktop, and drape the teatowel over the top, fastening the fabric  securely over each leg with an elastic band. Put a bowl underneath. Let it drip for a minimum of 3 hours.

Do be patient [500ml came through in first hour - but by the evening, it was almost 700ml. Do not be tempted to squeeze or push - that will make your jelly dull and cloudy.

Final kitchen tip is about vinegar bottles. I like my Sarsons 'table' bottle with its sprinkler cap. But that costs five times as much as vinegar in a large bottle with a plain top. Unfortunately the Sarsons cap does not unscrew. The trick is to stand the empty bottle upside down in a jug of boiling water for 5 minutes. Then wrap it in a teatowel and carefully ease off the plastic cap. Refill the bottle and pop the cap on again.

This is such a simple thing and can save you £10 or more per litre! Thats TT#5

And now - totally unrelated - I enjoy flicking through glossy magazines - especially ones relating to recipes, gardening or crafts. But they cost upwards of £5 a time. And I don't want to keep them. But because I belong to Norfolk Libraries, I can download the Libby app free and borrow loads of magazines to read on my tablet or phone. 

A different free magazine every week = £300 a year saved. And not just magazines- there are books and audiobooks too. 

Absolutely brilliant. TT#6

That's half a dozen tips to help you save money this autumn.

Have you got any good moneysaving tips to share?

No Itinerant Musicians, Or Females Of Doubtful Reputation...Only Bob And Me At The Station!

Did you visit anywhere significant during the ten days of HODS? While we were at Anglesey Abbey we met families visiting a National Trust property for the first time, simply because it was free entry there last week. I popped briefly to Bishop Bonner's Museum - but only to drop off some resources for children's crafts to my friend Katie. I had just the one thing on my list this year - The County School Station at North Elmham. 

This huge school, for 300 pupils built by the local rector went up in 1874, to provide an education for 'the sons of Norfolk farmers and artisans'. As the railway line passed close by, a special railway station was erected. Except there was a decline in agriculture, and few boys attended - it was seven years before they had 100 on the roll, and by 1891 there were just 16 boys. It closed in 1895 - and re-opened in 1903, as Watts Naval College - designed as a school to  equip Barnardo's boys to serve in the Royal Navy or Mercantile Marine. The Maths teacher was Lewis Mills, and his son was born here in1908 - [Sir] John Mills, of the acting dynasty. The school closed in 1953, and was demolished- the land returning to agricultural use. All that remains is the County School Station -now part of Mid Norfolk Heritage Railway. And it was due to be open on Sunday as part of HODS. I marked it in the diary. We drove over after lunch [no pudding, we can get a cake in the tea room I said]
We arrived at 1pm, driving down the lane past the "Station Tea Room Open" sign, and parked in an empty car park. Absolutely nobody there!! And a sign saying sorry, tea room was shut. We pootled around a bit.

I was intrigued by that milk churn - on the top it says "North Elmham, then Romford Dairy". I believe the LNER railway ran milk trains from Elmham down to Lucas Dairy [later part of United Dairies] in Romford. I was rather amused by the sign in the window of the Waiting Room

Another would-be-HODS-visitor turned up. He too lamented the lack of tea and cake. We talked about HODS week. He had done the Shoebox Experience, and a talk at the Cathedral. The three of us walked down the path behind the station to the Stationmaster's Orchard. We passed the wartime Anderson Shelter and beautiful flowers and shrubs full of bees and butterflies.

It had been very windy on Saturday night, and there were so many apples lying on the grass under the trees. Bob and the guy were picking up small ones and sampling them. I took half a dozen "Norfolk Beauties" This cooker was developed 200 years ago at North Walsham, close to Blickling Hall, and went into commercial production in 1902.

If I had room for another apple tree in the garden [I don't] I think I would want one of these.

We went home, and I made Bob the cake he was hoping for!

Pants!

According to my Sewing Notes Book, which I have been maintaining diligently since spring last year, I have mended or shortened 12 pairs of trousers/pants in the past month, for friends and family members!
Last week, I watched a NT volunteer diligently repairing a pair of Lord Fairhaven's Underpants!

She is holding them up by the toe. These soft merino wool Long Johns actually have feet attached. They are more like tights than the leggings I'd expected.

I guess that as they were made to measure, the heels and toes would come in the right place. 

So they would fit even better than a pair of Snag Tights! [my go-to choice of hosiery these days] 
People have been very kind in their comments about my previous two posts about our day out - so here are just a few more pictures for you.

The cyclamen walk was charming - the ground was carpeted with small pink and white blooms. It was a peaceful stroll among the flowers, listening to the birdsong. I bought two little plants in the shop - one for myself, and one as a birthday gift for my good friend Christine.

The dahlia border was even more colourful, shades of pink, lilac, red, yellow, white, purple... I considered trying to grow dahlias next year. Each plant was numbered, and there was a list of their names.

"Which was your favourite?" I asked Bob. He said Number 23, I said I liked Number 7. On this photo 7 is top right, 23 bottom left. They are very similar in colour aren't they? I'm glad we have agreed on that. 

7 is "Barbary D'Amour", and 23 is called "J S Dorothy Rose" It seems they are only available from one supplier. I shall have to take advice from others about the best way to grow dahlias [do I need pot tubers, mini plants, or garden ready? and when?] Just a few more pictures to share

The Windsor Guest Suite - isn't the fabric on the bed, curtains and chair amazing? I like those little buildings! The towels in the bathroom were hand embroidered with entwined Fs [for Fairhaven, I guess]

The Dining Room, adjacent to the kitchens, is the oldest part of the Abbey, with the original mediaeval vaulted ceiling. Quite small really, compared to those in other NT houses- but Lordy liked small intimate dinners at home, with close friends. The table usually set for 6 or 8 diners. Note the Victorian tiled floor. The ancient pillars are Purbeck Marble. Note the deterioration at floor level.

Finally, pictures of the different parts of the kitchen, pantry, scullery, butler's room as they were in the 1960s.

The other women who were in the kitchen when I was [all of us OAPs I think] were commenting on the familiar items - Green Beryl cups, Oxo Tins, Canisters of Vim, nutmeg graters, Brillo Pads, Fairy Soap and Prestige pressure cookers... We all said it made us feel old to see these things from our childhood**.

There was an Esse range, plus two regular electric cookers. Note the special feet under that huge table. The cook was Bob's height, and requested it be raised to a comfortable height!

**I still have, and use, some of these!!

That's the end of my review of AA. I hope to go back sometime - maybe in the Snowdrop Season.

Riddle Me This...

 The word riddle has two meanings

1. from Old English rædel  meaning anything which puzzles or perplexes
2. from Middle English ridelle which means sieve

I was genuinely puzzled by the abundant crop of rainbow chard which was flourishing in the Raised Bed when we got back from Steph's. How did it get to be so rich and vibrant so quickly? And how should I cook it? Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries #3 listed a recipe for chard with caramelised onions and sultanas. I checked out the ingredients list - chard, oil, butter, onions, sultanas, lemon zest and pumpkin seeds. I had everything except the seeds.

 

No, wait!" I did have seeds. My big jar of Omega Seeds from Grape Tree contains sunflower, golden linseed, brown linseed and pumpkin.  I fling this stuff into my muesli, flapjacks, and bread, and sprinkle it on salads, to add extra nutrition to my diet. [Hugh and Jamie would be pleased with me, I'm sure] The recipe calls for 3 tbsp. 

Riddle; how do you sort out the pumpkin seeds from the rest?

Answer; You riddle it!

I sieved spoonfuls of the seeds into a bowl, the linseeds, and smaller sunflower seeds fell quickly through the holes in my draining spoon. I very quickly had my 3 tbsp of pumpkin seeds. Nigel calls this a light lunch for 2 [Bob says NS refers to almost everything as a light lunch or light supper!]

 

Photo from the book, because we ate the meal and I forgot to take a pic. But the rainbow chard looked so colourful. I served it with some cold sliced chicken. The sultanas were surprisingly plump and juicy, and the seeds gave an extra crunch. Bob commented on the delicious sweetness of the onions.

Here's the recipe from the book

Chard with caramelised onions and sultanas

[onions, sultanas or raisins, pumpkin seeds, lemon, rainbow chard]

Peel and slice a couple of small onions, soften them in a shallow pan with 2 tbsp olive oil and a thin slice of butter. When they are starting to brown a little round the edges, add 3tbsp sultanas [or raisins] and the same of pumpkin seeds. Let the fruit plump up a little. A salt and finely grated zest of ½ a lemon. 

Wash 4 handfuls [about 100g] of chard, put it into a separate pan with a shallow film of water, cover with a lid and steam for a minute or so. As soon as the leaves have wilted and the colour is still bright, cover and transfer to plates. Scatter over the onion mixture and serve. Serves 2 as light lunch or side dish.

George and Jacob are very keen on riddles at the minute. The most popular one last week was on the side of a squeezy yogurt tube.

Grounds For Improvement

We are constantly being urged to Stay Hydrated. I do try, but honestly, there is no way I could manage to cart a 1.2 litre flask around with me. A 250ml mug of liquid is my limit, and even then I will drink it slowly. Bob says that if I were to have a tomb-stone he would have it engraved "I haven't finished my tea yet"

I'm glad that NHS guidelines include tea and coffee in their list of healthy drinks that can contribute to your 6-8 glasses a day. Because this Grandma runs on tea - and Grandad Bob likes his good fresh coffee. 

We are very careful to put both our coffee grounds, and used tea leaves into the compost bin to improve the soil in the garden. If it is filter coffee from the Melitta, the grounds are carefully carried outside in the paper*, and dropped in the compost bin. Before we make our breakfast coffee,

[a mug each from the cafetiere]  the previous grounds are rinsed out over the raised bed, just outside the door [more dashing outside in my pjs...] It is important to only put used/brewed coffee on the garden, apparently if you put fresh, unused grounds on the soil it can have a detrimental effect.

Loose tea leaves from Bob's fancy brews go into the compost no problem. Tea bags are a whole other issue. Even 'biodegradable' bags don't always break down in a domestic bin. So I collect them in a little bowl by the sink. When I have half a dozen or so, I rip them in half. I empty the grounds into the compost, bags into general waste [if we only had food waste bins here, they could go in there...] But the general result of this recycling is that there is a definite improvement in the soil. Good grounds make good ground!

If you don't drink coffee yourself, you may find bags of free used coffee grounds being given away free at local establishments [like Starbucks, and National Trust coffee shops]

*I reluctantly abandoned the home made cotton filters, Bob said they imparted an unsatisfactory taste to his drink. ** tea bags do vary as to their compostability, this little graphic is helpful

Blooming Lovely!

Looking back over seven decades, I can see there is much truth in this statement. But [now I am a gardener!] I have to remind myself that sometimes it takes a long time for a seed to germinate, grow, and bear fruit.
Right now, there are signs all around the village of harvest, and gardens are full of beautiful flowers. This is a good month to remind ourselves that many seeds have to endure the winter weather and spring frosts. 

When life is tough, do not be despondent -there is light at the end of the tunnel - but some tunnels are incredibly long. And never be afraid to admit you are finding life difficult - there are people out there who care, and will stick with you on the journey.

A Bit Of A Squash?

Four plants appeared in the raised bed. This is the largest. They looked like "real" plants, not weeds. I asked two visiting friends who both declared them to be squash or similar. No sign of any 'fruit' [yet]

I have just dug up the last of the lettuces. They'd bolted and the leaves were tasting a little bitter. So Row 1 of the raised bed is now home to the 'volunteer squash' which I have carefully transplanted. You never know...
Talking to my 'London' SIL last night, I mentioned my beans - and the fact that despite lots of leaves and scarlet flowers, I've only had a couple of handfuls of beans. She said hers are just the same, as are "everyone else's". It is the hot weather, and I do not need to worry. Not just me then.
Here are the last few leaves and some more tasty toms.

Bon said I must take a picture of the apple tree, it has produced the best crop in years. "We may not see it like this again for a while" He declared. So here it is, many fruit, ripening fast!

I was not planning on more mugs, but I saw one in a bin outside a CS on Monday...Here's my National Trust Head Gardener's Mug

and now, a 'companion piece' for Bob

Well for 50p, I just had to, didn't I?

The recent rain has certainly revived the grass, and refilled the butts, for which I am grateful. And there is the promise of more fruit and veg in coming months.
How does your garden grow, this week?

But Me No Buts

 

At the end of June, my bro went away for a few days and asked me to water his plants. I was happy to do so. But I did develop serious Butt Envy. Tucked round the corner of his garden, he has a huge water butt, into which drains all the water from the roof of his house. I have two smaller slimmer butts, one at the end of the coach house, the other just next to the patio doors in the back. I would love one as big as this, but cannot work out where it could go!

I have always been fascinated by water butts - the clever way that once they are full, the diverter sends the overflow back into the pipe and down the drain. 

Every time I water my plants, I diligently refill my three watering cans when I've finished, to leave maximum space in the butts just in case there is any rain. I'd hate to waste any water! My friend Cathy has a fabulous arrangement with 5 interlinked butts behind her outhouse [a wonderful Victorian building, there's a date on one of the bricks] She rarely runs out of water for her lush vegetables beds. 

The Raised Beds continue to delight us - plenty of lettuce and potatoes at the minute, and in the greenhouse the mini tomatoes are ripening. We've had the last mini cucumber - I shall get one of these again next year from Toftwood Nurseries.

I was going to work on my flower garden this year, but haven't. However I have been enjoying three house-plants recently given to me.

In May, my neighbour's daughter gave me her mother's orchid, and it has recently bloomed. In June, Adrian gave me a daisy as a thank you for watering his garden. And in July I received this bromeliad from old Kirby Muxloe friends who came to lunch. 

This is quite stunning. I am a little unsure about watering, The advice is to keep the little 'cup' at the top full of water [rain water or boiled, cooled tapwater] How often should I do this? It is so hot at the minute, it seems to be dried out every morning when I check. 

Note; I put it outside simply to photograph. It is currently living on the coffee table in a bright spot  [but not full sunshine]
It seems OK there -but I will have to move it to a safer spot when the grandchildren arrive.

All your Bromeliad Care Tips will be gratefully accepted. Thank you!