Rambling around nowhere
It's got to that finger numbing point. I plunged 90 minature daffs in under 20 minutes, no small feat in our clay, but it was either go that fast or watch you finger tips go blue. 've had some fun in the cottage garden making sure it looks pretty for next year. The dog has basked in whatever sun she could find, even if it meant climbing onto a wall to precariously fall asleep.
When no-one is here, it's like Disney's snow white has come to visit and I am constantly surround by flocks of finches, tits and sparrows darting in and out. The squirrel came out and we had a game of who could get to the bulbs first whilst all around chatted and chirped. It was a lovely day even if I did feel terribly demotivated.
Against the setting sun the Miscanthus sinensis 'Ferne Oslen' looks incredibly beautiful next to the exploding cardoon heads against a backdrop of Melianthus major, still bravely holding onto to its lime green leaves. It's a nice view for an office.
I went for a lunch time walk with Joe yesterday. We sloshed through the far field and thumped up the hill. The view of the far field is lovely, it's all buff coloured from the mustard left to seed. Our landscape looked wonderful from afar - very pretty and yet so fragile amongst the muddy, stubbled fields.
I can only counterbalance my sadness for this time of year with cooking. It's the only way I know how. I go home and bake, strain and simmer until it's time to fall asleep. I made a most wonderful apple sauce from some Egremont Russets that were starting to wrinkle in my warm kitchen. I added two pints of dry cider, some water, a lot of fresh ginger, ground cloves and a little allspice to four pounds of apples and simmered away. The result is almost heaven when swirled into porridge for breakfast. It's like going to the German Christmas market for breakfast in your own kitchen everymorning, perhaps minus the hangover. Last night I made another celeriac/leek/potato soup, this time with a generous amount of Manzanilla sherry before the yoghurt. And tonight I'll make borscht, though I only have the variety Chioggia left in the garden. I'm not taken to it as a variety, it may be pretty whilst preparing, but it makes an insipid soup, looks terrible pickled and not much better baked. And the taste - can you really tell? I like a good blood red variety like Boltardy (so reliable) or the cylindrical 'Forono'.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~40~RS~)
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Now you're making me hungry. I only moved into this house in August, so no crops yet (although my new greenhouse is built) but next year I hope to be able to match your food production.
To assist with filling my garden I've bought a copy of your book (and another 2 as Christmas presents!).
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Sorry to hear you've got the blues at the mo. There seems a terrible irony in a professional gardner who gardens all day feeling down when I fiddle around when not at work to improve my delicate karma! You could always spend the day in my classroom! (Although judging by how cold i got planting daff bulbs in pots for my friends wedding flowers the other day maybe I'll stick with the central heating for my day job)
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Hey Reveast and Clarky2008
Oh having a greenhouse is heaven. It's all so much easier when you've got somewhere safe to raise you seedlings.
I'm not blue about gardening that I still love. It just all the politics around life that seems to be getting to me at the moment.
Though I've always said if you love your hobby passionately so much that you daydream of doing it full time, then don't ever, ever go out and do it. It's one thing when it's your, another when money is involved.
I toyed between gardening and cooking at a certain point. I'm so glad I left cooking alone. I don't even like writing about it much (though you'd be hard pressed to beleive that looking at this blog) as it veers off into a different territory. Most I just love to do and then eat it. If I can throw home grown into the pot then that all the better. And for a couple of hours I can simmer away the politics. And on that note I'm going to go and raid the veg garden for the 'Thanksgiving dinner that couldn't be beat' I'm throwing for all those I love most tomorrow.
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Hi Alys,
Have you tried celeriac in the borscht? I make it with grated carrot, celeriac and beetroot - it lets the earthiness of the beetroot flavour come out but without being too earthy. Beetroot and potato mashed together is also very good!
But I agree cooking is a great solace when it's dark, wet and cold outside. Also planning for next year, of course.
By the way, can I ask a question - could you explain how you make the garden feed from mares tail and other horrible weeds (as on Friday's programme)? We've a garden that was sadly neglected for many years by the previous owners of our house - we've lots of mares tail and bindweed and I'd love to be able to use it positively.
Thanks for the show - we're British but live in Belgium and it gives us a real feeling of home every week, watching you all.
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I had apple sauce with my porridge this morning! Cheers Alys, great idea, especially the ginger.
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