Need to go shopping for container plants (never managed it mid-week) - trailing lobelia and other froth. Then will plant up my summer pots and get my latest secret garden delivery in the ground (some thalictrum and some salvia .....all a bargain, and such fantastic quality plants)
See Monty has hit the headlines banging the drum for independent nurseries vs supermarket plant sales. I was amazed, and slightly disturbed, that 40% of people now buy their plants from supermarkets
Hard luck, PD. Hope you get the virus sorted soon.
Thanks, DD - we've been to Finland before and really love it. Clean cities, pretty villages, wonderful trees, lakes, wildlife, flowers, peace & quiet... healthy food too, and lovely people with a sense of humour.
Pat, sorry to have confused you. The concert is in York before we leave for our holiday, and will be performed by OH's ladies' group called Enkelit, who sing Finnish folk-inspired music, in Finnish. We try to find more appropriate music when we go to the country every couple of years for the Tampere international choral festival, which is where we're starting off this time, before our off-grid week in a hut by a lake...
Yes, real progress in Ireland. Hope he makes a good job of it...
Two beautiful horses have just walked past my living room window. It's the local "country fair" today, and there's a public bridleway past our house, leading to the park where the fair is being held.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Well, the brocante was a blast. Walked up there with the doggies to find the b***ers had cancelled it. No hint of that as we drove past the place and its big publicity banner at 6pm yesterday so not impressed. However, the hedgerows are afroth with perfumed white wild rambling roses, pink blackberry blossom, white lace umbellifers, blue vetch and harebells, white campions and yellow toadflax so all was not lost.
Joyce - no I won't. This quirky wardrobe is proving a pain as it has some seriously difficult varnish to shift. 3rd sanding this pm - after I gave in and used a product to loosen it - and the other bits are things I've had hanging around for ages and only now the time to do something with them.
DD - hope you're not having setbacks. Do you want some savoury muffin recipes? Have you thought of cheese scones? Smoked mackerel dip with toast? Mushroom pâté and toast for the vegetarians along with lentil and sweet potato pâté? Mini sausage rolls? Carrot cake recipes on the way by email.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Thanks Obelixx, just trying to find things that look nice and special but are also quick and easy to serve, things that can be prepared in advance and then just plated up as and when required. I really don't want to be too reliant on lots of staff (or any in the winter) so can't get myself stuck in the kitchen. It's just like having a dinner party, you want to be the hostess with 'mostess' but the cooking has to be overseen too. Savoury muffins and scones are a good idea, like the pate idea for veggies too. Need some gluten free offerings too, sweet and savoury. Just brainstorming at the moment. I plan to have a core menu of the simplest things and then have a small specials board that changes daily for the more exotic things.
“Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
You could do savoury quinoa salads with or without meaty bits - like couscous but gluten free. Scones and muffins can be frozen and just zapped in the microwave as needed to thaw and slightly warm them. Corn bread is gluten free as it's made with cornmeal, not wheat or rye.
It is raining! Hurray, at last. But the storm and the rain on the skylight woke me up in the night. I have lots of HW and i.....g to do so must get on with it.
Have you moved into the house that will be the B&B yet, DD? When you are ready we'll come and take tea. I wish I could help, but have so much on and we are just too far away for ease. My Strawberry Tea is on the 9th June.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
Lizzie, We are hoping to complete on the 26th of June. The owners arrive from Scotland on the 12th and I have arranged to go and meet them so that I can ask to get started on the terrace and the garden, which really is the biggest job apart from emulsioning right through.
Don't worry about help, I have lots of offers and you are always just as busy as me, I know what it's like.
“Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
Chicky, I too saw MD's mild rant. I also note the HTA disagree with him.
"Martin Simmons, HTA director of operations, said: "People often make impulse purchases of plants in supermarkets and if this then encourages them to buy more plants then this is good for the industry and helps to grow the market."
Posts
Hi all.
Some sort of computer virus here.
Grabbed couple of minutes on OH's laptop.
Agree about Ireland, sign of real progress.
Doubt I will get on again today, so have fun everyone.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Morning
Beautiful day out there
Need to go shopping for container plants (never managed it mid-week) - trailing lobelia and other froth. Then will plant up my summer pots and get my latest secret garden delivery in the ground (some thalictrum and some salvia .....all a bargain, and such fantastic quality plants)
See Monty has hit the headlines banging the drum for independent nurseries vs supermarket plant sales. I was amazed, and slightly disturbed, that 40% of people now buy their plants from supermarkets
Morning all.
Hard luck, PD. Hope you get the virus sorted soon.
Thanks, DD - we've been to Finland before and really love it. Clean cities, pretty villages, wonderful trees, lakes, wildlife, flowers, peace & quiet... healthy food too, and lovely people with a sense of humour.
Pat, sorry to have confused you. The concert is in York before we leave for our holiday, and will be performed by OH's ladies' group called Enkelit, who sing Finnish folk-inspired music, in Finnish. We try to find more appropriate music when we go to the country every couple of years for the Tampere international choral festival, which is where we're starting off this time, before our off-grid week in a hut by a lake...
Yes, real progress in Ireland. Hope he makes a good job of it...
Two beautiful horses have just walked past my living room window. It's the local "country fair" today, and there's a public bridleway past our house, leading to the park where the fair is being held.
Lost post!!!!!
Liri, I loved Finland when we went for our honeymoon.
Voting - gotta be done but when there's no party to vote for its a bit like pin the tail on the donkey!
ipad playing up so I'm off to the garden.
Well, the brocante was a blast. Walked up there with the doggies to find the b***ers had cancelled it. No hint of that as we drove past the place and its big publicity banner at 6pm yesterday so not impressed. However, the hedgerows are afroth with perfumed white wild rambling roses, pink blackberry blossom, white lace umbellifers, blue vetch and harebells, white campions and yellow toadflax so all was not lost.
Joyce - no I won't. This quirky wardrobe is proving a pain as it has some seriously difficult varnish to shift. 3rd sanding this pm - after I gave in and used a product to loosen it - and the other bits are things I've had hanging around for ages and only now the time to do something with them.
DD - hope you're not having setbacks. Do you want some savoury muffin recipes? Have you thought of cheese scones? Smoked mackerel dip with toast? Mushroom pâté and toast for the vegetarians along with lentil and sweet potato pâté? Mini sausage rolls? Carrot cake recipes on the way by email.
Thanks Obelixx, just trying to find things that look nice and special but are also quick and easy to serve, things that can be prepared in advance and then just plated up as and when required. I really don't want to be too reliant on lots of staff (or any in the winter) so can't get myself stuck in the kitchen. It's just like having a dinner party, you want to be the hostess with 'mostess' but the cooking has to be overseen too. Savoury muffins and scones are a good idea, like the pate idea for veggies too. Need some gluten free offerings too, sweet and savoury.
Just brainstorming at the moment. I plan to have a core menu of the simplest things and then have a small specials board that changes daily for the more exotic things.
You could do savoury quinoa salads with or without meaty bits - like couscous but gluten free. Scones and muffins can be frozen and just zapped in the microwave as needed to thaw and slightly warm them. Corn bread is gluten free as it's made with cornmeal, not wheat or rye.
These are muffin like - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/jalapeno-cheddar-corn-rolls
These would be good with pâté or soup or salad - https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3330/cornbread-wedges
Lots of vegetarian soup and quiche possibilities. Mini Cornish pasties but filled with veggies and no beef? Spicy samosas?
Hello all.
It is raining!
Hurray, at last. But the storm and the rain on the skylight woke me up in the night. I have lots of HW and i.....g to do so must get on with it.
Have you moved into the house that will be the B&B yet, DD? When you are ready we'll come and take tea. I wish I could help, but have so much on and we are just too far away for ease. My Strawberry Tea is on the 9th June.
Thanks again, Obs, lots of good ideas there.
Lizzie, We are hoping to complete on the 26th of June. The owners arrive from Scotland on the 12th and I have arranged to go and meet them so that I can ask to get started on the terrace and the garden, which really is the biggest job apart from emulsioning right through.
Don't worry about help, I have lots of offers and you are always just as busy as me, I know what it's like.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40133189
Chicky, I too saw MD's mild rant. I also note the HTA disagree with him.
"Martin Simmons, HTA director of operations, said: "People often make impulse purchases of plants in supermarkets and if this then encourages them to buy more plants then this is good for the industry and helps to grow the market."