Things to Do

I’m going to start this years wine making, dandelion and some elderflower, I had some dried elderflower from last year and to make some room in the place I may as well use it up. The tree in our garden is now starting to put out leaves so it won’t be long till we have this year’s blossom. As last year I intend to collect as much as possible and dry a supply for the winter, as well as making at least two lots of wine and some champagne. With a bit of luck the bottles will survive this time, I intend to use plastic bottles and keep an eye on the carbonation level.


As you can see, I have started the Dandelion,

 it has to soak for 10 days before adding the sugar and yeast, so I have left it in Yvonne’s capable hands and come to work.


The Elderflower requires raisins and Lemons so that’s one for after I’ve been to the shops. I should have enough Dried flowers for 2 gallons (9 Litres)


Also I have tried making some vinegar, I found a rather ornate container and have installed it on the windowsill, it has a bottle of slightly dubious pea-pod wine and hopefully in about 3 months we will have decent vinegar, at least it will be original.

Up to work Sunday, saw Naomi and George for a meal, George’s bloke Tom is over from Oz next month, I must get the food organised, and George has told me what he would like, Roast Gammon being on the list (Good)
Naomi did an amazing roast chicken with heaps of veg; I don’t know where she gets it from.

Yvonne is getting into the cooking again, we are going to have to start arguing about who’s turn it is, its good news because it means that she feels better, she was always a good cook, it feels like I’m getting my wife back, after all her illness.

As well as a loaf (Oat and seed), I thought that I would try making flatbreads, I had a recipe from "Leon" restaurants book, and as you can see they came out really well. I flavoured with Za’atar, Black Pepper and Pimenton.

Also I made a version of Homity Pie, a local delicacy, this one with added Chopped Chorizo and Peppers.

We’ve been busy in the garden, I got a new apple tree!

And a new Blueberry.

And Naomi will be going back to work in April, its 22 months since the accident, it has been a long slog for her with 10 operations but she is so much better now, almost back to her old self. Of course her life has changed forever, but who’s to say it wont be for the better in the end. After watching the fire brigade cut her out of her car, its a bonus for me every day that she's here.

To finish, here are some sunsets, from the last weeks amazing weather.



Torbay




River Thames at Erith, looking toward Canary Wharf