Winding Down for Winter

I am definitely in wind down mode regarding the garden as it is very much going to sleep just now - oh you lucky people with poly tunnels or greenhouses that survived the recent spate of storms. I am fairly happily resigned to having completed any overwintering jobs, namely my ever present Pak Choi plus the garlic and onions, and that any other outside jobs will be completed soon with Jon's help.

So to the indoors. I absolutely love this time of the year; being cozy inside, only going outside when absolutely necessary and hunkering down with the curtains shut. I have my seasonal planner at the ready and am adding to it daily to ensure we simply have a wonderful Christmas time. 


There'll only be a few mentions of the C word just now but come December 1st I will, as usual, make no apologies for enthusiasm and festive frolics.🎄🎅

Some time ago Jon went to Bookers, the wholesalers, and on the same trip I asked him to bring me some Atora suet (not sure if other suet brands are available?!) He came home with a catering size box of the stuff! Well, this was last Christmas (oops) so some was used for mincemeat last year and dumplings plus more will be used at the end of the month but in the meantime I've made a batch of dumplings for the freezer ready for winter stews. For the size we like a 200g box of suet made 30 of the little delights so that is a good job done.

Love having things put by in the freezer.

I made my Christmas cakes at the beginning of the month but managed to stupidly delete my photos of them; I am due to start feeding them with a bit of alcofrol, hic, next week so will show and tell then. 

Whist ironing this morning I had the TV on in the bedroom just so I could hear something from where I was. I LOVE the Food Channel, especially at certain times of the year, and there were some Christmas,sorry!, adverts on so started thinking of a few ideas for foody delights; I plan on making a luxurious granola come muesli mix containing tasty nuts and fruit etc. I had listed some things I wanted to include and then I found this recipe - 

Christmas Spice Granola.

I have also been trying to use up the ends of bread loaves but wanted something different to savoury croutons. I decided on cinnamon and sugared ones to freeze for use on the top of puddings.

I cut the bread to the right size, melted some butter then sprinkled the bread with some cinnamon sugar I had made previously plus a little extra. I then popped them in the oven, keeping a close eye, until they were a lovely rich colour. 

Yum, and straight in the freezer before I ate the lot!

Talking of croutons I just remembered I made a lovely dish for the boys. I had some leftover chorizo, combined this with the croutons, some frozen peas then melted cheese on the top.

Ok, better crack on.

Bye for now.

Lou.xx

Postal Delights And Other Goodies.

Good morning!

On Friday I received a parcel from Thompson & Morgan; it was my garlic cloves and onion sets! They are currently in a cupboard until they are needed. 

The boys and I left Jon at the train on Saturday morning as he went to pick up a car we were buying in Abergele. We three went to do the food shopping and a few jobs in town. I picked up a copy of Smallholing magazine and it came with a chicken mag, too.

I've always fancied taking a look at a copy of this just to see how people do stuff! I was chuffed there was a competition to win some electric fencing but then, darn it, I realised the competition time had run out! I should say that the man who owns the sawmill where Jon works has said we can have some of the piglets when he puts his sow to boar (I think that is the correct term). When home the postman had brought my Grow Your Own magazine, along with my calendar for next year and I love it; this year in addtion to the usual stickers there are fridge magnets!

I was trying to think how long I've been using this particular calendar and it must be about eight years as I know Alfie was born; it is THE best way of organising me and mine.

On Sunday morning I got busy in the garden and sowed a few more cauliflower seeds and finished the garden prep on the bed I had started; carbooard and then polythene topped with a pallet to keep everything flat. Lovely to think the manure will all rot down and hopefully the bed will be a treat for the brassicas once Autumn and Winter have passed.

On Monday morning I weighed myself following the changes to my diet and I found I had lost 2¼lbs. Wish it had been a little more but as least it is a loss.

I set to with a couple of jobs outside once the bread had been started. I finished preparing the spot on the main veg plot by first taking down the last tomato plant, giving it to the chooks then adding the contents of the grow bag to the plot and forking it through ready for the garlic to be planted.

I also put some fleece over the beetroot just to protect them a little while longer before I take them up, thanks Dawn. It isn't the prettiest looking effort but I hope it will do the job. (I have tidied it up a bit since this photo was taken!)

The postman brought more delights. I have been having trouble deciding where to put the washing line/whirly gig when we finally got round to buying one.After dicussion we decided the best thing was to have a retractable one and then it wouldn't matter where it was as we could just pull it back in when not needed, so...

and it is already in full use.

I had a friend over for coffee this morning, Tuesday, so a couple of hours of garden, craft and other chat and she came bearing gifts of more apples. Yay!

These are awating some attention and may be turned into apple sauce and stored away in my new Kilner jars! The ones given to me at the weekend I have blanched and put in the freezer for another day. 

Just as said friend was leaving the postman delivered my part of the stationery swap I have taken part in. Eeeek!

Washi tape, post-it notes, a note book, stickers AND some cute candles.

This morning I managed to dust the living room before the kids went to school then before my coffee chat put the washing on. I've also got round to sowing a few more Pak Choi seeds, collected the eggs and am currently having a very late lunch whilst writing this post. 

I'm amazed the boys will be home shortly as I'm not sure where the day has gone AT ALL!

Bye for now.

Lou.xx