The Cottage Smallholder

Danny is on chicken shepherding duties this week. “If we go with the names Peace and Hope, the one that pecks would have to be Hope. Arsenic and Old Lace are by far the most apposite names.” “Miss Pecky will calm down. She’s just rattled because she’s being bullied. Holly and Ivy would be good. Read More »

It’s been two years since I decided to stop buying cut flowers for the cottage. I love flowers so the first year was difficult. It seemed as if there were flowers for sale everywhere. I was tempted at every turn. This year the challenge has reaped dividends. I’ve overhauled the herbaceous borders over the past two years Read More »

Danny and I were given a mincer and sausage making attachment for the Kenwood Chef this Christmas. This was the final step in our homemade sausage making dream. I’ve fancied making sausages for months but have held back since Hank tipped that having the right equipment was essential in the long run. Living near Newmarket, the Read More »

We rarely watch TV but Christmas is a great time to catch up on the DVDs that come free with the Sunday newspapers. We have a high stack of these collected over several years. I must have heard good reviews for the movie Like water for Chocolate (Como Agua Para Chocolate 1993, based on the Read More »

What do Heston Blumenthal and I have in common? Apart from the fact that we both wear glasses. We buy our geese from Clerkesgeese. Decorating other peoples’ houses has wonderful benefits. Generally the conversation turns to food and information is shared. A young client (‘mother‘ of the mischievous Freddie) mentioned that she had tasted one Read More »

There are always a few last minute visits for me on Christmas Eve. And this is fine. They are generally bookings for the New Year and a few that need to be tackled over the holiday. I really wanted to be home by three o’clock when the live carols from King’s College (Cambridge) started on Read More »

I woke late on Sunday and drifted back to sleep with the comforting warmth of the dogs at my feet. So it was after ten o’clock when I fumbled down to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and pick up my messages. “Ring me at your earliest convenience.” The Chicken Lady sounded upbeat. Read More »

Min Pins are interesting dogs. They choose their favourite human companion and it’s for life. Love and picky vociferous loyalty for ever. The Contessa adores Danny. Dr Quito and Inca have chosen me. It‘s set in stone. Years ago I had a chat with a Yorkshire Min Pin breeder. This tendency had caused him real problems. Read More »

Skimming past the condemned food counter at Tesco, Danny spotted 600g of fresh salmon fillet reduced to £1.86. “I know that you don’t like poached salmon but if this went into a fish pie, you’d hardly notice it.” I examined the carrier bag. He’d also picked up a pack of fresh dill for just a Read More »

Until I opened the slim package I wasn’t aware that the one thing that I’d always wanted was a perfectly made mauve apron. It arrived in the mail and was beautifully presented with a Christmas bow.  Danny tried it on first. “It fits! How do I look?” It’s so well designed that it fits both, Read More »