The Cottage Smallholder

I love meatballs. But only the melt in the mouth variety.
Having sharpened my teeth on  ultra firm chewy meatballs, I decided never to attempt to make them myself. What was the point? Why push hardened walnut sized balls of meat onto anyone else?
Several years ago Danny’s special brother, Donagh, gave me the secret of melt in the Read More »

[youtube]pQHX-SjgQvQ[/youtube]YouTube clip: Medieval helpdesk with English subtitles
Even though I spent 20 years in education, my general knowledge is very limited.
I’m great if you want to hear about fine art, classical music or Victorian novels. But life skills and knowledge are sketchy.  The great thing about Danny and my old friend Ross Cameron is that they Read More »

 
If you want to lose yourself in a book why not try this one? The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld was published in 2006 but as I don’t read the Literary Review and rarely glance at a newspaper, I missed this gem. My review comes with a warning. Don’t start this book if you haven’t hours Read More »

Fiona suggested that I contribute my first “Guest spot” this evening, while she cooks up a mouth-watering frittata. Seems like a good trade to me. The aroma of the frying bacon wafts up to my eyrie in the Rat Room to spur me on.
 Her laptop is still in intensive care. The ‘fixes’ haven’t worked. She Read More »

 
We have two freezers. One at the bottom of our fridge freezer in our larder and the other lives in our barn.
The later is fuelled by electricity that runs from the plug in the larder. The cable goes out of the window and finishes beside the upright small chest freezer thirty yards away.
It’s a perfect Read More »

I stayed at home today. Can’t seem to kick off the laryngitis so spent most of the day in bed, with the Min Pins and a hottie.
This evening D and I strolled in the garden.
“What are these?” He touched the large evergreen waxy leaves gently.
“Bear’s Ears. Bergenia. Ours have pink flowers in the spring.”
“And what Read More »

When John Coe reverses into our drive he sits for several minutes in his car before he gets out and opens the boot. I’ve never have the nerve to ask him why. I just open the front door and leave it slightly ajar.
This morning he was loaded with carrier bags, gardening gloves and his wellingtons Read More »

“There’s a third of an acre of flowers. And not a vegetable in sight.”  John Coe was amazed fifteen years ago. I wasn’t. Back then I couldn’t imagine wanting to grow vegetables. They seemed so boring. Now the kitchen garden is the most exciting bit of the garden. To me.
Back then, I was creating my garden Read More »

“Are you sure that they haven’t moved from number 11 to number 10?”
“Of course not. Can’t you see the gentle flow of bees to and from number 11? The ones in number 10 are a much bigger swarm. Just listen to them.”
We have renamed our small apiary “Downing Street”. Here in the UK, the Prime Read More »

I love drinking citron pressé on a hot summer’s day. This is the juice of half a large fresh lemon, topped up with caster sugar and ice cold water. I discovered this drink on holiday in Brittany when I was nine years old and have enjoyed it ever since.
So this year I thought it would Read More »