The Cottage Smallholder

I have hats now but I don't really like wearing them. I have a cowboy/australian hat for wearing where no one sees, a silly gardening hat that is only slightly beter and a nice Latvian hat. I then have my winter hats one is a knitted purple hat and one is a boring old fleecy brown hat.

My achievements for today was to prepare loads of veg with my young helper for her to take home  after helping me in the garden this weekend. We have had a great time but it was a little too hot, fortunately she likes reading books and I have a lot of books that she likes and even taken around 11 back home with her

So we picked lettuce, two types of beans, carrots, and beetroot plus potted up mint, sage, marjoram and lemon balm as she is intent on having her own herb garden so she can have teas that are grown fairly. Fair trade tea is expensive and difficult to get hold of here in Latvia. Oh yes and we cooked lots of veg for her dad and two younger sisters when they came to pick her up.. Now the cracking thunderstorm has gone over I can go to bed but not before announcing that my daughter got engaged last week and now I can tell everyone as they have both informed their families

Danny said:

JoannaS said:

 my daughter got engaged last week and now I can tell everyone as they have both informed their families 

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Danny said: 
Congrats, Joanna. Or shall we call you Granny Joanna?

You tell us when!

Congrats to the lucky pair and to you Joanna but when they come along…remember….and Danny this is just my spin on things…. Granny sounds like they are in control…..Nanny sounds like you are….. 

I have three of the little beauties…well two little and one not so little but there again I was a child bride….

We had a small harvest from our red gooseberry bush, so I wanted something special for them.

I came across this picture of a gooseberry and elderflower cake.

I contacted this lady in Berlin, and asked for her recipe, because it looked so gorgeous.

She directed me to a bbcgoodfood recipe called gooseberry gems and said that she had used the same recipe.

Do you know something – this was fantastic – and probably the best cake ever.

It was granddaughter's birthday yesterday and the whole family (incl other set of grandparents) had been to Butterfly World in Swindon (she'd had a butterfly-theme party this year) for the day, and I was the 'caterer' – and, as we are 1 hour away from them, my meal was:

Roast chicken portions with salads – several types – and chips (kids love 'em), followed by the cake, and also I had made some rice creams with green gooseberry jus (also a beautiful flavour).

The grandchildren are not 'lovers' of cake – normally – but the two of them finished their portion before anyone else!

It was probably made even more special because earlier in the day, in the supermarket, I searched the CFC counter, and found two pots of 'Taste The Difference' vanilla-flavoured sweetened cream, which really made it even better!

Not sure if this is 'Achievements' – but certainly a whole lotta work!!

Yesterday, while at daughter's home, I started chatting to her neighbour, who has a very large garden, and she works it hard, too, by growing plants to sell for charity (this year she made nearly £3000, so well done to her).

She also has some old fruiting trees – and she remarked that her (sour) cherry tree, which she normally leaves for the birds (what a waste ) still had plenty of fruit on it. When she showed me – well – it was only a small tree, but these beautiful dark red globes of deliciousness were staring at me. I couldn't contain myself – I said "But that would make wonderful jam!". "Well," she said, "if you'd like them, come round and pick them."

I was there, like a shot!

5 kgs of the most beautiful cherries ….. mmmm!

Then, while pitting the first batch (phew!), a neighbour arrives with two bowlfuls of the biggest apricots (like small apples) – and said that his tree is really doing well, but he doesn't like apricots!!!!!! Another 5 kgs of fruit.

Think I'd better get some more sugar …..