Firstly a warm Derbyshire welcome to new followers Heidi and Deborah and Gill and ? (please tell me who you are) on Bloglovin
The welcome is warm ,but Derbyshire is freezing and it has just started snowing!
Thought I wouldn't be able to get to the blog, but it hasn't been a problem and I'm taking a break from the kitchen for an hour, while bread rises and pastry cools.
This morning a I made a couple of pounds of pastry as I am having a pie making session later. Once the oven in on I like to use every ounce (therm?) of heat and fill it up. I am making cheese, onion and potato pie, Chicken (cockerel) pie and a of couple of leek, potato and brie pasties. I havealso put a portion of pastry aside for a meat and potato pie at the weekend (haven't bought the beef yet). In the slow cooker is a small joint of lamb with onions, a tin of tomatoes, some preserved lemon slices with seasonings. I am hoping this will be a sort of taginy thingy.
Here is a picture of the fire in "Percy's (the parrot) room. it is next to the kitchen and where I hang out much of the time as it is kept warm for Percy , and by default me! The OLD gas fire is still tested and safe and chugs away all the time in the winter. It is the perfect place for the wine while it is plopping away. I do the first bread rise here and dry shoes, hats etc. Could do with a good dust !
To the right is the start of a quilt. The backing is an old but strong sheet I bought from a CS for 50p and the rest is offcuts from the stash.
To the rear are the slippers I have started. I am knitting both at the same time because I am using bits and pieces and I would like them to be similar at least!. I have used 2 strands of wool for the feet to add a bit of strength and extra warmth.
Left front is the materials with which I hope to assemble n Egyptian costume for Youngest Granddaughter. The gold braidy stuff I was given last year by someone giving up sewing (!), the bead contraption was on a teashirt bought from the CS for £1 last year. I had an idea I might use the beads, but this is a much better use. Th goldy material is left over from when I made several outfits for a concert that my goddaughter was in, about 15years ago. I knew it would come in someday - what a hoarder I am !
In my last post I mentioned blog I had been following, and the facebook chit-chat group I had joined. I have tried to upload the link her, but as you know I am rubbish at that sort of thing and managed to lose half of this post while pratting about with it. So I have re-typed that which I lost and shall just type the details, rather than give you a link.
The blog I follow is Mysimplecountryliving.blogspot.co.uk, her name is Heidi and she has a core of bloggers who guest, support with the site etc. If you go onto her site there is a facebook link there too.
I am a glass half full type of person and I don't have SAD or any other such stuff, but even I am getting really p****d-off with the weather. To cheer me up I have been looking at photos taken last summer.. I shall share this one with you and probably more as the days go on if it doesn't improve.
This is of the path leading down to the big chicken house and the orchard. Either side is a vegetable patch ( and you know we don't do tidy!)
Keep warm and well dear blogging friends and thank you so much for reading my ramblings
Gillx
Snap! I was planning to re-do a whole lot of summer photos just to cheer things up a bit. I may start chanting " Summer will come, summer will come, summer will come" if i say it enough I MIGHT start believing it.
ReplyDeleteThe picture of strawberries on your latest blog is a good start.
DeletePerhaps we could have a group chant to see if that works. We could synchronise our posts to maximise the effect!
Gill
I am thoroughly fed up with the wet grey times even though we have had sunshine most days we have also had rain. The garden still resembles a bog and my soil is quite free draining, my poor daffs are poking their noses out of what is starting to resemble Brown Windsor soup. I do get out with Ben at least 3 times a day but our walks are curtailed, he is so short that he is soaked within 15 minutes even with a coat on.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I have to smile through gritted teeth when the family arrive with their dogs at the moment Brown Windsor Soup Ha ha. Exactly!
DeleteGill
Your pies sound delicious Gill and I couldn't help but notice that we had the exact same gas fire in our house when I was growing up in Manchester! They don't make things that last that long anymore do they?!
ReplyDeleteI believe the gas fire is called the "Hi Speed G" we have one in the large bedroom (though never use it) too. We also had one when we lived in Derby back in the 70s.
DeleteGill
Snow! I am absolutely green with envy!!
ReplyDeleteIt didn't last or settle, but did snow for a couple of hours.
DeleteI take it you like the snow then? When the children were young, my husband used to bundle them into the car at the first sign of snow in the peak district. They woukld take a flask of cocoa and go looking for drifts to jump into. I suppose it would be seen as irresponsible now, but the girls have fond of those times.memories
I LOVE IT ! My mil lives in Essex and when it snows she builds a snowman, takes a pic and sends it down to me. She will ring me at any hour just to let me know it's snowing just to wind me up! Bless her!
DeleteMe too; I needed to remind myself of summer.
ReplyDeleteYou put a lovely photo of vines in summer on your blog recently. I looked at it for some time soaking up the sun!
DeleteGill
I wanted to drop by for a return blog visit and thank you for your comment on mine. Sounds like your weather over there isn't any better than our's here. I love Percy's room! And that last photo of your place is summer is glorious.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you here. Have made another comment on fodder on your blog.
DeleteGill