Saturday 28 June 2014

Jambusters.

Hello Everyone.
Welcome to Donna on the Follower's side bar and to Lisa, Susan, Liz and Mrs Rosemary Vernon (very formal) on Bloglovin. I can see who most of your are now.
 We have finally had some rain, which has two major benefits for me, the veg are getting a good watering and I have finally done a spot of housework. I realise that the house has got so bad that I will be hiding if anyone comes to door, pretending there is no one here rather then invite them in! So I have got started. I have blitzed the big lounge and the bathroom... That should cover two bases anyway.

We have another wildlife issue. I could see those lovely red fruits under the netting beckoning me to pick and make a spot of jam. Slugs can be an issue as can blackbirds, but straw and netting tend to help deter these critters. What they don't do is deter.... Moles!! many of the plants are now sitting on top of dry mounds of earth. I pressed the mounds down and gave them a good watering, but some roots had become very dry before I noticed them. I also notice that there are two dead moles on the garage base, courtesy of Dixie Doodle.
Here is a pic, which actually doesn't show the damage too well, but you get the idea.
I did manage to pick enough to make four pounds of jam. it isn't the highest yielding jam, but IS very popular. I used gooseberry puree to help set it as the redcurrants aren't ready yet.

Talking of jam, I have just finished a book that YD bought be for my birthday. it is about the role of the WI in the second world way and is called "Jambusters"  I think this is a naff title that belies the content and makes me want to sing "Who you gonna call?....Jambusters!" . It took me some time to realise that as it was a book about the war it was probably a play on "Dambusters". I was surprised to read of the many tasks set by the government for the WI of which jam-making was just one. It was interesting to see how little respect there seemed to be for the organisation initially. The respect grew, but the role of the organisation wasn't always recognised. The pictures on the cover could be my mother and sundry aunts!
 Altogether, I really enjoyed this book, which means it won't go into the CS pile and is a "keeper"
 Here is the book with that famous bookworm (and mole catcher) Dixie.
Adam will be with us this weekend. Looks like it might be a rainy one so will need to think of some wet weather tasks to do together. That reminds me I need to make his bed up!

All for now frugal friends.  I shall be asking my granddaughter to draw names out of the hat for the "Girl called Jack" book on Sunday, so if you want your name in the aforementioned hat there is still time to join the raffle. You don't have to be a follower or anything. If you read this blog that's good enough for me!
Gillx

10 comments:

  1. Does Dixie have any offspring? I could really do with a good Mole catcher!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry No. We had her spayed as soon as we got her (a rescue cat) We have always had cats, but I have to say that Dixie is the best ever !

      Delete
  2. What a coincidence, just this week I was looking into joing our local WI and then I find you blogging about Jambusters. I wonder if it's a sign. Anyway, even if I don't join your comments on the book have inspired to have a read so I've downloaded it onto my kindle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope you enjoy it. I joined the WI many many years ago, but the one I joined was somewhat entrenched, with a LONG serving committee who were pretty pompous and dull. My friend on the other hand joined a didd WI which was fantastic.

      Delete
  3. There's so many pests around just waiting to munch on our crops, I never really think of moles as we've never had problems with them, but yes, I can see what a problem they could be. The book sounds really interesting, I've got one out of the library at the moment about the effects the second world war had on the country and the ordinary person, it really brings it home to you how life changed for everyone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love to read books about the war and imagine myself managing famously, when, in truth, I would probably had made a complete hash of it!

      Delete
  4. It's really nice that you don't set 'follower' criterion for your give away. I like that! Some giveaways require you to go all round the houses and back again!
    (I have the book already, just wanted to say!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for that. I think sometimes peeps do give aways to increase follower numbers, I'm not sure. I've just got a spare book and am amazed that I do have followers !
      Good book isn't it. Ideal for youngsters just setting out too

      Delete
  5. I have not seen the book but I will have to hunt it out, I was in the WI for years until I moved to a village where the nearest branch was terribly terribly snooty. The younger women who would have breathed new life into it were squashed into their place and just left.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is exactly how our WI was. Whereas my friends' WI has equal numbers young and old and have lots of fun!
      Gill

      Delete