Funky Fungus

It has been wet and miserable today, thankfully there was a break in the rain this afternoon so I took the dogs for a nice walk in the woods.

If you remember last week I mentioned that I had taken some photos of all the different fungus that is growing, well I took my camera today and took some photos on that as I can easily upload them to the laptop.

There were lots of different types yet I know the names of none, but I do love how these brighten up the dark dank floors of the woods.

Unfortunately there were better ones last week but lots of the fungus has now gone or been damaged. I did however manage to put my arm on a stinging nettle which stung like a pig and is still tingling now as you can imagine a few choice words were spoken!

I made some yummy pumpkin soup and will be attempting to make some pumpkin jam later with the pumpkins purchased from Tesco quite a bargain, two large pumpkins for £3.00! Mine is still looking rather green.

It will soon be time for the knocks to start at the door, I have a tub of sweets ready and waiting along with Ben and his broken foot and a rather scary mask, I just hope he does not frighten the kids too much.

I received an email earlier in the week from the marketing team at Aldi's the food stores. I had won a £50.00 shopping voucher in their prize draw. I was most pleased, it will come in handy for the extra food shopping for Christmas.

And finally it has been nine weeks since my last cigarette. I still get the urge to want one but I have managed to resist, I wish everyone who is trying to give up the best of luck keep going, it does get easier.

Well that is it from me for now, until next time x

Bah humbug!

Well I tried and failed but I was not ready for giving up however I have been beaten to submission by no other than the mighty Jay! What are you talking about I hear you say well let me explain all...

Whilst I was busy trying to earn a very minimal crust selling my hand crafted wares Jay was getting very busy in my nice clean and organised kitchen. If you recall I mentioned that I had made some fudge for the hampers but it was still setting? well it never set

Jay came and picked me up from the craft fair and told me my fudge was still not set, I thought oh bugger I will have to try and make some more. Well I walked into the kitchen and there sitting on the island was a pile of delicious looking fudge and I did actually think for a second that it was infact my fudge set and Jay  had cut it into cubes and then I caught a glimpse of my sorry excuse for fudge sitting on the side.

Jay's Fudge!

I hate to say it but his fudge does taste rather nice infact it is down right bloody gorgeous! Why he decided to make fudge when he was supposed to be redoing the silicone in the bathroom is another matter. Here is a  glimpse of my Christmas hampers

Until next time x

A little peek?

I am spoiling you today with a second posting! As I said earlier I was going to do some baking. I wanted to trial some items that I am hoping to make for the hampers. So I have made a batch of vanilla fudge which is still setting, some peppermint creams, shortbread biscuits and I also made some cheese scones for Jay to take fishing with him tonight and also a chocolate sponge cake for the boys as they have not had one for a while.

I feel like a blue ass fly today, baking earlier, preparing dinner, walked the dogs then straight out again to get Ben and finishing off dinner. Then tonight some more crafting and sorting stuff out for the craft fair tomorrow. Phew busy busy busy...

Plodding down the to do list...

Another week has zoomed by and the so called Indian summer has been and gone in a blink of the eye. I was quite disappointed as it was not the wall to wall sunshine that I was expecting we just had a slight rise in temperature and even some light rain. Which means that neither my pumpkins nor squashes are anywhere near ripening! I have removed them from the plants and they are sitting in the summerhouse at the moment but I will bring them indoors tomorrow and put on the windowsill in the bedroom as this gets the most sunlight.

I have been getting through the todo list, the kitchen has had a bit of a makeover, it has had a deep clean a lick of paint and a de-clutter! It's like a new kitchen, I have reorganised my cupboards and have even managed to get an empty shelf! As usual no one can find anything, but they never could before so nothing new there.

Mum and dad came over Tuesday and dad cut down the budliah bush that was over taking the driveway. Surprisingly Jay actually noticed that it had been removed. I'm sure he walks round with horse blinkers on! I have got to get out and sort out the flower beds as yet, hopefully that will be done on Sunday as will the finishing off in the vegetable plot. Fingers crossed the weather with stay fine for just a little bit longer.

The only thing left in the vegetable plot is the parsnips, the tops have flattened and are laying on the ground, there does appear to be some new growth. I shall just compost and cover around them even though they are slap bang in the middle of the plot.

I have been enjoying walking the dogs again this week, life is still quite hectic with the school run with Ben, there just does not seem enough hours in the day to get everything done. The woods look quite different now that the leaves have changed colour and have started to fall. There were lots of different fungus, it looks so colourful and intricate. I have taken several photos on my phone but I can't seem to load them onto the computer. I will however get Adam to sort it out for me and get them posted over the weekend.

The girls are still ravaging the garden when they come out and they are not quick at going back in either! Octavia was being very vocal yesterday in demanding to be let out and once out they went trooping off down the garden to forage amongst the fallen leaves and scattering the pebbles all over the path yet again.

Well that is it from me for today, I have yet another busy day ahead of me. I have a craft fair to prepare for tomorrow and I also need to do some baking. I hope you all have a great weekend, until next time x

Talk of the town

This Indian summer we are expecting is the talk of the town! It has been on the local news, and whilst in the town today I overheard several times the mention of the impending Indian summer. Does this mean I will have to unpack my summer wear again and stuff the winter sweaters once more to the back of the wardrobe? Yet again more to add to our topsy turvy weather of this year.

It has been raining all day today, but it is not as cold as it has been. The strawberry plants had died but have gone on to grow some more new shoots and as for the rhubarb it is finally looking like it is dying but with this warm weather we are expecting is that going to perk up again and delay my being able to move it?

More decorating was on the agenda for next week but if the weather is going to be nice I will be sure to change my plans and head out into the garden and do some major digging and moving things about and empty out the compost bins onto the vegetable plot and cover it over all ready for winter.

The front garden is looking rather tired and really needs doing so that will also be done when this good weather arrives. I have this Lilac Budlia I think it is called that has sprouted up from nowhere and is taking up rather a lot of space so that will be cut down and moved to an area that is better to accommodate such a vast and vigorous growing specimen.  

Whilst in the town today picking up some more wool for a couple of orders I met my mum and dad and we wandered round a few shops, I was seduced by many lovely looking objects, none that I needed but just really liked the look of  so lots of ohhs and ahhhsss and I like this oh and this. I was very good and only purchased what I had actually gone in to town for such as the wool some toiletries and a toilet roll holder for the bathroom and a basket thing to put all the different shampoos and shower gels in.

I have given the bathroom a bit of a makeover (a job that was supposed to be done several weeks ago) Anyway I wanted something to put all the different bottles of lotions and potions in as there are six of us and also the girlfriends you can imagine there are lots and lots of different things. I did have a shelf thingy that had suction caps and stuck to the glass end panel of the shower. However these things always go rusty no matter what you pay for them. So I did not really want to buy another one of those and trying to get a plastic one was proving more difficult than I thought.

So in the end I opted for this plastic basket that will hold all the different bottles and can sit on the shelf in the bathroom and when you have a shower grab your bottles out of the basket and take them in the shower with you and when finished bring them back out and pop them back in the basket Simples!!! Now this you would think would be quite a simple thing to do but I can already hear the moans and groans as I always do when I have to give them all new instructions on how things are going to be done or if anything changes.

They are still trying to grasp the recent changes I have made, eck it's hard work sometimes even the simple things. Last nights dinner was 3 for and 3 against so it will not be going on the menu again. It seems that it is the orange flavour the boys don't like, however Myself and Jay quite like it so I might make it again and freeze some so it will last us for a few meals and do something else for the boys that night.

When I sat down to write this post almost two hours ago,  I had the biggest urge that I have had for a cigarette since I gave up. I have made dinner and had a tidy up in the kitchen and come back to finish of this post and the urge has past. I am however enjoying a glass of rose, well it is the start of the weekend. I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend what ever you may be doing.  Until next time x

Bring on the Indian summer!

Well it has been announced on the news about the expected Indian summer. Apparently we are going to see temperatures of 21 degrees during the forthcoming week. I just hope they have got it right for once. I will be able to give the coop a jet wash before the winter sets in and remove any mites that may be lurking.

I wanted to finish the decorating today so this morning I put on the slow cooker, we are having Ham & Beans with orange from the Good food's 101 one-pot dishes. We had this several weeks ago and no one really liked it apart from me so I have made a few changes to it and see what the verdict is tonight. The house smells lovely and the bread maker is also busy whirring away.

I like this little recipe book, Jay picked it up one day whilst we were doing the weekly shop. We have tried several of the recipes and most have been well received. I have just flicked through it now and my tummy is groaning after looking at the mouth watering recipes.

We have another two weeks to run on our monthly menu before I make up a new one and there will be several new additions from this book.

I had to go and rescue Bell again as she had got trapped between the coop and the trellis fence. It is always her up to mischief! Whilst I was freeing her the run gate was still open so the others decided it was time to go for their forage around the garden. They are neither keen nor quick to return to the enclosed run and rounding them up and getting them back in is becoming more difficult. No longer does a shake and rattle of the corn tub induce any interest or speed from the girls.

I have found the garden broom a useful object in rounding up the girls and getting them to go where I want them. I just hold it behind them and they scuttle off in the correct direction and once I get them near to the run a rattle of the corn tub gets them in the rest of the way. Blimey the things I have to do!

Well that is it from me for today, until next time x I have put a link to the recipe book that I mentioned earlier

Another eventful week!

When will the tide turn I wonder. On Monday the tumble dryer broke, typical just as the winter is looming! It  still works but the door has to be wedged shut. I think the latch bit has snapped off somehow and a new one has been ordered, but in the meantime a skateboard and tins of beans are doing a fine job.

I went to empty out the washing machine earlier and the door would not open, I thought here we go again. When I hung out the towels earlier I thought they felt much wetter than they should so something is not right here either and the door light keeps coming on saying it is not shut properly. I put it on a quick wash and the door then opened once it had finished the cycle. Fingers crossed this is not going to pack up it is just over a year old as is the tumble dryer.

They say things comes in three's but they never do in our house it is always sixes and nines! The summerhouse roof has sprung a leak, Max threw up on the kitchen floor and Bell refused to go to bed and wanted to sit under the coop where it is very difficult to get hold of her. All the other girls were nice and snug in the coop which I had cleaned out today. The run is like a muddy swamp and it is raining again and I was not in the best of moods to be chicken chasing! I finally managed to get hold of her much to her discontent and squawking and shut the hatch up with them all looking through the little window at me.

Ben is still hopping around on his crutches, he is now back at school so we are having to do the school run every morning and afternoon. Hopefully it will only be for a few more weeks and I got the truck back today which will make life a bit easier.

I have been busy doing a bit of decorating this week another thing to cross off my long list and I have been trying to fill in the big huge holes that Jay left in my bedroom wall after putting up a TV bracket in Lloyd's bedroom next to ours. I have been gradually adding another layer of filler and I just need to add a little more and then that's another job done.

When Jay came home from kick boxing tonight he told me that he had been told we are going to have a very late Indian summer! I thought oh this could be good as my pumpkins and squashes might turn. I have been scouring the web and local news pages to see if I could find anything but I haven't. So I shall be keeping an eye out for this bit of nice weather and will keep you informed if it does appear.

Well that is it from me for another day, I hope you enjoyed reading. Until next time x

I forgot to add it is I think seven weeks since my last cigarette!

aches & pains

Another weekend has been and gone and the days are getting much shorter. We had some lovely weather the past few days but unfortunately for me no gardening as such just seeing to the girls.

I had a fairly busy and productive weekend. I managed to finish off a couple of hat orders and start on some more orders. I made a batch of jam got several jobs on my todo list crossed off however several more were added!

The big truck is still being repaired so we are having to use the little car, and with my gippy leg it is not easy to drive or to get in and out of. And as I can't hold both of the dogs on the lead Jay is having to walk them. I am hoping the car will be fixed this week as I am really missing walking the dogs everyday.

Well that is it from me for now, until next time x

Lovely Autumn day

It was a beautiful day here in Suffolk. A crisp bright day perfect for pottering about in the garden even if it was only for a couple of hours.

We had to be at the hospital at 9.50 this morning and trying to find a parking space is no easy feat. Ben had another X-ray and all is mending quite well, he can now put a little bit of weight on his foot and has been given a special shoe to put over the plaster on his foot. Ben is not very keen on his new fashion accessory!
Two hours later we finally got home, we have not got to go back again for four weeks, when the plaster will be removed and another X-ray and hopefully it will all be over and done with.

After a quick cup of tea I ventured out into the garden. The girls have had a wonderful time venturing further down the garden and finding new untouched earth. I gave the coop a good scrub out as I will probably not get many more chances to do so now winter is fast approaching.

I picked a few more runner beans and then I removed the plants and put them all in the compost bin. There are only a few parsnips and the pumpkins remaining in the vegetable plots as well as a few weeds of course.
I did not manage any digging today as I am having a few problems again with my leg and just walking about the house and garden are quite painful at the moment. Hopefully I will be able to do some digging at the weekend so I can then put down the compost and cover the ground. Failing that I'm sure my dad will help out with the digging for me.

my forlorn and empty vegetable plot

The pumpkins are still green and they don't look like they are changing colour at all. I have moved them so they are in full sunlight and moved as much foliage away as I can, however it does not seem to be making much difference. The lack of sunlight I suppose is not helping. I will give it a couple more weeks and then bring them in and pop them on the window sill.

The butter nut squash are still producing new fruits! They are also not changing colour and I shall do the same with these as the pumpkins. I found a couple of the Italian courgettes nestled under some leaves, which was a nice little surprise as I thought that I would not be getting any more, there are a few that will be perfect for picking next week, hopefully if the weather holds.

I have been having a rummage through my collection of jars today as I want to make some more jams and chutneys for the Christmas Hampers that I am making. I will also be making the sloe gin later on today and the elderberry vodka. Then all I have left to make for the hampers are the fudge, mint creams and the biscuits which I shall make early in December.

Well that is it from me for today, I hope you have enjoyed reading. Until next time x

Oh and don't forget there are some great recipes on the recipe page and I shall be adding more recipes very soon x

Chasing your tail

Yet again another week has flown by. I have been really busy but don't seem to be getting much done that really needs doing.  I have a to do list that seems to keep growing. I don't know about  you but I start a job and from that one job I realise that there are several other things that need seeing to. Perhaps it would be best to live in ignorant bliss and a pig sty!

I like to give the house a good thorough clean before Christmas, don't ask me why but it is one of those things that I just like to do, perhaps it is because not much gets done round the house during the summer months as I am busy either in the garden or on some other project or other and the house gets a bit neglected   with just a simple basic weekly clean.

I have decided that I will make a start on the task this week and I have discarded all previous lists and made a new one. And that is all I have done so far with regards to this task, I know however it'a a start!

The weather is looking good for today and hopefully tomorrow, I am going to clear away the beans and clear any weeds that may be lurking on the vegetable plot. I will empty out the compost bins on to the plot and then cover with a weed suppressant which will remain in place until next spring.

I am only growing garlic this winter, I have not ordered any in yet that is a job on another list. As you have probably guessed I am a chronic sufferer of writing lists, we have note books around the house full of lists.

Ben is still hobbling about, we are due at the hospital again tomorrow, fingers crossed it is healing well. He might be having a new cast on so that he can weight bare on his foot which will make it a lot easier for him to get about.

The truck is still in the garage, it was the head gasket and a new one was needed, costing an arm and a leg to repair as is always the case. I am looking forward to getting it back and being mobile and independent again.

The craft fair last week went quite well, I am just finishing off the orders ready to post later this week. I have been busy making new designs. I don't have another fair for a couple of weeks which is why I thought I would catch up on some other jobs. I have posted some pics of some of the new things I have been making. I have started up a new page where my items can be purchased but it is yet to go live as it still needs some work.

A Selection of bags

Elmo! 

A Selection of scarves

Hair accessory gift set

Newborn baby girl gift set

This is just a small preview of my products that will soon be available to purchase online.

Right I must dash as I have mum and dad over for lunch. The soup is almost done, just need to add the final touches, the bread is cooking in the bread maker and I just have the cake to quickly make. 

I hope you have enjoyed today's post, until next time x