Hubble Bubble + Parsonage Gardens

I need to get myself a cauldron.    The dandelion brew which I made, for cleaning the windows, etc, is so good that I should really go into production and market the stuff!

I found the recipe in a stray page of a very cheaply produced recipe book which probably dates from around a hundred years ago.      My daughter was sceptical but she has requested a bottle of the brew now she has seen how well it works.

A cauldron would be great fun, I could have a small fire in Owl Wood with the cauldron on a tripod ready for brewing the dandelion mixture.     The more I think about it, the more I like the idea!    I could become the village witch...

Many years ago I had a cauldron.  It was when I was 'The Old Woman who Lived in a Shoe' - on a carnival float.    I was about 15 or 16 years old - so that makes it almost half a century ago!

One of the props was a big black, three legged cauldron, you can just see it in the bottom left of the picture.   That's me in the yellow dress, my younger brother was Little Jack Horner.   I'm not sure he ever forgave my mother for making him wear that outfit - the big white collar and bow, the daft hat, but hey, I had to wear a mop cap.   Mortification all round.

Other teenagers were doing music festivals and having fun!

*     *     *

Meanwhile, back in the here and now.

The primroses have been quite wonderful this year, these steps lead up to the old herb garden.   The brick structure is all that remains of what used to be the privy for the main house.   It had become unsafe, so we dismantled most of it but turned it into the herb garden.   Chives and rosemary are doing really well at the moment, everything else will catch up in time.

The first tulips are out, but the ones I am really looking forward to seeing again are those crazy parrot tulips.   Terribly bright, loud, flashy, not my usual style at all.  Yet I really like them!

Foliage of every colour, but down at the base of the old birdbath the first of the forget-me-nots are appearing.

A little play with the macro setting on the camera and their sweet beauty is revealed.

They will soon be bursting into bloom here.  

The colour of these grape hyacinths is beautiful but, sometimes, all I really need to make me smile

is a daisy.    I love to see them dotted around in the lawn!  

As you can see, we don't keep a bowling green lawn.    This part of the garden leads on to Owl Wood, you can just see the top of the hens gazebo to the middle left, though you would probably have to enlarge the photograph.   The old herb garden is on the right.

There is quite a way to go but spring is beginning to to brighten up the place.    

Talking of brightening up the place - our beautiful daughter-in-law, Poppy, is flying in from Shanghai tomorrow evening.    




We are so looking forward to having you home, Poppy!

Village Elders and Food Art

Our tiny village hall was brought to life this afternoon as my daughter in law, Poppy, gave a demonstration on food art, Chinese style.

First she had to prepare the vegetables - no puny vegetable knife for Poppy!   

Fair to say that we all held our breath as she sliced and shaped the vegetables with her Chinese chopper knife.   

We were happy to note that she had brought plenty of pre-chopped vegetables for us to use, no need for plasters and first aid.

This picture gives you some idea of how much fun we all had as we were given the go-ahead to get decorating a platter for ourselves.

This is one of Poppy's demonstration pieces, luckily we didn't have to do anything quite that complicated.
Even so, faced with a blank platter, we all had a brief panic.

  
Luckily Poppy was there to lend a helping hand, a tweak here, a tidy there and suddenly our designs looked a whole lot better.

Poppy charmed everyone as she worked her way round the group,

so much, so that she has been invited back next month.

She's really going to spice things up - she'll be cooking and presenting some Chinese food, to be eaten with chopsticks, although alternative 'eating irons' will be available for those with stiff fingers.

Once Poppy gets cooking, and the aroma of her authentic Chinese food wafts around the village, I reckon we'll probably have a few extra mouths to feed.

Waking Ned

This is the old railway line, decommissioned in the 1960's, thanks to Dr Beeching.  A local farmer owns this stretch of it, dog walkers use it.

I used to walk along there four times a day.   That was when we first came to live in Parsonage Cottage.  We had three dogs.   Pip, Toby, and Ned.

This is Ned, he was a very large dog.   He belonged to my daughter and son-in-law, but as they were at work all day it fell to me to look after him.   Somehow that looking after him also meant that we fed him and he slept here, too...    He was a rescue dog, of course.    

He was deaf and hadn't had suitable training.   His deafness made life quite difficult for him.   Eventually I managed to teach him some hand signals, simple commands, which made life a little easier, although he still got very easily startled by things 'suddenly happening'.    He was a heavy sleeper and had to be gently woken.  That pesky deafness.

On one occasion we had to put all the dogs in kennels as we had to attend a family funeral at the other end of the country.   I had explained to them about his deafness and special needs, was assured that they would handle him carefully.  When we picked him up the young girl who fetched him delighted in telling me how she'd spooked him when she took him his breakfast and again later in the day.     He was never put into kennels again.  

He'd just follow his 'pack' - and given that they were led by Pip, a very intelligent and manipulative terrier, you can probably imagine that it was bedlam at times.

Pip was a little older and extremely bright.  She got me turned out of a dog class once, so that the trainer could show how well trained and intelligent she was.  She was the bright star of the class, as long as I wasn't with her.

I learned my lesson.   

We didn't return to class.

The third member of the pack was my little Toby.  Sweetest dog ever, though he thought he was a love machine when we first got him from the rescue kennels.   He was a kind-natured dog, loved travelling, wanted only to be with his humans.

Walks were - interesting.   

I found out the hard way, that I simply wasn't strong enough to hold all three on their leads when Pip got some mischief in her head.   

On one memorable occasion I had let them run free at a wild and deserted bit of seaside and then clipped their leads on to walk down the side of a quiet canal on the way back to the car.   I always chose my time carefully, normally we didn't meet anyone, but I was constantly scanning the horizon.

So was Pip.

She saw someone in the distance with a Yorkshire Terrier and set up such a hullabaloo, setting the two boys off.  She began to run towards her bit of mischief, so did the others.   I managed to hang on to the leads but lost my footing and was dragged along behind them.

Try picking yourself up with dignity after that!

The only consolation was that I hadn't let go of the leads.  I still had three dogs and we were quite a lot nearer the car.   I swear Pip laughed all the way home.

Then we moved to Parsonage Cottage.  Walks changed.  No need to bundle all the dogs into the car to find somewhere quiet to walk.  We are surrounded by quiet walks.

Just one problem.  To get to the nearest one, the old railway line, I have to walk about a hundred yards down a quiet lane.   Walking the three dogs together was simply not an option, even down a quiet lane.   

So I had to split them into two.  First I would walk Pip with Toby, that pairing worked because Toby was much slighter and more obedient.  

Then I would walk big Ned with Toby.  That pairing worked because Ned would follow Toby's lead and Toby wasn't being led astray by Pip.

Twice a day we'd perform this ritual, the rest of the time the dogs made do with our gardens and woodland.    Toby and I got very fit with all our walks.

That bit of old railway line became very familiar to me.

This week, I walked it with my daughter-in-law, Poppy.   It was fascinating to see it through her fresh eyes and to hear her enthusing over all the things which I used to find so exciting.

The acorns, berries, fungi, animal burrows, the birds.

It was truly wonderful.  She transformed something which has become so ordinary back into something magical and exciting.  I am very grateful to her.

(Dobson enjoyed her company, too.  Dobson is a single dog.  I know my limitations.)

We found a couple of ancient puffball mushrooms, it is difficult to tell from this snap but it is the size of a football.

We collected some acorns, simply because they are so pretty and plenty of blackberries.

Sloe gin to the left, Bramble/Blackberry Vodka to the right.  

This week has also seen our granddaughter start school, suddenly he brother seems so much older.    Now we have two for tea and fun.

Dobson loves his job as chief floor cleaner.   

Village Life and a Village Death

Yesterday I attended another meeting at our tiny village hall.   It is a new group for the oldies and the new oldies, a new initiative by the local district council -  to show how much they care for country folk and the elderly.

I must extract my tongue from my cheek.

This is the same council which intends to make us pay for the street lighting in the village (eg they say the call-out fee would be about £700 to have someone change a light bulb... which could explain why we once had to wait almost two years for the only one near us to have the bulb changed) otherwise they will remove the poles and that will be that forever.

Of course this has stimulated much heated discussion within and without the village.  As ever there are those who want the lights left on, others don't see any benefit to themselves so are happy to opt out, while the rest simply don't care.

The jury is still out.   Either that or we just haven't been told of the final decision yet.

Anyway, they have some National Lottery funding burning a hole in their pocket and someone had the idea of opening up the village hall once a month so that the older folk (how strange it feels to be included in that group,  don't they realise that I am really only in my 20's?) can meet up and enjoy some social connection.

Yesterday's little gathering was attended by, perhaps, a dozen people.   Pretty good for such a tiny, and I do mean tiny, village.

We had cups of tea and slices of cake, lots of chat and discussion about how to proceed.    We will only meet once a month - funding can be found for the rent of the village hall and for expenses for someone to come in and give a talk, lesson, demonstration.   Doesn't sound too onerous, at the moment but that could change.

Although I notice it is the same ones as usual who have to set up the tables, make tea and then stack chairs, etc.   Nothing changes.

Miss Read, one of our village elders, a former school teacher, is going to get the ball rolling, which is nice of her.    Someone else wants to have an art class, another wants some plant advice from the more green-fingered among us,  and the idea of a meal at the pub was mooted too.    All pretty tame stuff.

But how about this?

Poppy, how about giving us a demonstration of how you can make these wonderful garnishes, or perhaps you could show everyone how you serve tea, Chinese-style?   The special tea would be purchased through expenses.

I think something like that would be well received and greatly appreciated by everyone.   Have a think about it.   Your audience would be tiny but very appreciative of your skills.

The tea ceremony would be something completely different and they would love the beauty and formality of it.

Enough of all that though.

The village has lost another elder, one of the truly long-term residents.  His family have lived here for generations - the old village blacksmith.

I posted about him on my old blog.  This was taken a few years ago when he had to give up working the forge due to ill health, so all the equipment was auctioned.  A sad day then and a sad day today.

The village signs acknowledge that we were once lucky enough to have a village blacksmith, so he won't be forgotten.

Two Years!

Remember this?

The log store roof had taken a battering during a storm, the roofing felt needed to be replaced and you two decided to tackle the job, to save Max from having to climb up there on his less than limber limbs.

I'm glad to say that a few years on, and the roof is holding up well.  Your repair work was first class!   Alas! the log store has a decided tilt towards the shed in Owl Wood, but that is another matter.  ;-)

Today, as you celebrate your second wedding anniversary, remember that all your family back here are thinking of you.   We send you our love and look forward to sharing lots of...

...dumplings!  

Young Hector is very keen to try dumplings made by Poppy, he watches Kung Fu Panda...he eats a LOT of them.   Little Merry is rather more keen to share lots of rice dishes; she loves rice, hates pasta, adores rice.   Hector loves pasta, hates rice....

Miles, does that remind you of anything?   You, James, and Alice, perhaps?

Enjoy your special day - Valentine's Day and your second wedding anniversary.  Ooodles of love, Mum and Dad xxx

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

XXX

Supper in Shanghai

We are very lucky to have a wonderful Chinese daughter-in-law.

For blogging purposes, I call her Poppy, although her real name is much prettier.

On Poppy's first visit to Lincolnshire, she was amazed and delighted when she saw all the poppies

which lined the lanes and were scattered in the fields, 

something which wouldn't be permitted in China under article 351 of Chinese Criminal Law.

So when I decided to start afresh with blogging,

giving everyone an alternative name,

Poppy seemed appropriate.

Miles and Poppy live in Shanghai - although we hope that it won't be too long before they come

home to the UK to live in Cowslip Cottage which they bought last year

and which Max is working so hard to help renovate.

Communication is so much easier these days,

vastly different from the 80's when Max worked in the Middle East

and one brief telephone call a week 

plus the occasional snail mail letter

was as good as it got.

We get to chat to Miles and Poppy several times a week, via Skype, we also use email,

as well as this blog,

to keep in touch, which is great.

Poppy is an excellent cook and I have decided to share some of the wonderful suppers which

she prepares for Miles.

The main dish here is a home-made sausage, which has been cooked and drained, to remove as much fat as possible.   It is eaten with garlic... as Poppy says,

it should be eaten when you don't plan to do much socialising

because although it tastes delicious, the garlic smell does tend to linger!

There is also a dish of sour beans and mince, another favourite, all served with fluffy rice.

A dish fit for a king.

I know that Max would be very happy to tuck into some of that - and I would be delighted to have a bowl of rice and sour beans (I don't eat meat) - mind you, if he ate the garlic he could find himself banished.

More dishes from Shanghai next week.
xxx

Poppy's Home-made Sausages & Bacon

Over in Shanghai, Poppy has begun her preparations for some special celebrations next month, she has been making home-made sausages.     Miles loves them but he'll have to be patient for they won't be ready for a few weeks yet.   They are being made for Chinese New Year, February 8th.

She has also been busy preparing her own favourite, Chinese bacon.

Image borrowed from nipic.com

The bacon and sausages take quite a while to cure/dry/mature, but when they are ready and cooked they will look like the photograph above.     I can imagine Miles salivating already and I know that Max is looking forward to Poppy making him something similar during their summer visit this year.

Chinese New Year celebrations see friends and family getting together and whenever people get together that means that lots of treats are produced from the kitchens.   The sausages and bacon are traditional treats.

Poppy is a trained cook, so Miles is absolutely spoilt with her superb meals but I think these are something very special!

Xitang and Manning the Pump in Lincolnshire.

The rain has been falling heavily since about 11 am so the road under the old railway bridge 

has become a swimming pool (well, paddling pool) as the water drains off the fields 

and runs down to the river at Butterbump Splash.   

Of course, compared to those areas which have been so badly affected during recent weeks, 

we have absolutely nothing to grumble about!

Xitang water town, China.

Max is outside, manning the pump, a necessary action if we are to keep our water drainage and septic tank systems working properly.   The little submersible pump needs some extra help now and then - and today is definitely one of those times.   The joys of living in the country and on heavy clay soil.  

Yesterday I came across a big folder of the photographs which Miles and Poppy took when they visited the ancient water town of Xitang.

Somehow they seem appropriate.

It feels this wet here, today.

Xitang is lovely by day, but beautiful by night, even on a rainy night when all the umbrellas

get put to good use and the lanterns are lit.

The hustle and bustle would be a bit too much for me, but I can imagine that the atmosphere must be very lively with food vendors and cooking smells, tourists, and locals.

Back to Lincolnshire and the weather, of course.

Dobson hates getting his paws wet.   There he is, part Labrador, for goodness sake, and he either goes around puddles, or jumps across them.  

 He hates to go out when the rain is falling, despite the fact that I always give him a good rub down with his towel and make sure that he is dry 

before I dry myself.   

You can probably imagine how difficult it is to get him outside, in this kind of weather, to do the necessary.    However, sometimes a boy has to do what a boy has to do, even though he assures me that he really doesn't need to go.     I clip his lead on and make him come with me into the garden.   He tugs to go back inside, but I take him around the bushes and shrubs uttering encouraging phrases..."Pee-pee"  or take him to the corner of the polytunnel (always a tempting spot to have a widdle, providing Max doesn't see him)   "Come on Dobson, pee-pee-pee, wee-wee".   "Oh, for goodness sake, dog, pee-pee...".   It takes an age to get him started, then an age to finish.

He really needed that break.

The rain is still falling heavily, there are vast puddles forming in the Owl Wood and everywhere, including the gardens, is very squelchy, the ground saturated.   The ditches along the lane were brim full this morning, I can only imagine how they must be after all this rainfall.

Enough of the rain talk.   

I came across this photograph of the two of you - remember when it was taken?

xxx

Keeping the Home Fires Burning, Cowslip Cottage Update for Poppy and Miles

Max and I spent all morning down at Cowslip Cottage.    Max had some more wiring to put in before the builders can get on and do the rest of the work.   I assisted by holding wires, pulling wires, writing measurements down...dull stuff, but it meant that Max could achieve a lot more than if he were down there by himself.

During the really quiet times I wondered off into the gardens and made a start on sweeping the leaves - for there were drifts of them, three feet deep in places.

The colours were glorious and almost made the hard work seem worthwhile.

Here's the view over your back garden fence - the parkland looks just as delightful, although I do miss the cattle, they have been moved indoors for the winter.

So much colour, even in winter.     The couple who lived there for so long really did a marvellous job of planting the garden for all year round enjoyment.    By the way, Poppy, there are still some yellow poppies in bloom.

Even the tiny shed has a cascade of gold to decorate it.   Simple and beautiful.   The lovely fucshia is blooming strongly..

and I was really excited to find some winter flowering jasmine...

Back to the cottage.    We worked on the cabling, up ladders and down ladders, ditto stairs.   It is getting there.

 Today is very cold, a seeping, creeping damp cold, so now that the chimney sweep has been and cleared all the soot and birds nests out of the chimney we decided to have a small log fire.      It drew beautifully and definitely helped to keep the chill at bay.    I know the fireplace is coming out and a log burner going in the space, but I thought you may like to see what it looks like with a fire in your hearth.    

It is an old chestnut, but that room is going to be magnificent at Christmas times and delightful at all others.

Home!

Once we got home I had a quick cup of tea and then went along to feed my old friend, Benedict.   He loves those pony nuts...eyes closed in total enjoyment.

I also had a chat with old Oscar, he was busy outside (walking sticks propped against the wall) filling a bird feeder and trying to ensure that those pesky rats can't get in to steal the bird food.    Somehow, I think the rats will win, but he likes to keep pottering and to feel useful.

So, my darlings, your cottage is coming along wonderfully...did I tell you that I have painted the exterior in pink............;-O
Love,
fliss&max