Today we enjoyed a quiet 'at home' day and managed lots of reading, crossword puzzle, computer jobs etc. And I must mention some Radio. A programme called Under The Red Duster on Radio 4. It's a history of the Merchant Navy presented by John Prescott - and he is doing it very well indeed. The weather first thing was lovely - sunny and still, but by 7am it had started to deteriorate to windy, rainy and cold which has mostly persisted. Y walked round to the newsagents to pay the papers and buy some milk but apart from that we have simply stayed in.
For lunch I cooked some Venetian Sausages (from our Dobbies at Chesterfield trip) and initially I was worried because whilst under the grill they exuded this bright orange gunge. Lots of it. When fully cooked however we were most pleased with them. A good flavour; not over spiced and a nice texture. I served them with green beans, mashed potatoes, courgettes and a mushroom. Into the mashed potato I folded some chopped chives (Y managed two jobs together - we had chives growing in between two patio slabs so she pulled them out and I chopped them). For pudding Y did my favourite red fruit compote, with greek yoghurt.
Picture 1 is something I've been wanting to try for a day or two. A snap of this Orchid with my 50mm lens at f1.8, to achieve the very restricted depth-of-field. Like it or loathe it - thats the effect I was trying for.
Picture 2 is odd in a different way. David brought Y this Kalanchoe plant on Mothering Sunday and it had flower spikes covered in separate flowers. Although the flowers died off the plant didn't, so I pruned it and tended it. The plant has rewarded me with a second flowering. But this time the flowers are single blooms !
Isn't nature strange ? So unpredictable.
I've just spoken to Helen about the Crabbing Championships and none of our people won anything but everybody had a great time. Helen said the atmosphere was terrific. 1,200 people registered and took part. And I'm sure the crabs found it tolerable because they were all thrown back, replete with food and none the worse for their experience.
Sky still isn't 100% but better, although she still has a nasty nocturnal cough. All being well they are coming over to see us on Thursday. That will be super. Hear all the news, and see the pictures.
I still haven't got my LG Renoir KC910 actually working yet. But I have found a web-site and a forum ! So, it is only a matter of time.
My responses to your previous comments
Jill .... Glad you enjoyed the asters; they get better each day. There are only a few plants but they look so cheery I wish we'd got a bed full. When they are approaching their prime I'll blog another snap.
How clever of you (and Martin) to recognise what butterfly will be forthcoming from which caterpillar.
Shame the stocks have to be sacrificed though. I love stocks and think the scent so typically English.
Long live Amazon. Such a slick organisation. The Govt ought to headhunt some of their IT people and pay them what it takes to have a go at the NHS.
Bob .... Sorry about confusing my right hand with my left hand again. It wasn't a deliberate 'tester' honest.
I'll always be happy to publish Sports Desk items about The Stags. It's the least I can do to support our local team.
As this caterpillar thread has aroused interest - if you would like to research the Cinnabar moth I would be delighted to publish a picture. Cinnabar sounds really exotic dunnit?
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Quotation time ......
"Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar"
"A bit early - but sleep tight - catch you tomorrow"
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2 comments:
Liked the orchid photo - it looks very much at first glance like the everlasting pea which I am trying to grow (I pinched a bit through the railings of the railway line where it flourishes).
Changing plant - I am sure when we transplanted the anemone japonica from back garden to drive we moved the white ones, as they looked more hardy and stronger plants.All the ones on the drive have flowered pink.....
No rain here, but dull, grey, warm with a breeze.
Caterpillar - we had to look it up, I just knew what it wasn't.
You didn't say what it was that was not working - I hope it isn't essential.....
Success! - in Waitrose I found the Birds Eye fish in a bag - two sorts, the haddock and something called 'balissa'. No salmon. Never heard of balissa, I can't track it down on Wikipedia either.
We had a 'flock' of Painted Ladies in garden again yesterday - what is the collective noun for Painted Ladies? Bob might know.... About twenty of them - lovely.
I watched the Irish Police prog. last night - not bad, but a bit long. The 'Lewis' I watched earlier seemed to whizz by, the Irish one dragged a bit, I thought.
We had rain before 9.00, but drinking-tea-outside weather till evening.
Chorizo also sweats orange-coloured juice (paprika).
More than ONE chive!
I like the fading out-of-focus orchid.
From personal observations Amazon would certainly beat NHS at delivering people home after emergency treatment!
Although pretty, the Cinnabar Moth is small and rather less exotic than its stripey caterpillar.
Like Buddhist quote.
Jill:
Sandra is convinced Japanese anemones mutate from white to pink unless segregated.
Googling 'balissa' I was offered ’Sexy People from Leicester’ but it was too late to get the car out.
Group noun for Painted Ladies?
A ‘Performance’? A ‘Har-Lot’?
I thought the 'Irish police show' improved this week (but perhaps too MUCH lovely scenery).
PostScript:
University Challenge:
It’s hard to keep count but I’m over 90% certain that I got 16 answers before or instead of the contestants (including all the MusicHall artists and 3 out of 4 Jazz singers).
The Street:
Almost a happy ending to another superb drama dealing objectively and empathetically with problems that don’t hit most of us (but we know someone...)
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