It's arriced!

Great!!!!1 Dennis

And now Spouse is reading it :-(

Mary

After managing to wrench it from his grubby hands I knitted a hat last night, there will be more. Our grandsons will love them! And they're a great way of reducing the stash :-)

Mary

I wondered when you'd be able to get it away from him Mary but knew you'd manage it somehow (LOL). Will there be any pictures of the hats as I'd love to see them?

Bernadette

We were lying in bed last night and he heard a drip ... drip ... drip ... I didn't because I'm a little hard of hearing. And didn't want to. We've had a LOT of rain since the beginning of May, you might have heard about flooding. We're on a hill so weren't inundated but there's a flat rooof over our bay window and the lead covering has aged, crept, cracked and become weatherworn. It's even older than us but I know how it feels :-)

There was water ingress through the flat roof, dripping into the bay, settling on the windowsill and splashing onto his discarded clothes. Serves him right, he should put them away properly :-)

So this morning he was up the ladder with a roll of lead flashing and I took the opportunity of sneaking the book from under his cushion

Oh, OK, I'll finish another this afternoon but I don't think I've done it exactly right. No problem, it can come out and be re-done. I must say that the pictures in the book are disappointing, there are no legends, they're monochrome and not very clear so they don't help much.

Then I'll make a tassel for the first and send a pic. Unless I start another before the play finishes ... :-)

Mary

Oh dear, I hope the rain has done no more damage than that. This really has been the wettest summer I can remember, even the garden flowers have not grown properly.

Has he noticed it has gone "walkabout" yet? I'll look forward to seeing those pics when you get around to it.

Bernadette

The flowers aren't bad - although I'm not a flower man really. Most vegetables are enjoying it but outdoor tomatoes look a tad shrunken. I've spent the morning cutting back luxuriant tree and shrub growth so that I don't have to fight my way through to get from A to B :-)

I'm pleased that the rain has sought out weak points and that it's happened while he's still fit enough to go up ladders and work on the roof.

He hasn't - I've kept him too busy :)

I pulled out the second one, it was too small for anyone and I'd tried to be clever and assumed what was meant in the instructions. Ha! How are the might fallen :-) But I'm making it bigger and stayed up until 11 pm last night working on it. I've also been thinking of making the colours photogenic - just for you :-)

The pictures WILL happen, promise. I mused whether to pose then alone, as in the book, or on a model - the Bearded Wonder :-)

Mary

He certainly sounds a "handy man" to have around :-)

I must admit the nasturtiums and cornflowers have done well but the slugs got my poppies.

It's been good for herbs though. The tarragon I have in a pot (it's a beast for spreading otherwise) has done well and I've even managed to get the seeds of fenugreek (methi) to grow. Around here you can get the seeds but not the leaf so I've taken to growing my own on a window sill and as it is a strong flavour you don't need much.

I've also cropped and dried the lovage leafs for use in the winter as they make a lovley soup when mixed with potatoes. Nice for a cold winter day.

Now that is very kind Mary (LOL).

I'll just have to wait and see then, they always say "anticipation is half the pleasure" but I'm not sure I agree. I like everything as of yesterday!

Bernadette

...

I don't know what I'd do without him - but if he dies before me I can rely on the famiy, they've inherited all that's best from him. Sadly, they've also inherited all that's worst in me :-)

They're not touching mine. Mind you, when you have a plot full of brassica why should they bother?

I can't grow tarragon at all, I've tried for years :-(

I've never tried, it's not something I use although i have a pot of dried seeds in the pantry.

They are, but too big for my garden :-(

Oh - another short term hedonist :-) I'd say don't hold your breat :-)

I worked on it last night and wondered if I'd have to pull it out again. It doesn't ook too bad this morning but I've busy with the ironing all today so might not be able to pick it up until tonight.

Sorry!

Mary

I couldn't grow it either until I found a packet of Russian Tarragon in our local Homebase. Perhaps the Russian variety is more hardy and more suitable for this climate.

Don't rush it Mary just because I've been nagging you. I always complete my projects slowly because that way I enjoy them more - it's only other people that I nag at to get things done NOW! ;-)

Oh - but we're always told not to grow Russian tarragon because it's not as tasty as the French. Have they been having us on?

I'd like to try the Russian stuff but I've never seen seed. Where did you get it?

Yes, somehow it's important that other people do things NOW!

:-))))

Mary

I never heard that before. I got my seeds from Homebase but most of the supermarkets carry seeds in the Spring. I've also seen them in the Co-op, Lidl's and in Tesco.

I find the flavour is fine and use it fresh in my home made salad dressing. The only problem I've found is that it will take over the garden unless you keep it in a separate pot. It's a bit like mint in that way. I haven't bothered drying it for use in the winter as we already have a pot of dried and will use that first.

I think most of us are the same way in that respect :-D

Bernadette

I thought that big old clumps of tarragon were called "Russian", and when you dug the clumps up every so often and divided them up so that they grew more rapidly, it was "French."

I have easily grown tarragon in other places, but here in Pleasant Hill, I have only managed to kill it. That is ok. My wife does not like it in anything.

Aar>

Sorry, that last sentence confuses things. What I meant to say was I haven't dried any mint this year. It was nearly midnight when I wrote it and I'm not used to being awake at that hour :-(

I've not heard that either Aaron but will bear it in mind and see if I can find out any more about it.

I thought there was "ordinary" tarragon and (when I discovered it by accident) "Russian" tarragon as that was the label on the packet.

Thanks for the info though.

Bernadette

I'll give it a go, my usual seed suppliers probably have them. We rarely go to supermarkets.

Mint grows in a Belfast sink - I have lots more in the garden so I could confine it in one of those. I've heard they frych a big price on e-bay but I can't be bothered ... :-)

Thanks, Bernadette.

Mary

It does give a lovely flavour to vinegar or oil.

I make up a batch of salad dressing several times a year. All it takes is one part lemon juice to 3 parts olive oil. Then peel one garlic clove and put it into the bottom of the bottle (or whatever container you are using) add a sprig of fresh tarragon, shake it well then let it sit in the fridge for about a week.

By then the flavour should have developed. If you're "picky" you can strain it as it makes it look better. I just leave it until it's all used up - it doesn't usually last long!

Good Heavens! When I suggested doing that on a food preserving ng I was attacked from all sides with threats of botulism :-) Didn't stop me of course!

Mary