Saturday 26 April 2014

Random snapshots from a short week

Enjoying the asparagus.  It's absolutely delicious at this time of year.  I cooked it in a little butter, and it couldn't taste nicer.  And I've put some in a tart as well.  In a few weeks we'll be blase about it (sorry, no idea how to put in an accent over that "e") but right now it's a bit of a luxury.


Loving this little herb garden that I spotted at the allotments.  The whole area was immaculate.  You can see on the side of the shed there's a plastic tray container filled with the kinds of things insects like to hide in.  The blue tub was labelled "samphire".  I'm thinking this plot must be in with a shot at the "Best Plot" award.  There are extra points for wildlife stuff and nice labels.  Almost no points for the things I've got on my plot.


I may have mentioned that this year I won't be growing any chillies.  None at all.  All of that effort for, well, chillies.  Which I don't use much at all.  Last year I bought a huge 99p plant from Aldi and I had enough chillies to last a lifetime.  So imagine my surprise when these little plants magicked their way into my shopping basket.  


Two Jalapeno pepper plants for 98p.  What is it about chillies and tomatoes?  They are very hard to say no to.  I think it's because they say "summer" to me.  They're here for the whole long season, right from the cool dark beginning until the crisp dewy end.  Theirs is a slow journey.  At first it seems unlikely they'll grow fast enough to produce any crop before the autumn.  But suddenly they take off.  And then they're fun to watch, as the flowers fade and tiny fruits appear.  I like to watch them swell and ripen, week by week.  So it was no big surprise that there would somehow be chillies again this year.  I'm hoping they'll maybe be mild enough to stuff.

And in case you were wondering, those plant holders in the car have a bit of a design flaw.  As you drive along, the soil is shaken up one side of the pot, and a couple of miles into the journey it will start dropping down onto your shopping in big clumps.  It needs a rethink.

This is the littlest boy playing the piano.


He likes to bang random notes and sing an actual proper song.  For him this constitutes "playing" the song.  I could listen for hours.  But only because I'm his mother.  

Something he's learning to do properly.


He used to like making up his own moves, which usually involved bouncing pieces across the board and taking off whichever of his opponent's pieces he fancied.  I'd shout things like "Cracking move" and "He didn't see that one coming".  But now we're doing it properly.  It's not nearly as much fun.

A glimpse of the castle wall.  There's the most beautiful clematis flowering over it at the moment.  This was taken with my point and shoot camera.  I really want to go back with my DSLR and see if I can get a better shot, I just love it.


A rare shot of Nibbles the hamster.  He's not often seen in a good enough light to photograph, what with being crepuscular and everything.  (This is a word my eight year old taught me recently - apparently hamsters aren't nocturnal so much as they are crepuscular, ie. out and about at dawn and dusk.  I do love it when the children teach me stuff.  It happens more and more.)  


Tomorrow morning I shall be standing in the rain watching the last football match of the season (excluding the four tournaments that are coming up).  Then in the afternoon we're going to see some older guinea piggies to see if there is possibly a new buddy for our lonely piggie.  You may remember we lost a pig in the Easter holidays.  It might seem callous to just go out and get a replacement, but after giving it some thought it seems the right thing to do for our remaining pig.  She's five, so she may have two or three years left, and that's a long time for a social animal to spend alone.  A local small animal rescue place has some older girl pigs, so we'll have to see if there's one for us.  I'm not sure how our pig, Mrs Armitage, will react to an interloper, but I'm hoping she'll be happy to have a friend.  Fingers crossed.

I hope you all have a lovely Sunday, whatever you may be doing.  And watch out for that rain.

39 comments:

  1. Hello there, just catching up! Lovely to read all of your news and to see what you have been doing. I liked your traditions post a lot. Hope that you are having a good weekend. xx

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  2. Crepuscular is a hundred-dollar word in my book. I'll have to start using it more too. Good luck with the piggie viewing, I hope you find a good buddy. I ate a lot of asparagus this week too. I got a huge bag at Costco and cooked it over three meals. One of them was probably something like your tart, a baked dish with egg, milk and Bisquick. I sauteed chopped asparagus and onion in butter for it, which was tasty. I love that herb garden. I have a raised bed on the side of the house with perennial tarragon and thyme. It gets a lot of sun and I've tried basil in it too but I think it was too sunny. I'm going to try my basil in a container in partial sun this year. The sun is just too strong here, I guess. Stay dry tomorrow. x

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  3. Thanks for the pic of the herb garden, it's given me an idea for my own effort currently under development. I think I will use the same stone mulch.
    What a cute hamster. Good luck with the piggie introductions. I hope they get on. Handbags at dawn?

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    1. Indeed it was handbags at dawn, or rather one handbag and one hasty retreat. I am rethinking the situation!

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  4. In second grade my son taught us a new word --- tintinabulation. I don't know that I ever would have come across that word on my own.

    Crepuscular I learned all by myself. I think I read it in the National Geographic. LOL

    Good luck with the new piggie. Hope to see a debut here on the blog soon. I'm sure Mrs. Armitage will be delighted --- well, after a good sniff or two and checking out the new roommate.

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  5. A wonderful post chock full of lovely things! You had me giggling at many of these great pics - the chess cheerleader in particular, and the plant holder in the car (surprisingly, ive had a similar experience!). And the herb allotment must be ready to transport to Chelsea, that owner definitely does not have young children in the house, but it is something to aim for! I love asparagus season, too, I've already indulged this week, too...enjoy your Sunday! Chrissie x

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  6. Not callous at all be it means that you are likely to have guinea pigs on a permanent basis.

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    1. I know, I know, I don't know how you ever stop, unless two happen to drop dead at the same moment.

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  7. Mmmm asparagus! We're feasting on that here too in Germany, although here it's the larger white stuff which you don't seem to get in the UK. With hollandaise and potatoes it's just the best! I'll miss it when we return home next week. Forgot to say, I also love the new look of the blog header. Have a lovely Sunday, Em xx

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  8. My children are a bit non plussed by asparagus we have been getting in our veg bag, when you look at it it a rather odd looking vegetable!

    I love it when my children teach me things too, happens a lot round here, not sure what that says about me.........

    Enjoy your football watching hope it is not too wet :)

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    1. It was dry! I do think we deserved it.

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  9. Utterly delightful post - smiles all round xxx

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  10. As Carrie says! Terrific pictures, with the one in the car and what you say about car plant holders making me laugh out loud.
    Thanks, and you too. Flighty xx

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  11. I agree, there is something very captivating about growing chillies, I feel they should only grow somewhere very hot and dry, and they produce such great looking fruits. I too love it when my children teach me things - I have one particularly informative son!
    I wonder if your son's school takes part in the UK Chess Challenge - a great event for keen young players.
    I hope you manage to find a companion for Mrs Armitage - please let us know, and of course we would like photos of any new family member!
    Caz xx

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    1. I haven't heard of the UK Chess Challenge. I think the eldest would enjoy that a lot. The piggie thing didn't work out at all, but I do have a photo of the pig that came to stay. I'll post it soon.

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  12. We love asparagus too at our house. I have never cooked it in just butter on top of the stove, but will have to give that a try. I usually bake it in a little oil and then a little balsamic vinegar.

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    1. Sounds delicious baked. I was cooking it lightly to put into a tart, but quite a lot disappeared during the cooking process...

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  13. Fingers crossed that you find a little buddy for your pig! And I am loving all of the shots from your world! That gorgeous castle wall with flowers cascading over it is beautiful! And the piano and chess playing is perfect and fantastic! Now that herb garden....it is gorgeous! I always have dirt flying around in my car as well...kinda a running joke around these parts! Wishing you a wonderful week ahead friend! Nicole xoxo

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  14. I think looking for an older piggy is a great solution, I never thought of that when we lost one of ours. Lovely to see Nibbles out and about too. I love seeing these younger children's pets, I think that once our bunnies are gone, that will be the end of caged animals for us now that my two are older, but like you, we've had piggies and hamsters too over the years.

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    1. I have a bit of a hankering for bunnies. And me and the eldest would love chickens as well. Can't have everything though!

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  15. You are such a lovely Mum, hamsters and little piggies, sweet games of chess or pretend chess. Football in the rain, you are lovely.
    Meredith

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    1. Aw, thanks Meredith. Of course, I don't post about the bits when I'm cross and shouty.

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  16. Such a fun post, and I loved the lyrical description of watching the tomatoes and chillies grow and ripen.

    The plant holders in my car were even more poorly designed than yours ... too small for anything larger than a drink cup, which is no help at all.

    Samphire and crepuscular are such fascinating words. Enjoy the asparagus!

    P.S. To make é, hold down the Alt key and type 0233 on the number keypad. Here's a link for special characters: http://www.starr.net/is/type/htmlcodes.html - be sure to read Tip #1 (under the first table). :)

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    1. Thanks for the tip, I'm making a note of it, I know it will come in useful.

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  17. Hope you found a new piggy !
    have a good week
    Kate x

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  18. The beginning of the asparagus season makes me want to sing with joy. I bought a bunch yesterday. I am going to drop the word crepuscular casually in a suitable conversation I think, I love the combination of sounds in this word. Got to love children and the never ending stream of information that they bring your way. Enjoy the week ahead CJ and good luck with the new guinea pig. xx

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    1. You are just like me, whenever I have a new word I'm always looking for an opportunity to drop it casually into a conversation.

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  19. The herb garden looks very neat and impressive. I've a few weeds in mine, which I must tackle this week. And I love asparagus, too - this is when I wish I still grew it. I eat so much at this time of year.
    I love Nibbles, he has such lovely colours and I am pleased o hear that your solo guinea pig will be getting a companion soon.

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    1. Thanks Wendy. It's a battle to try and get to the allotment regularly enough to cut the asparagus at the moment.

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  20. As usual, you gave me my laugh for the day! What a doting mother you are - piano, chess, your boys do it all with your support! :) So nice that you're going to try and find a friend for Mrs. Armitage. Hope it goes well. Looking forward to meeting the new family member.

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  21. That little herb plot on the allotments certainly looks well kept and organised. I grow chillies every year too, it used to be because my husband is a bit of a chilli head, but now I actually just love the look of the plants - there's something about those glossy colourful fruits. I hope you find a friend for your little piggie. Have a great week.
    Jane x

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  22. Hope you didn't get too wet watching the football yesterday! Sarah x

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  23. Ah growing things and chess, take such patience, it's no wonder I am not very good at either anymore. I am in love with fresh herbs though, and am making sure I make a monthly batch of garlic herb compound butter for the fridge :) I made a smoked trout spread/pate with some extra I had on Saturday, excellent for some Sunday snacking :)

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    1. Garlic herb butter sounds delicious. I need to make more use of the herbs I have, especially as my middle boy loves them. Quite often I just forget they are there.

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  24. Yumm asparagus. They are a love of mine. I dry them up with garlic and like them a little burnt :)

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  25. Your asparagus looks delicious. I'm trying out chillis this year...luckily we like them so I'm hoping for a glut :)

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  26. I think your allotment would definitely win a prize in my book. I hope you like the peppers. In my experience, they do tend to keep pests away rather easily. Have you found this as well? I loved the bit about your youngest and the piano and chess game. Such special moments. Here's hoping there's a pig friend for your pig friend.

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  27. I loved this post - so much in it! I love the ' plant holder' in the car and that herb garden, how do they manage to grow samphire? We have lots of it up on the north Norfolk coast line.
    I need to properly catch up on your posts as I think I saw a guinea pig update.

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