A final picnic and alas it was all over, summer hols done and everyone was back off to school. I've been a muddle of post holiday melancholy and new year, new broom energy. There's nothing like looking at your life from somewhere else to fill you with ideas and plans is there. The littlest boy and I are still sighing over North Wales and the dog we left behind, but we're bearing up as best we can.
I finished the book above and I've just given up on "The Versions of Us". I confess I got confused. I can just about follow a single story, but weave three together and I'm lost. I found it just a teensy bit dismal as well.
I had the cookery conversation with the biggest boy earlier this evening. You know the one. "Oh yeah, mum, I've got cookery tomorrow." "You're kidding. What, actual cookery, with ingredients?" Turns out, yes, it is actual cookery with ingredients. Carrot muffins. I had everything he needed in the kitchen, except carrots, which I happened to have in the garden.
Carrot 1:
Oh dear. Carrots 2, 3 and 4:
The biggest boy is a little concerned with what is cool these days. Well-made, waterproof shoes - not cool. Shoes with the right label, no matter the quality or provenance, exactly like the ones everyone else has - cool. You know how it goes. I fear that carrot number 1 would make him a marked man. I'm willing to bet no-one else will have such a carrot.
I gave them a quick swill but to be honest it didn't really improve them. I know all you grow-your-owners will be seeing a lot of useable carrot here, maybe even a magical 250g, but it's a harsh world out there, if your carrot isn't cool it's all over.
Hurray for a small triumph.
One out of five. Good enough I think. For tomorrow, carrot soup.
Wonderful, CJ. Maybe you could grate them before the lesson?! Alternatively, is there a nearby village fete? There's usually a 'most amusing vegetable' category! xx
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh, what a selection. I bet they taste great. Good choice of carrot to take to school. Now he'll be the coolest carrot farmer in town. :)
ReplyDeleteI want to dress up all those carrots with spy glasses, hats and hilarious moustaches. The fun you could have. :-) xx
ReplyDelete:D
ReplyDeleteThey look so nice. I had to laugh but only because they are nice and unusual. Congratulations on your carrots.
Lovely carrots! And a picnic sounds great ♥
ReplyDeleteSuch cute little things ♥
summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com
Well, you have the most unique carrots ever. I'm glad you had one normal one for the boy to use. I've been so tempted to get Girl on a Train.. but my sister read it and didn't like it at all.. so I'm afraid of it. I'm reading The Light Between Oceans by Stedman right now and am loving it so far. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDelete:) this really cheered me up!
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with those carrots! I presume you either tried to transplant tiny ones and damaged the main root or grew in compacted or stoney soil or perhaps just too rich a soil, like well manured. A lot of my parsnips turned out like that when I moved tiny self seeded ones from one place to another.
ReplyDeleteThose carrots are actually classed as cool. I suspect not by young boys though. Lovely post CJ x
ReplyDeleteHow funny. Your carrots look magnificent and I'm sure they taste fantastic. I know what you mean about stuff needing to be cool. It's a constant 'discussion' in our house. (And I've had that revelation about cookery the next day at 10pm the night before. Grr.) Coming down after time away and school holidays takes a while. Enjoy your soup. Sam x
ReplyDeleteLiking your rogues gallery of carrots. There's a certain Tim Burton air about them. I remember the cool/uncool lesson. Packed lunches consisting of falafel and cucumber sticks: uncool. Packed lunches consisting of sliced white bread sandwiches and crisps: cool.
ReplyDeleteI never have much joy growing carrots, cool or otherwise. Did you get to eat a muffin in return for providing a cool one. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteOh yes... I remember that cookery conversation so well... Always the night before! At least you found one acceptable carrot and no doubt the others made great soup!
ReplyDeleteoh I am so happy to have children who no longer take cookery at schoool. the stress of the ingredients and the whole thing being inedible when it came home.....
ReplyDeleteAh yes ... the big cool/uncool debate! So glad we are past that now, but you have to feel for them. Peer pressure can be a very hard thing can't it. Great carrots though! :)
ReplyDeleteCripes you can't send him to school with those! Even L, who is remarkably unbothered by cool, would draw the line at exposing carrots with odd looking genitals to school mates :-). Very familiar with last minute cookery supply requests too. I fear it doesn't change until they give up home ed (or whatever it's called these days). Hope the muffins are scrummy. Xx
ReplyDeleteThose are awesome carrots! They might look funky, but you actually have a fair amount of actual usable veg. I hate grating carrots, so I've been chopping mine into chunks and then throwing them into the food processor to dice into little bits for carrot muffins. Might not be as refined, but much easier and it tastes the same. Cheers for home grown imperfect goodness!
ReplyDeleteWhat a variety of carrots! What worries me is, if you only had 1 out of 5 normal, is that what most growers have? And are there 4 fifths of all carrots being heartlessly cast aside because we wanted straight carrots?
ReplyDeleteHey CJ,
ReplyDeleteAah yes. Alfie insisted on those ridiculously pointed shoes for school this year. Paired with narrow legged school trousers. I've let myself be at one with it. I had vague recollections of doing a similar number on my Mum she I hit year 10. Or in my case, the fourth year. Your carrots are a triumph madam. I bet they taste divine.
Leanne xx
those carrots are all sorts of brilliant. and full of grams, too. :) but yes, one must keep up appearances....:)
ReplyDeleteHow funny you are CJ. I am so glad that school cookery lessons are now history although I remember the first thing my son made - apple crumble which was absolutely delicious (lots of sugar!) even though the recipe called for tinned Apple! Of course he took apples from the tree and the teacher did allow him to peel and chop them, and yes he came home with 10 intact fingers. Hope you're having a good back to school week and that the muffins were duly shared around. Carrot and beetroot soup is one of my favourite things to eat this time of year.
ReplyDeleteOh dear at least carrot 5 looked perfect! Sarah x
ReplyDeleteI remember my friend bringing a carrot to school in his lunch that was borderline pornographic. And when we all died laughing I remember also being relieved that someone else was bringing garden and homemade food like us farm kids :)
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much interest those carrots generated?
ReplyDeleteYour carrots are unique and you should be proud of them - who wants boring straight carrots when you can have works of art! Xx
ReplyDeleteOh yes! My carrots look just like those. I thought I'd done all the right things with soil preparation so am mystified. Luckily nobody needed them for cookery lessons. Even the two year old looked doubtful.
ReplyDeleteYou are hysterical, and so right those carrots would have made him a laughing stock at school and we can't have that!
ReplyDeleteMeredith
I think your carrots are fab!! I'm waiting for the first night before school ask of the year...it didn't come in the first week back for us this year!
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed the book - I love that one! xx
Oh they're brilliant, CJ! Just imagine the cookery teacher's face...what subliminal message are these carrots sending, I wonder. I bet they're very tasty though. How were the muffins? xx
ReplyDeleteThose carrots are so cool, great shapes, your son's fellow budding chefs would probably have thought they were cool too. I'm sure they were sweet and delicious, I hope the muffins were a success and enjoy your soup. I was always a little sad when the school holidays were over , I missed the fun and relaxed times spent with my children, it was over all too soon then back to the morning rush, they going to school and me back to work.
ReplyDeleteHugs dear Claire
xoxoxo. ♥️
I feel his pain, but they certainly made me smile.
ReplyDelete