Petal Light

Bottle Gourd Plant

Do you remember how beautiful my squash plant was.  Well look what happened overnight.  Can you believe it.

It's a repeat of Jonah and the bottle gourd plant.  A friend told me that a worm gets in and it dies overnight, and I can attest to that.

Christy

Yippee!, Yippee!, Yippee!

Guess What the Sewer Authority paid back all my money outlay on the sewer, all $3,500.00, and I have actually come out ahead with a brand new trap, for our old 1926 connection.  this is very good news, because the law is on their side.  They have what is call "Sovereign Immunity"  this is what a lawyer told me.  So don't have to give us a penny if they don't want to.  I said 'I didn't know we had any sovereigns' over here in the US of A.'

This is very happy news, as now I can pay our property taxes; as hubby has been unemployed since last March.

Christy

The Garden Path

The garden path with puds and produce.

Christy

Squash Flowers

Someone told me that you need to cut the flowers off to make it produce more squash, but I just love it with the flowers and like to leave them on. The bees love them.


Christy

Cloche Hat

My friend M. was looking for a special dress, so I said I'd accompany her as she wanted my opinion.  Unfortunately we did not find a dress.  However I was treated to a lovely cloche winter hat on sale.  I will look forward to wearing it.

Christy

My Dear Tink

Sunday Breakfast

Our little German coffee grinder; which Bo uses most of the time, even though we have an electric one.  I think it's therapeutic.

Cooking an omelet in my little cast iron pan.  with tomatoes and peppers from the garden.

Cooked omelet and fresh coffee in my Heffer's coffee mug, from the famous book shop in Cambridge.

Little German transfer ware milk jug, made in Germany with a scene from Ohio.

That was our Sunday breakfast.

Christy

Wine Making Weekend

The grapes were ready and it was a go to make wine.  It takes 18 lbs of grapes to make one gallon of wine.  True wine is made with just grapes and no sugar added.  We picked 12 lbs of grapes, so to make it up to a gallon we added 1 lb of sugar.


I was able to go to a fairly local wine and beer supply store to get what I needed;  which was great because they have everything.  I have always wanted a container for the first mash and fermentation, and guess what it was not made in China, but Canada. Probably better for their tighter regulations on plastic containers, especially where food is concerned.  


It was a family effort, with Rob and I picking the grapes, and all three of us, stemming the grapes and mashing the grapes.  All told it took four hours, for all of us working, so it's pretty intensive.  I always find standing at the sink in one position tiring.


It felt good to get the first stage done.  But to be quite honest, two years ago I made grape jelly that must be done all in one go and that was even more intensive and I think harder to do than making wine.  So wine it is with the grapes and I think it's better return on outlay.


Now we have to wait a year.  I'm going to have a go at making more wines.  Actually we only used the red grapes, the white grapes are not ready yet.


Christy

"What the German Lady Said!"

I was in Trader Joe's doing a little shopping on the way home from work.  They always have a food sample you can try, water to taste and fresh coffee.  I had just poured a little paper cup of coffee and then poured the milk in when somehow it spilled all over.  So I took few napkins or as we say in Brit, serviettes, and was mopping up.  Some had spilled on the floor and I was bending down there mopping that up.  Yes I know you could call the assistant to do it; which I did to finish it off, but just didn't want to leave it like that.  It must be the house-keeper in me.

In any case as I got up and turned around this older German woman said to me in a very Strong accent.  "You have very nice hair for a woman your age!"  I just said thank-you, that's all that was needed.

My hair was braided and I think I had just coloured it; which I do myself so I must be doing a pretty good job.

I said to my hubby, well I will take that as a compliment, because I know my age and I don't get too many compliments now.  It makes me smile to think about it.  

Christy

Banana Cream Pie with Dark Chocolate Mouse

I think you might just see some finger impressions from Rob taking a little sample. Banana cream pie, with dark chocolate mouse topping from a packet Bo came across at the back of the cupboard.  He's been routing round for goodies.


Christy

Are We Becoming Vegetarians?

It almost seems like we are becoming vegetarians.  We're eating a lot of stir fried veg and rice or q?.  Sometimes I do it with sausage which is good.  I guess on this frugal living we don't buy a lot of meat.  Oh well!  It's probably better for us.


This is onions, squash, green leaf veg, peppers we usually add tomatoes at the end.  Just add some curry powder and we could be Indian.  I wouldn't mind but that wouldn't suit Bo, Rob might be OK with it.

You see the large jar to the right, that houses Sawyer, a Sciamese fighting fish.  I say he'd probably be alright in the tank with the other fish, but Rob says no.  He keeps getting put on one of the burners when we run out of room and one day we will have boiled Sawyer, poor guy.


Christy

My Home Grown Lilly from my June Garden

My Two Patios, Simla and Pond

This is my garden now in July full of blooms, although not quite as green. The ferns and hosta are past their best but I'm loving the Cleome and Astors.  The honeysuckle took on a second life and the roses manage to produce a few stragglers.


Bo added a tiny circle patio in my archway, with some of the left over stone, it looks lovely and now is just not plain dirt.  Well I did have a couple of those artsy stepping stones, but they were way past their best.


Christy

P.S.  I'm still working out this new Blogger update.  Patience is the word.