Wednesday

 Good morning, everyone.  Another lovely start to the day with warm sunshine.  Yesterday was beautiful with just enough breeze to prevent it from being a bit uncomfortable.

In yesterday's comments, Jackie asked about making rhubarb gin.
basically, we are talking about a commercial gin (or vodka) with flavourings.

At its simplest, one can use boiled sweets to flavour.  I have some little 150ml bottles and I nearly filled one with some gin, added three crushed boiled sweets - that cough candy that is aniseed in flavour - put the stopper in, have it a good shake now and again and in twenty four hours the sweet had 'dissolved' into the gin and it was rather nice with some tonic.  I like aniseed but if that's not your scene, use something else.  I gather you can use jelly babies in the same way.

The proper flavoured gins take a bit longer, quite a lot longer, in fact, but are just as easy.   You need some large bottles or containers (I use kilner-style jars because of the wide neck) plus gin (or vodka), fruit and sugar - the proportions differ and there are loads and loads of recipes via Google.
You chop the fruit, put it and some sugar into the jar, add the alcohol, seal the lid and give it all a good shake.  Now and again, each time you pass it, shake it again until the sugar has all dissolved (it takes several days) and then pop it into a dark cupboard to just steep.  The sugar converts to alcohol and the fruit flavours the whole.
Leave it at least a month, longer is OK.  

Sieve it through a muslin or a sieve, pour the resulting deliciousness into a clean bottle and enjoy.  Beware - it is stronger than you would think!

Here's a link to a site with other fruit gin recipes too.  I think I might add a bit more sugar than it says but, really, the proportions are very general, a bit like making jam!
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/recipes/rhubarb-gin-recipe

I spent a couple of hours down the allotment again yesterday.  The mange tout and the runner beans are now sown, perhaps a bit late but it never seems to make too much difference really.  Today it is mowing and strimming again plus some weeding.

Instead of posting a photo of what I did do, here's one of what I didn't.  Their days are numbered!!

Today is the aforementioned allotment work, plus some washing, drying and ironing, some general housework and my weekly hour of personal training which actually hasn't happened for several weeks so today is going to be hard work!

Have a lovely day, everyone.  xx