Saturday 27 August 2022

Saturday

 Today's garden happy - for a short while, I thought there were no tomatoes to pi9ck this morning.  However, there were just a few and, although ripening has slowed down rather, there are still plenty to come so fingers crossed for a late frost!  Often, it's not the frost though, it is the shortening hours of sunlight that does it.
Green tomato chutney this year, maybe?  I'm still enjoying some made with the recipe that Sue C gave me a while ago - it has matured deliciously and is great with all sorts of things.  Thanks, Sue.


Morning, everyone.  After the morning mists of the last few days, today is bright and sunny, clean and fresh, and full of promise.  I'm glad I have some washing still to do - it will dry beautifully on the line.

Yesterday was a very pleasant day.  Slimming World came first with a small loss, for which I was very thankful.
The rest of the day was just homey things really.  I took some stuff round to the Salvation Army drop off, cleared a few messy places, changed sheets, did some washing and generally had a nice, chilled time.

I went online and saw that the Fabulosa brand is doing a candle Advent Calendar this year so I thought I'd get in early and order it.  I can now tick that off my list.  I had one last year and it was so nice to burn a little fragranced candle each day - they are just tea lights really, what we used to call 'night lights', so they don't burn for very long, but it comes with a nice decorated holder so that should look merry and festive.
Must start looking out for an advent candle too - they tend to go quite quickly.  I usually find one at Hyde Hall so maybe I will schedule a trip there over half term week.

I've started watching 'A Farm Through Time' on channel 5, another of Ruth Goodman's treasures.  I caught up with episode one which was last week and watched episode two yesterday (it's on catch-up).  Thank you to Eileen for mentioning it.
The autumn schedules are nearly on us again.  I gather Strictly is bigger and 'better' this year and Blackpool week is back - cheers.  As usual, I don't know very much about the celebrities but I'm prepared to bet that three weeks in they will feel like old friends!  Just like every year.

Today looks like being the same as far as exciting things are concerned.  In other words - none!
I have the washing to finish off (there's a load on as I type) plus the ironing, I didn't sort out the guest room yesterday so I must do that, I have a couple of recipes to try and, of course, plenty of knitting and reading.
It should be good!  I hope yours is too.  Star safe and have a very happy day  xx


10 comments:

  1. Nice to be back and catching up. I was in Switzerland for my niece's wedding and visiting family, had a brilliant time. Pleased to say the airport experience at Heathrow and Zurich was no problem at all and all went smoothly apart from a 50 mins delay on the return flight, due to the heavy storm you had the night before, which affected to the flight schedules.
    I am intrigued by your planning things for half term, are you still in working mode? :-) xx

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    1. I'm delighted you had such a lovely time and that all the travelling was smooth and trouble free.
      LOL - yes, you are right. I still think from half term to half term; it is deeply ingrained in me. It doesn't have to be then, of course, silly me! You've given me a good laugh! Thanks. xx

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    2. I also wondered about the half term comments…

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    3. It's just such a habit to do that sort of thing in half terms - all my working lifetime! xx

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  2. Is a chutney what we would call a relish here in Canada? I have always wondered if that was the case. Our tomatoes are very slow at ripening also.

    God bless.

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    1. It's fruit and vegetables slow cooked in a pan with spices, vinegar and sugar, basically, until it thickens. Good chutneys take a few months to mature and then get better and better as the months/years go by. Is that your relish? xx

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  3. Very hot today again and I was out for lunch in a conservatory-I was the one wearing the sunglasses! Hope you enjoyed your gentle day at home. Catriona

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    1. I did, thanks. Got everything done and had a good old chill. Lovely.
      Sunglasses sounds pretty good to me1
      xx

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  4. Chutneys usually have a long, slow simmering time whereas relishes (according to my "Preserves and Pickles" bible, can be "fresh and quick to prepare or rich and slowly simmered" . Sounds much of a sameness to me!

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    1. Me too, Chris. I looked it up and it says pickles and relishes are almost always veg whereas chutneys contain fruit and chutneys are softer than pickles and relishes but, really, the terms are used interchangeably. It's probably down to common usage. xx

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