The grapes are ripening nicely

 I've added a bunch of grapes to this morning's harvest. Unfortunately they aren't seedless but as they're really sweet they get to stay. They have definitely earned their place in our garden 

It's glut season

 My courgette and tomato glut is storming  along. After I did my daily harvest Tony and I popped out to pick up a few things from Sainsbury's. I've seen a lovely chicken escalope recipe that uses crispy onions instead of breadcrumbs. We managed to find the onions in Sainsbury's so watch this space.  Here's the harvest that I pucked this morning. 

When we got back I decided to harvest any tomatoes that looked as though they might split. We'd been forecast heavy rain and I didn't want to lose my tomatoes. Several of the big heavy tomatoes had snapped off so I was pleased that I'd checked the plants.  This little haul weighs in just short of 5kg. Obviously some aren't ripe yet but give them a few days and they'll be lovely. 

I did a bit of research about the cost of organic beefsteak tomatoes.  They average around £10.40 a kilo.  This tray full would have cost me nearly £50 if I had bought them from a supermarket. I made a huge pan of minestrone soup with some of the veggies. It tastes absolutely lovely and there's enough to last a few days.

Tony's new car August 29th

 Someone is a happy man today. 🙂

He picked his new (to us) car up from the garage.  Isn't it a lovely colour

Today's harvest

 Tony has gone to collect his new car and I'm waiting in for my latest Greenstalk planter to be delivered.  I've had a message saying that it'll be delivered today so goodness knows what time that will be. I'm keeping myself busy pottering about in the garden and I've just picked these. The apples and little pears are windfalls. I'll peel them and grate them.There's a small handful each of strawberries and raspberries which  I'll mix with the apples and pears. They'll be a nice addition to a fruit crumble. Three different varieties of courgettes. There's a load of beans and two different varieties of tomatoes 

Eat what you grow

 The garden is going into overdrive as vegetables are ripening faster than I can harvest them. This morning I made two really delicious pasta layered bakes. We had some at lunch time and it was so utterly delicious that we had another portion each for tea. 

I'm currently being tortured with insect bites which I think are caused by ants. They're everywhere this year. Each time I brush past one of the fruit trees I have to brush the little blighters off my clothing and skin. I'm taking an antihistamine to help calm the itch. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be working. Tony is collecting our new car tomorrow then we're taking it for a drive out over to Helmsley. We might have lunch out if we find somewhere nice.

We've booked another trip away

 Now that Tony and I are retired we plan to visit a different town in Britain every month . A couple of weeks ago I booked a trip to Leamington Spa. I'm a complete pillock as I only booked one night and we wanted to stay two. I've just added another day to our trip but it's in a different hotel not too far from where we'd like to visit. We're really looking forward to visiting the area and trying out the local eateries.  Does anyone know of a good Thai restaurant in or close to Leamington Spa.

Harvests are coming thick and fast at the moment and I've just cooked a huge pan of cologne sauce. My intention is to leave it develop some flavour overnight. Tomorrow I'll turn it into a few different pasta dishes.  My garden is looking very lush at the moment but I can already see tgat the season us changing 

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We've bought another car

 Yesterday Tony and I wandered around a few car showroom forecourts looking at different cars.  We spotted a couple that we liked the look of and today we popped back for a test drive. Tony really liked a Kia Sportage and after a quick test drive he decided that it was the one he wanted.  I'm not sure when he'll pick it up but he's like a dog with two tails. 

This morning I walked with my group of friends and we had brunch at the home of one of our group. I don't think I'll eat for a week after the amount Ann had prepared for us all. I've been prepping for a couple of friends coming for lunch tomorrow. We're planning on playing Rumikub before lunch and cribbage after lunch. I'm loving retirement. 

It's pickling season

 This morning I pickled a few jars of tomatoes and one of cucumbers. The tomatoes will only keep a couple of months but the cucumbers stay crisp for a very long time. Don't they look pretty. My freezer is stuffed to bursting with garden produce and I am planning on reducing the amount of tomatoes and courgettes that I grow next year. There's only so much space in the freezer. 

I gave a neighbour a tub of vegetables this morning. She popped back a little later with a bar of chocolate for me. I was so touched as that's the first time anyone's given me anything in return. I'll make a tray of rocky road with it as I've got all the ingredients. We're off out to friends for a meal this evening and it'll be a nice change not having to cook. 

In crafter mode

 I've been getting the urge to craft again lately. Yesterday I used some of my dies to cut the components for a couple of fuchsia flowers. I rubbed baby oil onto the flower parts after I'd cut them out. Needless to say I didn't use new paper but chose to use the envelopes that my birthday cards came in. I had to wait for the baby oil to dry and the flowers are now all put together and drying. I'll take a photo later today and show how they look. The baby oil is great for darkening the coloured paper. It turns the white inside the envelopes to a pale version of the facing colour. Very useful as I don't have any dark green paper

While I'm sitting here a road sweeping machine has just gone past. It's clearing all the gutters. I can't remember the last time I saw one of these. Everywhere we go these days the gutters are filled with grass and weeds. People don't take pride in their neighbourhood any more. Tony and I clean the gutter in front of our house and the chap down the road does the same.  We each take turns to do the gutter in between our house and his. About four houses in total.  If everyone that was able to did a little bit to keep their area tidy it would look so much nicer. And if people with drives actually put their cars on them the road would look so much more inviting.

 

Fresh from my garden

 It won't be long before summer is a distant memory and we're complaining about the cold will it? I'm making the most of my harvests while they're abundant.  I took a lovely selection of veggies to one of the (older*) men at my carving club last night. It's lovely having plenty to share and Jim does so much for his sisters. He's been quite poorly and not felt inclined to grow much this year so I'm trying to take a little something for him each week. I hesitate to say old these days because I'm not getting any younger.* 

I've just been out and picked this lovely little selection of flowers and vegetables. The posy of sweet peas and roses are filling my kitchen with a beautiful scent.

There's two types of cucumber, a Rondo de Nice courgette,  a medley of tomatoes and a little handful of French beans.