Tuesday 6 October 2009

C the wood for the trees

Unusually sensible, I drove this morning rather than cycle, although it was hardly raining. Bucketing down when I came home again, however. I was jolly hungry too, I'd been a bit short on breakfast stuff this morning and only had a thin slice of dry toast. I bought stuff from Al and came home. As soon as Scarlet saw me, she started to hurry towards the gate, so I got out and fetched her and Pinkie half a bale of hay. It was nearly 2 o'clock by then and I rather wished I hadn't decided to cook something that would take 20 minutes so I finished a bottle of wine while I was waiting for the food (2 large mushrooms, shallots, tomatoes, garlic and peppers, both sweet and chilli) to cook.

The weather has brightened now, but it's been rather good to have some rain. Fills the butts somewhat, for a start, which will please Dave immensely. He does appreciate a well-filled butt and he's bemoaned the sere condition of his for a few weeks now.

The summer crops in the garden are coming to an end. The last few tomatoes, the very last of the runner beans - still fresh and tender to the last picking. Soon, it'll be time to harvest the squashes. I'll keep a few back, but Al will sell most of them. Not all the french beans were picked, so I must remember to save the seeds before they get frosted.

17 comments:

Dave said...

I shall try to ensure I never mention my liking for a full butt again. Clearly I leave myself open to too much misunderstanding.

DILLIGAF said...

When you say you finished a bottle of wine, do you mean from opening it or the remnants from a previous session? - I need to know these things for when you're over here again so I know how quickly / slowly to drink..;-)

Actually it'll be Caz who drinks slowly....no surprise there then eh?

Dandelion said...

I'm glad you specified it was two large mushrooms, otherwise lunch would have sounded a bit meagre...

Z said...

What do you mean, Dave? Just how have you been misunderstood?

A slight ambiguity, I admit, 4D. I had a glassfulsworth left in the bottle, which I virtuously didn't finish last night, the Sage and I having shared most of it. As for how much and how fast I drink, it depends on how nervous or thirsty I am.
I could be visiting London next Tuesday, not sure of timings yet.

That was all that was cooked, Dand- I also had a slice of bread, a chunk of Stilton, a plum and some yoghurt. I rather made up for the small breakfast.

Dandelion said...

Well, z, you are certainly an example to us all. A paragon of dietry virtue. I had a pizza with chicken and extra cheese.

Z said...

I thought I'd been rather greedy. But virtuous, of course. I have to set a good example to the young, which is almost all of you.

martina said...

I had half a cheese sandwich. Had to go answer the front door. While I was distracted, one of the dogs grabbed the other half of the sandwich off the kitchen counter. Your lunch sounds tastier and definitely more filling.

Dave said...

I'm D-bating how you're going to head today's post.

Z said...

Ooh, Martina, I trust you stole the dog's dinner back later.

So far, Dave, the best I can come up with is D for Kate, but it is not likely to fit in with anything I'm going to write. Not that I know what I'm going to write yet.

Sheer Almshouse said...

Hmmm... what exactly do you mean by a full butt? I had to look up the word because something told me that the meanings I was used to did not apply here.

Aha! I've learned something new!

Pray you keep warm and your joints happy as it gets colder.

Z said...

I did indeed mean a water butt, SA. I'm afraid that Dave misunderstood and thought I was being 'cheeky'.

Rog said...

It would be a tragedy if Dave's Butt had a crack down the middle.

Z said...

Most unfortunate - maybe we could try caulking it?

A wildlife gardener said...

It's been a North/South divide as far as the weather goes this past summer...we've had too much rain...at one point ten solid weeks of it...and you are in need of some...I dunno, this global warming has a lot to answer for...

Your harvest sounds pretty good though...

Dave said...

If you've baked any refreshments for tomorrow's wallbuilding (and topping out ceremony) it could be D for Cake.

Z said...

You think we're finishing tomorrow, Dave? Goodness.

You think I've been baking? Oh really, darling, ha ha. You're coming here in the morning aren't you? I bake for afternoon tea, not for lunch. D for bread and cheese just don't have the same ring, do it?

If you're due in the afternoon, do tell me. I haven't written it down as I assumed I'd remember/

Z said...

Sorry, WG - yes it's true, it's been wet everywhere but the South and East. We had plenty of rain in July, but then almost none for two months.

The outdoor tomatoes have been just fantastic. I did have them in pots not in the ground, but they ripened quicker than the greenhouse ones, which were in the ground, and I've had a huge crop. I'm hoping for even better next year, when they have the protection of the wall.