Chitchat thread #24

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Nicos you'll think of something to fill your oven, I usually roast tomatoes or rhubarb. Have you tried dehydrating its a good way to store fruit for later.

It's looking like we'll have a good crop of Worcester pearmain apples so they'll be plenty to share with family and neighbours.

Its looking like another sunny day here.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Well, Jack could have set the smiles off today (again), Nicos. Woke me up barking at a boar filching our pears and peaches (also again). Then was absolutely bonkers on the walk. He has now parked himself beside the bed under the protection of the mozzie net. Looks like he's set for a long snooze.

Time for an air fryer for small bakes, Nicos?

I'm putting off doing some baking, it's so hot here already. Our Italian friend's birthday yesterday, plus I need something for gifts for the brilliant builders' merchants in the village, who have been amazing, taking in loads of deliveries for me recently.

So after whatever it is I decide to bake, off into the village and then back to do a bit of work.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Sunny here. My Apple tree is loaded again, but the apples are very small. It needs a good prune this year. Have a good day

[Nicos]

I was just about to pick some rhubarb Bren….brill idea to do it before freezing- thanks.
I may make a cake too but everyone around me seems to be dieting…and thre is precious little room in the freezer. Goodness knows how the half sheep is going fit in in a few weeks time

Can’t complain…it’s all free food so we should be grateful!
Interestingly Snoop - so far at least- we’ve never had a wild boar eating the windfall fruit - just foxes and small er wildlife / insects…we have them around, but they’ve not yet paid us a visit.
Our guests the other day said they saw a beautiful red squirrel actually in our garden ( do they eat plums?)…its tail was almost black. Never seen one in the locally before but it looks like the chestnuts wood next to us is now mature enough to lure them in.

Kettle is on again….unless anyone fancies a choc- ice?

[bramble]

Good morning all it's warm but dull.
I must re organise my two freezers today, running short on space.
My daughters apple tree has been dropping some apples so I will be freezing them along with plums and blackberries.
Grory hop and a visit to the charity shop to drop in some unwanted clothes.
have a good day all.

[mothhawk]

Morning all.

I'll share a cuppa with you Nicos. I've just sat down after washing down the last wall of the stairwell, so I'm hot and thirsty! I've been working on it for a couple of weeks, stripping off the very old wallpaper, sanding lumps and bumps, filling holes (so many picture hook pinpricks - I don't remember hanging so many pictures over the years), sanding the woodwork, and finally, washing it all down. Only the fun part left to do now, painting.

All the apple trees I've seen seem to be loaded this year, especially the wild crab apples, with branches weighted down. I shall definitely be making crab apple jam come September.

[Snoop Puss]

Interestingly Snoop - so far at least- we’ve never had a wild boar eating the windfall fruit - just foxes and small er wildlife / insects…we have them around, but they’ve not yet paid us a visit.

If it were windfalls, I wouldn't mind so much, but it's taking them off the trees.

Anyway, change in plans. Baking tomorrow rather than today. Phew!

[greenishfing]

Good afternoon.

I've been round to check up on my brother in law this morning. He seems fine today. His cleaner/shopper/helper is evidently going on holiday for a fortnight at the weekend. She's a lovely woman. My brother in law will still have a carer coming in every morning to help him get up, dressed and showered, etc, and he will also get his hot lunchtime meals delivered. The warden, he lives in assisted living, keeps an eye on him too. I've offered to put him any extra shopping he wants on my online order, and then take it round for him. I must remember to make him a cake or something nice one day too.

I've just been bumbling around in the kitchen, my favourite activity these days. 20, or even 30 year old me, would have been beyond shocked to hear me say that. I wasn't incapable, just not really interested.

I've baked some aubergine slices, made an italian tomato sauce, and grated some parmesan ready to assemble my aubergine parmigiano later, with the addition of some mascarpone. I think there will be a bit of tomato sauce left over. I'm going to freeze it in ice cube trays to get out to use as dip.

Snoop Puss, do the wild boar only tend to come out at night? Do they attack humans or domestic animals? Are they vicious or just mindlessly destructive?

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Early start for me…so just enough time for a quick brew if anyone cares to join me? Bit early I guess….

Sounds like everyone is keeping busy at the moment!

So…to all the bumblers, potterers and rushed of their feeters….have a great day, and remember to share those lovely smiles

[mothhawk]

Morning all.

Domestics today for me. All the sanding yesterday has left a fine dust over everything so I shall have to whirlwind the house top to bottom. My own fault, I should have closed doors to at least keep the dust out of the upstairs rooms. I do have a dust magnet though, on my bro's recommendation - I was sceptical about it as it feels very flimsy, and comes with refills, ( I dislike using non-biodegradable disposables), but it really does hang on to the dust and is easy to flick around, under, and over all surfaces. Plus, I found the dust rinses out and it dries back to almost fluffy new again.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

A very hot day ahead, apparently. Plenty on my plate for the day, so better make the most of the morning to get it done.

greenishfing, the boar here seem to be more active from dusk onwards but the one that visits us turns up in the early morning (a different one this year to Billy Boar last year). Bit off-putting for walking the dog before it gets too hot. They would attack dogs or humans if provoked. And females with young would attack willy-nilly if you were nearby. They aren't mindless vandals, just very destructive when it comes to looking for food.

I had to look up dust magnet, mothhawk. Very disappointed to discover it isn't a device you can just stick in the middle of the room, switch on and then retire elsewhere while all the dust flocks to it.

Right, better shake a leg.

Have a great day, everyone.

[greenishfing]

Good morning all.

Snoop Puss, I'd like your sort of dust magnet. Automatic!!! Do you think it would attract cobwebs too? We've got a massive great spider living up near the edge of the ceiling in our lounge. It's making lots of webs but I don't want to make it homeless as it seems to be catching any flies etc that are stupid enough to get near it.

I've got a dust magnet that has a machine washable refill.

We can't go far today until the District Nurse has been to see Mr GF. That could be any time.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

A mix of domestics, sewing, gardening and a bit of shopping here today.

MH I had a a look at Dust Magnets and remembered I had something similar at the back of the cleaning drawer. Mines called a Dizzit easy duster similar principal, I'll give it a go later.

enjoy your day

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Sunny here. I think my whole house is a dust magnet! Visitors due this morning. Have a good day

[bramble]

Good morning all.dull and breezy but its dry.
Nothing in particular on the cards today, probably pottering about.
Have a good day all,