Friday 7 August 2020

Friday Chat Day

Hello friends

Welcome to another Friday Chat Day, they certainly come around quickly.
I have bits and bobs to share with you this week but first,
excellent news - my Mum is home from hospital and improving daily.
Many thanks for all your kind words.

Second, this month's Charity Kit was another sellout.
I've been thinking about September's kit - too early for a Christmas card??

Now let's get to the chatter, starting with...

Recipe:

Rustic Chelsea Buns this week.
I admit these do take a bit of faffing, it is dough and waiting for
it to rise etc so not a speedy recipe but one for a lazy Sunday morning perhaps?
I call them 'rustic' because they are always chunkier than the shop bought buns.


Dough: 450g strong white flour, 2 x 7g sachets yeast,
50g sugar, 150ml warm milk, 1 egg beaten,
50g melted butter, 1tsp salt
Filling: 25g melted butter, 150g dried fruit,
2tsp mixed spice, 25g sugar
Glaze: 2tbsp sugar, 1tbsp water (mix until sugar dissolves)
Start with the dough – in a large bowl mix together flour, yeast, sugar, salt. Make a dip in middle and add milk, egg and butter.
Mix and then use your hands to make a dough.
Knead on a floured surface until smooth, place in greased
bowl, cover with cling film and allow to rise for 1 hour.
Grease a baking tin. Knock the air out of the dough and roll
out to 20x30cm. Spread over the butter, dried fruit and mixed spice.
Roll from longest edge (like Swiss Roll) and slice into 9 portions.
Arrange in tin, cover with clean, damp tea towel and leave for 30 mins. Pre-heat oven to 200.  Once risen again, bake for 10 mins.
Reduce heat to 180 and bake for a further 10 mins.
Remove from oven, brush over glaze. Leave in tin to cool.

And here is the printable recipe.
I'm also getting around to reinstating all the recipe links
that the new Blogger removed.  Grhhh!
For the moment I've managed to access 
the old template so things are behaving.

Garden:

Transformations are still happening in my tiddly garden.
I've got a couple of before and after pictures to share.
Elliott and I were walking Bella and espied this garden seat that someone
was throwing away, he was delighted to carry it home for me and even more
thrilled when I told him what I had planned for it...


Two cans of garden paint spray later...


I'm calling it subtle pink but I've been told it is VERY PINK!
I love it.

And here is my tree, I've never owned a tree before and I'm ridiculously attached to it.
It is 2 year old cooking apple tree - Arthur Turner variety, so of course 
I'm calling it 'Arthur'!  
It is self-fertile so I may get fruit one day - all this new stuff I'm learning about.
Some small leaves went a little yellow this week,
panic stations!!  
Turns out I may have watered him a little too much so he's on a dry diet 
at the moment.


And here's part of the garden 14 months ago.


Taken yesterday...


All the new plants from the Secret Gardening Club are now in,
not sure if I'm going to like every one, next year should prove interesting.

Aside from Arthur my tree I've realised my love is definitely Clematis,
I've spent time learning about their groups, pruning and varieties.
Delighted to know you can grow them in among other plants so 
another project on the horizon.

And instead of Bella this week, I give you Lily who is my seedling monitor.
She's a funny little thing, smallest cat we've ever owned but the loudest.
Also a massive hunter - no chance of us ever having mice with her around.


Crochet:

Two projects finished.
This striped blanket using the Hydrangea pattern from Attic 24 and
Deramores Studio DK is being shipped off to Bristol.
It's an order placed for a Christmas gift.


Also going to Bristol is this smaller blanket made entirely from leftover yarn.
A gift for a very pampered pussy cat.
My instructions were 'any pattern you like' so I went with a real mix 
of stitches and I loved doing it.  
The granny squares in the middle were guesswork, if I do it again I may
do the maths correctly - I'll have to use my toes as well as my fingers! 
(Pink chair is coming in handy for displaying blankets).


I've updated my Yarn page at the top of my blog for more links and details.
At the moment I still have just one blanket for sale, hope to have more soon -
gardening is curtailing crochet a little! 

Telly:

Last week pesky Blogger deleted one of my recommendations so 
I'm posting it again.  
Our Yorkshire Farm on Channel 5.
Amanda and Clive Owen, Hill Shepherds who live on one of the most remote 
farms in Britain and an insight into their lives raising 9 children,
1,000 sheep, 40 cows, 6 dogs and 4 ponies.


It is totally feel-good, I admit I have split moments where I think
how wonderful to live their lives but goodness what hard work.
2,000 acres in severe weather conditions...
I struggle to nip out an get the milk in on a cold morning! 

And because I've been seeking out all things gardening...
Gardening Together with Diarmuid Gavin on BBC iPlayer.


Diarmuid encourages us to get gardening and offers advice and tips.
It is worth watching the first episode just to be in awe of his house/garden transformation.

And that's been my week so far.  
Let me know how your week has been going.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend, I have no major plans and that
feels just right.
Take care friends, continue to be safe and careful.


10 comments:

kittyedavies47@gmail.com said...

Morning Christine.
Thank you a lovely chat today, another great recipe too.
Wow your garden is so pretty, what a lucky find with the chair.
So happy to read your Mum is home and doing well, it looks like
another scorcher of a weekend, so maybe a Christmas card will cool us down.
Take care stay safe and have fun Kitty.

hazel young said...

Good to hear your mum is home. Great news on the charity kit, It's never to early to start Christmas cards. Another lovely recipe, thank you. Love the chair makeover, looks stunning. You have a beautiful garden. Lovely crochet projects Christine. Enjoy your week, have a good one xx Hazel

CraftyCoffey said...

Great to read all your news. I’m so pleased your Mum is home & improving.
Glad the last kit was s sell out, definitely ok to make the next one a Christmas one.
Love the pale pink chair, all the plants look great including Arthur!

Michele

Carolyn said...

Pleased to hear your mom is home and safe. These Fridays come round really quickly.. your blankets are lovely . So pleased you are enjoying your garden as I do mine and there is a saying, you are closer to God in a garden than anywhere else on earth.The buns look lovely but I don’t think I shall be doing themI am no good at kneading . I love your upcycled chair which reminds me that I must get my bench painted . Love to all xx

Anonymous said...

What wonderful news regarding your Mum. Love, love the chair! Your garden has certainly flourished since last year. Had a rubbish week ourselves as our shower tray decided to break and it's been quite a job getting it out and getting a new one. Still haven't fit the new one so showering in the bath at the moment. Never mind we'll get there I'm sure. Have a safe week. WakeyL

Jackie Durrant said...

H Christine and thank you for your news. I'm so pleased your mum is back home and doing well. Your garden looks a real treat and the chair fits so well. I keep looking at my fence and thinking I must brave the shops and get it painted. I've been watching Our Yorkshire Farm since it first started. As you say, sounds idyllic but such hard work though no doubt getting a little easier as the children grow up
I had an early walk today but it was still very hot so I don't think I'll be doing much else today. Have a good weekend love from Jackie xx

Kim Hupke said...

So happy to read that your mum is better!! Tell her she has a fan in Iowa cheering her on!
I continue to admire your crochet talents, your projects are so pretty!
I’m sorry to see summer winding down, your garden is so inviting and peaceful. Maybe one of these days we’ll enjoy a glass of wine together again!
Take care my friend!
Kim

Littlelamb said...

So pleased to hear the news about your mum. Hope she continues to improve. Your garden is looking beautiful and obviously you have worked very hard on it. Love the chair. That was a lucky find. Blankets are gorgeous. I am sure they will be well received. Enjoy your weekend whatever you decide to do. Take care

karenlotty said...

Your garden looks so so pretty and that chair Wow! I wish I could find bargains like that as it’s totally my style
Pleased to hear your mum is home and is improving each day
Lily is so cute
The crochet is amazing I’m making a thin shawl I’m really pleased (although I’ve had to change from the first pattern I tried) It’s black with a varied coloured fleck
Take care x

Patricia Howarth said...

Hi Christine, So glad your Mum is now back home and feeling a lot better.
Wow, your painted chair looks stunning, I bet Elliot can't believe it's the same chair he carried home.
Your crochet is, as always, so inspiring.
I'm absolutely loving the piccie of Lily, everything is fine in her world, she looks so contented.
We watch the Yorkshire Farm too, we have watched every series, they work so hard and the children are all lovely and so helpful, a definite credit to them.
Stay safe, stay well, and enjoy your weekend.
Lots of love from Patricia xx

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...