love those cupcakes

Work in progress

It seems that we've found someone who's willing to take on the mammoth task of rescuing our garden but he's unable to start work until mid August.   In the meantime, some of the casualties of winter and the recent re-fencing activity have been chopped down and dug out, sadly all of them established screening shrubs which admittedly had gotten out of hand.  There are now gaps.  Lots of them. Suddenly the neighbouring houses feel much closer than previously.

At the weekend we made a trip to one of the local garden centres (the smallest one which specialises in plants rather than gazebos, fancy hammocks and giant buddhas) to buy some fillers for the gaps in the pots here.

Nothing fancy, just the usual selection (pelargoniums, lobelia, fuchsia and such like) and a few herbs. I'm sure they'll look a lot better once they're established.  Dog permitting, of course.

Meals have become a tad problematic with this warm spell as I'm trying to avoid anything that requires cooking in the oven.  Cue one of our hot weather standbys (actually, this is an all year favourite here) - good old stir fry.

Add a pack of ready marinated tofu, serve with rice and Bob's your uncle.

 

Avoidance

I'm meant to be marking assignments (for the last time ever, incidentally).

I've done everything but, including baking a batch of chocolate oatie biscuits (recipe here with the addition of a bar of Belgian chocolate, chopped).

At least when the motivation kicks in I'll have snacks to hand.

Yes, that's me, always prepared.

 

Self-indulgence

A self saucing chocolate pud with ice cream.

Produced  last night (we seem to be eating dinner later and later) after a pea and lemon risotto.

Recommended.

Recipe

1 cup SR flour

2 tblsp cocoa

1/2 cup soft brown sugar

80g butter, melted

1/2 cup milk

1 egg lightly beaten

 

Sauce:

3/4 cupsoft brown sugar

2 tblsp cocoa

1 1/4 cups boiling water

 

1.  Pre heat oven to 180C.  Lightly grease an ovenproof baking dish (butter is best).

2. Mix together the flour, cocoa and sugar.

3.  Combine the melted butter, milk and egg in a jug then slowly add to the flour mixture.  Whisk until well combined and smooth.  Spoon into the baking dish and smooth the top.

4.  To make the sauce:  Mix together the sugar and cocoa and sprinkle evenly over the top of the pudding mixture.

5.  Slowly pour the boiling water over the back of a large metal spoon directly onto the pudding.

6.  Carefully place in the oven and bake for approx 30 mins or until the pudding springs back when pressed gently in the centre.

7.  Serve hot with ice cream or cream. Or both if you need to be particularly self-indulgent.

 

Faffing with flowers and foliage

 I'm no Constance Spry or Jane Packer when it comes to flower arranging.  Far from it.  I've more of a "buy a bunch from the supermarket and plonk it in a vase" approach.  But I do admire those people who know how to display their blooms.  Like Belinda who, as well as growing flowers and selling stunning bouquets, makes fabulous silver jewellery.  I have a pair of the faceted drop earrings and am planning another purchase. 

 As you know, the little garden here is in a state of change and very little is flourishing at the moment. But pottering about yesterday, I picked some bits and pieces (philadelphus, allium, cotinus, alchemilla) and had a go at "arranging". 

This first attempt looked completely wrong, with that enormous rose at the front.

So I faffed about a bit more and ended up with this.

A slight improvement, I think, causing the Boy to ask as he walked past, "Where's that from?" 

Not that I'll be giving up the day job. 

Oh, hang on a minute - I am!

 

Santa's little helper

Well, not really Santa's. 

My little helper.

There's so much to do here, everyone gets allocated a job.

 

This and that

• New recipe

I've seen pictures of blondies but have never tried them. So with the planned spot of gardening put on hold due to rain and general laziness, I opted to make these, adding chopped chocolate and walnuts.  I tried one as they were cooling and, whilst the texture was fine with the right amount of squidginess, I think they're missing something tastewise.  Maybe dark  chocolate (I used milk) would do the trick.

• New read

I don't read half as much as I used to (I'm still working my way through Winter's Tale which is taking so long I keep forgetting who some of the characters are) but probably still buy as many books.  This was a recommended read somewhere, and years ago I did enjoy the author's Hideous Kinky, so it's now in the to be read pile, along with the rest.   The blurb on the back promises sun-scorched hillsides in Tuscany and an intoxicating journey of self discovery.  Just don't expect a review anytime soon.

• New yarn

For a baby sized cardi and beret.  I can't make a start as the pattern hasn't arrived yet. 

• New rose

It isn't really a new rose, I think we've had it for two years, but I wanted to stick with the theme! There's very little colour in the garden at the moment, with all of the chopping and digging out that's been going on, so, even rain spattered, these blooms are a welcome sight from the kitchen window.

 

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Thanks for your comments on the previous post.  I'd have to say it's quite a scary step, this going down the voluntary severance route, and I worry wonder about the impact of giving up a (very comfortable) salary and how I'll adjust to not having a job which occupies so much of my time.  I have visions of not being able to join in the discussions when I meet up with my still employed friends because all I can offer is what happened on the latest episode of Deal Or No Deal and that I've knit the back of a sweater!  Maybe you can give a gentle nudge if it seems I'm losing the plot.