Think pink!

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

Seen at the car sales place where my daughter bought her new car. It does rather leap out at you 😀

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They cost more than buttons…

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

…but the smell (and taste) is so wonderful. Used in the bakery for making chocolate cookies.

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Quiche-eaters of the world unite!

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

Quiche is another thing I like to bake, mostly because no-one else particularly enjoys it, so I rarely get to eat it unless I do. Today I set about making two, one quiche lorraine, and one cheese and onion.

I had a couple of small leaks in the oven once I added the fillings, but nothing major and I think they’ve worked out pretty well.

I certainly enjoyed eating them.

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A return to the workshop, part 3

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

Another two units done. I’ve decided that these two will have drawers in and I’ve fitted runners cut from some scrap timber.

Now I have to make the drawers.

I’m also thinking about the next couple of units, but before I can install any more, I need to move this barrel of cider somewhere else.

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Vineyard progress

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

Again, BP drugs messing me up, so it took until the last few days of March to get the vineyard pruning done, but eventually I got there. I really should go back and have another look now to see how they’re getting on.

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More baking

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

Not mine this time — my wife’s, in fact. But who doesn’t love a hot cross bun?

For a change though, this year it has been suggested to me that I should try them with bacon. Then I started asking around and received a few other ideas, some of which I will have to try:

  • ginger marmelade
  • Roquefort and chunky lime marmelade
  • cheddar cheese

Or, use them as a burger bun. Though we tend to use brioche buns for that.

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Sourdough loaves from the bakery

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

I made these. I am unnecessarily proud 😀

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Artificial stupidity strikes again

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

After my previous post I tried to search online for “UK bright green caterpillar”. The AI search summary came back with

Bright green caterpillars in the UK can include species like the Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar, which is chunky and has purple and white stripes, and the Cinnabar moth caterpillar, known for its distinctive black and yellow stripes. These caterpillars are often found on various plants and can vary in appearance as they grow.

So not the Cinnabar moth at all then?

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Don’t think I’ve seen one of these before

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

Thanks to problems with my blood pressure medication, it’s taking me a long time to do a first weeding pass through the veg plot. I did one last November, but the mild Winter seems to have allowed them to keep growing and there are now so many. Unfortunately we’ve had several months of very wet weather too, so until recently I couldn’t even get onto the plot to start work.

As I was weeding today, this wee little beastie popped out of the greenery.

I have no idea what this is and I’ve not been able to find anything that matches online. I’m intrigued.

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No dig diary, 29th March 2026

Posted on May 11, 2026 by james

Today marks the day when we finished filling up the compost bin that we’ve been using since the start of Winter. Always seems to be the one that takes longest to fill. To try to keep the pile moist and warm, this time I’m putting a layer of grass clippings on top, followed by some thick cardboard. Before I closed it up though, I had to see what the temperature was inside.

Pretty toasty! 😀

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