Catch up time

In the morning, as the sun hits the soil, they open out. “They” are the three deep purple crocuses that somehow escaped our gardener’s attention when she cleared the front garden. In some ways they are all the more impressive as there are no rivals for attention, just a bay tree & a stump of rosemary.

By the afternoon they are wide open. The golden centre is displayed, contrasting so well against the deep purple of the petals.

In the back other plants are appearing. More crocuses, golden daffodils, yellow primulas & some blue grape hyacinths, new for this year. The hellebores are in big bunches now, both white & dusky pink.

The time has come to get down to a garden centre & buy a few things for the front. Our gardener has given me a list of her ideas. Unfortunately I’m once more going down with a cold. I’m definitely snuffling. It’s not too bad so far. I’m just hoping I can keep it at that level.

Yesterday we went along to the golf club. The view across the Bay was magnificent. For once it was as still as a mill pond. Quite a glacial blue. A sort of mist seem to hang above it as the warm air hit the cold water. The only sign of movement when the odd bird dived for food. A canoe even glided by. We don’t often see them here as the water tends to be too rough, the current too strong. Sublime.

Of pies & sunshine

I’ve just prepared a fish pie for this evening. It’s a while since I made a fish pie. As you know I often make pies of other sorts.

 I’m once more using up from the freezer. This time it’s a small bag of Fish Pie Mix (salmon, haddock & smoked haddock) to which I’ve added a small bag of smoked haddock & some prawns. It’s all potato topped so it will be nice & easy come this evening.

The beautiful sunny days we’ve had of late has brought the garden on. Suddenly I’ve got a few pots of daffodils in full flower. Higher up the garden, around the silver birch circle there are gold & purple crocuses, & the blue of grape hyacinths. The evergreen clematis on the fence behind the apple tree is also coming into flower as well as the snowberries on the other side of the garden. Spring definitely seems to have sprung, despite the still freezing nights.

All of this seems far too early for me. It makes me anxious about what will happen when the really cold weather arrives, along with the strong icy March winds.

But as long as the sun continues I can’t complain too much. It’s a pleasure to see & a real morale booster.

Having a break

You may have noticed my absence. Things were getting us down.

On Saturday I made a rather faffy meal. By the time I’d gutted, boned & stuffed 6 sardines, I was left questioning why I was bothering. I wasn’t any more encouraged when we didn’t particularly appreciate the result.

This isn’t usually me. I love cooking. I’m not put out by complicated procedures. I’m not deterred if the results aren’t always great. But to contemplate abandoning a meal midway through preparing just isn’t me. I mentioned to the Fox how I’d felt. He had to admit he’d been feeling similarly. We decided we needed a break & phoned a hotel we know in the Lakes for a couple of nights. We returned yesterday.

We stayed in Bowness. On Wednesday, our only full day, we went over on the ferry to Hawkshead. We haven’t been there for years. Unfortunately it was a thoroughly wet day. We couldn’t help noticing the lake was almost overflowing its banks. Still it was maybe appropriate we were looking for some waterproof trousers for our Norwegian holiday. I’m glad to say we got the Fox sorted out. As for me, I tried a few on but they weren’t very comfortable. By then I was just aching too much to try any more. We’ll have to look elsewhere some time.

With Wednesday being quite so wet, we did a lot of sleeping/ reading, just taking things easy around the hotel, hoping it might dry up a bit. We didn’t get off to Hawkshead until late afternoon, when it was clear the weather wasn’t going to improve.

We clearly needed the break & came back feeling restored.

It is with a certain enthusiasm that I've just scraped some potatoes for today’s dinner – Chicken in White Sauce. I feel more spring in my heart as I cook. It’s good to be home.