Deblyn

My friend has a really neat hidden area under her stairs. You have to go through a cupboard to get to it....but it is feasible. She told me I could use it if I wanted to for storage stuff, because she knows I like to be emergency prepared!

Definately brings reality to what we have been talking about here. Thanks for posting those!

Border Collies are wonderful dogs. They are smart! I also like Labradors...especially the chocolate lab for loyal dogs. Those are just my opinions!

(nb I am unable to reply to the other post on this subject as it won't let me!) In my and others' experiences, these strawberry pots are rarely successful; they are extremely difficult to keep well enough watered for the plants to survive, never mind bear any kind of crop, due to the design. If you water directly into the top, the water just reaches down the central core of the soil, not reaching the edges where the plants are. If you water the plants themselves, it tends to run off over the lip of the opening. One solution, although not always successful, is to put some sort of pierced pip downn through the centre of the pot and water into that, to have the water seep out slowly and evenly. Just a word of caution.

We don't have a lot of those ingredients over here; anyway, if I make biscuits (cookies) I make them from what I have int he cupboard; I rarely buy thos sorts of cereals or whatever that are mentioned. I find this a lot with American recipes; when we bake over here, we use basic ingredients and flavourings, etc, but with the US recipes I have seen, they tend to rely heavily on bought - in ready prepared things. Not a criticism, merely an observation.

I remember this! I asked abput the weight of a bar of Fels Naptha soap. I have been making my own washing powder ever since, and son't go back. I also find the clothes, etc, a lot easier to iron.

I don't mind being "stuck" at home - I'm very much a home bod; having said that, we are having our first holiday in three years this October coming; I've organised chicken/duck/rabbit/bee sitters, so off we go! I have booked and organised it, and the rest of them don't know where we are going - I have to map read - so, should be interesting; wonder if we'll get there?

I have a copy of the 9th edition; a lot of it is not relevant to the UK, but it is till interesting reading. I was involved for a short time om a project for making the book publishable (?) in Europe, but it fell through, not my fault. The book Is OK, in my opinion, and interesting. I would like to see a similar thing aimed more at the UK market, though. This may be in the offing..............

Still reading here - about 6/7 books a week at the last count! Am reading the two Jeffrey Steingarten books (The Man Who Ate Everything and It Must Have Been Something I Ate) - have been inspired to try my own sourdough starter by him - will be juicing the apples tomorrow, and have bought myself a banatonne ( French basket, lined with linen for proving the bread in) - not the real thing, but a very good approximation to keep me going in the meantime. Just about to start a book on witch craft and spirituality, Lilian BEckwith's An Island Apart and Rosemary Bailey's Life in a Postcard, about moving to the French Pyrenees. Daily reading is Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breanach (sp!) - recommended, and it lives on my bedside table. Also various knitting and cookery books as they come along, especially the latest addition to my cookery shelf - Meat by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Have you heard of him over there?

Tonight I picked a HUGE bowlful of strawberries and about 4lbs gooseberries. We had some of the berries with double (heavy) cream for pudding, and half of the goosegogs are dripping through a jelly bag over the tap to amke gooseberry and elderflower jelly tomorrow. Otherwise, still broad (fava) beans, herbs, etc. Chard coming along very well and will be ready for picking soon.

Thanks Cat. Really interested in this one. I have a bought crock for making vinegar; they were priced at 44.00 pounds sterling (extremely expensive!) and although, I really, really wanted one, I couldn't justify the expense. Next time we went into that shop, they were reduced to 14.00 pounds sterling. I bought one then! It's alovely piece of equipment, amde of terracotta, with a little wooden bung at the bottom. It comes from abroad, but can't remember which country offhand. I have never used it yet. Teh isntructions inside (quite comprehensive) say that you need vinegar and wine to start it off - seemed to defeat the prupose for me, somehow! I have spare honey (I buy mine through LETS, so don't pay cahs, and am getting bees soon, I hope, so this seems the way to go), so will start this off tomorrow. I am always interested in Amish recipes etc, and will report back any success (or failure!) Thanks again.

I didn't grow corn here this year; it does quite well in a good summer, but I sowed some Blue Jade corn and the mice dug them up and ate all the seeds in the greenhouse!

I lifted these onions last week; they are overwintering onions (aka Japanese onions). I had to lift them a bit early as they were starting to bolt. They keep for 2/3 months until the maincrop onions come in. I haven't done maincrop ones this year though. Onions are quite cheap to buy, so am growing something else for a change, but will probably go back to them and plant some more overwintering in the autumn, and maincrop from seed which I sow on Boxing Day.

Just so you know.............!! Taken for another purpose, but thought you'd like to see the mad old Englishwoman anyway!!