Deblyn

Sorry, forgot to say, didn't I?!! I've started an odds and ends jumper (sweater) for myself; this involves a big bag of ball ends and scraps I've collected, cast on and knit until that oddment is finsihed, then join in the next one. It's looking quite colourful so far!! I have a Sonic sweater to do for Ethan, but haven't started that yet. Am just about to start a cross-stitch of a Belted Galloway Cow which I won on e-bay, it's lovely. I'm also knitting things to sell on a stall I'll have at a Meeting of one of the Forums I belong to, at the end of July - socks, etc and some fun things like knitted cacti and sheep. As you do............ Will be working on a quilt project for the same forum soona s well - I'm quilting the top when it arrives back from the girl who is piecing the top. I want to start a hanging for the sitting room as well, now the decorating is finished - I saw a lovely one of jugs on a shelf, very realistic, so I want to have a go at something like that I think.

For my birthday this year I am getting a nucleus of bees, although they are arriving this month, so it's an early present! Bees are something I've always wanted to have, and a friend is giving me the hive tec on a permanent loan basis, I've gathered up a few bits over the years, and have just ordered by bee suit, veil, etc. I've just finsihed The Secret Life of Bees, so am well and truly inspired now! Bring on the bees...............

These two were fetched at the weekend from someone who was no longer able to keep them; both 7 weeks old, one Khaki Campbell duck and one Light Sussex Chicken - Lucky and Clucky to their friends!

I've got some more climbing beans to put out, some squash and gourds; thinking ahead to next year, the purple sprouting broccoli is coming along well, and the leeks are ready to pot on too.

All our supermarkets now stock pine nuts as well as the health food shops. I always have at least two bags in the larder. The pea salad sounds lovely, I'm sure the chidlren would like that one, and I am a great fan of yoghurt - based dressings. Another easy one with pine nuts is grated carrot, grated apple and pine nuts - this is lovley on a hot day.

Love and best wishes from Lowlander too. XXX

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from? I like this line a lot!

Hello from me too.

Just finished Thich Nhat Hanh's Peace at Every Step - very inspiring. Halfway through Eats Shoots and Leaves by Lynn Truss about the vagueries of punctuation - brilliant book, well worth reading.

..........are you working on at the moment?

Second time trying to post this - first one disappeared completely! Can thoroughly recommend this one, by Sarah-Kate Lynch; excellent, I read it in well under a day. She also wrote Blessed are the Cheesemakers, but I didn't get that one read, so will have to get it again.

I've got spinach, sorrel, herbs ready; broad beans very close, loads of rhubarb, parsley so far. Chard coming along great guns, just about to plant the climbing beans out.

Strange day, long day, feels like along time ago, now. Started off with the usual getting up and at 'em routines, then went off to do a cleaning job at a friend's house; they were moving house today, and I cleaned behind the removal men - paid work, so that was good; well paid too! Came home, had lunch, went to Po and shop, friend dropped in to buy some eggs, then another friend told me that a friend of mine had died today. Went out to visit a garden with the garden club, then fed another friend's cat, down to the pub to see another friend. All just a bit surreal, will be interesting to see how I feel and what I make of it all in the morning. Several friends are ill/have problems at the moment, feel a bit weighted down.

Hi Caveman, Yes, I have, many thanks. I have sent a PM by way of explanation of my little brain not coping very well with confusion! You'll understand when you read it!

We are to get a 5.00 pound sterling gallon here shortly. Don't know how that converts, but I know it's a lot more expensive than over in the States.

I have never used paper towels, napkins or plates. they jsut don't fit in with my environmental philosophy - wood, trees, processing, transport, etc. I use knitted dishcloths, rags from finished-with t-shirts, etc. If the dog is sick, I use newspaper to clean that up, but am usually hard pressed to find a newspaper these days, as I don't buy them any more. Paper products like these are an appalling waste of resources and should be avoided at all costs, and I mean all costs, not just monetary. My view.

I've just finished reading a wonderful book called The Cook and the Gardener, by Amanda Hesser. She is the cook in an old French chateau and the book follows a whole year, month by month, at the property. It explores her relationship with the old gardener who works there, and the emphasis on fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables. Wonderful recipes, based around seasonal ingredients fresh from the garden, lots of gardening, beautiful illustrations. An almost perfect book, and I may have to buy it!! Thoroughly recommended.

Here is some of my home made cheese that is busy maturing now. The one on the left is Brie, the one on the right is Blue Vinney. Looking forward to trying them!

Well, I don't know about you lot, but it rings true over here.................

Hello (don't do Hi!) happygirl, hope all is well with you and yours, L.

Hi Lois, How's things? Seems pretty quiet and uncontroversial round here. Might go and stir them up a bit,.....................

500? Oh dear, I've got my work cut out............. I have Carla Emery too, very interesting, but not completely relevant to the UK in 2003/2004. I know that mine weren't enthralled with the home-made toothpaste but there 's time,still................

gosh,I'm here, let's have a party................. gosh, I don't know, it's all changed....................

an awful lot of anonymous users out there, who are logged on at the moment................

oH, I'm still around;thinking about coming back full-time but not sure. Hope everyone is well and happy out there, L.