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Tag: basketmaking

In the courtyard

In the courtyard

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Well, a much nicer January than last year which I had described as ‘grim’. Apart from a few rainy days it’s been sunny with temperatures in the late teens. In fact we had our New Year’s Day meal outside in the courtyard, and most lunches are eaten al fresco. The resident meteorologist says we had 2 days of rain overall.

This means that our morning walks, while exceedingly cold to start with, are under blue skies. The hedgerows are already showing signs of life with the giant orchids leading the way as usual. Not sure what the other flower is yet, a new one for us.

Despite being an invasive weed the Bermuda buttercup is certainly cheering up all the fields and verges. Their bright golden flowers are everywhere it seems this year and then I was rather pleased to hear they are a dye plant. So out came the dye pots and within a few minutes of snipping in the neighbour’s field I had collected a huge bagful of flower heads.

I was not disappointed. The resulting yarn looked like spun gold. I was also motivated to use up some of the old, dried wild madder roots that had been kept in the barn and was pleased with the lovely, if not slightly mottled, coral colour. The ivy berries were less successful. The dye bath was a gorgeous ruby colour, the yarn is meant to turn green. It’s a sort of grey-green, a dull sage, but goes well with the other two.

I knitted Richard a sweater using a lot of the hand dyed yarn that clutters up the house. While it took a lot of skeins there still seems to be plenty left over, especially as I have now added more… He is now co-ordinated with the winter foliage.

Richard too has been using his caldron. Another fine brew again, this time a Vienna lager: “a malty lager with a clean finish” apparently. The sunny weather has meant picking the oranges in the courtyard too. Richard turns most of them into juice, we have litres of the stuff in our freezer. For me of course it’s marmalade season and another batch for the pantry to last the year ahead.

The other January jobs include pruning the plane tree. I always feel a little sad when it has been chopped but it comes back in no time. The leaf buds appearing and unfurling is one of the highlights of spring. Last year we had a greenfinch nesting in it.

He also cut down the willow tree. Their branches are just lovely, many of the farmers grow them to tie up their vines. Before they are pruned they look like small bonfires in the fields. So another attempt at basket making, we found some red branches which were suitable too. The photo makes the basket look a little nicer than it actually is. While I waited a while before using the cut branches I didn’t soak them and those which were then bent for the border were too stiff and a couple split. I should have put the whole thing in a bucket of water for a few days before doing that last bit.

Finally, the knitting needles have been busy with two new sweaters for the little ones designed. One is using an unusual technique called brioche, the other has cables and is in fact an updated version of one of my very first designs. I have eventually joined Instagram if you’re interested: kiddiwinksknits.

February is looking very similar weather wise. While we appreciate being outside we are aware that many are rather anxious. The dams, which not so long ago we were told were all full, seemed to have been emptied and without any rain bodes ill for the summer. We know that a drought has less to do with hot weather and more linked to how wet the winter was. So while we do, sort of, wish for some rain, we are appreciating the outdoor life and the winter sun.

Making things

Making things

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Unlike Richard I have been rather slack at updating the blog so this is a summary of what I’ve been busy doing since the new year apart from veg patch stuff (another post for that). Well, in short, I’ve been making things. January saw in the orange season and so marmalade was first up, and therefore orange marmalade cake, along with orange liqueur, orange and mascarpone tart and of course freshly squeezed juice.

Next came the lemons and limes. The oranges were from our own trees but the lemons were taken from others. We stopped at one house with an over laden tree and asked if we could have some. Two full buckets of lemons meant searching for ideas. There were the lemon equivalents of what I made with the oranges plus lemon curd, lemon cordial, and, best of all, lemon meringue pie. The curd was also used to make a Lancashire version of Bakewell tart. The few limes from our own tree were turned into lemon and lime marmalade. The remaining lemons were cut up into slices and put in the freezer.

I cut the willow down completely and sat in the sun (we had a very hot winter) making another basket, this time using olive branches and redwood cuttings too. It was a year since my last attempt and so it felt like starting over again. It looked quite colourful when finished but I still can’t get the shape I want. I had been meaning to have another go but the willow branches have now all dried brown and been thrown away.

While my sister was here we made some more soap. The first batch was made only with our olive oil which we felt was a little slimy, and didn’t lather. So this time we made some with coconut oil and that was brilliant, except perhaps a touch too soft. I’ve recently experimented with other oils and so far (it’s still drying) it seems much harder – fingers crossed for the perfect bar! I also used water coloured with beetroot, it was deep pink initially but this practically disappeared when mixed with the caustic soda. However, the bars do have a lovely orange tinge to them now.

It was three years since the asparagus was planted so great celebration in being able to have our first spears. As the crowns came from my father it seemed only right to give some to him but the hot weather meant the 4 weeks of eating them would be over before he visited. So I preserved a jar of them in olive oil and rosemary having grilled the spears. It worked very well, and since then the artichoke hearts have been preserved too.

But now the roads and riverbanks are lined with elders in full bloom which means one thing: making elderflower cordial. I love it so much I’ve made 7 bottles of it, and one has already gone. Wanting to make the most of this fragrant of flowers I’ve also decided to have another go making wine. The quince effort wasn’t bad for a first time go but it was too sweet so I’m hoping this time for a better result. And am determined to make elderberry wine too, watch this space.

The most exciting thing that I’ve been making though is ice-cream! Richard bought me an ice-cream maker and it’s been great fun making up recipes – not with our own produce yet but I’m sure I’ll be an expert once the raspberries, blackcurrants, plums etc are all out. I’ve made mango, strawberry and, best of all, banana ice-cream. The latest attempt was with the elderflower cordial, it was nice but the lemon juice was too overpowering so will change the ratio of that for the next batch.

Along with the baking it’s been a busy time in the kitchen then. But I haven’t been the only one making things. Richard has made the table and benches and his next big project will be to make a barbecue stand in the courtyard. But now he’s just made a cup of tea…