We have also realised we have a tree in the garden and haven't a clue what it is. We have taken bits of it in to work to quiz people, checked books and websites but no-one seems to be able to help us out. The leaves are lovely and the flowers are in clusters with these gorgeous delicate fronds and they smell so tropical. It is also covered in little bugs!
Yesterday, Saturday, we spent an hour or so going round hardware stores pricing up shower units and loos etc for our ensuite. We had a nice builder round who wants us to take a look at everything out there first before he starts work so that makes sense. It will be nice to get all that done anyway.
We spent the rest of yesterday at home as Greg and Jeanette were coming over for dinner at 5.30 so I made red onion and feta and ricotta cheese tart -
- (I made the ricotta on Friday, it is so easy to do. Heat two litres of milk to JUST before boiling 90C stirring all the time, adding one tablespoon of salt then take it off the heat and add a tablespoon of citric acid - or juice of a lemon - and set to one side for 1-4 hours. It starts to curdle straight away but just leave it to do its' thing then put it into a cheese basket or sieve to strain - use the whey to cook pasta in later apparently!! - and put it in the fridge til you need it. It tastes really good and couldn't be more simple, great on pasta and on these tarts)
- new potatoes and roast chicken, salad and we had the cherry and chocolate cake I made on Friday with more hot cherries poured over it and whipped cream, yum. It seemed to go down well later anyway. Jeanette looked great and is recovering well after her open heart surgery, she is already back to work after 6 weeks!
I even picked lots of bergamot and chives flowers and put them in the loo on the windowsill which look and smell very nice.
Today we were up late, so nice to have a lie in after all the 6 am starts, and tidied up after last night. We had done most of the washing up the night before, well Derek had to be fair, so I finished it off while he made breakfast.
Then I pottered around the garden for an hour deadheading plants and tying back the peas and tomatoes. We are having a bumper crop of small toms which are so sweet and nice in red and yellow which look pretty. The courgettes have started up again; don't think they liked the drop in temperature to below 20 degrees for the last week so they went a bit dormant now they are back in action again.
It is very hot today and a little windy as usual which makes the temperature more bearable.
TTFN everyone, take good care, drive safely and wrap up warm in all that snow xxxx
Devonport is just a short hop by ferry from downtown Auckland CBD and is a world apart. The houses there are lovely, mostly clapboard and very New England looking. It is full of lovely shops - my favourite patchwork shop and a great wool shop too - restaurants and cafes and has a very nice chilled atmosphere. |