Introducing, Sonny!!
One week younger than Mario, but full of energy, he's really settled in over the last week.
Both are scoffing far to much food, and the stink that results is horrendous! Boys boys boys. Bleurgh!
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Meow!
Success at last!! We found a mate for Mario, and picked him up last Monday.
Introducing, Sonny!!
One week younger than Mario, but full of energy, he's really settled in over the last week.
Both are scoffing far to much food, and the stink that results is horrendous! Boys boys boys. Bleurgh!
Introducing, Sonny!!
One week younger than Mario, but full of energy, he's really settled in over the last week.
Both are scoffing far to much food, and the stink that results is horrendous! Boys boys boys. Bleurgh!
Monday, 3 January 2011
Happy New Year!
Phew!! I'm almost glad it's time to go back to work (almost!). Over Xmas we've had to buy a new car, which was incredibly stressful, but hopefully sorted now and picking it up on Saturday. I've also been hunting for a friend for Mario, who is getting more and more playful by the day, but he is also a bit too boisterous for my poor scratched hand to keep up with! We're taking down the Xmas tree today, before he totally destroys it - we've already had to remove the fairy lights due to nibbled wires in more than one place!
Other plans for today include planting the garlic (the ground has finally thawed!), tidying the conservatory so Mario can see outside, and baking a chocolate and pear cake, all being well. Oh, and not forgetting the leopard gecko, which I'm looking after for a friend, he desperately needs a clean out.
Other plans for today include planting the garlic (the ground has finally thawed!), tidying the conservatory so Mario can see outside, and baking a chocolate and pear cake, all being well. Oh, and not forgetting the leopard gecko, which I'm looking after for a friend, he desperately needs a clean out.
Friday, 24 December 2010
December update
Bottled the elderberry wine last weekend, had a taste - quite good! Added 1/4 cup of white sugar and
topped up with water to about 1 gallon. Didn't have to adjust the sharpness with the citric acid, as I think elderberries are quite sharp anyway. Added the oak maturation sachet, so wine should be ready in 2-3 weeks. Bottled with my new corking tool, which slightly depresses the cork at the top, making it a bit malformed, but seems to seal ok. Maybe we'll try a bottle on New Years Eve.
In November, I made a willow wall hanging from a kit for my grandmother. First time, and think it turned out ok!
And how about these for homemade Christmas tree decorations? Cute, hey?!
And I don't think I've made a bad effort on the presents either...
But I've saved the best til last! Today, a whole day early (because let's face it, it would have been cruel to box and wrap him!), I received my present from my OH. Mario!!!! 10 weeks old, incredibly playful and bold. The best present ever!!!
topped up with water to about 1 gallon. Didn't have to adjust the sharpness with the citric acid, as I think elderberries are quite sharp anyway. Added the oak maturation sachet, so wine should be ready in 2-3 weeks. Bottled with my new corking tool, which slightly depresses the cork at the top, making it a bit malformed, but seems to seal ok. Maybe we'll try a bottle on New Years Eve.
In November, I made a willow wall hanging from a kit for my grandmother. First time, and think it turned out ok!
And how about these for homemade Christmas tree decorations? Cute, hey?!
And I don't think I've made a bad effort on the presents either...
But I've saved the best til last! Today, a whole day early (because let's face it, it would have been cruel to box and wrap him!), I received my present from my OH. Mario!!!! 10 weeks old, incredibly playful and bold. The best present ever!!!
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Activities at the weekend
Bottled marrow rum - got a mouth-full when mouth syphoning, tastes quite good, but with an after-taste of foul rotting marrow. Mmmmm.
Made willow wall hanging for my grandmother - flowers, bullrush and curly willow, using kit from here. Pretty easy and the final look is very effective, particularly the bullrush.
Dried garlic- in preparation for making garlic oil later this week - an option for my Xmas pressie selection.
Bought some fantastic miniuature bottles for the oil and damson gin here - super quick delivery, and the bottles are absolutely perfect! Quite tempted by many other items on the site, and now regret my resistance and am longing for more. Another purchase may be required.... (so much for not spending much on Christmas presents, I 've spent loads, and a fair bit more on myself already!)
Also received my wine bottling equipment on Monday - bottles, corks and a corker, from here. So the elderberry wine can be bottled soon, although I'm not sure it's finished its fermentation yet, without possession of a hydrometer. That's on the Crimbo wish list!
Made willow wall hanging for my grandmother - flowers, bullrush and curly willow, using kit from here. Pretty easy and the final look is very effective, particularly the bullrush.
Dried garlic- in preparation for making garlic oil later this week - an option for my Xmas pressie selection.
Bought some fantastic miniuature bottles for the oil and damson gin here - super quick delivery, and the bottles are absolutely perfect! Quite tempted by many other items on the site, and now regret my resistance and am longing for more. Another purchase may be required.... (so much for not spending much on Christmas presents, I 've spent loads, and a fair bit more on myself already!)
Also received my wine bottling equipment on Monday - bottles, corks and a corker, from here. So the elderberry wine can be bottled soon, although I'm not sure it's finished its fermentation yet, without possession of a hydrometer. That's on the Crimbo wish list!
Monday, 18 October 2010
Piccalilli - illi - illi!
With the glut of courgettes, cucumbers and carrots coming to an end, I decided I would pickle the last few, especially those that had gone a bit bendy in the fridge since picking. I saw Pam the Jam make piccalilli on the latest Hugh F-W TV episode, and thought I'd give it a shot! We bought some silver-skinned pickled onions and a cauliflower to add some colour and extra flavour, then followed Pam's recipe. It's now packed into jars, and awaiting testing in 6 weeks time! :) Can't wait! If it's any good, I shall reserve some for Xmas pressies, because that's how lazy organised I am!
Friday, 17 September 2010
Elderberry Wine
On Sunday, we made elderberry wine, using elderberries from the garden (much loved by the chickens, but we're hoping the wine will make us love them too), and a hedgerow wine making kit like this one here.
It's now sitting in a demijohn on top of our fridge, making satisfying bubble noises every few seconds. Quite a chatter-box actually!
We sadly lost Big Bertha late last week. It seems silly, but these chooks have come to mean a lot to us, and we weren't really ready to say goodbye.
Rose is now top-bird, with the new chooks all doing as she says. But she's very gently about it, and hasn't unnecessarily bullied any of them yet. She's looked down these past few days, so we're not sure if she's just missing Bertha, or going the same way herself. She's over 3 yrs old now, which I think is quite good for an ex-batt. Anyway, she's hopefully enjoying the run of the garden and we know she's loving the elderberries, because it makes quite a mess of the hen house, if you know what I mean! :)
It's now sitting in a demijohn on top of our fridge, making satisfying bubble noises every few seconds. Quite a chatter-box actually!
We sadly lost Big Bertha late last week. It seems silly, but these chooks have come to mean a lot to us, and we weren't really ready to say goodbye.
Rose is now top-bird, with the new chooks all doing as she says. But she's very gently about it, and hasn't unnecessarily bullied any of them yet. She's looked down these past few days, so we're not sure if she's just missing Bertha, or going the same way herself. She's over 3 yrs old now, which I think is quite good for an ex-batt. Anyway, she's hopefully enjoying the run of the garden and we know she's loving the elderberries, because it makes quite a mess of the hen house, if you know what I mean! :)
Monday, 30 August 2010
How have you spent your bank holiday weekend?
I made Damson Gin!
3 kg damsons, wind-fallen, washed and pricked with a fork
1 kg sugar
2 litres gin
:)
I also put the marrow rum in a demi-john, to continue fermenting with a teaspoon of wine yeast. I squeezed as much liquid as possible from the marrow through the tights into the bowl, helping it on its way by poking some holes through with a fork. It had truly crumpled in on itself and had already leaked quite a lot of liquid. Then, having transferred the liquid to a demi-john with a funnel and sieve, I added about another half the volume in water after this photo. Only time will tell if this is even drinkable!! It certainly has an 'interesting' niff to it at the moment!
3 kg damsons, wind-fallen, washed and pricked with a fork
1 kg sugar
2 litres gin
:)
I also put the marrow rum in a demi-john, to continue fermenting with a teaspoon of wine yeast. I squeezed as much liquid as possible from the marrow through the tights into the bowl, helping it on its way by poking some holes through with a fork. It had truly crumpled in on itself and had already leaked quite a lot of liquid. Then, having transferred the liquid to a demi-john with a funnel and sieve, I added about another half the volume in water after this photo. Only time will tell if this is even drinkable!! It certainly has an 'interesting' niff to it at the moment!
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