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Try Something New - Week 21
Sunday
After the success of cheese scones and then fruit scones I thought I’d take a look at other scone recipes. When I found this, I stopped looking and started baking. I also ordered myself a copy of the book it comes from as well. I made half the mixture as 10 scones for 2 people feels excessive. They’re flatter than I imagined them being but soft and light and worked really well with clotted cream, raspberry jam and some fresh raspberries.
This week’s flatbread experiment was pitta. Another success. I really enjoy the slow process of baking flatbreads - the do something, leave it to rest for a while, do something else, let it rest. The pockets weren’t even, but the bread itself was soft and fluffy. So worth another attempt some time.
Wednesday
I attended my first Action for Happiness event on Wednesday evening. It was held online - which meant I didn’t have to schlep up to London - with Sir Anthony Seldon taking eloquently and authentically about “Finding happiness in the crisis and beyond”. A good thing to watch and I have a note to find out more about their 10 days of happiness course.
Friday
One of the exhibitions I intended to visit while we’ve been in lockdown was the V&A’s Kimono: Kyoto to Catwalk. Art fund sent me a link to these lovely videos where the curator shows us around. Lovely.
Saturday
A ‘Try Something New’ that I’d never expected to try - I cut Richard’s hair. After 10 weeks without a haircut, it was getting a little out of hand and was annoying him. So he ordered some clippers, and some hair-cutting scissors, we watched some videos, and then I got to work. Somewhat nerve-wracking but overall I’m pretty happy with the result. And he seems delighted. Phew!
To recover a bit, I decided to make some more scones. This time Lemon and Blueberry from the same book as the ones I made on Sunday. These were a little crumbly, but enough clotted cream held them together enough to be able to eat them! 😋
For more Try Something New posts, and the explanation of this project/intention, visit this page.
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Shadow plants
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Lockdown Week 9
Another week, which very much followed the pattern of last week. Well, apart from having a fox visitor for the first part of the week. It turns out that the photographed fox’s baby was living in the garage next door. After a few concerned evenings - especially the one when we could hear something scratching at the door trying to get out. Our neighbours had a massive garage tidy out on Friday, and the little one scampered off down the road. Where I hope it met up with it’s mother and is now safe and well.
Weekday mornings spent walking along the beach.
A couple of post-working day walks - one at the end of Thursday to mark the end of my working day, one at the end of Friday to mark Richard’s.
On Friday, I took on the challenge of sorting out the garden space. In reality, the before and after photos don’t look vastly different. But I know that I moved all the pots, took stock of what was in them, removed anything that looked challenged (or indeed dead), or that I couldn’t identify.
Weekend (and bank holiday) walks were once again at the forest. This week I was especially enjoying the dappled sunlight and the blooming rhododendrons.
There were more makes and bakes at the weekend. This week they included: a plant pot holder (looking after some coriander), olive oil and sea salt chocolate chip cookies, raspberry and white chocolate scones, and pitta bread.
I feel hugely fortunate to live in a city I love where I can get out into nature easily. To live in a house that has enough space that Richard, Skitters and I can be together, or apart. And that we’re all well, comfortable and secure. These posts are to remind me of how strange and simple these weeks have been.
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