A snap shot of my summer 2012

Goodbye summer!!! I'm going to miss you.
   

The Queens Jubilee 2012

The Rose gardens Southampton

Kitty Kat!

The Lavender farm IOW

The Beach!

The wield and downland museum 

Hampton Court Palace

Essex Regency event 

A picnic in the New forest

The Isle of Wight 

Sunday walks in Southampton

Cowes IOW

Cowes

IOW

Green tomatoes

After a rather good crop of tomatoes this year (while the sun was shining).

I was left with a dilemma when the rain, wind and cold started to creep in.
Do I leave the remaining tomatoes on the plants and see if the turn and plump up? Or do I make some yummy chutney for the autumn and winter months?

Appealing to my more inpatient nature I decided to go for the latter. I used a rather fabulous recipe from James Martin on the BBC food website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/green_tomato_chutney_41573

I managed to make four jars, one of which hadn't even made it to the the maturing stage before my husband started devouring it.

Wednesday

Its Wednesday!! Half way through the week and after 4 days of very little sleep I've had a sleep in till 10! I've woken up full of the joys of well.......autumn. And after tea and toast I honestly feel like I could take on the world. 

And so after the getting my weekly fix of baking inspiration while watching The Great British Bake off last night. I have decided that I am going to attempt a ginger bread house, as well as a Christmas cake this weekend. This may kick start my Christmas cheer. 

Stay tuned for results...........................................................

  

Autumn.

Autumns here!!

It's time to get making my second batch of blackberry jam, bake a boozy Christmas cake, and throw away the salads to make way for stew and dumplings.

Dreams of kicking up the autumn leaves on long woodland walk with a cold nose, all wrapped in a woolly scarf and mittens, and searching out a local pub with a open fire, just bliss.

It is however over shadowed by the horrid 'C' word..you know the one. The time of year the jolly fat man shoves his way down the chimney and stuffs himself with  mince pies and brandy, and you end up so far in debt your still living on left overs until February.

So I've started this blog as a diary with everything, from recipe triumphs (and disasters), days out and just general musings. That's the idea anyway...