Week 3

It has been a surreal week for me. the loss of G hit me hard, but life goes on and we tuck our grief away, as many thousands of people are having to do all over the world.  It was only today, that I realized that we have already completed 3 weeks of lockdown, there is talk of of coming out of it after week 4 as over the last week new cases have been in their teens.  But there is a fear that the virus is lurking and will hit hard when we come out of isolation.  Fear is paralyzing the world, we  are looking sideways at people wondering whether they will infect us.  I think the psychological effect of this pandemic is going to be more damaging than the physical in the long run.   And I don't even want to think about the world economy.  Anyways on to brighter things, I really believe we have to take pleasure little things of life - cooking, cleaning, the garden, family connections, the birds singing, the antics of our pets and  of course U Tube, lol!

Over the last week I have been in preserving mode, I picked most of the grapes, leaving the rest for the birds and made 4 jars of grape jelly and 2 large bottles of grape cordial.

grape harvest

I have started on the apples, freezing them  an I think I will make some apple jelly from the Golden Delicious variety as it comes out a beautiful peach colour, the biggest apple tree is the Fuji , they store really well and so do the Grannie Smiths.  I am toying idea of making some mint jelly to have with lamb. The mint needs cutting back as it is getting out of hand, especially under the fig tree.

loaded fuji apple tree

 End of last year a new was fence erected in place of an old ivy covered fence that was falling down.  I making  a rock garden  along part of it as the soil is very stony, these stones I found on the property, I need some bigger ones and perhaps when we can move about again I will get some from the river.

 I am also thinking of growing some star jasmine around the posts and perhaps a clematis of some kind.

With three weeks completed in the lockdown I have been able to see how my stores are going.  I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I organized my groceries into 2 week lots, Well, I overestimated and each lot will last 3 weeks, so that is another 5 weeks of stores, I will be good to end of June.  The thing I am thinking of now is whether to continue using them when the lockdown ends or keep my level of stores at its current rate or even to increase the amount that I have stored away.  I would love to know what you consider an acceptable amount of stores without becoming a hoarder!  I know that they say for financial security to have 3 months out outgoings saved up is ideal.  I am thinking that in future there will be food shortages.  On a side note, my neighbour is an essential worker in the local bread factory, and he told me that the flour shortage here wasn't the lack of flour but that the manufacturers ran out of retail bags, so they had to get them printed.  I am thinking why bother, flour is flour!  Nobody is going to worry whether it is Champion or Pams etc., they just want flour!

On Sunday, I treated myself to some waffles, I had a craving for chocolate, and debated cook, muffins, biscuits and so on, I procrastinated all afternoon and fin ally after supper, I decided to make waffles but with chocolate bits in. I just used my usual waffle mix which is really a thick pancake mix and added chocolate chips,  Absolutely divine!

 I used butter to grease the waffle pan and it made them so crispy and crunchy. I will definitely be making them again.

I have been having a break from crochet, and have made this tunic for a little girl I know, Just need to go through my stash of buttons for the yoke.

Well that's it for today you all have a blessed day. 

Sharon and the kitties