Hope

 Hello!  Spring is on its way, the blossom is appearing on the cherry and plums trees!  To me blossom always lifts my heart after the winter blues, and what a winter has it been.  I have to admit that I have been down not quite depressed but pretty close to it.  Outside of the world situation with covid and political unrest rearing its ugly head everywhere, my family have had some losses and though expected it hits you hard.  But all you can do is pick yourself up and carry on, life is for living. 

 

I have been playing about with my watercolours a lot lately and the above was done from a branch of plum blossom.  I was not happy with it and decided to play around with it in photoshop, can you see the photo of my great grandparents? I am very pleased with it.  I am thinking of printing it out and sending it to my brothers and sister.

 

Spring doesn't start officially till September, so I know that we still will get frosts for a bit yet, but it was so nice not to have the heating on and have the washing dry in one day! This past week I have been out in the garden tidying and preparing some ground for the sowing of broad beans and peas.

 

Like many of us I struggle with my weight and today I broke my self imposed ban on baked goods,  I made pumpkin scones!  So delish.  Had them with pumpkin soup for lunch.

 

 

 Pumpkin Scones

• 50g softened butter
• 1 cup mashed pumpkin
• 1 tsp. dried coriander and1 tsp. cumin or ½ tsp. curry powder
• 2 tbsp. chopped coriander or parsley
• 1 ½ tsps. Salt
• 2 tsps. Baking Powder
• 2 ½ - 3 cups s/r flour (depends on the water content of your pumpkin) 

Cream butter and spices together. Whisk in all other ingredients except the flour. Fold in flour with a knife.  You may need to add more flour or a little milk depending on how watery the pumpkin is. Turn out on to a floured surface and lightly knead, just until the ingredients come together. Make a roundish shape circle with the dough, and roughly divide or use round cutters to cut out rounds.  Place on a floured baking tray and bake at 210C for about 10 - 15 minutes.  They last longer than ordinary scones and in fact taste better the next day.  For keeping longer than 2 days I would freeze.

( I have used mashed sweet potato and even parsnip!  All delicious) If you don’t like spice leave it out however they do need the herbs).

 

Have a blessed week everyone and see you soon.