AWOL in the Little Foodies veg patch

Fading bluebells which were absolutely beautiful this year.

Now I hadn't intended to leave it a whole month without posting but before I knew it weeks had passed. I'm sorry that I haven't been actively reading or commenting and I do really appreciate all of your comments and e-mails, thank you and big hugs to all. I can't sit at the computer for too long (woe is me). Also, I've only really been cooking old favourites and had lost the enthusiasm for taking pictures. (Although I have cooked a couple of new things from the very controversial cheating Delia book... More of which another time.) As for my spine - I now can't wait for the hard physio to start as I know then that it wont take long to strengthen the old girl and everything will magically feel better. It does rather feel that Tinkerbell visited while in one of her naughty moods and cast a spell of doom and gloom on the house for a period of time.

Anyway, the weather has turned, along with our emotions and we are basking in sunshine. This morning Little and Small packed, prepared and consumed a picnic very early doors. On the strict understanding that it doesn't interfere with their other planned picnic, scheduled for this afternoon. In other words "Mama, if we have a picnic now we can still have another picnic later yes?!" For their impromptu picnics the boys are happy with anything. This morning they had whole raw carrots, sultanas, bread, thinly sliced chorizo and apple juice.

I love the whole adventure of a picnic, even ones consumed in the garden. Though I do believe that the rug (or blanket) spread out on the floor is what makes a picnic a picnic and not the food. I've had some very fancy picnics but if there hadn't been a rug then it just would have been food eaten outside.

Hubs has been working hard in the garden. Clearing out of control areas and generally tidying things up. I've been growing things from seed. I'm super proud of the pumpkin plants. The tomatoes are possibly a little late but hopefully if we get a late Indian Summer they'll be alright.

My old herb patch is going to be turned over to vegetables so Hubs has prepared a new area that will become my herb garden. So far there's just rosemary, bay, thyme and lavender. Soon, and all grown from seed, there will be mint (I'll try and contain it this time as in our last house I sort of let it run wild and it took over - lovely memories of the many mojitos it made, along with it's culinary uses of course). There will also be tarragon, flat leaf parsley, oregano, chamomile, hyssop, basil, coriander and chives.

The strawberry plants survived the winter and seem to be thriving.

We finally planted the apple tree which I bought from a nursery that was closing down last year.

One of the blueberry bushes.

The pumpkin plants, grown from seed. These have been great fun for the children and me. We planted the seeds in compost and then sealed the pots in plastic freezer bags. Within 10 days little shoots appeared and now after only a few weeks they look like this.

A chive flower.

We're growing the potato plants in tyres this year.
These are almost ready to be topped with another tyre and then filled with more compost.

The thyme is starting to flower.

This elderflower really makes me smile.
I thought we'd lost it as it was growing entwined with an old apple that we had to have cut down a few months after we first moved here.
I can't wait to make things with it.

Fairy flowers

...and despite the fact that after the children have blown them all over the garden we know that more dandelions will grow, because Small picks them all and gives them to me with such a delighted look on his face makes me not mind at all. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and trophy lawns can wait. Though Hubs did stick a sign on the gate when we had a family party last year which said 'RHS gold medal winner - best kept lawn.' If only you could have seen it, having had the tree house built and numerous other work it looked dreadful, it still does. Thank goodness for a sense of humour.

For now my friends... I'm off back to the garden for a little potter around. My inner sloth is now definitely my outer sloth!