~ This Month ~

Raspberry jam. Basil in the background

I tried my hand at jam making for the first time.

We had plenty of raspberries....still do :~)

It's similar to jelly making, which I tried in the autumn. 

The set point was just right thankfully, as I used the 'wrinkle skin' method,
which can be hit-or-miss to someone who is inexperienced.

Cardigan Wildlife Park Visitor's Centre

I wanted to make my own Virbascum thapsus (Greater Mullein) tincture this year, as this horrible new law that has passed in Europe about herbs is restricting our buying of certain herbs. Verbascum, is not all that common here, but my good friend who Tilly and I go walking with, told me of a patch of them growing at this place. We were in Cardigan visiting the dentist, so we made a short detour on the way home for me to go and harvest some leaves. I had phoned to ask permission first, and was so grateful that they were quite happy for me to do so. Thank you Nathan.

Verbascum thapsus, Greater Mullein, Aaron's Rod

The Mullein Moth Caterpillar

As I wanted to use them as fresh as possible, I had the equipment in the car ready for immediate tincture~making. 

I didn't notice My Man taking these photos.

When I planted the courgettes in the deep bed....

I had left the Plantago lanceolata (Ribwort Plantain) surrounding them....

they had grown rather profusely....

so I harvested them.... 

and made another tincture....

as the liquid in the fresh leaves escape into the vodka solution, the bulk reduces considerably.

The Plantago is freshly made here and the Verbascum has been shaken and mashed down for four days.

It is what I have needed to do to stay centred.

The Verbascum will help heal any coughs we may have this winter, and the Plantago will provide a welcome blood tonic, and rich supply of the minerals potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, as well as helping to heal those coughs along with the Verbascum.

Rainbow cobwebs, puckering moons and raspberry smoothies

Raspberries galore in our garden :~))))))

with Kefir for breakfast

Blended with Kefir into a smoothy

It has taken a little perseverance for me to get to like Kefir.....but it's been worth it; and, since our raspberries are now abundant, it is sooooo delicious poured over them and even more sooooo delicious when they're blended together....tart, and smooth and sweet and! and! and! oh!

I've come to a stop with my little Blue Moon cloth since quilting the moons. There is a big tension issue. I had stitched the back piece onto the front all around the edge before I started quilting. After I finished the moons, I took out the stitching around the edges, which improved things, but still leaves some fairly serious puckering as you can see.

I love the effect of the quilting on the back....makes me think of Jupiter's bands. I was fairly careful with each stitch...not doing the usual two to three stitches at one time...so it was slow going.....even for me! Once I'd noticed the puckering, as I quilted the first moon, I tried to take note of how tight I was pulling each stitch. I was surprised to find that I gave a little tug at the end of each one. Things improved when I stopped that 'tug', but not enough. Now I need to find out is there a magic way around this....or is it a drastic measure....take all the quilting out and start again? Slowly learning here....enjoying that.

I was so happy to see these two little friends. I hadn't seen them for a while and I missed them.They sit there like little Buddhas  with their cute feet turned inwards and their throats working  in a language I can't understand. Talking of Buddha ~ behind the little dark frog on the right......

The pond is in the shade of the Elder tree and in front of the arbour and needs cleaning...badly...but when I went to do it late last autumn, when I thought it would be empty of frogs, I had to stop, as there were still two out of the four in there and three newts, which I had not known about :~) It never ceases to amaze and delight me that we put this small pond in, waited for rain to fill it, (that is never a long wait here!), then let nature do the rest....and there is so much life in there.....even though the water is green and the bottom is probably filled with a lot of slimy, decomposing leaves. I will try again this year.....

I had a surprise visitor when I was sitting, stitching, in the sunshine in the doorway of my shed last week

She came to say hello to me briefly and I was allowed to stroke her, before she wandered off, over the fence and gave the magpies, who have a nest in the hawthorn tree over there, something of a scare. They rattattattattatt~ed at her like a machine gun. It is not often we get cat visitors here, because of Tilly~dog, so this was a most welcome and special treat.