Biscuits, oil and wax - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Saturday 27 November, 2004

by Rosemary at 7:56pm in Anything goes Comments closed

Lorna and I are on holiday Friday, Monday and Tuesday. Our schools are closed for a casual day and two in-service training days, so if the schools are closed I'm off too. From 1st October, I reduced my working hours to termtime plus 10 days. It's a bit weird - I've never not worked full-time, but I think I'll manage to amuse myself!

Yesterday, after Lorna and I had walked the dogs for an hour and a half, I spent late morning and afternoon in the garden. It was a seriously nice day. The roses have been pruned, some harder than others. I am a serious pruner - when in doubt, prune! We have a lovely climbing rose that was really pathetic for about three years. Last winter, it got a severe pruning and this summer, it was fabulous. It might be coincidence, of course...

I took the opportunity to sweep up leaves in the "courtyard garden". It's "in development". I'll put up a diary entry with before, during and after photos, when we get to after! Otherwise, I had a general potter - hoed the soft fruit bed, swept up the paths, tidied the shed. It was very nice indeed but I have to fight the urge to be TOO tidy, so the wee bugs and beasties have somewhere to overwinter.

Weatherwise, today was fine until about 11.30am, when it started to rain. We were almost back at the stables after our ride, so missed the worst of it.

Dan was in the garden this morning tidying up the vegetable garden. He's lifted Smokey's mangels, so he can have these over the next few weeks.

We've been oiling and waxing the worktops in the kitchen and the floor in the hall respectively today. I feel really guilty about not doing it before - it was easier than I expected and really has made a difference. Sometimes it's hard to find time for indoor jobs until this time of year. My excuse, anyway.

Finally, I made biscuits today. There was an article in this month's "Country Smallholding" with biscuit recipes. Since none contained hydrogenated vegetable oil, I thought I'd try them. I've made "Fruity Flapjacks" and "Peanut Squares". If they're OK, I'll post the recipes.