As you avid bloggers may be aware, its my wife's birthday on Tuesday. I will be working off the farm and so I'm springing this little surprise early just so that I can see her reaction when she reads it. I think she will be surprised (I hope she won't be angry) because I don't think, she thinks, I know how to do it. Anyway. . . . . . to my gorgeous, beautiful wife.

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

BABE

Have a wonderful, wonderful day you deserve it babe.

I love you so much. 51! Fantastic.

Just brilliant.......

I got a birthday card from my brother yesterday, don't panic everyone it's not my birthday until Tuesday (gosh that snuck up on me.....where is this year going to?).

It made me laugh out loud the minute I slid it from the envelope.

Just how cute is that!!

Sue xx

Anyone seen Mum?

Has anyone seen Mum?

Let's look, you go left and I'll go right......

er...is this left?

...she's not here!

I'll go and ask the Kune Kunes....

Nope, sorry, not here, try the Pekins.....

...oooh...I'll have a look!

No, sorry I can't see her anywhere, go and ask Clint,

She's in the polytunnel, playing with those pesky courgettes again!!

~

Have a nice weekend.

Sue xx

Courgettes and Wedges

There's something about Courgette plants that is just so.......... chunky!

Compared to other seedlings they come through looking thick and healthy and I LOVE them. Of course knowing that they will give us a profusion of tasty things to eat helps the love affair to develop too!

Now where do wedges come into this you may be asking......well I'm just loving them too at the moment.

Fed up with boiled and jacket potatoes I wanted something quick to do, tasty and nutricious and so I experimented with wedges and now I've perfected them.

Simply par boil potatoes cut into wedge shapes (skin on is best) for about 5 minutes.

Once that's done drain them and let them stand so the excess steam comes off leaving them nice and dry, while that's happening assemble your other bits. Here I'm using some nice oil (any sort will do, I'm using my 'posh' one as we are eating through the content of the cupboards and this is what I've reached), sea salt, black pepper and some Smoked Paprika. You can play around with different spices (and herbs are good too).

Toss the wedges into a baking tray, sprinkle with a tablespoon or so of oil and toss them around then add your flavouring and pop in the oven for about 25 minutes - simples - and best of all VERY tasty.

We're off now to look at a harrow for the tractor, I get to go to all the nice places and look at some lovely stuff!!

Sue xx

I'm Intrigued - Live Below the Line

Could I do this?

Could you?

Something definitely worth thinking about.

Now there's a Challenge!!

Please note this is for ONE week and is to raise money for Christian Aid week and to highlight what many people around the world (including this country) actually have to live on. Click on the link to read all about it, they've even included a recipe book that you can download so you won't go hungry.

Although I am confused as I read that you have to buy whole packs of food to be within the remit of the Challenge and then when you follow their link to mysupermarket.com, they have a special shelf of the right foods which when purchased add up to over £23, so can you just buy the required individual items and grams of products? Can anyone answer this please?

Kathy Kelly did it for a whole year and her Challenge included everything! She holidayed, had a social life and then wrote a really good book telling the tale. I loved it, but knew I could never do it. However, this challenge is £1 per day just for food, it lasts just five days and is surely possible.

It's got me thinking anyway.

Sue xx

Who knew tea towels could be SO lovely......

Who knew Tea Towels could be SO lovely.......I didn't for sure. Tea towels were always something I've been given as gifts or maybe bought the odd jokey one as a souvenir from a holiday or day out. I seem to acquire them from all over the place.

Grow Your Own Vegetables Linen Tea Towel

But when I was approached by Al of All Tea Towels I thought again. The first time I visited the website I was amazed at the choice. For the review I could choose any three to trial, use and abuse and then give an honest opinion. (And boy did I warn....I DO give honest opinions.)

Gardening Calender Horticultural Linen Tea Towel

If you're shaking in your shoes Al you can stop now.....these are fantastic towels. They do exactly what they're supposed to. Dry the pots perfectly, with none of those annoying bits of fluff, lint etc that some cloths leave on your glasses, they've coped with me grabbing them to take things out of the Aga and they have washed and washed fantastically.

Ladybird Books Dip In Breakfast Egg 100% Cotton Tea Towel

They've been through the washer over and over, I tend to throw all the towels in whenever I can, either with other towels or sometimes just with the other washing to save on exessive use of the machine and each and every time they've come up really well.

Two of them are linen and the egg one is 100% cotton. I must say I love the pure linen ones are best, they just feel SO nice. I can see them all lasting a long time, even with my heavy usage.

And they look lovely hanging on the Aga too!!

I don't usually iron towels (I iron as little as possible....I hate ironing) but in the interests of an honest review these have been ironed and then re-used and they passed the test with flying colours, in fact they look just like new again once ironed, I might even start ironing my tea towels all the time.......who am I kidding....NO I won't!!

Looking at the website at the huge choice of designs it struck me they look just like wrapping paper and it gave me a brilliant idea, instead of using paper next time I'm giving an anniversary or wedding gift I might just use a tea towel and then the recipient has two gifts in one. I very nearly bought a vintage tractor towel, but seeing the plough parts on my table I refrained, but I may be tempted to go back and order one just so Lovely Hubby has something to admire while he dries the pots.

Nip over to the website see much better pictures of all these tea towels and hundreds more. Ideal Easter gifts for someone who has an aversion to chocolate!

All Tea Towels

Sue xx

To set Jane's mind at rest........

To set Jane's mind at rest......the pies were minced beef and vegetable for the boys (we have a house guest for the next three weeks) and cheese and onion for me. So NO pigs in the pies!!

I had a bit of a batch baking session to fill up the freezer, so we have handy meals to cook quickly when we're busy on the farm. I made two beef and veg pasties and my cheese and onion one for last nights tea plus six small beef and veg to go in the freezer, along with three extra tops and bottoms for more pies, ready to fill with whatever we have as leftovers in the fridge.

Not bad from one potato, two carrots, a handful of peas, half an onion and 500g best mince (that cost me just £1.50 from the reduced chiller cabinet). I could have stretched it even further but Lovely Hubby likes his pies really meaty, and I'd hate to disappoint!

Sue xx