Almost

Today has been almost springlike. It started damp but rapidly improved and the sun appears to have more warmth in it now. I have also noticed rape fields are beginning to turn that ghastly neon yellow. I have known years when rape coincides with blue bells which usually bloom in April.

This photo was taken on 10 May 2021. Blue and yellow…

I was in no hurry to arise so I didn’t. But eventually, it became a case of ‘needs must,’ and I did some food preparation and then H and I walked round Cholsey Meadows. A different meadow today because I needed to keep away from the slime she rolled in yesterday.
This slime is proving very tricky to remove, and in the end I carried out some internet research which revealed it to be slug slime, which is evil stuff. And not good for the dog either because it can lead to lung worm larvae being passed on.

Even so, the field I chose was a mistake due to muddy squelching. H slipped through the fence and onto parallel tyre tracks . She couldn’t get back through and I thought I was going to have to retrieve her. I paddled my way through deep mud to a gate, but she brought herself back, skipping daintily over the deep mud.

My feet were not so lucky.

Luckily the shoes are machine washable which is what is happening to them now.

I gave H another scrubbing with a wet towel before it joined my shoes and then set about more food prep and making my giant tiropita.

The three Illis were round on time. The spicy tomato sauce went well with my pilaff rice. I didn’t use the beans in the end because I judged there was enough food. It seemed to go down very well. I baked some pigs in blankets for George ( and Dave) because I know they are G’s favourite.

Desert was a big success and sooo easy to make. Michael and Margaret introduced me to this Turkish Passion pudding. No passion fruit in it. But so refreshing and not cloying. I trusted M and M when they said to make it the night before – they were right. Nothing remains of anything. The Illis swept the small amount of savoury left overs away and I saw off the pud.

They left around 20.30 and that was that.

Ali seems to have had fun in the snow.

Thought for the Day