Mixed Batch.

Yet more rain making photography rather challenging what with the low light levels and the general disorder in our house. Trying to find somewhere to snap a picture without clutter in the background is never easy in this little over-run home and we have been full to the brim with family and friends staying over lately. Much fun but very cramped times, though I have noticed how drawn to blogs with organisation as their topic I have been (thanks you Sue for making me desperate to clean out my enormous freezer!). 

So, to counteract this wonderful weather - hah - I have been gathering huge handfuls of herbs from outside the kitchen door: Sage, oregano, fragrant golden marjoram, piquant thyme and earthy parsley have all been chopped into most of my dishes for weeks now. It seems the rain has not diluted their flavour even if it has somewhat diluted my pleasure in harvesting them. This was a particularly hearty lamb hot-pot which chased off the chills and was served with creamy mashed potato and a heap of the gorgeous kale growing in my veg patch.

I have finally got around to adding a new drake to the duck pen to keep Pecan company although I have to say he is not the most robust looking specimen I have ever seen! Clarence the Khaki Campbell is much smaller than most of our ducks have been and is a bit scrawny to boot. His feet look far too large for his slender body, he has a very long thin neck (they have Indian Runner in their genes and it really shows with this chap) and when he lies down he looks as though he has given over this life! Yep, I really pick them don't I?  Poor soul. Ah well, at least Pecan is looking after him - yes, I know it should be the other way round but what's a girl to do when her man looks as though he's about to keel over?

The photos make him look a bit rangier than the reality!

Gratuitous image of hot sunny days on Mermaid, sailing the seas in floaty dresses to remind me that there is sometimes colour in the world and that one day it may return. Such a pretty girl that Lucy (biased? Me?)

More green, but this time it is the gooseberries which have been folded into cream and sugar with elderflower cordial - homemade of course - to make pillowy soft gooseberry & elderflower fool.

The redcurrants are late this year but are finally turning into scarlet globes. Surely the prettiest of fruits.

Summer the rabbit and Washington Elderberry the guinea pig are growing away and enjoying cuddles together in the rare sun

while Willow bowls up for a chat. The cutest animal sounds are definitely those of the guinea pigs chatting.

A little dressmaking has taken place with the waistcoat for Elias being followed by a skirt for Isabella and some pyjama bottoms which I have been unable to photograph as the little toad runs at the sight of me with a camera in my hand.

Soft lilac lupins are flourishing despite the rain and are in fact doing better than ever before

and my vegetable garden continues to feed us. I haven't had to buy greens for ages with the kale beginning to slow down only to be replace by huge red cabbages and leafy dark green types. Did you guess I forgot which varieties I am growing? No matter as they are all delicious.

The broad beans are almost over and will be replaced by leeks and other good things to see us through the winter. Look at the fennel growing away. I have never had any success with this fussy veg before and some of these are not bulking out as they should but will come in handy for aniseed  leaves to use with fish. The ones that are thickening up are most exciting to see....well, I think so anyway!

And finally another reminder of how pretty Cornwall looks in the sun. Please come back soon and warm these lovely shores. PLEASE!

Ah well, it's back to the knitting though more of that another day x