Autumn Cottage Diarist

More of Miss Austen

Greatly enjoyed "Miss Austen Regrets" - A wonderfully tightly written and beautifully acted production on BBC here last night, a drama created on the basis of Jane's surviving letters to her sister Cassandra and her niece, Fanny. Not at all the sentimental slop that can occasionally rise up attached to the name Jane Austen - I found the characters strongly shaped and utterly believable. One of my own favourite actresses, Phyllida Law, plays Jane's mother with the same sharpness of observation and retort that I remember from my own mother in law.

Speaking of Jane....here are a few images of my visit last week with Liz to the National Trust property of Basildon Park, only half an hour from here, and the venue for the filming of the 2005 big-screen version of "Pride and Prejudice", which featured Keira Knightley. I'm sorry to say that I found that version insipid in comparison with the BBC's own production, with Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett and the delectable Colin Firth leading the wet shirt brigade as Mr Darcy. (though if you want your illusions shattered about this scene, watch the first film clip on the BBC link above - and if you want your illusions confirmed about Mr Darcy - watch the second!)

It was a gloriously sunny spring day at Basildon, the gardens were looking wonderful with that particularly sharp acid green of new spring growth everywhere - especially in the cowslip meadow beneath the oaks, above.

The house is very interesting to visit, for though the contents are not original, they are a wonderful example of what could be "picked up" in the 1950's at country house sales, (so many were being sold and gutted because of extortionate death duties) when Lord and lady Iliffe were restoring the house and filling its virtually empty interior with furnishings appropriate to the style. (I don't know if the exquisite Zuber wallpaper (below) was acquired then, or is original - but the dozens of colours used for each hand blocked panel are certainly a very big cut above what one normally buys on a roll!)

There is also a room dedicated to the Dillon family, full of Dillon family portraits. Since my Mother in law is also a member of that family, it is  disconcerting to walk around the room, seeing 18th century versions of my sister-in-law and brother-in-law looking down at me. A total affirmation that "you can't escape your genes!" - Though as one of the portraits is of King Charles II, who had a liaison with one ancestor (Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland) "on the wrong side of the blanket" - one wonders what - ahem - behaviours as well as looks "the genes" have handed down to my own boys!
(No cause for alarm yet - but I'll be watching them :-))

Picture of Jane Austen courtesy of abcnews.com

A Hopeless Case!

Valiantly went forth today to sort out the greenhouse - a major part of which was to get rid of all the old terracotta pots in there. You can see the result - I couldn't discard a single one, because - well, they are just so beautiful, aren't they? There are modern utilitarian ones, but also many Edwardian ones and later, up to the 1940's - you can see the swirl of the clay and even fingerprints on one or two.

Useless for growing things in, of course - too small. Many also cracked. But what the heck - I'll pile them up in a corner somewhere and let them just gently disintegrate. Come to think of it, some of my eccheverias would look good as single specimens in the small pots, as an addition to the terracotta pot garden. (No, I haven't made that garden yet - but I feel one coming on!)

The other photos show some of the other work in the garden today - not many words to accompany, because I have been out there from 8 am to 7 pm, I am creaking like an Iron Maiden and I need my bed!

Preparing the new Asparagus bed - digging in gravel to improve drainage


Then lots of loverly organic home made compost


In go the Asparagus crowns - (Connover's Colossal) - don't they look pathetic at this stage? Watch this space for when they start to grow their ferny tops.


Endnote - The Sentinels - keeping an eye on the standard of my work. A hot and tiring job, as you can see.

Logie Is Home!

Imagine, ladies - you travel from Africa for a month and a half, covering three and a half thousand miles - and what awaits you? Your mate and an intruding female  - with anything but a welcome for you.

This was the reception committee for Logie the Osprey when she arrived back at her nest this morning, having left Guinea Bissau on 12th March.

Read her amazing story, scrolling down for the latest details on what is happening at the old nest now that she has returned.

I'd Hate to Have to Dust It All...

The dresser before "Spring Cleaning"

That's the comment I get more often than not, when visitors see my
kitchen dresser. It's where I keep many of my junk shop "finds" - but
periodically, even I get sick of the amount of clutter that accumulates there
- not to mention the dust.
So today was the day - all the china came off all the shelves, and only the
blue and white items went back. (This is about as minimalist as I get - just
two colours - and doesn't blue and white ALWAYS look good, never dating,
never passe?).
Here is the progress of the day - just to prove that it does all get cleaned,
and yes, I DO take it all off the shelves and wash every item - not just a
quick flick of the duster here, you know! Of course, it does take over the
whole kitchen and the whole day - and now there is a whole table full of
items that did not go back - but look at all that lovely space on the
shelves....just calling out for more pieces of blue and white!

Empty!


The perfect place for drying


Every surface taken over


Mission accomplished!

Books of Delights

A feast of reading today for anyone interested in old diaries, journals, or
manuscripts - the so far unpublished papers of the Charles Darwin archive
have gone on line today, to be read completely free - another great gift to
the world via the Internet.
His personal journals are here (including a list of "do I marry? Vs "do I not
marry? - On the pro side, he concludes that it is better to marry than to get
a dog!), but the manuscript that I will be browsing first is his wife,  Emma Darwin's
Recipe Book (ms number DAR 214 if the links play up)

You can reach the whole collection here - but beware - vast quantities of
time may be consumed once you start to browse!

Watch the Birdie!

Visited my local "Homebase"  home store & garden centre this afternoon,
with the intention of acquiring some raspberry canes. I found those, but of
course always have to browse around whatever else is available there at
the time (the best items being those with the delicious label of "reduced"
or "half price" attached to them - yes, I am a stingy gardener!).

But look what I found when I rounded one corner - a little robin had taken
up residence behind some pots of primulas - and was sitting, alertly but
peacefully, on the nest while the rest of the world went by.

Thanks to the staff for putting up the notice and the red and white
"attention" tape. Wish this little family a safe time - until they are hatched and beyond.

Logie - You GO, Girl!

Sorry for the longer absence again - been laid up over the last few days
with a nasty food bug, gratefully kept company by wonderful BBC Radio 4
and a pile of books and reading for college.
Not without excitement though - for I am tracking, via the radio and online,
(along with thousands of others), the return to the UK of "Logie" - a female
osprey, who is at this moment on the last stages of her journey back to
Scotland from her winter roost in Africa.
Her tracking is part of the Radio 4 "World on the Move" series of wildlife
programmes on migrations - but you can follow her whole journey on the
website of the Highland Foundation for Wildlife.
She is just off the coast of France at the moment, with poor weather and
depleted energy to contend with. Join me in encouraging her on for the last
leg of her own individual journey - this miracle of migration that is taking
place all over the biosphere right now, underneath our noses and over our
heads - and are we even aware of it?

We Played and Played all Day...

This is Pippin, late last night, after all the kitties had spent their first whole day of springtime in the garden. I was outside for the longest time - and so, in turn, were they - chasing birds, bunnies, butterflies and each other, and having the most blissful time.

This was also Pip, however, at 11 am today - and Lily followed suit. Both so fast asleep this morning, instead of rattling the doors for their breakfast, that I thought there was something dreadfully wrong. All it was, in fact, was two little kittens staying out to play all day like grown up cats - then discovering that they still  really needed their naps much more than they thought they did!

It's That Time of The Year Again

Spring cleaning! Or, in my case, spring de-cluttering. Again. The story of my life.
Yesterday I tackled the linen cupboard in the bathroom, in which bedding, towels, tablecloths and patchwork quilts seem to breed over the winter. (Actually, the extra items mostly came from mother in law last year, when she moved into sheltered accommodation).
Here is just one of the piles that are being sorted – either to the local charity shop or offered to the Newbury Freecycle group (for animal bedding or fabric projects). But there are some items that will be going into a different box – the one marked “Memories”.

Though my sons are now 23 and nearly 21 years old, these were the duvet covers and pillowcases that dressed their beds when they were very little boys. “The little man with the black hat” is the logo of the world famous Hamley’s toy store in London and the teddy bear is – well, just a teddy bear. Perhaps they will fit a grandchild’s bed one day – who knows? (Hint, hint!)
More spring cleaning going on in the garden yesterday – I was at work down by the pond, cutting back and clearing. Here is the “Springtime” statue by the pond, surrounded by – well, springtime, in the dancing form of those lovely daffodils. Pretty, eh?

And something not so pretty. In case you get the idea that all is picture postcard perfect here at Autumn Cottage, take a look at the front cottage garden right now. Disgraceful, eh?

I’m almost too ashamed to post this picture – but I thought I would show you what happens when there is only one pair of hands to beat several separate gardens into submission – sometimes, they refuse to submit! The old well has been pretty nearly demolished by ivy and golden hop (it was rotting anyway, and needed rebuilding – it needs it a lot more now!) – and the rest of the garden is fighting a losing battle against bramble. All I can hope for is that some of the fairies and nymphs who quite definitely live in the woodland opposite will take pity on me and come dig my front garden someday (some night?) soon. Otherwise – the Day of the Triffids is only a matter of time!
To say goodnight on a more cheery note – here are “The Three Mousketeers” saying Good Morning as they do every day. Actually, Lily is saying “Where’s our breakfast?” – Pippin thinks he has already spotted it on the floor, (it was actually a fly) and Lissie is doing her usual “cold shoulder to the pesky interlopers” routine. It’s all an act – they love each other really. Honest. They really do!

A First Time for Everything!

I’ve taken to buying prepared sushi for myself at the local supermarket, as a quick lunch when I return home after shopping. But I was recently watching an episode of Spendaholics on TV - “how to lead a champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget.”, a series in which people with enormous debts are given a lifestyle makeover to help them get their lives – and spending - back on track. The “star” of this episode was overspending partially due to her addiction to expensive sushi, so I thought I would follow their advice and try making my own.

I’ve had the ingredients lurking in the cupboard for a couple of months now, but last night I thought I would have a go. It was very simple, but it does seem to be important to have the right “bits and pieces” before you begin. Proper Sushi rice, which is very starchy – and therefore very sticky – rice vinegar, sheets of Nori (seaweed) and a rolling mat. (It would probably be possible to roll them without a mat, but why make life difficult?)
I followed the instructions on the packet of rice – half a bag, with 330ml of water, simmered for 10 minutes, and then left, off the heat, to steam, with the saucepan lid on.
Meanwhile, I made the rice dressing by mixing a tbs of rice vinegar with a teaspoon of sugar and one of salt (I may add more of both of those next time) – and when the rice had cooled, I stirred the dressing into it.
Then I laid one sheet of nori onto the rolling mat, spread rice on top, then lined up the fillings about 1/3 of the way along the rice (don’t worry if you want to try this – all the instructions are on all the packets). I used sliced king prawns, and sliced red peppers, carrot and celery. I will add cucumber and perhaps palm hearts next time, for a variation in texture.
Using the mat, I rolled them up like a swiss roll cake – and dampened the edge of the nori at the other end to seal it. I sliced them into five or six pieces, and there they were – Bob’s your Uncle – Sushi!
The slices from the ends of the rolls are a bit scruffy – but who cares, they tasted the same, eaten with soy sauce for dipping and grated ginger (again available in jars in the “World Foods” section of the supermarket). I estimate that I made roughly six times the amount I would buy from the shop for the same cost. A pretty good saving, I reckon!

If I was making them for others, I’d take more trouble, but for a first effort, after sampling, I can definitely declare them Not Bad At All - what do you think? Any suggestions for fillings and better methods would be very gladly received!