Tuesday 7 July 2020

Ambling Through the Week


This last week I've taken a far more relaxed approach to my days. Circumstances are such that now more than ever before, my days are blurring into one another and once again I find myself having to take a step back from a regular routine. I definitely won't be returning to work until September at the earliest, and at the moment I don't yet know in what capacity. I should hopefully find out more later in the week but, as with anything at the moment, any plans will be subject to change.

Time spent in the garden has been sporadic and only when weather permitting. All but one of the sunflowers have survived the winds so far and I don't think it will be long until they begin to flower. The carrots are still a while off being harvested and the strawberries are all finished for the season but I'm happy to see that some of the beetroot will be ready within the next couple of weeks.
I've re-potted the apple trees and coriander, but they are growing so fast I will need to put them in even bigger pots before long. With the weather having been so changeable lately, I've been keeping the pots indoors. We even had some heavy hail just the other day, it's not what we usually experience at this time of year.



Spending more time at home it is very easy for me to become inactive, so in an attempt to incorporate some form of exercise into my day, I tried going out for a run with Lily riding her bike alongside me. I was pleasantly surprised to find it actually worked quite well. We didn't go very far, just along the lanes to the village, but I now know it's an option at least - no more excuses!
On our way home we passed a chicken by the roadside. At this point we were quite a way from any farm it could have wandered from, so we stopped and I picked it up to put it safely into the field. Unfortunately, it didn't make a difference as it kept trying to escape back through the gate. Fortunately for me (and the chicken) a farmer friend was passing by in his pickup and he offered to drive it back to the farm further along the road if I put it in the back. It was such a relief. I didn't like the thought of it being hit by a car, nor did I relish the idea of running the rest of the way home with it tucked under my arm.

At the weekend we went for a wander in the woods. Slightly further afield this time and it felt good to be gradually navigating our way into the wider world once more. It would have felt even better had I been able to enjoy a proper coffee at the end of our walk, but a certain someone was keen to return home and with it looking like it could rain at any moment, I reluctantly agreed. Coffee can wait.



In the kitchen I've been successfully sticking to my menu plans and we've been enjoying some old favourites I hadn't made for a while. Chow mein, risotto and quiche have all made a welcome return to the dinner menu, and it's even better when I make enough to last for two mealtimes. A few days ago I set about creating a sourdough starter. I've never made sourdough bread before, so I'm taking it as a challenge. Watch this space.

J. X

53 comments:

  1. I'm sorry to hear that life's so up-in-the-air or you at the moment. I can only imagine how unsettling that must be.
    Your scenery looks very lovely, if a little damp. The chicken story made me giggle, poor thing.
    I did a bit of the return to normal thing today, having my hair cut and venturing into the town centre, sadly it's still a dump and full of dodgy men, nothing's changed.
    that quiche looks absolutely delicious! xxx

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    1. It's a waiting game, Vix, although there's a chance any possible changes could be beneficial. I've yet to venture into town here but when I do, I'll be sure to avoid any dodgy men :)

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  2. I hope your bread turns out better than my first attempt. i do make regular bread which is fine but I had to throw the sourdough away. I made lots of good stuff with the discard though.

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    1. My starter isn't looking too promising just now :(

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  3. I'm afraid my days are becoming more and more relaxed , it's so easy for me too to become inactive, I'd far rather stay cosy sitting in a chair crocheting, sewing or reading a book than actually get up and do some exercise, well done for pushing yourself! I go through phases but it's so easy to make excuses like it's far too windy to walk haha. That quiche looks delicious I could just eat a slice right now. :) xx

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    1. It is so easy just to fritter the time away, isn't it. I find I'm much more productive on the days where I have some structure. X

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  4. Yum, the quiche looks good. It's easy for one day to blur into another. Exercise is a necessary evil I'm afraid!

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    1. It tasted very good, Tania. Pepper quiche is one of my favourites. X

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  5. I've now got a great mental image of you running along a road with a chicken tucked under your arm :) I'm glad there was someone to take it off your hands, and at least it didn't get run over pity you couldn't have got Lily to take a photo :)

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    1. Haha! I couldn't have just left it there, Eunice. It must have travelled quite a distance. X

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  6. I have always going to be making a sourdough starter - what dreadful grammar that is hahaha. Anyhoo, not yet started one off - I can't get my head around having a jar of manky flour fermenting away! Plus I cannot afford to be buying the butter and eating the butter on all the delicious sourdough bread and pizza bases hahaha
    Lovely photos and get you, Jules, rescuer of hens!!

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    1. I understand perfectly why you would think it's weird, although it doesn't appear to be doing any fermenting at all just now. X

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  7. Sounds like you've made the best of this week, too, Jules, even with the changeable weather and uncertainty that goes with making plans during this time. This is definitely the time to take it one day at a time, I feel. How exciting to be growing apples from seeds and making sourdough starter! It looks quite promising! I hope you have a lovely week ahead of you. :)

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    1. The little apple trees are doing really well, Bless. I'll need to re-pot them very soon. X

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  8. Good luck with the starter. It looks really good so far.
    xx

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    1. Thank you, Joy. Disappointingly, it's not looking so good anymore. X

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  9. I did read some reports about hailstorms, our weather at the moment is quite changeable.

    Your quiche looks delicious, it's always nice to enjoy some old favourite recipes.

    Looking forward to reading more about your sourdough bread …

    All the best Jan

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    1. Some of the hail was almost the size of marbles. I had such a surprise when it arrived, but thankfully I was indoors at the time. X

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  10. When life keeps changing so much with the virus it is difficult to get into any routine I find - it reminds me of the time when you have a new baby and just as you get into the swing of things everything changes again. I could just eat your quiche - we have had quite a lot lately with salad when it is hot and then with the weather being as changeable as our lives are we are then looking for something a bit more warming only a day or two later. x

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    1. I hope that when we reach our official summer break next week, life will feel a little more like what we are used to at this time of year. At least then I won't have to be 'encouraging' home learning. X

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  11. I bet its lovely to spend time with your little girl go for walks and see the countryside. Glad the chicken was safe.
    Bee interested to see how your sour-dough turns out
    Julie xxxxxx

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    1. We love getting outdoors, Julie and we are so fortunate to have some beautiful countryside accessible to us.
      Unfortunately, the sourdough starter is not looking too good now. X

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  12. I'm glad you saved the chicken! Nothing but rain here this week but at least it does the garden good. Your quiche looks delicious, I'll have a bit of salad with my virtual slice if that's OK :) x

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  13. Ambling and relaxed...two words sent straight from heaven for sure! We have a few sunflowers blooming already...but such strong winds...just like an Autumn storm threaten their longevity I fear. x

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    1. I hope we've seen the last of the strong winds for a while. They've really taken their toll this year and I was surprised to find only one of the sunflowers had snapped. X

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  14. Your chicken rescue reminds of the time my husband and I saw a sheep running along a dual carriageway. Of course i insisted we stop and try and rescue it. Catching it was impossible, even with the help of another lady motorist who stopped to help. But we managed to keep cars away from it until the police arrived, so all was well in the end.

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    1. I couldn't have just left it there. I hate the thought it could have been hit by a car. I imagine your sheep would have been a little more difficult to catch :) X

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  15. Hi Jules.Thanks for you lovely comment on my post.It's nice to know somebody remembers me lol.I love your blog,it's so uplifting,with your lovely photos and interesting text.I don't have a smart phone so it's more of a drag to put photos on.Do hope you Lily are well.Oh,that chicken was sure lucky you were passing,I love chickens.Hugs x

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    1. Thank you for your lovely comment, Lee. X

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  16. Hello Jules. I do love a good quiche, especially in the summer. I also love when I can get two meals out of a dish - even better! I am excited to watch your sourdough starter come along. I know your bread will turn out wonderfully! Have a great rest of the week

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    1. Thank you, Julia. Unfortunately, having looked at my starter this morning I fear your faith in my ability is misjudged :D

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  17. The weather is changeable and unusual for the time of year. Sorry things are a little unsettled hopefully it will start looking up.

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    1. I had such a shock when it began to hail. X

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  18. The weather has continued to be rainy here, though the wind has dropped. The days really are a samey blur aren't they? I never know what day it is; I have to actually think and work it out! I'm glad you and Lily are able to get out and about. Take care, Jane x

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    1. Never being quite sure what day it is can be quite disconcerting at times. I'll be relieved when I finally return to some sort of routine once again. X

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  19. Hope you have good news about school for September. I know what you mean about aimless days and do empathise. I try to do something constructive each day but it’s not always easy. The change in weather hasn’t helped I guess. Well done on the running. Mine has fallen by the wayside but I think that’s an attitude thing which I need to sort. That quiche looks delicious and well done on the sour dough starter. B x

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    1. It can be hard to get in the mindset for exercise when there is very little structure to our days. Having said that, I feel it's probably more important right now to go with how we are feeling at any given time. X

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  20. Found your blog from Vix-widening my circle! That quiche looks amazing. We too are waiting to figure out school for fall, but my job either way remains very busy due to being in education policy.

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    1. It's lovely to see you here, Sam. I'll be over to have a read of your blog later. X

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  21. You are such an excellent writer, Jules. Yes, coffee can wait. I usually make a fresh cup at home after taking a dip in the lake. That's great that you are running with Lily. I do the same thing with Lula. I attach her collar to a bar alongside my bicycle. She gets a long run while I pedal. It's so much fun! People always smile as they see us passing them...

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    1. This made me smile. I just hope Lily doesn't try putting a collar and lead on me! :D

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  22. I was relieved when my friend was able to return the chicken to the farm. I would hate for anything to have happened to it.
    The sourdough doesn't look to be doing very well, I'm afraid. X

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  23. oh that quiche! I really want quiche now, but more importantly, I want YOUR quiche now. pretty please?! x

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    1. I'd be more than happy to share some with you, Sadie. X

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  24. I too want to make sourdough starter, but I keep postponing it. :)
    Your coriander looks great. For some reason I can never grow it. I tried seeds and then bought plants from the nursery. Every time they died after a while.

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    1. To begin with my sourdough starter looked promising but now I'm not so sure. I might start over again. X

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  25. It's such strange times for most of us at the moment, old routines seem to have gone out the window and a more relaxed way of life seems to be the order of the day. It's so easy to just go with the flow at the moment without having any structure to the day but I'm not sure it's actually very good for us. I'm looking forward to seeing how you do with the sourdough, I've been contemplating having a go at a starter myself so I shall enjoy hearing how you've got on. Thank you so much for all the kind comments you have left on recent posts, it's been such a comfort knowing I have so many friends in Blogland thinking about me at this sad time.

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    1. You are very wise, Jo. I know I am much more productive with some sort of structure to my days, without it I often find myself floundering.
      I've begun trying to create a new starter, this time in a bowl rather than a jar, and it appears to be doing much better. Time will tell.
      I hope you and your family are keeping well. Thinking of you and sending love. X

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  26. I'm finding that I am enjoying this more relaxed way of life. Of course, we are retired so we have the luxury to relax. I take a walk with a friend and a mask every morning at 8:00 for an hour. I find if I don't do it first thing in the morning, I tend to never get to it. Your photos are beautiful.

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    1. Thank you, Judee. An early morning walk is a wonderful way to start the day. X

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