These naturally shaped stones are cobbles. Not many deliveries along here these days, judging by the amount of plants.

Just to prove it isn't only German that I mangle!

Dinner tonight was a lamb steak, served on a bed of mashed carrot and sweet potato, with garden peas and pickled red cabbage. Brought together with some more veloute sauce.

So - other than the enormous quantity of peas (don't hate me - I like them) - what's the deal? Well, I cooked all of this in a microwave, in three separate 4 minute sessions. Cost of energy was about 15 p. You do need the appropriate dish to sear and cook the meat, but there are so many on the used pages these days, you really ought to get one.

Lékué (offices in Barcelona) is my favorite brand, but there are others of course.

In the field were the delightful lambs and their mothers. They are painted with numbers to indicate their owner, when grazing on shared or common land.

This shop took me back to my childhood in an instant. Dolly pegs, wooden backed bristle scrubbing brushes, and proper soap, among other delights. And almost no plastic to be seen.

The town library is housed in what was originally the fire station, next to what was the town hall and is now the museum.

I don't know how old this lamp is, but it's rather nice, don't you think?

I really like this tiny graffito that I saw in a local coffee shop. the slightly curved 'spine' makes this seem almost alive.

Found on my front door frame. I think he'll be happier to be left outside.

Apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan.

These are the pups I removed last year. They seem to be thriving on benign neglect.

At least, I think it is.

In 1840 there was a massive survey and census carried out. This is a benchmark that was made as a permanent marker for locating survey instruments.

At the same time in Aotearoa/New Zealand many tribes (but not all) signed a treaty with the Crown.

I just liked the look of this tower, with the rather grand cupola (or whatever it's called).

It all looked a bit dreary, so I glammed up the lighting a bit.

Closed up as the sun goes down

Processed with VSCOcam with kk1 preset

Carrots

Red onion

Garlic

Oil

salt and pepper

Mendi spices

Parsley

Coconut milk

Chicken stock

make the base

then add carrots

cook 5 mins

then add stock

boil then simmer

blend

then add coconut milk

garnish with parsley

30 mins start to finish

One of my great-grandmothers was Irish, and so I feel no shame in using a Gaelige name for my latest attempt at making this speckled fruit loaf, using my own recipe. I think it will do, finally.

I definitely need to get a wire cooling rack!

On a walk to work one autumn

Some more flowers left in my kitchen. how sweet.

St Peter's Church at Heysham has been a place of Christian worship for over 1000 years. The oldest parts of the current building date from the 900s.

This carved stone appears to have been re-used from a previous building. I wonder what the design signifies.