It was misty first thing, but it’s turned out nice.

I went on a guided foraging walk this afternoon. Given the time of year, this unsurprisingly turned into a mushroom identification basics, although we did also try yew berries (do NOT eat the seed), which are a bit like lychee.

I already knew the kitchen electrics were a bit dodgy, from when I had the hob replaced, but so far today we have discovered that the switch I thought was the oven isolation is actually the boiler (which on a different floor) and that the actual oven one was boxed in behind a cupboard, on a double socket into the other half of which was plugged an extension lead buried in the wall leading to a wall socket. Oh, and the oven connection also had a spur running off it for another wall socket, which we discovered when the fridge light didn’t come on when the oven breaker was flipped.

Friday evening is food prep time, so a quick #dinner of pasta with Chinese cabbage and tuna. In the food prep department: bread; egg and veggie muffins, for breakfasts; roasted/blitzed ripe and green tomatoes, for freezing to use later; jacket potatoes, for dinner on Sunday; and tubs of leek/bacon/mushrooms (ditto), pesto (Monday), and mushrooms (Tuesday, iirc).

Behold my bounteous squash harvest! Cower before my l33t #gardening skills, puny mortals!

I have absolutely no idea if this will work: pickled rocket (arugula) seed pods. #gardening #cooking #preserving

#gardening

I had a struggle getting the seeds for this (I had to get a friend to smuggle them from the US, because the company with the UK licence is milking it for as much money as possible by only selling expensive plug plants) but I’m very impressed with my “Rainbow Candy Crush” #kale. Even if it turns out to be less edible than claimed, it would make a good #garden ornamental.

I tried growing Gilfeather’s Turnip-Swede in the #garden this year. To my not very great surprise, I can report that it tastes like a cross between a turnip and a swede (replace whichever of those you are unfamiliar with with ”rutabaga“, for those in the US). Given that I like both, I think I’ll keep it in the mix.

Chorizo and chickpea warm salad, with various #garden veg and a poached #duck egg for #dinner.

#pizza for #dinner #cooking

I got hold of some caucasian spinach (hablitzia tamnoides) seeds last year, and got them to germinate after some time in the fridge. When they had grown on a bit, I planted some out and potted some on. The ones that I planted out didn’t make it, and I lost a couple of the ones in pots as well, but I’ve now got one that looks good and healthy and one that looks ok. I’m inclined to keep them in pots and sheltered over winter and then plant out next spring, but does anyone have any experience with or tips about the plant? #gardening #permaculture

I’m afraid we’re having a one-way trip to the vet next week. She’s been struggling then improving then struggling again for several months now, but this is the worst she’s been. Neither I nor the vet can find anything obviously wrong. It’s a shame, she’s a good layer. #ducks #homesteading