Christmas stole rather softly over Ruthven House this year. The bellwether of preparedness that is Monkey’s jumper was competed with 48 hours to spare and by Christmas Eve there was a fridge replete with pigs in blankets and stuffing balls, a lemon meringue pie cooling on the cake stand and, in an unprecedented feat ofContinue reading “And so it was Christmas…”
Category Archives: cooking
Winter is here
This week has finally brought winter. A sunny walk in the woods at the weekend had lulled me into a complacent confidence that Christmas would be mild and balmy and the lifting of the dahlias could proceed at dilettante pace. The tissue paper whisper of the grass on Monday told another tale. The first ofContinue reading “Winter is here”
Fire and Flood
The boys have gone to play snooker, the steak and kidney pudding has an hour and a bit still to steam, everything else is ready bar a few last minute blasts in the oven and I am finally sitting down with a glass of wine, gently throbbing feet and a slightly dazed sensation. I’m notContinue reading “Fire and Flood”
Whirlwind inside and out
After the gales and the blackout, the floods came… Sounds like the beginning of a dystopian “end of days” fantasy novel of the type it is highly satisfactory to consume when warm, dry and supplied with cake. However that was earlier this week – when we all piled into the car to go to theContinue reading “Whirlwind inside and out”
Flickering
After six days without power the lights went on last night. Then off. Then on again, but waveringly. We now have selective light, in some rooms, with a tendency to flicker if anyone else on the row decides they too want illumination. As a result the candles are still much in evidence and Christmas knittingContinue reading “Flickering”
Welcome to the 18th century….
(What follows was typed two days ago, and I thought had been lost when the laptop battery expired. However today, after a partial resumption of power (of which more anon) it reappeared so I am leaving it as is as it rather captured the moment. I have though taken the liberty of adding a fewContinue reading “Welcome to the 18th century….”
Christmas Stocktake
“The time has come, the Walrus said, to talk of many things….” Ishbel has booked her train ticket and we have set a date and for the annual neighbourhood Christmas party, so there’s absolutely no getting out of it now. Christmas is coming to Ruthven. What with the rather reduced travel and entertaining over intermittentContinue reading “Christmas Stocktake”
The Aftersloth
Another huge gap with no post! The late August wave of visitors had barely broken on the shore when the September tsunami rose. The Highland branch of the Bee clan finally made it down and, in nothing short of a miracle, both of the esteemed offspring came (down from Edinburgh and up from Surrey respectively)Continue reading “The Aftersloth”
Using the plot
The produce is really starting to come home to roost now. We are drafting in the neighbours to try and keep on top of the gluts. The rainy spells have finally shifted me out of the deckchair on the gin terrace. However, in anticipation of next year’s summer balcony boozing I have started the firstContinue reading “Using the plot”
Reversing the sausage…
We are back to alternating days of grey sleet and rain and frosty sunshine. Comfort food has come to the fore and I am snazzing up my porridge with the pears I bottled in late summer. I thought I had overdone the bottling this year but I am powering through them. I like the wholeContinue reading “Reversing the sausage…”
Live from Ruthven 