(Another) five (good) things – on Friday

And this time, it actually is Friday!

(So.  Now I’m trying to keep up by getting ahead of myself.  Which means starting to write a post on Wednesday at the latest so I can hit the publish button late Friday, or at least early Saturday.  Let’s see how that works out).

1.  Snowdrops.  Oh how I am loving them this year.  I’ve never before realised the vast diversity there is in this one tiny flower.  This year I’m really looking, properly.  Getting right down under the flower to look inside.  I’m enjoying the delicate range of pale green markings on the inner petals, the difference between the singles and the doubles, the subtle variations, even the leaves are not all the same.  We’ve visited the Rococo Gardens at Painswick for the first time, and what a treat that was.  We’ve seen the snowdrops at Prior Park Gardens.  We made our first visit of the year to Heale Gardens.  I bought 3 small pots of different variety snowdrops, which I shall plant in the lawn in our garden to (I hope) naturalise and spread.

2. Eggs.  After too many weeks of not quite enough eggs (and certainly not enough to be giving them away, as we usually do), the hens have decided the spring has sufficiently sprung, and begun upping their production.  Now we’re getting 2 or 3 eggs most days, and I shall soon be able to offer them to sons, daughters-in-and-out-law, and others.  Back to an egg-based main meal at least once a week.  Unless this new spell of cold weather makes them retreat again.

3.  Sauerkraut.  A few weeks ago, inspired and encouraged by listening to this R4 Food Programme I decided to have another go at making sauerkraut.  My first attempt, last year, was a stinking, massive fail (though it did at least go into my compost bin not the food waste).  This time I used a smaller amount of cabbage (just 1lb, finely shredded) and a small amount of sea salt (only half a tablespoon), as recommended by Sandor Ellis Katz, the inspirational fermenter featured in the radio programme.  As described in the programme, I ‘massaged’ the cabbage and salt by hand for several minutes in a large bowl, then transferred the whole lot into a preserving jar (0.75l size – more than big enough).  I didn’t have a weight to put on top but thought my glass milk saver might fit just right, and it did.  A week later I tasted it and it was delicious.  I’ve been including some every day in my lunchtime salad.  Last week I decanted it to smaller jars and have kept it in the fridge, so now I have a second batch – red cabbage this time – in the larger jar.  Yesterday I made a much larger quantity – 3lb this time, and I’m using the (much too large!) German sauerkraut pot I acquired on Freegle a couple of years ago.  If this batch goes well, I’ll be emboldened to experiment with other vegetables and different flavourings.  Even plain like this, it adds a zing to my salads.

4.  Running.  It feels presumptuous to say this already, because I’ve only been for one very short run since getting my half marathon place, but I really, really enjoyed it.  I’ve got the medical  all-clear to give it a try (taking care that my bad leg/foot don’t start swelling more).  I’ve made a plan to build up slowly over the coming months.  And I’m actually looking forward to my next run – once the muscle aches from the first one subside.  You may want to remind me that I enjoy it, as the weeks go by and the runs get longer….

5. Plans.  You’ve probably figured out by now that I’m a great planner.  I enjoy planning out my time, my projects, arranging to see people.  In fact, you might not be too far wrong if you wondered whether sometimes I’m more wedded to the planning than the doing.  Anyhow, this week has been a week when careful planning has enabled me to fit in more than I might have expected, and that can only be a good thing.  Other plans are being considered that may turn into something quite exciting (or not – only time will tell).  Long may it last!

And to finish up, for no reason other than to remind you that spring really is just around the corner, here’s a photo I took this week of a tucked away spot at Bath City Farm.