Making use of the strawberries while I can. Hopefully I’ll get different varieties of berries soon (if I can keep the bugs at bay). In the meantime, at least I’m preserving a sense of berries for future guests. Hopefully I can gather enough for some jam soon.
Recipe
Blend berries
Dissolve 1 cup of sugar with one cup of water
Bring to the boil and boil for a few minutes
Cool syrup
Stir in blended berries
Put through a sieve. Don’t force as liquid will be glunky
Pour into sterilised bottles
I’ve labelled mine and put into the fridge to be on the safe side
Whilst tidying up the end of various flowers, I decided to make the most of the seeds they had produced. It seems a good approach to harvest seeds of flowers and plants that have done so well in this area. It should come in handy next time around instead of buying new seeds and may be useful as gifts or giveaways.
So far I have cornflowers, love in a mist, parsley, coriander, hyssop, cosmos, hollyhocks, mustard lettuce, Queen Anne’s Lace and, of course, one of my favourites with their glossy black seeds – aquilegias.
Of course, they may not grow, but it’s been fun and rewarding getting a little more value out of the plants and planning their next generation.
In a touch of serendipity, during this process my Christmas present arrived from my daughter overseas – a timber planting box for seedlings with lovely little seed envelopes. Much nicer than my cliplock plastic bags.
Now I’m here full time and tending the gardens, they are responding well. Other than hail, there have been other set backs including very dry weather and hordes of tiny flying insects that seem to invade the plants. Locals tell me these are unusual (but to get used to different challenges each year). Even the most avid permaculture people are encouraging to spray so I’ve succumbed with a Pyrethrum insecticide.
The citrus are very ‘distressed’ and will be a focus for attention over the next few weeks
The downside has been that the hail hammered the olives and citrus which appeared to be covered with baby fruit, as well as my white muscat grapes. I won’t see much there this year. On the other hand it was wonderful to go to the garden each day and pick fresh salad for my parents.
Cucumbers so far. I also have planted lebanese cucumber seeds as a back up plan
As usual, I’ve way overplanted. The cherry tomatoes are the dominant plant this Summer. Whilst they had been stripped bare with the hail, it seems like they have all come on well and I’m now heavily pruning laterals to keep under control. Some are fruiting (enough for daily consumption) but I think in a few weeks I will have a glut and preserving will be on the agenda. I have struggled with the cucumbers. Despite buying many punnets, they all seemed to disappear into nothing within a few weeks. I’ve been told that this was the work of the tiny flying insects and pumpkins and potatoes have suffered the same fate within the area. Well, I now have a few different cucumbers and am looking forward to a taste test.
The carrots are a delight – all different colours and so perfect. The brown onions still just look like blobs at the end of the stalks, but the white onions are gorgeous and so milky juicy. My butter beans are going gangbusters – we had plenty for Christmas Day and I’m still picking and storing them. My favourite is probably the lady finger eggplants that look like black dripping jewels. The zucchini are also growing, although you need to keep an eye on these sneaky little creatures – if you miss picking them, they grow into monsters. Last night my daughter and I had ratatouille using my own onions, capsicum, zucchini and eggplant. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough tomatoes yet but it was still rewarding.
I have an artichoke – not sure what to do with it yet. I also have rhubarb which I haven’t used before. The beetroot is looking healthy, the chokos have just kicked into gear and may start climbing their wire frame shortly. The kiwifruit also seem to have survived and are now showing signs of growth.
The potatoes (all nine bags) have been a disappointment. Between the hail, the bugs and a novice planter, they have gone from magnificently green to deathly and now showing signs of improving, however I will count myself lucky to find the original potatoes, let alone any new ones.
Berries – lots of green growth. Let’s see if we get more berries now the bugs are under control
I also had greater hopes for the berry bed – I’ve had some fruit – enough for sorbets and ice-cream, but had hoped for much more. However there is a huge amount of growth and now I’ve sprayed, maybe I will see more.
Anyway, it’s exciting to see the changes everyday and I value every inch of garden to see what it can be home to.
Whilst the first Convent Christmas dinner was a little late getting to the table (just after 2pm), diners made no attempt to leave the table until nearly 6pm.
A very traditional fare, but I was pleased with the results, particularly given the small galley kitchen. Perhaps Christmas in July should be on the Convent Calendar for 2014.
Lots of Christmas meat – ham, rolled loin of pork with dried apples, prunes and apricots (crackling worked) and turkey breast filled with cranberries and pistachiosJamie Oliver’s Christmas gravy was consumed with gusto.The pudding complete with brandy custard and brandy butter. A pavlova was also available but the raspberry ripple terrine will need to wait for another day.
It may not look it, but a few sections are starting to come together – the easiest ones obviously. These puzzles have very tricky edges – many pieces like to pretend they are edges to attract attention, but it’s all a trick! Means you can’t do it the traditional way and start with the edge.
It’s getting late at the Convent, the night before Christmas. The fairy lights are twinkling and the fridges are laden. Christmas cake is cooked and pudding is hanging. A pavlova and raspberry ripple semifreddo are finished (along with earlier mixed berry sorbet and strawberry icecream courtesy of the berry bed).
The ham is glazed, a turkey breast is stuffed with cranberries and pistachios and a rolled and seasoned pork loin awaits. Grossly over catered for one day but I’m hoping it will feed us for the few days after so the cook can put her feet up. My first Convent Christmas.
I’m not sure it’s the most relaxing thing, given how addictive this can be, but I’ve started a Wentworth wooden jigsaw – 1500 pieces.The house guests are joining in and I think progress may be slow.
End of Night 1. A few of the easier sections underway.
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CONVENT AND CHAPEL 