Saturday 20 October 2012

Life is Just a Bowl of .........

............................ tomatoes!   Well three bowls actually.   I picked all of them this morning and sorted them into not ripe, becoming a bit ripe and definitely ripe.  The ones in the top photo will become tomato relish.
These will live on top of the freezer where it is warm and hopefully ripen.
And these green ones will be made into green tomato conserve which is a cross between a jam and a marmalade as it has oranges in it.  I first tasted it in France nearly 40 years ago and it is delicious so I am hoping to recapture that flavour - I haven't made it for years.  No doubt now that the greenhouse is empty and I can accommodate the geraniums and other tender plants, the weather will stay mild.

I can't believe it is over a fortnight since I posted on my blog.  I have been working hard on my coursework as I felt I was slipping behind though the timing is flexible.  I have finished the current chapter and almost completed the next one in the past two days.  Life got rather hectic and I lost my momentum for a couple of weeks but I am back on track now.

We took the scenic route through the Forest of Dean on our way home from shopping on Thursday and a young doe ran across the road a few yards in front of us.  What a treat!  I can no longer grumble that I have never seen a deer.  Needless to say I didn't have the camera with me, but she was gone in a flash and I wouldn't have had time to focus anyway.

No new textile work to show but I am turning ideas over and have high hopes of something good coming out of them.  I think it will have to be another book and this time the theme will be hares.  I think they are fascinating creatures - the only trouble is that I will need to be able to draw them.  That is scary and a big drawback but I have learned that if I really want to do something I can usually find a way of doing it.
It will just require lots of positive thinking and deep breathing!

7 comments:

Gina said...

My tomatoes have been awful this year, although I've hada glut of courgettes.

Carol Q said...

wow you've had a good crop of tomatoes Heather. like Gina, ours have been poor this year. we went to a local food and drink festival in the Forest a couple of weeks ago. it was really good. It's a lovely area isn't it? glad to hear the course is going well. I'm sure you will find a way to deal with your hares. I look forward to it!

Julie said...

Here's to positive thinking and beautiful hares, Heather. Have fun with the drawing.

Penny said...

Here I am thinking of planting tomatoes and you are at the end of your season.
I am sure you will do well with your hares.

Crafty Green Poet said...

What a good tomato harvest - good luck with the conserve!

How lovely to see a deer so unexpectedly, I sometimes see them along the Water of Leith in Edinburgh, always a treat!

I love hares too, in fact the only things I can really draw are rabbits and hares!

Linda Vincent said...

Wouldn't mind seeing that recipe ...sounds unusual!
A book about hares....you're making me think of Masquerade. I still have my copy somewhere...
XX

Maggi said...

Glad you have managed to get back on track with your coursework again. I look forward to seeing your hares.
You have done much better than Monty Don with your tomatoes!