Happy Halloween!

Doing some poo clearing and some gardening

We needed to remove this big pile of poo from outside the horses run in shelter before the rains of winter start because it turns in to a giant poo swamp which isn't very nice.

 So we decided to do two good things at once and take it up to the vegetable garden.

I also planted some beans

 and some peas

Drum carder

Despite Doug’s protests (where’s it going to GO - which is of course a valid concern, but we don’t want to let reality and practical things intrude *too* much on our dreams!) I bought a drum carder to make preparing wool for spinning a bit easier and quicker.
It is fantastic! I cannot say it make my spinning good yet, but it is a lot easier to do from the more even preperation the drum carder provides. On the whole things that slow down how fast I can knit are good, otherwise we will be inundated with knitted products. However there becomes a point where it is too slow and hard and I lose interest.

Bedroom progress

While I have been doing most of the tree planting Doug has been slaving away on the bedroom (with breaks to move animals, worm animals, strim some things as well as have fun walks with the dog etc).
Using the laser level to level the support for the top of the wardrobe - it will have 5 sliding doors along this length here with storage behind (that Doug is going to build also)

All level and fillered

Fillering the plasterboard round the window.

Autumn Skies

We have been having mostly amazing sunny weather recently (with just the odd break for rain). It has resulted in lovely skies and sunsets.

View from the house

Up at the ski area

From the top field

From the ridge above the house

Back to the top field

Looking up to the house from the bottom field

Jam tarts

I can't really call this a recipe as it is too easy!
I made jam tarts for a friends birthday. They are made with shop bought puff pastry. I discovered you need to blind back otherwise it comes out a mess like this because the pastry puffs up and sploshes the jam out a bit as they cook. These ones we had to keep at home and eat.

They are plum jam (bought plums but very tasty ones)

I used a cake tin like this as I find it much easier to get the pastry circles in than the muffin tin. It is easier to get them out when they are cooked too.

Rosehip and apple jelly recipe

320g rose hips

640g apple (cooking is best but eating ok too)

640g sugar

juice and zest of 1 lemon

640g water

Put the rose hips in a pan with a lid, with half the water and boil until they are soft and fall apart (about an hour). Add the rest of the water and the apples and the lemon juice and zest. Cook for a further 30 mins until the apple turns to mush.

Strain the mixture overnight in a fine sieve (or a jam muslin depending how much you mind if it is a little cloudy).

Add 640 g of sugar to the resulting liquid and boil until you get a set (no lid now)