Autumn Update

This is Rover, being expertly pushed by Grand-daughter.   He's not the original Rover that Daughter had as a child but I was lucky to find him at a Flea Fair for £12 and he's in very good condition and already much loved by his new owner.  A few weeks ago my neighbour popped in to look at something in the garden and happened to notice Rover through the conservatory door.  'Oh,' she exclaimed, ' You've got a Rover!'.   It would seem that every small child called their dog on wheels Rover.

Grand-daughter has been off on holiday so I've had more time, most of which has been spent at home to accommodate H's musical pursuits - we still operate like the weather house couple: one in, one out. Today, again, I'm in. I did manage a trip up to see my farming friends and as well as a super lunch I gained a huge bag of damsons and about a dozen large Bramley apples.  So, somewhat unusually for this blog, I can now prove that I do actually spend time in the kitchen.

This week I have made:

 Sour Cream Apple Pie - recipe from Alicia's Blog.  It's really good and seems to have cropped up on several blogs this week!  And a traditional apple pie which I've frozen.

 The damsons finished up as this large bowl of puree, from which I made -

 Damson Curd - should have had more eggs but it worked quite well and doesn't run off the bread!

 Damson and apple sauce for yoghurt and breakfasts

and Damson cheese - sweet enough for toast unless you've a really sweet tooth but great eaten with cheese like the Spanish quince paste.

Daughter gave me cucumbers from a friend's allotment and I had a red cabbage sitting forlornly in the fridge so I made some pickles too.

 Today I'm doing baked apples for supper and I'll put the rest of the apple, sliced,  in the freezer - they really were very large even for Bramleys.   Tomorrow, I'm meeting farming friend at the Malvern Autumn show ( - thinks, should I take shopping trolley to bring home lots of foodie stuff?).  I'm hoping for more of this mild Autumn weather and no rain and I might even start to tidy up the garden which has been neglected of late and still has quite a lot in flower.  Next week, when all is back to what passes for normal here, we have a wedding anniversary, a possible day out in Birmingham at the weekend and then the following week Grand-daughter will be ONE!  Where has that year gone?  She's a great blessing in our lives, I wish I could show you all the video of her laughing, it would certainly brighten up anyone's dull day.  Must trot off now and check the visiting cat isn't in M's room as I hear mutterings from that direction.  Have a lovely weekend, whatever you're up to.

Afterthought:  Just for those who asked, Yes, M did have another birthday -95th, No, she isn't any less demanding and she hasn't mellowed with age, Yes, she still says she's going to die before her next, No, we still don't believe it for one minute and continue to believe her to be immortal.  But thanks for asking :-)