Botanical blunderings on a budget - good life starts here.

Keiss_21

Morning all...you have been busy Pippi...as usual! The chilli jam/jelly sounds scrummy.

We have still bag fulls of chillies in the freezer from last year..and this year's ones are really taking off now. Clearing out the worst affected plants and hosing down the rest to get rid of as much white fly as I could seems to have worked!! :T So perhaps I will have to make some of the jam to use either the fresh or frozen ones or I'll be up to my neck in chillies! :rotfl:

Good luck with the house buying LT - sounds like you have found a great place. Good idea about the holiday job for Pippi. Pippi perhaps I should get you to pop over to my dad's every month or two to keep the weeds in check, then I won't have to spend all my holiday weeding!!

I had an exciting and exhausting day yesterday at the NEC in Birminham. :j It was the Festival of Quilts...the largest quilt show in Europe. I took over 250 photos and spent a bit of money . Also got my photo taken a couple of times by designers as I had made things using their pattern/yarn...quite exciting!

I came home with my head buzzing with lots of ideas and very sore feet!! DS2 managed to massage a lot of the aches away thankfully (he'd make a great physio!).

Still full of zip this morning...not had a great deal of sleep (DS1 clattering in from a party about 3am). Been up since 7 and have got a few things done. Tidyied up the toms and peppers (hadn't done this since I got back last week from 3 weeks away, so lots to cut out too! Then fed everything in the greenhouse, as well as the squash (Crown Prince) and outdoor toms too. Weeded rounded them, then started on another veg bed. I have washed and hung out two loads of washing, so quite chuffed with myself. All this before 10 and in my PJs!! :rotfl:

Caught up here a bit to, so off to have brekkie soon, then get washed and dressed. Looks like we will be working on clearing out and washing down the conservatory today, ready for decorating in the coming week....how exciting!!! Want to get it done quickly, so I can get back to sewing soon.

Not having my interview/meeting with the lady from the craft centre tomorrow (and she does want me to work with her :j). Her mother is about to go into a hospice, so she is busy with that this next week. Looks like it is going to be interesting work when I get started, I can't wait.

This does mean I can get more decorating done, so working out well for me atm.

Oh dear, what a ramble this morning...sorry!

Have a great day everyone..hope the weather has improved with you Pippi...I won't tell you what it's like with us, then you won't get upset

gallygirl

Karmacat wrote: »

I googled "chili salsa" instead of "chili jam" and got lots of purely savoury ones. The thing I'm after, to stop me bingeing and to challenge my addiction to pesto, as well as to give me heat for the arthritis, is strong taste - I'd just rather it was savoury than sweet. So I'm on it

KC I'll sort you out my watermelon salsa recipe - needs eaten quickly but in experience it will be anyway . V easy to make and low calorie aslo :T

Pippilongstocking

GG can you put that up one here pleasssssssssssssse? YUM YUM


Hey keiss what a great sounding adventure

YAY to chillis - I'd have a go - mine were dried ones from last year and its gorgeous! Also made a random cucumber pickle, will see how that turns out!

Glad the ds's are being helpful

The weather today, wait for it, warm, a bit breezy but not much and sunny!!!!!!!

I did a little dance, not a pretty sight!

Glad you've had fun and got inspired - thats what its all about

And, of course, being productive in your pj's!

Good luck with decorating

Keiss_21

Thanks Pippi, yes a great day!

Whew..you have a good day weatherwise too :j:j Cloiudy here..had a bit of sun earlier, but still warm, 19 degrees so far.

Got our bed stripped now so, will have two loads to hang out later.

Need to get going soon...starting to flag a bit after my early start!

MrsMoo2U

Wow. you and Keiss have been very busy this morning. Fair worn out reading all that. Me and Moo have just arrived back from a trip to the blackberry forest. Very disappointed as the forestry commission are working up there and so all the paths were closed off. Mind, most of the bushes on the trek up were still not ripe so maybe another week. Just hoping that they dont do what they did in the other forest and decimate every bush.
Liking the sound of the chillies - hoping that I might give it a go at growing some. Pippi, could you sell some of your chilli jelly on your new website

Karmacat

gallygirl wrote: »

KC I'll sort you out my watermelon salsa recipe - needs eaten quickly but in experience it will be anyway . V easy to make and low calorie aslo :T

Pippilongstocking wrote: »

GG can you put that up one here pleasssssssssssssse? YUM YUM

Yes please gallygirl! I'm *trying*, currently, to tidy - but ye gods its boring :eek::o:rotfl:

Keiss_21 wrote: »

Thanks Pippi, yes a great day!

Whew..you have a good day weatherwise too :j:j Cloiudy here..had a bit of sun earlier, but still warm, 19 degrees so far.

Got our bed stripped now so, will have two loads to hang out later.

Need to get going soon...starting to flag a bit after my early start!

OTOH, Keiss, it sounds like you're going great guns :j its 11.30 and I've done *so* little **moans** **knows its my own fault **

gallygirl

Summer Watermelon Salsa (courtesy of Slimming World :cool:)

1/4 large watermelon
1/2 red onion
1 green chilli (I use a dried red one)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Small bunch fresh mint
Salt & Pepper

• Deseed & finely chop watermelon
• Deseed & chop fresh chilli, or crush dried chilli
• Add vinegar & finely chopped mint, plus salt & pepper if required
• Chill till required
• EAT
• EAT MORE
• feel a bit sick as you've eaten it all, or maybe that's just me

Pineapple & Red Chilli Salsa (courtesy of Slimming World :cool:)

250g pineapple
1 red chilli (I use a dried red one)
Small bunch fresh mint
1 lime
Salt & Pepper

• Finely chop pineapple
• Deseed & chop fresh chilli, or crush dried chilli
• Add zest & juice of lime & finely chopped mint, plus salt & pepper if required
• Chill till required
• EAT

Both are lovely with barbecued meat, or on their own . I also have a recipe for ginger, coriander & tomato salsa but as I haven't tried it (and haven't any ginger or coriander :rotfl:) I'll save that one for now.

Karmacat

Thanks gallygirl! I wonder what I could substitute for watermelon ... I can't justify buying a whole watermelon .... apples, maybe, something of the same texture? .... its certainly giving me ideas.

Lemon_Tree

can't i pencil a block booking in your diary pippi, probably for next spring? (hark at me jumping the gun and everything). We'd welcome you and your clan, and we'd actually have the space for you though the wallpaper could give you nightmares. I have to admit that we'd probably need you in person rather than virtual, just to keep booting us up the derrier.

gallygirl

Karmacat wrote: »

Thanks gallygirl! I wonder what I could substitute for watermelon ... I can't justify buying a whole watermelon .... apples, maybe, something of the same texture? .... its certainly giving me ideas.

Do you have a Morrisons near you? They usually do a 1/4 - I paid £1 for it yesterday, ok I could have got a whole one for £2 but it would have gone manky by the time I went to use the rest.