Preparedness for when

2tonsils

Here they just blanche the green stuff and add olive oil and lemon and serve it hot and cold to go with meat /fish etc. I also add it to stir fry, sauces and stews. You could always blend some into the gravy and tell him its a new type of herb you are trying out lol... have done that as well...
Here the Greeks put it into pies mixed with leeks and add feta cheese..its rather nice but then I can't eat the filo pastry. I did think about using it as the bottom layer of a quiche though, might give it a try next week when a vegetarian is coming for dinner. I once had spinach stir fried with nuts and raisins added and it was gorgeous...I ate it as a main course lol.

Someone asked when the extreme cold was going to hit and I can safely say it is already arriving here in Greece. It was very cold last night and you could feel it coming through the walls and floor. Had a nice log fire burning though and the new electric blanket on (God bless Amazon its the best 44 pounds I have ever spent on one!).

This morning is gorgeous, its dry and sunny and looks lovely but the wind is absolutely freezing and you can smell the snow in it. It has blown over the deep snow on the mountains on the mainland . At the moment its a medium wind that cuts right through you but it did freeze dry all my washing overnight. Tonight we are going to minus two with a huge chill factor but the wind will be storm force eight!!!!! In other words I will not be going out anywhere in it but will be hogging the log fire and my OH like a good un! I hate being cold at the best of times.

Have to go and make a big pan full of corned beef hash with veggies to keep us warm for the next couple of days. Nothing nicer than a mug of hot soup to warm you up when you get in out of that wind. My thermals are washed and dried and ready from the trip to the mainland at Christmas and the winter tights are at hand to wear again. The thermal trousers I bought cheap are coming out again . I only need to find my two real pashminas (silk and cashmere bought cheap in Prague ) to keep me warm as I realised the wind blew straight through my scarves when I took them to Ioannina with me. Have just sewn up my new leather gloves as I ripped the palm of one getting the fire wood stacked...it could have been worse, that might have been my hand!!!

Very pleased this morning, I felt compelled to have a go on my scales and I have lost 1kg since Wednesday and most of it bodyfat which is what I want. I don't want to be losing muscle after working so hard to get it in the first place. It tells me my metabolism is now right and I have got the healthy eating spot on...I am eating just under 1500 calories a day. I can feel a new wardrobe being needed by Easter!

ALIBOBSY

maryb wrote: »

2tonsils have you seen this stunning photo of Vesuvius?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2257624/Astronauts-view-sleeping-giant-Incredible-image-International-Space-Station-shows-Mount-Vesuvius-Bay-Naples.html

God help the Neapolitans if it blows

Looks scary, especially when you watch films of it going off in 1944. That wasn't even that big an eruption for Vesuvius, but seeing the lava flow just demolishing and eating up large solid, brick and stone buildings is seriously scary. But at least with Lava you get some time to get out, with pyroclastic flows, no chance. Lets hope it doesn't blow soon or has a few smaller eruptions to take the pressure off.

Old film here on you tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1bsmv6PyKs0
hope the link works.

Ali x

Rosetta92

mardatha wrote: »

RAS - would you kindly, when you have spare time, give us some advice on growing stuff in poor climate/poor soil areas? Or even in changing conditions as we're all experiencing now.
I don't suppose the whole of even the south of England has soil where you can shove a seed in and voila next day you have a perfect plant .. and so many new growers look at the gardening catalogues and believe them :rotfl::rotfl:
I've given in, I'm going to have to grow whatever poor deluded mad vegetable that likes being up here. Probly turnip!

mardatha might just have found the solution to your problems. Have a look at the Edible Gardens project at Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh:

http://www.rbge.org.uk/whats-on/ediblegardening&series=21&no_form=1&series=21&no_form=1&p=1

Very MSE cos the advice is free and there seem to be events every season. Take along some pictures of your garden and a sample of soil in a wee plastic bag. I'm going to try to go along myself so if you can't get there pm me and I could ask questions for you.

Now off to look at seed catalogues

R

katieclampet

spent several happy hours looking at seeds, growing and gardening websites this afternoon. I have a friend who will give me some pots, so just need to decide on seeds.

Thanks to all for advice and general GYO help

katie

craigywv

5 hrs in garden muscles feel like they breaking, got 75% sorted will go back in tomorrow and finish off while my muscles are used to it . got all beds cleared ,pots and tubs emptied and cleaned broke up some terracotta pots that were all cracked, smashed these up and used to line tubs with. loads more done bath is screaming my name have a good evening all still very mild here the ground was a gift to dig today.xxx

[Deleted User]

A garden-sorting day here too in the Pink Thrift household. My potting shed has somehow turned into storage facility for anything overflowing from the garage :cool:

Had a major sort out, throwing away broken pots and trays and sweeping the benches and floors. I then washed all the pots and will wash the trays next weekend. It was very useful as I can now readily see what size pots and trays I'm short of. I picked up a good selection from the charity shop last year so I'm going to look out for some more.

I'll be buying some new trays and inserts when I see them at a good price locally.

The more we can grow the less we will have to rely on the supermarkets Last year was our first full growing year and we have managed to put something home grown on our plates everyday since last May. It's hard work though, and we are forever at war with the pesky rabbits, slugs and cabbage white butterflies. For us, growing our own veg is a form of protection from food inflation and also good for our health (both in terms of the quality of the food and the exercise required to make it all happen). If the SHTF in the Pink Thrift Household then our garden is our future pantry.

esmf73

Another one here spending most of the day in the garden today! Removed a large laurel bush, a load of ivy from the wall, replanted half the strawberry plants, picking the best ones, replanted a rhubarb root that OH had stood on and prepped for the new greenhouse that will hopefully come soon.

On the downside, spilt boiling water from broccoli over my foot this PM, so now will be having an early night whilst I recover. Need to get back in garden tomorrow and do a tip run and then prepare ground for a new bit of patio!!! Will not have the SHTF any time soon - least not til we have stuff growing!!!

GreyQueen

:eek: Wow, that film of Vesuvius erupting was incredible. I'm going abck to look at some of the others on the same page.

What really did for Pompeii was that their eruption was a pyroclasic flow and nothing can outrun one of those. But 3 feet a minute lava flow quoted on that film isn't much time to grab your belongings and go.

I was once on Santorina (aka Thera) and it's astonishing to be in the little villages which perch on the rim of what is a giant submerged volcanic caldera, with a couple of islets in the middle, heaping up as the lava slowly blows. There's a "Pompeii of the Agean" on the island, too, a whole town covered with ash called Akortiri. You can see their bathtubs in their houses and their loom-weights sitting all in a row on the floor inside an upper-floor room where the upright looms were left behind. Eerie place. Do visit if you get a chance.

I think I recall from visiting it that only about a handful of people seem to have died at Akrotiri so they imagine that the eruption of the island had enough warning for people to escape. The Santorini eruption caused a huge tsunami which smacked into Crete which is about 100 miles south and drove sand and seashells several miles inland. Some schools of thought believe that Santorini (or whatever it was called, back in the day) was the origin of the myth of Atlantis.

Confuzzled

pineapple wrote: »

Plus in the Hairy Bikers diet series, they replaced the pasta in lasagne with sheets of leek.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/skinny_beef_lasagne_87277

ooh that might be a nice one for 2tonsils as well since she can't eat wheat


i may try that but use kale (i can see mar turning green at the thought of it ) :rotfl:

bluebag

GreyQueen wrote: »

Ms Bluebag, can I make a pitch for hiring your services for the coming horticultural season?

I would like to offer you a chance to apply your skills to various allotment plants which I love and treasure. I was thinking in particular of the delightful horsetails and couch grass and nettles. Would your black thumb, as the Americans put it, extend to coping with pernicious weeds?

If it does, please pack your sleeping bag and move into my lottie shed. I can supply you with a Kelly Kettle and as many Sainsbugs Basics teabags as my armageddon cupboard can spare. Will also offer chard and, if the snails leave me any, strawbs in season. Whaddya think?:rotfl:

If you swop the tea for value coffee I'm on my way! Seriously, I have even killed mint, rhubarb and Ivy.

Some clown once gave me a bonzai tree..... requiem mass in no time flat.