Living on next to nought - is that the key?

in_need_of_direction

I struggle with the side effects of asparagus. I'm not the only one, am I?

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:
Oooh, am getting tardy with my log-ins But on the plus side, I've been keeping out of mischief

mrsinvisible - how lovely to 'lose' yourself in gardening - green with envy am I Especially with the coverage of Chelsea both this week and next week - for the actual event - this weeks coverage was just the BBC 'big upping themselves' Mind you, I'm pleased to report that I have not yet managed to kill off my 3 tomato plants and they are even setting flowers for me

INOD - ??? Speaking for myself and DP we get the 'urine smelling of asparagus' symptom. I figure that the asparagus season, and indeed, life itself, is too short to worry about abstaining because of it But perhaps that is not what you meant? I've no comment on the aphrodisiac qualities allegedly associated with 'sparrow grass'.............................;)

Well, last night's dinner - well, the aborted version - actually dictated the direction of the rest of the weekend. I was going to make pizza and had prepared the dough, but when it came to rolling out, would the dough co-operate? No it would not, I tried 4 times to roll it out, and it would not form a square, rectangle, or anything beyond a wodgy lump. So I asked myself - and DP, who happened to be in the kitchen at the time, whether in fact, this dough was not destined to be made into pizza, and in fact needed to be made into bread rolls. DP said 'try it'. Dear Reader, The dough yielded immediately and made wonderful bread rolls............................... So, the direction of today was set - we had bread rolls to take.... on a picnic!

Back to last night's dinner, we had orzo pasta (pasta on two consecutive nights, not good, but.....) with chopped up grilled asparagus, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, garlic, celery and seasonings, and the asparagus tips on top. Photo here;



Today, we bounced out of bed at the crack of dawn, packed some snap up - griddled halloumi and asparagus rolls, lemon buns and some coffee and set off - early doors - to one of our most favourite destinations in the entire universe We made good time, had the place to ourselves, walked for an age, stopped to have coffee and chatted, chatted, chatted. Then we went for a 'nose' at something Ain't elaborating, as it is not important Then we went to 'our' picnic spot, munched, hatched plans, took pics and enjoyed the sunshine. Then we set off home. However, a few miles down the road, there was a signpost and I was intrigued...... so the car got turned round, and orf down a country lane we went adventurising/investigating.

Dear Reader, how worthwhile it is, sometimes, to follow your nose and investigate things. We found a site, erm, I think industrial archaeology, is the phrase du jour. The site - now derelict - was really interesting (there was plenty of stuff still to look at and clamber over), there was acres of space, for kiddies to run themselves into the ground, a stream - hundreds of birds, trees, raptors and another magnificent 'industrial structure' to look at - from a view point we've not seen before. PLUS, there was woodland, bedecked with bluebells! OK, I'm sure that they were probably the Spanish ones, but the colour, and the scent - oh the scent........ I wish I could have bottled it to share with you, oh my. This was ALL free :money: Plus we've not yet investigated the other part of this area, that would be equally as interesting and equally as free So by taking a 'road previously untravelled' we've discovered at least one and probably two new ace locations to have snap when we return from our favourite meditative spot DP really, really unwound today - which was wonderful to see. We've both managed to wind ourselves up like the town hall clock in recent weeks, and it was nice to just throw out convention for a day and just be and do what we wanted to with spontaneity - all because pizza dough wouldn't co-operate

We've chatted through some things too, and made some decisions. Although we're still intent on doing project 'Greying Towers', we are not going to make it the 'b all and end all'. To that end, we've decided to re-join the natty trust and will make some time to visit some properties over the summer - most especially those that are involved in the WWI commemorations - DP will really enjoy that

Yep, we may not meet our November 30th deadline, but then again, we may well. Sometimes renewed determination is helped by outside stimulus........

Right, I'd better go and get tonight's dinner on the go - promise it won't be pasta

I can claim a NSD today, so much enjoyment, so much fresh air, sunshine and birdsong - all *bought* fer nowt :D

Thank you so much for continuing to drop by my diary, read and leave such positive, interesting and supportive comments. It is greatly appreciated.

See y'all later.

Greying

Pippilongstocking

A road less travelled is one of my favourie pastimes.

Sounds like a cracking weekend for you pair of explorers with your stubborn bread rolls!

Sparraw grass looks lurveryly - yum - not had any this season yet - I've a mind to 'treat myself' as I love it with gnocci and a dash olive oil. DELISH. Simple and yum.

Love bluebells what ever their accent.



Glad you've had some you-two time. Sounds like it was both enjoyable and productive.

So missus napkin tucked in collar here whats for tea?

Holds up fork and knife in the manner of huff the hedgehog.

"I'm Huff the hedgehog and I want my dinner,
if I don't get it soon I'll get thinner and thinner"



I'm off for mine the now (caulicheese with other veggies lobbed in) garlic bread and tatties.

nom nom nom

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Pippi - :rotfl::rotfl: to *Huff the Hedgehog*, but I beg of you, purlease don't teach DP that little ditty. He's currently in cycling mode and the weight is just shedding off him. I don't want him knowing that he can annoy his way into getting bigger portions :rotfl::rotfl:

So dinner this evening was mung bean curry, dhal and basmati rice. A quick to prepare dish, as the mung beans were ready cooked and frozen, the lentil dhal was leftovers and everything else came together in the time that it took to cook the rice. Picture here;



Mung bean curry on the left, lentil dahl on the right. The recipe for the mung bean curry can be found HERE I'd definitely make the curry again - and not just because I bought 2 bags of mung beans RTC in mrT a couple of months ago! It was a zesty and fresh tasting curry - very nice.

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

for spontaneous walks/picnics and adventurising

for our car that got us out and about

for the display mother nature put on for us - fabulous


Thank you so much for popping by, reading and commenting. Mucho, mucho appreciated, as always

See y'all later.

Greying

EssexHebridean

Yummy food and wonderful walks - what a fab thread yours is lovely Greying! I LOVE places like you found today - it's one of the things we love about Orkney - how often you find oddments of WW2 stuff still about and can just explore - fascinating. Always an added treat when they're not surrounded by wire and signs saying "Keep out!" too!

You've given me a fab idea of what to do with the last of our bag of orzo too - I've got half a bag of spinach needing used, and we roasted a chicken earlier, and I've got frozen peas in the freezer (well obviously - where else would they be?) and I rather think those things might all meld well together. Cheers m'dear!

mcculloch29

Ah, just what I needed... Thank you for some lovely, tempting piccies, Greying. My cooking mojo had gone slightly walkies having been spoiled with cooked breakfasts and four-course hotel meals on holiday. I came home last week to DS on a health kick and wanting chicken breasts with steamed veggies.
I think I may give some of Jack's recipes a go, that haven't seen the light of day yet. Not the tagine, though.

satchmo1

I, too, love the Robert Frost poem "The Road Not Taken" and whilst on honeymoon in East Coast USA made a point of visiting his farm. I could understand how it inspired poetry, it was so beautiful, and peaceful.



DH and I chose the other path yesterday, and ended up climbing huge sand dunes. We were rewarded with an aerial display from a red kit directly overhead at one point. We eventually reached the beach, which DH declared the best he'd ever seen!

Pippilongstocking

Aw that's great Satchmo - how lovely.

Me daughter read it to us, in a yellow woodland (with two paths) for us at our wedding - made me greet. Absolutely love it.

*writes note to post huff poem to mr greying

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Looks like it is going to be a lovely one with us again this morning

EH - you're so right - it's all just there waiting for us. I really don't think that any computer game could have compensated - in stimulation terms - with all the sights, sounds and smells that we took in yesterday. Plus DP and I are slowly easing into doing - regularly - things that actually make us contented. Been long time coming, but we're getting there And I'm pleased to report they fit in with Marty's creed :money::rotfl:

mcculloch - the Tagine - NO :rotfl: Lovely to see you. Sounds like the hols were fab

satchmo - I am loving the sense of contentment that is coming through in your posts

Pippi - norty By the way, did I tell you we've moved? Our new house actually has no postal address? That there is no way of communicating with DP? Not even for the passing on of 'improving' poetry? No? Oh, must have slipped my mind........... :rotfl: (pulling ya leg lovely lady )

So, snap is packed up ready to go. And it's Monday all over again.

I was going to say I'd be aiming for a NSD, but I'm going to see about joining the NT, so.........

Dinner this evening will be our old favourite 'Buddha bowl'. I too have some spinach to use up, so.......

Right, best shift a tail-feather and get a wiggle on.

Thank you so very much for popping by, reading, commenting and joining in. I appreciate it. Greatly.

See y'all later.

Greying

EssexHebridean

:rotfl::rotfl: at things being posted to DP, and :T:T to poems being read in wedding-woodlands - absolutely beautiful on all counts.

It must be a week for spinach requiring using Greying - trying to remember if it was on special offer or something! :rotfl: