Hello,
Great excitement in the new veg patch in the garden since my last blog – we’ve finally been able to eat some of our home-grown produce! First it was gooseberries – just a handful so far but oh so delicious, sweet and juicy! I decided I needed to protect them from the birds (the swinging monkey “scarecrow” I mentioned in a previous blog hasn’t worked – Gloucestershire birds are clearly not scared of monkeys!) so I got this brilliant “umbrella” cloche from QVC, which has worked a treat.
And then it was lettuces, which you can see in the background behind the gooseberry bush. They were delicious too! The garlic is also coming on nicely and I’ve got a mini greenhouse now with cucumbers and chilli peppers so it’s all very exciting.
I’ve still been spending a lot of time in the garden – even though bars and restaurants are open again we still haven’t been out, although we are planning to go out for lunch one day this week at a restaurant with a nice outdoor terrace. I’m torn between being a little anxious about it but also really looking forward to eating out for the first time in months; I’m also very aware that our local eateries really need our support so I’m sure it will be lovely.
I’m also hoping to meet up with a group of friends in the park where a new outdoor cafe has opened serving tea and cake – yum! I know lots of people are having picnics at the moment too, and there’s a Today’s Special Value offer coming up on Monday 27th which might come in handy for that.
California Innovations are bringing us a set of four insulated tote bags which keep food hot or cold so perfect for picnics but also for the supermarket, picking up takeaways, bringing food to loved ones – the list goes on. The bags come in really nice colours and patterns, fold down to clutch bag size and are leak proof and wipe clean. I took two to the supermarket the other day and they were brilliant. (I also took a photo of the four of them in our little herb garden area outside the back door, just to show you how nice they are!).
And finally a mention for a new hair product I’ve become a bit addicted to. It’s the Elasti-Styler from Philip Kingsley and it’s a styling product you use on damp hair before blow- drying. It does so much more though – it conditions and strengthens, it smooths fizz and makes hair feel really soft and manageable and it also gives shine – I love it!
Have a lovely week.
Love Jackie x
4 Responses
Hi Jackie,well done with the garden everything looks great 👍 my dad used to grow fruit and vegetables and it all tasted wonderful! My garden is only small so only room for plants but I enjoy them. Hope you have a good time when you go for lunch, I am like you a bit nervous but my husband and I (sound like the queen ha ha) went to a local hotel yesterday and had an afternoon tea. It was wonderful sitting outside and overlooking the lake and watching the geese and their young. That was until there was a gust of wind and the large umbrella were sitting under blew over,thank goodness it blew away from me or I might have been visiting the local hospital!🤕 You are not the only one that is accident prone!!😂 The cool bags look good, I will look out for those. Take care love Debbie X
Hi Debbie, your afternoon tea sounds lovely and how fab to be able to sit by a lake. Glad the umbrella didn’t get you…totally something that would happen to me! My lunch out was lovely too, we sat on the terrace outside in the sunshine and the food tasted fantastic, even better than I remember, probably because it’s been so long since we had someone else cook for us. Strange times, eh, but the little things really help. Stay safe.
Jx
Hi Jackie, like reading your blogs but I absolutely loved reading your book The Perfect Couple and have to say it is the best book I have ever read. Look forward to your next book. Enjoy your lunch and yes and cake. X
Hi Joyce, that’s so very kind of you, thank you! And my lunch was lovely, so nice to be out again. Take care.
Jx