I went out for walk to get the Sunday paper last week... I thought I'd go the long way round. I hadn't been gone more than 5 minutes when the heavens opened. Did I turn back... no... like a mad woman I carried on and turned up at the shop like a drowned rat. But there was a silver lining to my soggy cloud because I discovered a tree full of crab apples on my wandering. Yes, I stopped in the pouring rain to fill my bag with apples!
And then later in the day I went out again and filled another bag full of sloes.
But there was a reason for my madness...I have only ever made jam or marmalade before but when I spotted the crab apples I had a sudden fancy to try making jelly.... and like they say, no point waiting for the storm to pass...
And this was the result. Five jars of the most gloriously magenta hedgerow jelly
Which was wonderful on hot buttered toast. In the interest of project "Shrinking my backside" I only had one slice and resisted the urge to make scones. But I have no doubt it would make the perfect accompaniment to scones!
And other stuff this week... there has been some more cushion making in amongst some teaching, plus a meeting with seven wonderful ladies aged between 87 and 101. It was my job to listen to their memories (and their giggling!) and now I have to convert them into a wall hanging (the memories, not the ladies) for their new lounge in their residential home. I'm really excited about this project so watch this space...
I've also been getting to grips with some new specs. I've needed reading glasses for several years and they usually stay permanently perched on the end of my nose with me peering over the top. But now that my distance vision is going too I've got some varifocals to wear all the time. If you've had them you will know that they take a bit of getting used to... and I am slowly becoming accustomed to them. But when I put this photo and a comment on Facebook you wouldn't believe all the "expert" advice that came my way... from "take them back straight away" to "I've probably got the wrong prescription"! The consensus seems to be though, that they do need wearing in, so that's what I'm doing!
Did I mention I made cake too? I know, I wasn't meant to be making cake but this wasn't for me, it was for the village over 60s club (which could almost be me!)
And then today I made more to take to our Embroiderers' Guild meeting. I may have eaten just one... and licked the icing bowl... but it was my lunch so don't worry on my behalf. Project "Shrinking my backside" is still on track!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
I wear varifocals too and yes they did take a bit of getting used to, but I was so sick of having to get my glasses out all the time to even sign something that I just started wearing them constantly.
ReplyDeleteWhy not make scones, half the fat of cakes :D I used to make them when I was told no fat content over 10% when I had gallstones and they were one of the few sweet treats I could eat without doubling up in agony. I did lose a lot of weight then, but to be honest it probably had more to do with having no car - which was quite doable in Copenhagen where I lived at the time - and the fact that I was doing a lot of decorating at the time. I think it was the exercise more than anything because I just couldn't fill myself and ate and ate.
Scotty dog cushion is so cute :)
ReplyDeleteYour jelly looks delicious! You will have to save a jar for when you are in scone making mode! Your glasses look great on you so I hope that you can work out the wearing them in! xx
ReplyDeleteGreat looking hedgerow jelly - I planned to go foraging for sloes today but cried off as it was tipping it down outside. Fingers crossed there'll be some left when the rain stops!
ReplyDeleteFraid I piked out and wear bi focals, love the cakes and the hedgerow jelly looks great. Just send that rain our way, it's so terribly dry here.
ReplyDeleteWow that jelly is an amazing colour! I do love that little doggie cushion!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the glasses!
V x
The jelly looks lovely, and your glasses :)
ReplyDeleteOh NO!!! I missed cakes today!!
ReplyDeleteI must say, you look very intelligent in your glasses. And they definitely don't make your bum look big.
That term varifocals is neat! I have had progressives (Is that the old term for them ???) for about 15 years now. It really does take sometimes months to get used to them, for sure! Once you have, tho, it is wonderful!!!
ReplyDeleteThe residential place project sounds so amazing...can't wait to see what you come up with!
Your sweets are divine looking, but I have come to look upon them as evil. I still eat them from time to time (and believe me my backside and frontsides need shrinking)!!! I know the embroidery group loved them!!!
You are cute in your glasses!!! I like the size of the frames. I need to expand what I have had...they are on the smaller size. I think bigger might be better for sure.
XOXO -Julie
What a wonderfully productive week, even though you did start it by getting half drowned ;-) The beautiful jelly looks too good to eat.
ReplyDeleteI have also had varifocals for many years now but I did have an awful job getting used to them. It is well worth the effort though. Remember that if you are having a lot of bother to go back to the optician as they sometimes don't sit in exactly the right place and that can cause difficulties. Once you're used to turning your head instead of just your eyes you won't even notice them. I still keep a pair of reading glasses for reading in bed as it's easier. When you lay back onthe pillows the reading part of the varies isn't in the right place.
Your hedgerow jelly is the most gorgeous colour and no doubt it tastes good too. I admire your self discipline on all counts. Good luck with the new specs and behind shrinking!
ReplyDeleteIt took me about 5 weeks to get used to my varifocals
ReplyDeleteI wear varifocals too and had problems with my first pair, seems it was the prescription that wasn't right and not the fact that I needed to get used to them.
ReplyDeleteYour cakes and jelly look wonderful and so does that cushion.
I have varifocals and yes they took a while to get used to. At first I felt 'travel sick' when I walked about wearing them! But now I'm used to them they have stopped me feeling sick when I'm a car passenger trying to map read or read directions AND read road signs. I can also read a knitting pattern and look up to read sub-titles on the telly :-)
ReplyDeleteI still have my 'reading specs' for work and I find that I don't like varifocals for sketching landscape - the sense of space gets distorted.
Your frames are very similar to my new ones ;-)
C xx
That hedgerow jelly looks beautiful and I'm sure it tastes delicious.
ReplyDeleteI think maybe your varifocals are what we call progressives? I've been wearing them for years -- and I never feel like I see well LOL. Hand-sewing in front of the tv is especially problematic -- I have to take my glasses off to see the stitching and then I can't see the tv. I'm thinking of having a special pair of glasses made just for hand sewing -- with distance vision on the top and plain glass on the bottom -- then I won't have to take them off anymore! Either way -- no mater what prescription I would wear -- I'd be able to find that gorgeous cake!!!
ReplyDeleteYour jelly looks an amazing colour - I made my first ever jelly this year too. I made bramble but had to improvise as I couldn't find any muslin (despite having metres of it somewhere in my work room) so I used one of those net bags you're supposed to put lingerie in in the washing machine! It was clean and unused I hasten to add and did the job splendidly. And I've still not come across the muslin!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you like?! Beautiful looking jelly - I made hedgerow a few years ago, and included all sorts of things - rose hips, elderberries etc - tasted foul so we use it as a cold remedy by mixing it with hot water :)
ReplyDeleteYou're definitely a heartier soul than I when it comes to fruit picking--but definitely worth it as the jelly looks amazing! The wall hanging sounds really interesting--will look forward to an update. xx
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