Friday June 21st

 

The usual Friday jaunt to the Dog Park..

Prince as always enjoyed the run...

but the only company he had was this chap...

tho he didnt seem very friendly when I got too close

Im watching you too Mr....

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Tuesday June 18th

Cucumber Harvest....

Absolutely Delicious!!

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Wednesday June 12th

What am I going to do with this man...

Less than a week since his surgery and hes back doing yardwork...

I know...make him his favourite cookies....

I knew he couldnt stay still for long....

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Tuesday June 11th

Cucumbers...

Tomatoes...

and beautiful Bell Peppers.

Its quite a green day in the Victory Garden..

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Monday June 10th

MrD was feeling so much better this morning... and was ready for a little light exercise

We took Prince to the dog park.. and MrD walked the perimeter a couple of times.. and that was enough. He was a little sore and uncomfortable so we returned home.

Prince however.. loved his run...and will be happy to learn that as his master continues to heal we will be visiting the park more often

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Sunday June 9th

 The effects of MrDs surgery hit him hard today.. we watched our church service on line and for the rest of the day dozing in and out. He was in a bit of discomfort but thankfully no pain

As he slept. I pottered in the garden for a bit..

Everything is growing nicely

and are almost ready to harvest.

Mr D felt somuch better this evening and requested one of his favourite dishes for dinner... Chicken Cacciatore... which I was only too happy to make and he really enjoyed

Chicken Cacciatore

A delicious chicken dish from the 1949 edition of The Good Housekeeping Cookbook. I have posted the original recipe but I did make a couple of changes

I used chicken thighs instead of whole chickens. I used low sodium chicken stock instead of wine. And I diced the onion and peppers instead of mincing them..to give a bit of a bite. Also, I thought 3 1/4 tsp salt was a tad much so I seasoned to taste

2½-3 lb. drawn fryers, cut-up
6 Tbsp. fat or salad oil1 cup minced onion
3/4 cup minced green pepper
4 minced, peeled cloves garlic
1 No. 2½ can tomatoes (3½ cups)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
½ cup Chianti wine
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. ground allspice
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. leaf thyme
Dash cayenne pepper
3 1/4 tsp. salt

• Clean, wash, and dry fryers. (chicken)
• Heat fat in large skillet or Dutch oven
• Fry chicken in it until golden brown on all sides. 
• Add onion, green pepper, and garlic; brown lightly. 
• Add remaining ingredients; simmer, uncovered, 30-40 min., or until chicken is tender.
• Serve with sauce over it. 

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Saturday June 8th

After a good nights sleep MrD feels much better and has no need for the pain killers.. He even enjoyed his usual Saturday breakfast and devoured it like a starving man 

But.. he’s already had the tape measure out designing the back garden.. no bending or twisting he assures me..

But... I’m going to have a bit of trouble with this guy!!!

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Friday June 7th

MrDs surgery went very well. It was quite amazing really. It was done virtually.. with the surgeon at a keyboard directing a machine. It all seemed very “Star Trek” and seems fitting that his doctor was called McCoy!

I was able to watch his progress on a screen in the waiting room and I must say the hospital staff were very good and kept me informed... but it was still a relief when the surgeon came out and told me that everything had gone well, he was in recovery and I could go see him

He woke up laughing and joking.. and was able to leave hospital an hour later.. But the hour and a half journey home made him tired and nauseous. Our neighbour came out and helped get him out of the car and into the house... but within the hour MrD was fast asleep in bed.

Hopefully he will be feeling better tomorrow

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Thursday June 6th

I was out early to ‘Beat the Heat” … and harvested the rest of our potatoes.. although there may be a few hiding!

I’m pleased at this years crop. If you remember last year.. Prince was new to the household and destroyed most of the plants.

Each seed potato plant should produce 5~6 potatoes.. and they have exceeded expectations. We have over 150 decent size ones with a few small bonus ones that will be lush with a salad.

 
They are all stored in brown paper bags.. still with their soil on them.. in a dark closet.

 
We should get quite a few meals from them.. and of course.. home grown always taste the best

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Wednesday June 5th

So today the temperature at the Blue House hit 92 degrees (that’s 34 in British money)… Summer has arrived and it’s a bit warm you may say..

Our delivery of railway ties ( sleepers) arrived about noon and the truck delivering them was too hot to touch. But they were piled in the driveway.. and when he got home from work MrD brought them through to the back garden.. ready to build a raised border around the lawn. They were very heavy.. but he did it himself.

With a quick mow of the front lawn.. it’s the last bit of heavy work he will do for at least four weeks.
On Friday he is having surgery for a double hernia.. so I will have his company at home for 10 days while he recovers.. but he can’t lift .. pull or push for a month. 

He’s determined to go back to work after a week tho but his boss says he just has to sit there and point and other people will do what’s needed

As someone who likes to get stuck in and do the job himself… 

how well do you think that’s going to work…

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Tuesday June 4th

As I was working in the garden this morning...

I felt someone was watching me...

A little bird had decided to keep me company

But he had better keep his beady eyes off my bell peppers

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Monday June 3rd

 A new week and starting it with a bit of harvesting

More potatoes...

and a zucchini...

or two...

Just enough for a couple of meals this week...

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Sunday June 2nd

Happy Sunday..

We had quite a relaxing day. The only things we did was dig up some more potatoes. Not counting the red ones.. all these potatoes came from two seed potatoes.. and they were delicious too…

We Facetimed Little Miss who was on a daddy and daughter date

and chatted with Little Mr.. who has decided he wants to be a policeman

and arrest his grandpa

What a great way to end the weekend

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x