AS: Tea and biscuits and GIN, the British thread

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  • Sounds like asparagus ... the best I've ever had from from a roadside stall in Norfolk, set up next to the field where it was being picked.
  • Or potatoes, for that matter - freshly-dug, and into the pot!

    I expect the same applies to most fruit and vegetables - the fresher, the better.

    IJ
  • I often see little egrets round here (south Cambridge) and we also have heron. The new housing development behind my house has a nature reserve with lakes which means we get to see things like reed bunting now but the egrets and herons predate the reserve, the birds visited the local brook.
  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    Bird life of a different type spotted chez rouge on Sunday morning. A red canary arrived and sat on the edge of our window box, nibbling on the edge of the geraniums. It had clearly escaped from an aviary somewhere nearby (it had a ring on its foot). I thought about trying to catch it but I had no idea what I would have done with it once I did. I couldn’t just let it fly around the apartment… so I left it to fly off again. He was a very handsome little chap (or indeed a chapess, now I think of it) and brightened my morning up considerably.
  • We have sparrows which bring the gift of muscic. :)
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    That's kind of cool! We're still getting visits from Woodstock, Tufty and a plethora of paunchy pigeons (who make a right racket when they all fly off the roof en masse).

    We've now established that our "cannabis plant" is actually a sunflower: there's one flower that's fully opened, one half opened and a few others that are thinking about it. As it's a nice bright addition to the garden, I think we'll leave it where it is, although I don't know whether it'll survive the winter ...

    It's been a dreich, moist day here: I believe the ever-generous Trump has sent us the remnants of a tropical storm called Gordon. I hope he doesn't do the same with leftover bits of Florence.
  • Now I have dejunglified my front garden I am seeing more birds because they have further to fly (all of 6 feet!) between vegetation. There is a tiny bird that flits so fast I have no idea what it is but suspect is a wren which, I am told, is far less rare than I thought - it’s just we don’t see them much.

    Yesterday evening I accompanied a neighbour on a 2nd moth watch at t’allotment - they all look much the same to me (brown-ish or white-ish, large-ish or small-ish) but apparently we saw over 30 species- who’d have thought there is so much variety. I spent the first half hour moving water between barrels so I can bring the narrowest home for the mini-allotment now in the front garden.

    Today I hope to trick myself into tackling the flat tyre on my bike - it’s been on my to-do list for ages because it’s such an unknown. But it would be great to get it onto the ta-da list and have pedal power once again.
  • @Piglet, Sunflowers are annuals, so it won't survive the winter!
  • Indeed, so save the seeds!

    I love the huge fields of sunflowers one sees in France. They seem to be nearly all of the same height, save one or two taller plants - some form of sentinel, perhaps?

    IJ
  • Oh yes, save the seeds then you could have lots of “cannabis plants” next year. Last time I grew some they only got to about knee height and I left the seedhead for the birds.... or mice?
  • When we moved in, the garden was full of tiny birds flying hither and yon. We installed a bird feeder and squirrel-proofed it. Then when the weather dried up, so did the birds! The rain came, they returned - but now we have no little birds flying through the garden, only larger ones making noises off.

    Mr. S thought he saw a bird of prey among the forest trees - I wonder if the littlies are just keeping out of the way?

    Mrs. S, puzzled
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    edited September 2018
    [horticultural moron alert]

    Do you mean seeds from inside the flower-heads? The flowers are only there because there are sunflower seeds in the mix we have in the birdie bistro, which have been scattered. Will the roots remain, or will we just have to see what happens next year?

    Sorry to sound so dense, but I really am clueless in these matters!

    eta: @daisydaisy - "dejunglified" is today's Word of the Day. <notworthy>
  • Sunflowers propagate by scattering their seeds, from the seed heads, should your plant get to that stage. The rest of the plant will die off as autumn and winter arrives. That's what annual means.

    The other thing you can do is let the sunflower head dry out and hang it up for the birds as a head - and they will spread some seeds for you for next year.
  • When we moved in, the garden was full of tiny birds flying hither and yon. We installed a bird feeder and squirrel-proofed it. Then when the weather dried up, so did the birds! The rain came, they returned - but now we have no little birds flying through the garden, only larger ones making noises off.

    Mr. S thought he saw a bird of prey among the forest trees - I wonder if the littlies are just keeping out of the way?

    Mrs. S, puzzled
    We Brits are good at feeding birds but forget that for most of the year they can forage for themselves: what they frequently can't find, especially in towns, is sufficient water. Remember the old bird baths? Well most birds didn't use them for bathing but for drinking.

    Before you invest in something expensive, try putting a shallow bowl (an old meat platter would do) on top of a stepladder for a few days to see if you get some birds.
  • If you put out water, it’s a good idea to clean the bowl every week-ish to prevent build up of algae and bacteria that can cause diseases. It might need to be more often.
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    We bought a bird-bath at the same time as we set up the birdie bistro, and while the birds don't seem to use it nearly as much as the feeder, the squirrel usually stops for a drink on his way up to the rail.

    Thanks for the sunflower info, CK - we'll try and do the hanging-up thing before winter sets in. We seem to have quite a few flowers or potential flowers, so we'll see how it goes.
  • We loved feeding the birds - until the dropped seed stated attracting rats! We asked someone from the RSPB what we could do, and her reply was, "Stop feeding them"! So we did.
  • Could I pass on to you my two fearsome wood pigeons, BF? They stand under the feeder and practically catch the seed in their beaks. And the other day I found one just about to go in the back door to find some more food! As far as I am concerned they are noisy, messy and ferocious hoovers!
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited September 2018
    O yes please! If you would be so kind as to also send some red wine, mushrooms, celery, carrots etc., I will make a virtual casserole, and share the result with you. Two nice big fat pigeons will do for a double serving, though be careful of the bones.

    Mmmmmm............. :grin:

    IJ
  • I forgot to ask if you'd prefer pickled red cabbage with your virtual pigeon casserole, or perhaps a green salad?

    I have a nice virtual vintage Beaujolais Nouveau that should go nicely with it, BTW.

    IJ
  • Cotes du Rhone might be even better!
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    Or better yet, a nice New World red - South African Pinotage or Argentinian Malbec. :smile:

    Isn't the whole point of Beaujolais Nouveau that you have to drink it when it's new? I had it once, eons ago, and to be honest I wouldn't be dying about it.
  • Piglet wrote: »
    Or better yet, a nice New World red - South African Pinotage or Argentinian Malbec. :smile:

    Isn't the whole point of Beaujolais Nouveau that you have to drink it when it's new? I had it once, eons ago, and to be honest I wouldn't be dying about it.

    I thought it had died out with red braces and Filofaxes.
  • Bishops FingerBishops Finger Shipmate
    edited September 2018
    Piglet wrote: »
    Or better yet, a nice New World red - South African Pinotage or Argentinian Malbec. :smile:

    Isn't the whole point of Beaujolais Nouveau that you have to drink it when it's new? I had it once, eons ago, and to be honest I wouldn't be dying about it.

    Well, yes. I was trying to be rather pathetically humorous....IIRC, there's an episode of the classic UK sitcom Only Fools and Horses where the would-be yuppy DelBoy refers to a vintage Beaujolais Nouveau...as sionisais recalls....

    I recall a very pleasant lunch in a little bistro in Boulogne some years ago, at which I consumed a whole bottle of the then very new Beaujolais Nouveau. It slipped down quite nicely, accompanied by an excellent boeuf bourguignon, and (possibly) a dessert and some CHEESE.

    I tend to prefer French red WINE, perhaps because my sister lives in France, and once worked for her local producer. Some of her local wines are absolutely delicious, even those you buy from a sort of petrol pump to fill up your 5 litre drum! (About 1 Euro a litre).

    Hic...

    IJ

  • Spencer likes the big, empty beaches here in Northumberland. It’s windy but warm here. :mrgreen:

    Chasing and digging.

  • sionisais wrote: »
    I thought it had died out with red braces and Filofaxes.
    Well, it has to exist, otherwise there couldn't be any Beaujolais Vieux ... the question is whether it's good for drinking.

  • Piglet wrote: »
    Or better yet, a nice New World red - South African Pinotage or Argentinian Malbec. :smile:
    Yes, both are good.

  • la vie en rougela vie en rouge Circus Host, 8th Day Host
    Beaujolais nouveau is far from the finest alcoholic beverage produced by the French. There are a few nice ones, but they are a definite rarity. TBH, when one is invited to a Beaujolais nouveau party, the whole point is that it’s a bit rough. Some of the older ones can be very pleasant, OTOH – 2015 in particular was an excellent year. We have several bottles of same sitting in our cellar that we bought to age in ? 2016 I suppose. If you want to find the same one now, it’s quite expensive.

    That said, they aren’t on the level of the finest Burgundies – some of which we also have in our cellar. They are being aged and kept for a Special Occasion. And are much finer than any New World wines*. And anyone who says different can follow me outside.

    *with the exception of certain Very Expensive ones. Our cellar also contains a bottle of Opus One – a Californian red on a level with the finest clarets. Husband en rouge bought it in an online auction and it took me quite a while to prize out of him how much he paid for it. “It was a bargain…”
  • We had an excellent Lirac from the Domaine de la Mordoree (southern Rhone) with our Christmas venison each year. Alas, we have now moved away so can no longer get it! They also do a Chateauneuf du Pape which I'm sure is marvellous!
  • Well, that all sounds absolutely delicious, but, as Mrs. Beeton said "first catch your wood pigeon". Crafty little b's, they are!
  • For a few years we went on camping holidays with another family and every day we wuld set out on our hunt for the Best Bottle of Red Wine for Under One Euro! Until about 2014 it was possible to find these, but now, alas, there's nothing under about €2.50
  • Thomasina wrote: »
    Well, that all sounds absolutely delicious, but, as Mrs. Beeton said "first catch your wood pigeon". Crafty little b's, they are!

    Yes indeed - one has to be careful to remove all the lead shot from the carcass...

    sionisais wrote: »
    For a few years we went on camping holidays with another family and every day we would set out on our hunt for the Best Bottle of Red Wine for Under One Euro! Until about 2014 it was possible to find these, but now, alas, there's nothing under about €2.50

    It was at one time possible to find a quite potable, if rather light, red table WINE for 50 cents a litre at Cite Europe, near Calais, but I expect it's gone up by now. Euros 2.50 is still only about a couple of quid, though, so not too excessive. About the same price as a 660ml bottle of Foreign Lager in Ukland...

    IJ
  • Boogie wrote: »
    Spencer likes the big, empty beaches here in Northumberland. It’s windy but warm here. :mrgreen:

    Chasing and digging.

    So many places to run, so many holes to dig! What an adorable pup.
    :smile:

  • Another fan of a nice burgundy here, I also like a good barolo (and have been known to make my own, the best wine I’ve ever made was a Beaverdale Barolo kit).
  • Very timely conversation above as I’m just about to rack off what I hope will be a good Chateau daisydaisy - although I suspect it will be rather rough.
  • Ah - if it's a bit rough, never mind. Just find a nice strong CHEESE to go with it!

    ION, it's been a lovely sunny late-summer day here in SE Ukland, and several Ings have been activated to take advantage of it, to wit:

    The Litter-Pick Ing (at church),
    The Wash Ing,
    The Dust Ing, and
    The Sweep Ing (all at the Palace).

    The Hoover Ing will be activated tomorrow, as I'm a bit weary now.....
    :sleepy:

    IJ
  • Whilst my morning consisted of a lovely yoga class and coffee with the ladies afterwards, most of my afternoon has been spent wrangling with my 17 year old getting him to write his personal statement for his UCAS form. It is an uphill struggle as he doesn’t appreciate my advice, I obviously know nothing despite being a university lecturer.
  • Pigwidgeon wrote: »
    Boogie wrote: »
    Spencer likes the big, empty beaches here in Northumberland. It’s windy but warm here. :mrgreen:

    Chasing and digging.
    So many places to run, so many holes to dig! What an adorable pup.
    :smile:
    We need Boogie to direct a feature-length movie called 'Pup Fiction'. :smiley:
  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    ... I was trying to be rather pathetically humorous....IIRC, there's an episode of the classic UK sitcom Only Fools and Horses where the would-be yuppy DelBoy refers to a vintage Beaujolais Nouveau ...
    Not pathetic in the least - I ought to make sure my sense of humour's awake before I post on here ... :blush:

    I'd quite forgotten about that Del Boy quote! :mrgreen:

    D. and I had a very simple wine-buying code when we lived in the UK:

    (a) Have a pretty label
    (b) Come from a country with a politically-incorrect regime*
    (c) Cost under £5 a bottle (bearing in mind this was at least 15 years ago)

    This policy served us quite well: it was about the time that Tesco's started selling wines from places like Paraguay, Uruguay and Mexico that we'd never considered as wine-producers, and some of them, although ridiculously cheap, were actually very potable. We were (and still are) very partial to wines from Chile and South Africa, and since moving here we've discovered some really nice Canadian wines too - in general just as good as Californian ones but about 2/3 of the price.

    * or New Zealand, in which case (c) won't apply, but the wine will be so nice you won't care. :smiley:
  • daisydaisy wrote: »
    Very timely conversation above as I’m just about to rack off what I hope will be a good Chateau daisydaisy - although I suspect it will be rather rough.
    I haven’t made any wine in ages but I’ve just bought some more Barolo and Chenin Blanc kits. I’ve also got a beer kit (Woodford’s Wherry) to do.

  • MaryLouiseMaryLouise Purgatory Host, 8th Day Host
    Piglet wrote: »
    Or better yet, a nice New World red - South African Pinotage or Argentinian Malbec. :smile:
    .

    South African Pinotages and other red wines are excellent right now. I remember when most South African reds, Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots were so heavy and treacly that most of the New World wines from Chile and Argentina out-performed them by far. Now they're much lighter and more quaffable and have found that delicate balance between the tannic rawness of new Beaujolais and over-aged soporific.
  • Piglet wrote: »
    ... I was trying to be rather pathetically humorous....IIRC, there's an episode of the classic UK sitcom Only Fools and Horses where the would-be yuppy DelBoy refers to a vintage Beaujolais Nouveau ...
    Not pathetic in the least - I ought to make sure my sense of humour's awake before I post on here ... :blush:

    I'd quite forgotten about that Del Boy quote! :mrgreen:
    Before I had heard of Beaujolais Nouveau I lived in Cyprus for three years and had some memorable encounters with Kokinelli, the local cheap, young red wine. It was let’s say variable, but with a little lemonade went down way too well but you could come out of it very badly indeed.

    D. and I had a very simple wine-buying code when we lived in the UK:

    (a) Have a pretty label
    (b) Come from a country with a politically-incorrect regime*
    (c) Cost under £5 a bottle (bearing in mind this was at least 15 years ago)

    This policy served us quite well: it was about the time that Tesco's started selling wines from places like Paraguay, Uruguay and Mexico that we'd never considered as wine-producers, and some of them, although ridiculously cheap, were actually very potable. We were (and still are) very partial to wines from Chile and South Africa, and since moving here we've discovered some really nice Canadian wines too - in general just as good as Californian ones but about 2/3 of the price.

    * or New Zealand, in which case (c) won't apply, but the wine will be so nice you won't care. :smiley:
    We applied similar criteria, although we preferred plainer labels. I don’t recall buying vin rouge Algerie though.

  • My son's criteria for wine buying used to be that it should have an animal on the label. It seemed to work surprisingly well.
  • Sarasa wrote: »
    My son's criteria for wine buying used to be that it should have an animal on the label. It seemed to work surprisingly well.

    An animal pun is even better.
    :smile:

  • One set of Rail Replacement Buses for Planned Engineering Work is unfortunate, but just about cope-able with. However, the addition of the second set, due to a derailed freight train, has completely scuppered my long-standing plans for Sunday. Especially as changes to bus routes in my part of the city along with closures of part of the city centre, meant it was definitely going to be tricky getting from the organ stool to the train station in a timely manner.

    Meh. Oh well, I shall take the hint and have a lazier weekend...

  • PigletPiglet All Saints Host, Circus Host
    That sort of thing's a right pain, isn't it? Over here, they have a saying, "in Canada there are two seasons: Winter and Construction" (i.e. road-works).

    Over the last few weeks they've been resurfacing the main road that leads out of Fredericton towards the château, and there was one day when we sat in a queue for about 20 minutes, gave up and took another road, which led to another 20-minute queue ...

    I think it was down to really bad traffic management: they don't use those temporary traffic-light thingies because it would deprive the ladies and gentlemen with the STOP/SLOW lollipops of their jobs, but I'm not sure that they've been properly trained to ensure a sensible flow of traffic.

    It's been a very hot day today (28° and feeling like 33), and I'm sitting here watching Tufty have his supper at the birdie bistro. D. reckoned he'd scared him off when we went out to do a spot of grocery shopping this afternoon, but I was fairly sure he'd be back.
  • I am gritting my teeth in anticipation of the closure in a couple of weeks of the nearby motorway for a whole weekend which will mean all the traffic coming through daisydaisy-ville, much as it used to gridlock the place back in the day. I would usually ignore this and find lots to do at home but it’s the one weekend when I have to be in the Big City on each day flute-ing and it looks like the trains will be disrupted too. Pah and double pah.
  • The train derailed a couple of days ago and, initially, they were saying no trains in that direction until the end of Friday. Yours truly, with much experience of that line, did think they were being a tad over-optimistic but didn't want to say a definite "no" to the event (which involves a trip to Evensong at a cathedral I've never been to before and which I was looking forward to muchly as I don't see that friend often) until the website was saying a clear "Rail Replacement Buses until the end of service on Sunday".

    In the meantime, the first full week of the academic year has been survived remarkably well. Only two major riot acts read which I am told I read with great effect! Abjectly Miserable Sinner Number One has complied with the reasonable requests of the transport driver ever since to the relief of all concerned. Abjectly Miserable Sinner Number Two is more complex and will take more time, but given he was treated to my fully unvarnished opinion of his unacceptable sexist views, along with a (temporary) removal of his much prized early get out card so he's able to travel on quieter buses which really hurt judging by the look on his face, I'm hopeful there may be a smidgeon of progress...
  • I’m off to another new module briefing today. This one is about family lives and social policy and is a new field for me so slightly out of my comfort zone and more challenging. It’s only an hour away but the A14 is closed round here for a few days so I’m hoping everyone hasn’t decamped to our route instead.
    I do like module briefings, teaching in distance learning means I seldom get to meet colleagues in person, though I often teach with them online. There will be at least one colleague here today who I have taught with for 2-3 years yet never met.
    Annie
  • Last weekend was a write off for me too because of track replacement work. The tickets that really hurt were the ones on Saturday to The Verb at the Proms recording in Beit Hall followed by Othello at the Globe with Mark Rylance, which is the production I really wanted to see. Tripled journey times meant it was not viable for me to go when we'd spent the day before in A&E. That had cancelled my ticket to Taming of the Shrew at the Globe on the Friday night - we didn't leave until after that one started, some distance a way.

    The sunny weather has cancelled most of my Globe tickets this summer, and I was hoping I'd get to some of the evening productions towards the end of the season.

    In other news, the fabric stash is being made up into clothes to replace the forced decluttering earlier this year, and the landlord plus builder came to inspect the next door flat to see what needed doing and removed whatever stank, so the hall is now so much more pleasant to walk through.
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