Another glorious sunny day, I have spent a very restful relaxing day, apart from the usual chores, all I have done is get myself organised ready for my trip back to Milton Keynes later this week, I am going to visit the Its All About Art event in London on Thursday details here Art Event
I am going with a couple of friends, the trip has be planned since Christmas, I am looking forward to catching up and spending some time with friends, Friday and Saturday I am spending time in the shop seeing to a few things. A busy end to the week planned.
Many years ago I was given this cow bell as a gift from my daughter,
the poor thing has been neglected over the years, we have it fixed up by the back door, I thought she could do with a coat of paint to bring her back to life.
She now looks splendid and all new, I picked up a few small pots of enamel paint when I was in town last week, for the darker green I mixed together some of the green and black paint. The cow bell now has a another few years life in her.
Having a bit of a stroll around we have lots of wild hazelnut trees
They all seem to have lots of fruit on them
I have been having a bit of read up about them and they are ready for harvesting between August and October, they are suppose to taste better eaten in the green, I have been looking for some recipes for using them and have found a few, One was a Hugh FW from River cottage that took my fancy Honeyed Nuts
Hazelnut suggestions I may be giving that one a try.
There seems to be a distinct lack of squirrels and rabbits around here so I don't think I will have much competition for the nuts.
That just about sums my day up today like I said restful and relaxing. Hope you have all had a relaxing day today, it has been a hot to doing much else.
I love green hazelnuts and it has been years since I've eaten them. Eventually I'd love to plant a nut tree in the Orchard!
ReplyDeleteIf you are looking for recipes then once they are mature why not make hazelnut butter like peanut butter. I'd roast them first for a better flavour but I bet it would be amazing.
The cow looks great as well.
Hazelnut butter sounds good, have added it my list :-)
DeleteI have recently started reading your blog and enjoy hearing about your new adventure in Wales. I hate to say it but you may have a shock once the hazelnuts are almost ripe. My parents have a huge hazelnut tree outside their back door in the Cotswolds. No sign of squirrels for 11 months of the year, but as soon as the nuts become green the grey scavengers come from everywhere bringing their families and friends with them until the tree is quite bare. I have hazel trees growing in their bottom field and never, ever see a ripe nut on them. I hope you have better luck that we do. I suggest you become proficient with a .410 as soon as possible!
ReplyDeleteWelcome Sarah, I will be keeping watch for them, we have a gun and I will happily shoot them, we are not adverse to eating a bit of squirrel.
DeleteLove that cow!! We have a corkscrew hazel in our front garden. I had no idea we could eat the nuts until my neighbour asked if I minded her children picking some! All these years I could have had my own supply of nuts!
ReplyDeleteGuess the kids wont be getting any now :-)
DeleteThere's a hazelnut tree on the lottie next to ours, I'll keep an eye out for nuts and squirrels to compare.
ReplyDeleteThey are very coman in the hedgerows around here, I hope you manage to get some.
DeleteWe've got a couple of dozen hazels - do we get to see a nut once they are ready?
ReplyDeleteNo! blasted squirrels just move in and nick them.
Love the Cow bell, looking very smart
perhpas picking them in the green and letting them ripen off the tree would be worth trying, just try to out smart them
Deleteit's a race between us and the squirrels every year. We have both cobnuts and wild hazelnuts The squirrels also strip the walnut tree. D. is considering getting a gun to keep the numbers down. I really fancy those honeyed hazel nuts. If I can beat the squirrels to the nuts I will deffo have a go
ReplyDeleteGill
I really like the sounds of the honeyed nuts as well
DeleteAll the nuts local to us are now taken by the squirrels. My husband detests squirrels and it's quite funny to see him rushing down the garden waving his arms about .
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately when driving down the road between our local woods we accidentally (honest!) ran over one and I felt terrible. I didn't dare look at the wheel in case there was a trace of squirrel there!
Like the cow's makeover.
Dont feel bad at running over one, thats one less to cause destruction.
DeleteWhen I saw the title of your post I wondered what on earth you had been up to! Your cow looks great with its new paint job though, and good for lots more ringing now! xx
ReplyDeleteShe looks great now and still holds a tune
DeleteThe hedgerows round here are dripping with hazel nuts and blackberries, I am keeping a beady on them. I was too late for the wild garlic but will get it next year. All I need now is a crab apple tree and a few elder trees for the berries.
ReplyDeleteI have spotted sloes but no elder or crab apple
DeleteI had some amazing hazelnut ice cream once, maybe you could give that a go if you get enough.
ReplyDeleteJean x