Last week I started with a picture of my great-grandson Isaac scoring a hat-trick for his club. (For the friend who didn't know that expression, a hat-trick means when one person scores three goals in one match). In that post I mentioned that his little brother Alfie, although only four, is already a promising footballer, and this week he won his group's Star player of the week. He looks so pleased with himself. These little awards boost their self esteem and mean a lot to them, especially while they are so young. You can see by his face how chuffed he is.
My week got off to a good start with one of our brilliant bring-and-share lunches at church. We were celebrating a year since our 'new' vicar arrived. Here is Father Vincent with his wife Robyn-Ann. It doesn't seem possible that they have been with us for a year already.
We are all asked to take a dish of something to go on the table, and as usual there was enough for everyone and plenty left over too. There was a chilly wind that day so we set the tables up inside.
Afterwards some of us helped to clear the food tables and wash the dishes, while the men folk stacked the tables and chairs away. In an effort to show care for our environment we no longer use plastic plates and cutlery so there is more washing up to do, but 'many hands make light work' etc. Here I am with my friends Margie, Janice and Jackie, and we are all still smiling at the end!
It has been another busy week in the kitchen, making my last batch of bitter orange marmalade. I was given some lovely oranges but they don't keep well, so I had to get them used quickly. I still have enough for one more lot which will be a darker spread with brown sugar and treacle added, and the orange peel will be cut into thicker pieces. I don't sell a lot of it, but a few friends prefer it. In England that style of marmalade used to be called Dundee marmalade, but maybe that is no longer acceptable unless it is made in the Dundee area.
Anyway, I shall tackle that tomorrow or next week. In the meanwhile I fancied a change so I spent an afternoon chopping up vegetables for Piccalilli, and leaving them in salt overnight. The next day I rinsed the salt off and weighed out a large quantity of spices for the sauce. Soon it was bubbling away. I always think it looks pretty, but I must confess I prefer the smell of the marmalade!
My kitchen table was getting a bit overcrowded, so I printed off some more labels and soon both sets were labelled and priced so I could add them to my shelves in the garage. Not too bad for a week's work.
It was unseasonably warm some days this week, and one afternoon, Chris and I sat out at the back of the house which is real sun trap, and I spotted these two beetles.
They were quite big, about 2cm in length so I took a photo so I could look them up later. It turns out they go by the classy name of 'Black beetle'! That made me smile. It is black ground beetle to be more precise, part of a large family of ground beetles. It said that although they can bite they rarely do, and are considered beneficial in agriculture, eating pests etc. so I am glad I left them to amble away.
Today I needed to drive down to Mojacar Playa to post a rather large envelope at the main post office there. We heard earlier that the coast of Andalucia is on yellow alert right through the weekend for high winds and big waves, but when I got there the beach was deserted.
There were some clouds gathering so the sea was a bit grey, and it was 'lively' but not really rough.
(Not a very good quality shot; sorry. I only had my phone with me, and not my camera). The waves were strong enough to make spray as they hit the rocks, which are usually standing clear of the water with a group of cormorants on them.
I stood there for a while just listening to the flow and ebb of water on the shingle. I love the sea when it is like that.
Now I have to rush away as tonight we have a concert with my choir, Incognito Singers. It is the only one we do each year in my area, so lots of my friends will be there. I need to have some lunch and then iron my dress!
So I will quickly link up with Annie's Friday Smiles and Rocking Your World, and leave you with a windy sunset picture.
6 comments:
Hi Kate, gorgeous photos, love the beetles. Pleased Isaac is doing so well with his football, it's so good for young people to have a hobby and who knows maybe he will become famous and very rich! Have a great weekend, Angela xXx
Isaac looks so proud with his award. Well done Isaac. We also have a grandchild called Isaac and he is three (but not a footballer)
You certainly have been busy in the kitchen. I remember tasting your piccalilly and it is yummy. I had no idea that dark, thick cut marmelade was called Dundee. My hubby is always on the look out for that as he loves it and it's not easy to find. So I hope your customers appreciate how lucky they are to have a marmelade maker in their midst.
Lovely photos of the sea and the sunset sky. No wind here so far. We have had dinner on the terrace again and it was just right.
Have a lovely weekend,
Keep smiling,
Lisca
Oh Kate what a happy little face in your first pic. I'm sure they grow and inch every time they are praised and am a great believer in lots of positives with little ones. I can smell your piccalilli cooking from here....my mum used to make it and the vinegar used to make my eyes run lol.....yum yum. I must say I would much prefer your marmalade too. I'm not a big lover of creepy crawlies but those black beetles are pretty impressive.
Hugs,
Annie x
Another lovely post as always, the sea definitely looks like it could turn much choppier, but still looks awesome. I remember your new Father arriving at the church, is that really a year ago.
Your sharing table always sounds fantastic and well done on banning the plastic etc and taking to more washing up, as you say many hands make light work.
Loving all the jars completed and looking delicious, I can imagine the smell of the marmalade being a little more fun than the piccalilli but both are brilliant.
I hope you have a fabulous weekend and week ahead.
Hugs
Hi Kate , what a lovely phopto of Isaac, they do like getting rewards for their efforts don't they?
I can't believe it's a year since your new vicar arrived, the shared lunch sounds good as usual. It's quite nice to share some friendly chatter while doing the washing up too.
Lovely pictures of the sea and sunset. We had a surprise sunset one day last week when it had been very dark and raining all day and the at teatime the clouds cleared away and the sky turned a beautiful pinky orange.
Jean x
I am running way, way behind this week, Kate. I just learned I have pneumonia and was told to rest. I think Isaac put a big smile on my face, so that should keep me resting. Your marmalade looks great and those beetles are deadly looking to me.
Hope your weekend was great, and I hope to smile with you this coming Friday.
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