The Beauty of Nature

There are plenty of old fences around about. These caught my eye while out and about.

This is a dangerous road near me – too many trees with flowers on. The snow and ice made it worse.

It has been cold of late round here and I have only just had a chance to put these pics up from last month.

Brrr. Cold.

Well, the snow has finally gone and I have been to the plot. It’s water-logged of course after all the snow and then the rain.

Be back shortly.

I have had some time off today so I went to the plot and dug it up. I also dug up some of the strawberries as they were taking over the corner of the plot and the holder next to me was frowning at them a lot last week.

These beans have come really late on. It looked like they would never flower and show beans, but now they have. I cant remember where I got these from. I think there were a gift as seeds and I thought I would try them anyway.

They are not yet big enough to pick and I’m not sure they will ever be as the weather has got colder. Quite why they took so long in the first place I couldn’t say. However, I may still try them again next year and see if I cant bring them on faster.

Here is the latest big pumpkin. I’m thinking of sculpting it this year, but am in two minds about it. You see, pumpkin pie and soup is really tasty and I’m loathe to waste any.

Here is a recipe for pumpkin:

Putrid Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

For the pastry:
Sweet short crust pastry case or a packet of ready made sweet short crust pastry with 40g/1?oz crushed pecans mixed in.

For the filling:
450 g/1lb prepared weight pumpkin flesh, cut into 1in/2.5 cm chunks
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk (use the white for another dish)
3 oz/75g soft dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
? level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
? tsp ground allspice
? tsp ground cloves
? tsp ground ginger
10 fl oz/275 ml double cream

Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Use a shop bought sweet crust pastry case, about 9 inch/23 cm diameter and 1? inches/4 cm deep.
3. To make the filling, steam the pumpkin then place in a coarse sieve and press lightly to extract any excess water.
4. Then lightly whisk the eggs and extra yolk together in a large bowl.
5. Place the sugar, spices and the cream in a pan, bring to simmering point, giving it a whisk to mix everything together. Then pour it over the eggs and whisk it again briefly.
6. Now add the pumpkin pure?, still whisking to combine everything thoroughly.
7. Then pour the filling into your pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes, by which time it will puff up round the edges but still feel slightly wobbly in the centre.
8. Then remove it from the oven and place the tin on a wire cooling rack. Serve chilled (stored loosely covered in foil in the fridge) with some equally chilled cr?me fra?che, but warm or at room temperature would be fine.

I grew these Butternut Squash from seeds I took from a supermarket bought one. I didn’t for one minute think that I would be able to, but I was wrong, and happily so.

They have given me quite a lot of fruit so I am pleased all round. Squash is so good this time of year in soup and roasted with pasta.

It’s that time of year when most of the veg has grown and gone – well, to the store really so we can enjoy it later on.

That makes me happy.:)