Not quite speechless on Wordless Wednesday

Two hours of Wordless Wednesday were spent searching for my 'lost' fine -liner pens. I knew they had to be in the house somewhere - the sketch pads, paints and pencils were in their usual place but where were the pens? There was nothing for it but to systematically search all the cupboards and drawers in the bedroom, where I keep my art materials. At the end of the exercise, still penless, but with the satisfaction of having cleared out a load of rubbish and had a thorough tidy-up of my wardrobe, dressing table drawers and various cupboards, I was just about to leave the bedroom when I spotted the rather dusty old mirror which stands on my bedside table. If I hadn't picked it up I'd never have found the missing pens. What a dumb place to hide them - under a mirror stand! I wouldn't like to repeat what I said.

A good part of that afternoon was spent in the kitchen, amongst other things making vegetable soup for our evening meal (no meat for Mike on Ash Wednesday). In the end I'd managed to include 11 vegetables (and veggy type thingies) - onions, potatoes, parsnips, celery, green pepper, carrots, leeks, garlic, courgette, tin of toms and a tin of flagelot beans, plus a teaspoonful of paprika. After simmering for the rest of the afternoon it turned out to be very tasty indeed, and has done us for lunch today as well. What little is left will be added to the venison and mushroom pie, which I propose to start asap for this evening's meal. This afternoon I began another batch of sloe gin, using frozen sloes which were picked at the end of last year. I don't know if it will work, but I've used brown sugar this time. I really fancied some jelly (enjoyed some at a recent party) so I've made an orange one with a good helping of my homemade marmalade added. Looks OK.

Managed to spend quite a bit of time in the garden during the past few decent days, before it turned cold and windy. Rather a sad time, as Mike and I cut down the four home-grown bottle brushes, a myrtle, a hebe and one or two other bushes that had been killed off by the severe winter. Now there are a few empty gaps, and I'm already thinking about how to fill them. The snowdrops are now almost over but now, when the sun shines and there's a bit of warmth in the air, the crocuses are at their best. Pottering about in the garden gave me the opportunity to dig up one or two suitable plants to take down to the allotments, where I'm planning to replant them on the bank opposite my plot. It's a bit of an eyesore at the moment, as the all rubbish that has been dumped at the end of the gardens on the other side of the hedge, doesn't look too attractive. There's an old bedstead, lots of broken glass, and various unidentifiable plastic items. The idea is to plant ivy, periwinkle, ferns, lamiums, hardy geraniums, and any other dry, shade loving plants which will eventually hold the slipping bank together and scramble up into the hedge, hiding the tat.

Just had an e-mail from Fish Fight (update@fishfightnews.net) with the good news that more tuna suppliers have committed to remove all FADs (fish aggregation devices) from their supply chains. Now just two companies - John West and Morrisons - are refusing to stop buying tuna caught by purse seine fishing on FADs so, as a Fish Fighter, more action from me required.

Well, the venison pie is in the oven and will be ready soon. I'm off!