Monday 14 February 2011

Nettles For Tea ..... And Shabby Finds!

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Hello there .... hows the world treating you this week?
It seems so full of doom and gloom ... some poor people are having a dreadful time of it, hope all is well with you.

We've had a busy old time of it ... and a wet one too, seems to have rained a good deal.
Just look what Hubby P found at the Household Auction .... isn't she just delightful ... shabby and pink ..... with such a tale to tell... could she only speak.




Hubby P had bought the little wash stand to sell on ... and I was 'helping' or rather standing around nosing at what he had bought, whilst he was unloading the van ... and I spotted 'her'.
Well ..... I just loved her ... but how on earth could I fit her into my tiny ... rather full little cottage.
After much deliberation we decided that she would fit into the bathroom .... just ... if we removed the bookcase/shelving that was holding all the .... um ... bathroom necessities.
I gave her a good wash down ... and she fits... just!
I may freshen her up a bit ... the whole bathroom is in a desperate need of a lick of paint, but not today.
I'm just getting use to her in the bathroom .... you know how it is .. may need to play around a bit.
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Today was fairly dry so we spent the day outside, Hubby P had some wood to cut, and we had a general tidy up of the garden ..... everything looks so damp and dreary.
I found these darling little nettles .... just sprouted from the cold damp earth .... Oh Yum! just love the iron rich zingy little things.

There were just a handful, so I gave them a quick rinse .... and added them to some simple vegetable soup I was making ...



Gave them a quick blitz with the blender thingy....


..... and yummy nutritious soup for tea.
They do say Nettles are the Earths natural tonic and cleanser, one of the first plants to appear in early Spring, full of iron and vitamins and other goodies which it has managed to source because of its deep root system.


I didn't just happen across the Nettles... I have a Nettle pot, or old bath .... I just let the nettles grow in it ... keep it free of any other weeds ... and feed the nettles with rich soil now and again.
Its hard to see the nettles in this pic .... I've just 'topped' it up with some fresh rich soil to help bring on the new growth. I treat them as a crop .... and add them to meals to boost the nutritional value .... free frugal and healthy!
Oh .. and for tea .... I know we like to know these things .. hehe .... soup (although Hubby P declined ... I may have to disguise his Nettles a bit better.... maybe in a pie) ... jacket potatoes with lashings of cheese .... simple and tasty!


Looking around the garden the Daffs are on their way up .... not long now.

And here .... just for your delight .... a few Chicken pictures.....



How does she keep so clean and white ... and she's such an old girl.


Chickens, chickens everywhere!



Just a bit of grain .... helps with the yummy eggs!
That's all for now xxx take care xxx