Monday 13 June 2011

On this and that.

First of all - thank you for your positive comments on our vegetable garden. I would just like to point out that almost all the credit should be taken by the farmer, who spends a lot of time in it. I do the odd hoeing in both back and front gardens, I cut back things with the secateurs and I sometimes do a bit of hand weeding. But the real hard work is the farmers and he needs the credit for it. I just gather the vegetables when they are ready and either cook or freeze them.
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Now to today's second subject - that cous-cous recipe. Seems some of you would like it so here it is. And even if, like Rachel, you are not sure about serving the cous-cous to your nearest and dearest - do give it a try - you might be pleasantly surprised by their reaction.

Put the required amount of cous cous into a bowl, along with some chopped mint, some snipped up ready to eat dried apricots, some salt and a tablespoonful of oil. Stir well and add boiling water. The cous cous packet will give you the amounts of cous cous and water. I did this first thing in the morning so that the flavours infused. Just before serving I added a few knobs of butter, stirred them in and heated it for two minutes in the microwave.

Cut into same size pieces a selection of mediterranean vegetables - red onion, peppers, courgettes, aubergines, spring onions, tomatoes, and toss them in olive oil and salt. Roast them on a high shelf in the oven until the edges are charred.

Then put the cous cous into bowls and divide the veg and their juices between the bowls. Garnish with a few rocket leaves (if you have any in your garden it will have seeded all over by now) and sprinkle with a little sweet balsamic vinegar. Eat and enjoy.

Now to the third thing today. What gives you pleasure? Have I suddenly got old?
I suspect I have because this morning I put a load of washing into the washer, tidied up before my cleaning lady came (!), had a shower and changed - then I took a cup of coffee and today's Times crossword into the bay window in the sitting room, looking out into the garden. The sun was shining in, it was warm and comfortable and as I unfolded the paper on the crossword page it suddenly struck me that there was probably nothing in the world I would rather be doing at that moment. Is that sad or is that sad?

22 comments:

Pondside said...

I can think of many words - cosy, comfy, satisfying, quiet, but not sad - no way!

H said...

Definitely not sad! (Though I would probably have opted for an easier crossword!! - or a logic puzzle)

angryparsnip said...

I am amazed by your garden, the way it looks as much as what is growing in it.
The recipe sounds wonderful.
I make a much simpler one. To cooked cous-cous, I add chopped fresh tomatoes and thinly sliced green onions, cilantro, lemon juice and olive oil. Add a hard boiled egg on the side for lunch or for dinner I like to serve it with Thai Green Curry.

I think your morning sounds just lovely not sad at all.

cheers, parsnip

Maggi said...

Sounds like you were very content with your lot and that is far from sad. The recipe sounds delicious.

Pomona said...

I think it is lovely! But I'm not very good at crosswords - I would probably have nodded off over a book, which makes me seem very old. But I am so old, I love sleeping in the day - don't get the chance often enough!

Pomona x

Rachel Phillips said...

I think life gets better as you get older because you stop worrying about what people will think and just do what you want to do and it's all right.

ChrisJ said...

Not sad, but just content. I do a clean up before my cleaning lady comes. My husband does the most. It's a good thing she comes or we'd be buried under his paper work!

Unknown said...

Do you know that they advice cancer patients to do crossword puzzles and other puzzels? (somehow it adds to the healing process) -so, dear Weaver, definitely not sad!

Eryl said...

The recipe sounds fab; I make cous cous a lot because it's so quick and goes with everything. It's a great way to make the remains of a roast chicken feed us for one more day.

I'm sure someone known for wisdom has said something about the joy of being content in the moment. The best thing about getting older for me has been the ability to just enjoy whatever it is I'm doing and not wish I were somewhere else. I spent a good hour today faffing about with a piece of cardboard and some tin foil to make a light reflector board. And then angling it every which way and taking photographs of an African basket. No real reason, I'm not planning to sell either the photographs or the basket, but it was great and I wouldn't have wanted to do anything else.

Being happy with what you have is probably the least sad condition a person could have.

Titus said...

We all love cous-cous!
And the Times crossword thing? Oh no, Weaver, that would have made me very happy indeed.

Gigi Ann said...

I'm not familiar with "Cous-cous" so will bypass the recipe today, however, the flowers and the garden look lovely.

What gives me pleasure is curled up in my comforty chair reading a good and entertaining book.

John Going Gently said...

weaveryour pleasures would have made my day!

steven said...

ha weaver sadness! i feel none of that here. oh no. i feel completeness of the kind that accompanies being kind to yourself.. steven

George said...

It's never sad, Pat, to love and be grateful in the present moment, to want nothing other than what you have at that moment. I look forward to trying the couscous recipe. Sounds terrific!

Dave King said...

Last things first: that's not sad, not in my book. I know that feeling very well, though come to think of it, I dare say my grandchildren might think it sad - or put it down to old age. Q.E.D.?

Either way, two fine posts, though I shall pass the recipe to Doreen.

Elizabeth said...

Not sad at all!
sounds like bliss to me
rushing around is highly over-rated

I'm sure I'm getting more ancient by the instant but doing as little as possible is my aim

Seceteurs are my favorite implement on the planet.
Off to Wisley today to lust after plants for the garden I do not have!

Elizabeth said...

ps Times crossword too challenging for me!
You must be very clever!

MorningAJ said...

Not sad at all. I wish I was in a position to do something like that. (Although I'd go for reading a novel rather than the crossword)

Anonymous said...

Not sad at all. Lucky to be able to stop and appreciate that moment.

The cous cous souds good too.

What a glorious part of the world you live in.

John Going Gently said...

I have written a little blog just for you weaver!
http://disasterfilm.blogspot.com/2011/06/for-weaver-of-grass.html
x

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for the comments - seems you largely agree that there is no harm in sitting around enjoying oneself.

Share my Garden said...

No, that is not sad, it is exactly how we should feel about life!