Wednesday 21 September 2016

Every picture tells a story.

Exercise class today.   There has been a long break for the summer and although the class started back last week I couldn't go as I was going with the farmer to see his Orthopaedic specialist.   So today was my first visit since I was ill, and by golly it showed.

Sitting for the upper body and brain exercises was pleasant and very enjoyable.   But the standing and balance exercises were pretty tough going and I needed to hold on to my chair throughout (I hope this will go over the next few weeks).   Now, at just after seven in the evening I am pretty tired and wonder whether I shall be able to stay awake through Bake-off.

Just a quick word on the silage.  As you know the farmer cut the last grass fields yesterday.   This afternoon it rained heavily for about half an hour so any drying that had happened so far has been undone.   The forecast is now for good weather until at least the beginning of the weekend, so the farmer is keeping his optimism going.

Tomorrow friend W and I have one of our periodical visits to Kirby Lonsdale to meet our friends in the Italian restaurant for lunch - I am, as usual, really looking forward to the journey, the company, the food and everything about the day.

Today I made three individual cottage pies with minced Hereford beef topped with a mixed mash of potato, swede, parsnip and carrot.  Two we ate for lunch - the third the farmer will eat tomorrow while I am out, so he will not go hungry.


20 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

I like the sound of your mash on top of the cottage pie. Yummy! As for "Bake Off", I assumed that it was purposely made for people with sleeping problems zzzzzzz!

Derek Faulkner said...

Can't believe that you are still cutting silage, you must be flooded out with it. Here, one field with the bulls in for the winter is so dry and devoid of grass that the farmer cut and shredded a field of maize and fed it direct to the bulls. On the reserve the cattle are now eating the sedge along the ditch edges and the phragmites reeds as they struggle in the dust dry grazing fields.

Terry and Linda said...

Rain. the bane and the gift of farm life. Sigh!

Linda

Joanne Noragon said...

Is your cottage pie like the pasties I recall from my child hood in my English Great grandmother's kitchen? Meat and vegetables and mashed taties in a wonderful, crispy crust.

Librarian said...

Your cottage pies sound lovely, I wish I had one right now!
I hope the weather forecast will be true and the grass will dry properly. We've had a few rather cold and grey days, but it has been sunny all afternoon (as much as I could see of it from my office window) and is supposed to be nice all weekend. That's good because O.K. and I want to walk/hike to visit some more castles (or ruins) in the Black Forest.
Enjoy your Italian lunch!

Wilma said...

Good for you to get back to the exercise class! I sometimes have to get quite stern with myself to get going, but I always feel so much better for having done it. Have an enjoyable day tomorrow.

English Rider said...

I will copy your idea of mixing "other ingredients" with the mashed potato. Thank you.

Sue said...

I take my hat off to you Pat for going to your exercise class. It must be so tough sometimes but hopefully you will reap the benefit.

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

The mists have come at night but we've had a nice couple of days, which I've missed through work. I'm running a sponsored bike ride on Sunday, so hoping the band of rain that is due to pass through is clear by then. The winds might make it fun though.

Gwil W said...

The Brontes lived at Cowan Bridge which is practically next door to Kirkby Lonsdale. There's a plaque on the house. Have a good day.

coffeeontheporchwithme said...

Difference between cottage pie and shepherd's pie? Is it beef vs. lamb? -Jenn

donna baker said...

Exercise class and cooking meals? You have me beat Pat. I'm wondering how many cows you house in winter. Is it dark in there? What do they do all winter? I hope they get sunshine and maybe a walk about with the farmer.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Yummm - sounds delicious. And your adventures do keep you busy. I've been spending my time at fall housecleaning - almost done - just a few windows to go, now that the rains have stopped.

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Good luck with the hay drying. Your cottage pies sound yummy and makes me want to make them. Do you mean the Hereford beef in the tin?

Cro Magnon said...

It'll be Cottage Pie season here before long. I love it; simple, tasty, and filling. What more could you want on a cool evening.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Just to answer a few queries -
We are not flooded out with silage as we sold our first cut as standing grass to our neighbour and he cut it and has it in store. This is the second cut and we are late because we had to wait for the grass to grow long enough. After rain last evening it is a bright, breezy day and the warm sun is shining, so we are hopeful.
We house our neighbours pregnant heifers in Winter and they are in 'loose housing' which is a shed with a roof on but with open sides (and fence to stop them getting out of course). There is a collecting yard so that each morning, when the farmer beds down, they came come out into the yard if they wish - few do.
As to the shepherd's pie - firstly it is not meat out of a tin. It is the remains of a joint of Hereford beef (cottage pie always tastes better if made with beef which has been roasted first). This is mixed with a modicum of good gravy and then covered with already cooked mash and the top brushed with butter. Then it is heated in a hot oven so that the top browns nicely.

Thanks for calling in.

The Weaver of Grass said...

One more query to answer - yes - cottage pie is made with minced beef and shepherd's pie with minced lamb. Both are delicious.

Derek Faulkner said...

The cattle from the reserve that I wander round and another far larger marshland reserve, totalling around 1,000 animals, are all taken off late winter, (normally too late to avoid them churning the place into a mess), and kept in stock pens for 2-3 months to calve before being returned to the marshes in early April.
You really do make those cottage pies sound quite delicious, living on my own and being a lousy cook, I really miss those sort of delights.

Heather said...

My balance is not good either. It's annoying, isn't it? Enjoy your day out tomorrow and fingers crossed for the silage.

Jocelyn is Canadian Needle Nana said...

Hi Pat, thanks for answering that question. We can buy Hereford beef here in a tin and people take it camping to have slices of it with eggs for breakfast. I love Shepherds pie too. Take care now.