Here is a lovely picture of a bee by my niece Flora. The bees are just starting to show up in the garden. With our new wood burning oven we’ve been spending time outside cooking.
Rather nice pizza, fabulous turbot and delicious wood roasted chicken. All other forms of cooking seem somehow inferior now. We had our first broad beans of the year yesterday; they are definitely in my top 5 vegetables but have such a short season. To be avoided at all costs when they get too big and mealy. I like them best with olive oil and lemon juice mixed with fresh peas and puy lentils.
As we are having to spend so much time at home the oven was something I thought would contribute to making the lockdown more tolerable. It’s nice to think we have a summer’s (hopefully) worth of cooking ahead of us.As soon as M’s starter is ready we’ll also have some wood baked sourdough to look forward to.
Having been in for weeks I have a major event this Wednesday when I go to Papworth. Apart from the cataracts (apparently can't have surgery until a year post surgery or steroid dose has reduced enough) my lung function has suddenly dipped so I need to go in to get that checked out. They are running some clinics on a one in one out basis and I know they know what they're doing and wouldn't get me in if it wasn't safe.
Still it feels like a momentous trip after such a long time but I can imagine wanting to get back to the safety of home afterwards.
I have been painting a bit but not feeling particularly inspired. This week has been pretty much confined to buttercups:
The lanes are filled with lovely spring flowers but not that good for picking and painting more for riding along listening to the birdsong. We are instantly in beautiful countryside as soon as we leave the house:
New things will be springing up in the garden soon; the lupins are starting to tower up and dahlias are peeking through, although they’ll be a while yet. Our vegetables are doing ok although we have had runner and borlotti bean casualties so we’ve got some replacements that we’re keeping in a mini greeenhouse until it’s warm enough to plant them out.
Jane pointed me towards this weeks painter William Gillies who was inspired by his collection of things/ pots much as I am:
Not forgetting it is laundry day, It's warm enough to dry outside today. With that in mind, a bike ride, painting and chicken soup to be made another lockdown day under the belt.