Thursday, August 03, 2017

Summer?

When I looked out of the bedroom window this morning it looked like a dull, windy, autumnal day.  I have washing drying around the house as every time I try to hang it out it seems to start drizzling.

We have loads of fruit on the plum tree but it just needs few dry, warm and sunny days to ripen.

Over the weekend in the midst of all showers I made a Summer Pudding.  

 It was very tasty served with Swedish Glace which is our favourite non dairy ice cream. Of course we like dairy ice cream too.

It made our evening meal on Saturday seem very colourful


especially alongside the quiche and salad which made us feel summery even if the weather outside told a different tale.

The rain seems to clear away in the late evenings and this has meant visits from the urban foxes.  These are the three cubs.  They are old enough now to come on their own although mother fox is usually around somewhere not too far away.


The garden is looking very pink at the moment with late summer flowers.  Hydrangeas, Roses, Japanese Anemones, Valerian and Hebe.

The Internet problem I mentioned in my previous post seems to have sorted itself after a phone call or two and a bit of messing with the laptop.  Hopefully it's back to normal now.

Edit Sunday 6th August.  I have made a separate page (link at the top of the blog where the book lists are) for the Summer Pudding Recipe as one or two people have asked about it.

26 comments:

  1. Lovely photos of your garden Rosie - the plums look as if they will be delicious (once ripe) and love all the pink flowers especially the Japanese anemone. Cosmos and Valerian are flowering here too - so good for bees etc. :)

    Your Summer Pudding looks really tasty - it is one recipe I have never tried - may have to rectify that :)

    So good to see the fox cubs - haven't seen many foxes round here for years. The last time I saw cubs was 30 years ago!! Lovely photos as always and so pleased your internet seems to have sorted itself out :)

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    1. It's a Victoria plum tree and we've had some wonderful plums from it over the years, last yearI made plum and apple jam and we still have a jar left. I hope some of them ripen. We always had one or two foxes around here but this year we've had the whole family, we sit in the conservatory and watch their antics, I expect the two male cubs will soon be told by their parents to move on and find their own territory:)

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    2. Yum - I love Victoria plums :) Not sure if you were thinking of seeing Bee-eaters but may as well be to check local RSPB site. Sadly, if appears the nests have all failed (perhaps due to lack of food for young?) and I have just seen a tweet on twitter suggesting the birds haven't been seen for a while and if no sign tomorrow they will close the car park. Sorry to be the bearer of sad news but didn't want you have wasted journey.

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    3. Thank you so much for letting me know about the bee eaters, such a shame that the nests have failed. Perhaps it was the cooler weather plus food supplies? I expect the birds will move on now? Coincidently after I'd read your message I logged onto facebook and there was a post from the RSPB about the bee eaters and the quarry site. Lots of comments from dissapointed people who'd been to see them. You were lucky to visit when you did. I wonder if they will return next year?)

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  2. We had a summer pudding like yours on one of our last trips to England. Had never had one before or even heard of one. It was delicious and yours looks the same, as does your quiche. Would you consider posting a couple of recipes?

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    1. I can't lay claim to the quiche I'm afraid, it was courtesy of M&S but some of the salad was from the garden. I will put the recipe I use for Summer Pudding in my next post, they are so easy to make, just fruit, sugar and a few slices of white bread:)

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  3. I like the look your your summer pudding, delicious! We've been eating that ice cream too, I've bern trying to find fat free low sugar ice creams and recently came across it. I wish the weather would perk up, even though the hot weather was too hot, the wet weather is just too rainy.

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    1. The vanilla Swedish Glace has a lovely taste but we didn't like the chocolate one very much. I see from the freezers in Sainsbury that there are many other brands too. The weather is getting me down now, a bit of warmth would be lovely:)

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  4. I've felt a bit autumnal recently too... as I was heading out a couple of days ago there were lots of fallen, autumn coloured leaves and the light really made it feel like autumn! I'm sure we'll have plenty more summer days though before it's really autumn! Your summer foods look delicious!

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    1. I think it is the blustery winds that make it feel unseasonal also the blackberries are ripening in the hedgerows early. Lets hope for some more sunny days soon:)

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  5. Your summer pudding looks so pretty, as does the quiche and salad plate. I'm not nearly ready to think of autumn, and we are in the midst of an unusual heat wave. The urban foxes are graceful looking creatures - are they a pest at all? Lovely garden flowers.

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    1. I'm not ready for autumn yet either and I'm hoping for a few more sunny days, the grey, windy and rainy days we've been having are getting me down a bit. The foxes don't cause too much bother in the garden, they love sitting under the trees and see our garden and next door's garden as a haven of peace and quiet, I've no idea where their den is. They do pinch dog toys from next door to play with:)

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  6. I haven't had summer pudding for years, but gosh your delicious looking one makes me want some!!

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    1. I try to make one in August every year whilst all the berries are easily available:)

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  7. Lovely post! You will have to keep us posted with your menus! I'm feeling hungry just reading this! My plums aren't so good this year as a lot of the blossom came away with the heavy rain we had. It's a shame as we didn't have late frosts for once. Must be great to see the foxes. Do they cause any damage? I get deer in the garden which might sound exciting but if only they wouldn't munch at the fresh leaves and shoots!

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    1. The foxes don't cause damage, they move things around the garden, little things like next door's dog toys or plnt pot holders, bird ground feeders etc. They do play with them like dogs would tossing them in the air. The occasionally leave a food wrapper or tray if they have been scavenging elsewhere,it is difficult here now we hae wheelie bins, they were a nuisance when they used to split the black rubbish bags:)

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  8. The good looks amazing! I am drooling! have a great weekend!

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    1. Thanks for visiting hope you too have a good weekend:)

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  9. Those plums are going to be wonderful if they can just have a few days sun! And your salad looks amazing.

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    1. Thanks, we don't seem to have sun for very long at the moment, not enough to ripen the plums two completely sunny days wuld do it:)

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  10. Your garden is looking very fruitful Rosie! My plums have over ripened and started to go mouldy on the tree! The summer pudding looks delicious! x

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    1. Oh, no what a shame about your plums! The pudding was delicious although it would have been nice to eat it in the garden under a sunny sky:)

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  11. Hope your weather has improved by now. At least the garden looks colourful. There is definitely an autumn feel at the moment. B x

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    1. Weather seems to be improving slightly. I was able to dry washing outside yesterday and most of the grass was cut except for the top end near the pond which is still squelchy underfoot:)

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  12. It all looks so pretty in pink. I'm off to look at that recipe...did you make the quiche too? Marie x

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    1. No Marie quiche was courtesy of M&S. The Summer Pudding is so easy to make. The garden is very pink at the moment:)

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