January Snow

Expecting a spattering of snow, we made a few half hearted preparations... Getting in a bit more wood in, buying an extra pint of milk. We just about made it home on Friday before the road became impassable and watched the snow fall and fall and fall! On Saturday we woke to 26cm of snow magic. So, a weekend of helping a friend with a new turkey house  and making a wind break for our apiary turned into an indoor weekend with a few forays out to care for hens and to enjoy walking in the snow.

Snowy weather calls for a bit of comfort cooking so made  two stews and a cake. Good old Delia's Last Minute Mincemeat Christmas Cake is a great recipe and I always change it according to how much mincemeat I have left and chuck in all sorts of odds and ends of fruit and nuts left from Christmas.  I think its what a 1970's cookery book would call a Farmhouse Fruit Cake, pictured with a Laura Ashley apron, terracotta pot and wooden spoon. This is the first time I have cooked it in the Rayburn and my official cake taster informs me it's the best ever. Now I am getting used to how to control the heat, I think it is the most amazing oven. The kittens think so too and have their own special place in front of the fire box, the warmest spot in the house!

Our hens got stranded in the field when it started to snow on Friday so they have tended to stick to the henhouse since. Glad the attached run has a felted roof. Photos of paddock and kitchen garden at first light.

Since its not possible to do any gardening I am off to grow some oyster mushrooms!