Sunday 14 July 2013

The fridge is bare, so resort to plan B

Wotcha cock, how's your Sunday been? Another scorcher here, and they forecast more heat for another week. Well I won't be going very far then, I need to keep coming back into the house to cool down. This morning I had a big tidy up in the front garden, and filled the brown bin ready for collection tomorrow. Weeds pulled out and bushes trimmed.
Here's an update on the sunflowers. The tallest one is four feet high. Some of them have reached the top of the canes.  
I can't see many flowers emerging yet, this looks like it might develop into a bloom.
The fridge is still bare, cleared out before I went away. Not sure when I am going shopping, s'pose I had better go and buy some food soon.
In the meantime, I have got something ready for eating, in the garden. Broad beans and potatoes. The potatoes are a bit small, I won't pick any more until they have had a chance grow a bit bigger. I had a firkle through the beds and pulled a few out for my meal tonight.  
I also had a rummage through the bed where I scattered the radish, carrots, and parsnip seeds. I put far too many in and it is all a bit crowded. But surprise surprise, I have a good crop of radishes. As I eat the biggest ones it will leave room for the others to carry on growing to a decent size. .  
So this is my dinner tonight. Steamed potatoes, broad beans, and radishes, and a shop bought onion, drizzled with sesame seed oil. Deelishus.
Thank you Janet, for watering everything for me last week. Now I have something to eat. It won't be long before the courgettes are ready, then there will be runner beans as they are all in flower now. Yippeeee, cheap food picked fresh from the garden.
The credit card statement for this month has landed, and it's a whopper. The car repairs, new specs, petrol and food from Tesco, and two lots of hostel bookings. Phew, it's a good job I am frugal and have saved up for these things. It will get paid in full, as always, every month. In the meantime, I shall continue to be mean and tight, and a skinflint when it comes to my every day living expenses. It's the only way to survive. I hope you are managing to keep up with the rising cost of living, don't let it beat you.  
Toodle pip.   

20 comments:

  1. your supper looks really tasty.

    Gill in Canada

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love your sunflower plants! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I enjoyed traveling by blog with you on your holiday, it's nice to travel but also nice to get home again I always reckon.
    Your fridge looks very sad - like old mother hubbard and her cupboard!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well done you for growing all that. You rustled up a nice bit of tea with that lot.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sunflowers look fab :-) And we had broad beans and new potatoes as well tonight :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Ilona, Looks like you need a trip to the supermarket soon! Wow, your veggies from the garden look delicious. It's so nice to be able to pick your veggies right from your own garden. We have tomatoes, arugula (rocket), zucchini (corgettes?) and some green peppers. Nothing is ready yet except the arugula which we have made about 4 salads out of so far. It's more peppery than the one you buy. I love it. So fresh and just knowing that there are no chemicals used on it is really something.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your tea looks very yummy, we had salad leaves and peas straight form the garden wiht ours tonight (dont things taste so much nicer freshly picked!). Im impressed with your flowers, mine are only a piddly 6 inches tall, Im not holding my breath for much os a show his year. :o(

    ReplyDelete
  8. so Ive been following your blog for a few days now. I'm inpressed on how you manage your money.
    To be honest, I do like my little luxuries. But as I might have to be the breadwinner in a few years time (looong drawn out divorce, and with a teenage son), I think it will be good time starting getting the hang of saving money. I doubt if I ever be as frugal as you are, but every penny ( or cent, I live in The Netherlands ) saved, will be a personal victory.
    Job for tomorrow, clear out the freezer and see what kind of things I can do. Might have to take a peak at your food pics for inspiration. Just with meat added. Some stews may be?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Irene. Good idea to start preparing for when you have less money. Little changes are needed at first, but you get used to your new life after a while, then it is not so daunting. Using up all the food you have is a good idea. Eat everything, throw nothing away.

      Delete
  9. Your supper looks very tasty!
    Food costs are outrageous everywhere.
    I missed your last journey outward,
    I want to go back and enjoy your other posts.
    Your sunflowers will open any day now!
    Thanks for the uplifting post!

    ReplyDelete
  10. The sunflowers are doing really well, they'll soon flower I'm sure.
    Loved all the fresh produce that you have reaped from your garden......enjoy.
    I'm sure your cats were very happy to have you back home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Virginia. The cats were chuffed when I got back.

      Delete
  11. Your garden vegetables look fantastic. it's also been hot here (we're in the northwest part of the US - Washington) & I'm finally starting to see tomatoes & cucumber, although neither are ripe yet. And, I can't keep the birds off of my blueberries!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your sunflowers are growing great. The slugs enjoyed mine.
    Did you cook your radish? and do they become less hot when cooked?
    Carolx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Carol. I kept my sunflower plants indoors until they grew to a decent size. Then put them out in the daytime, and brought them in at night. When I planted them out I put a few slug pellets around the bottom of each one. Every night and morning I go round the garden picking up slugs and disposing of them. I have been doing this for a few months now, to minimise the effects of slug damage.

      Yes, I steam the radishes in the pan with the rest of the veg. Easier to eat and not so hot.

      Delete
  13. I could live on fresh veg from the garden...my favorite meals!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ilona, I've never heard that expression before - 'wotcha cock'. Is it local to somewhere in the UK, or am I just showing my ignorance?
    PS love the photos of first garden food. Looks tasty.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yeah. I too was wondering about cooking radishes. I've never even thought of it.
    Got plenty so might give it a go.

    ReplyDelete
  16. The sunflowers have really have a growth spurt now haven't they, looking good. I've never cooked a Radish, I 'll have to give it a go, I always just eat them raw.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi Ilona,you are a woman of substance.good post-JP from India

    ReplyDelete

Some comments will be accepted. I decide which are published.