Something Funny Is Going On

Something funny is going on in my garden. This is not normal.

Sweet peas flower in Spring not Autumn - these are self sown from last year and I do not think they will survive Winter. My friend Barbara gave me the seeds a couple of years ago and some of the seed pods must have dropped onto the ground.

Barbara is a friend from my knitting group, she has a similar sense of humour and a quick wit. We often share a joke or two and sometimes she sends me a cartoon  from the newspaper. Like these by Judy Horacek.

This sums it up perfectly!
















 and because she knows how much I like Winter.






Whilst not a cat lover herself, Barbara understands my passion and made this brooch for me.

 A fellow cook and foodie we swap produce from our gardens and preserves.

I am on to the second jar of Barbara's Prunes in Port.  I try to ration them - just two or three with some of my sour brown sugar cream. The sour cream cuts through the richness of the prunes. I often serve this cream with brandied fruit such as these Brandied Cherries or Slowly Roasted Quinces.

Sour Brown Sugar Cream

1 container of Light Sour Cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon* dark brown sugar

Mix ingredients together. I like to put the cream back in the fridge for half an hour or so to make sure that all the sugar has dissolved and then I mix it again.

*Adjust the amount of sugar to suit your taste.