TOO MUCH WATER, LOTS OF JAM

 And I do not mean rain (as a gale outside blows eastwards and drops spatter the window). I have made the annual batch of Marmalade (recipe in previous year's blogs) but it took forever as I added far too much water and I had to boil it off. 
It is finally done - in two batches.

And I have just checked and it has set fine, not too thick, just right. Tastes okay too.

In between showers I have begun to assassinate the shrubbery at the back of the house. It should have been done two years ago and the branches are a bit big but we are going to have a huge bonfire when it is all done - flowering currant, privet, elder, wild berberis and ash.

We have loads of broccoli but after the caterpillar dare I eat it? There is some in the kitchen submerged in salty water to try and drive out any creepies.

The garden is a carpet of snowdrops and R's yearly job of dividing and replanting is working - a delight. The hellebore by the shed is in flower.

The small shed is leaking all over my son's stored boxes. The felt on the roof is shot at. Time to inspect - and sort out the contents. Anyway we need the rails for our clothes when we move out of our dressing room for the builders and they are in there. I have put a big plastic sheet over it and weighed it down with bricks and logs.

 The building goes on and we have roof to the left of the house where the new stuff (most of it) will be. 
Then we can get our privacy back, though, I have to say, the builders have been fine.


The vegetation in the pond, as you can see, has sunk into the depths shallows and we have a good reflection. The grass is a bit shaggy but it is midwinter.

One thing with the building was access and so they laid a line of sheets of wood around the path below the house - this we have now got back, a bit battered and, in some places, the grass has gone - but it will recover (I hope).

So now for a cold spell and these daffs in bud will go into suspended development. 

But before that there is the broccoli with roasted chicken for dinner . . . I shall be inspecting every floret intensely before swallowing (let alone biting) it. The last thing I want is to find half a creature on my plate.

Got the bug, now made plum jam - 4lb plums, 4lb sugar, 3/4 pint water etc etc. (4lb approx = to 2 Kg.)(3/4 pint approx = to 1/3 litre.)
Using old frozen Victoria plums, let them thaw then the stones come out easily but nick the fruit with a knife. If you squeeze them they pop and spray you with plum juice. Less than the faff of removing them from the cooking jam. (Rather like the word faff.)