The Variety of a Weekend.

It is a long weekend here in NZ . For us I think it is project weekend. R is getting on with building the foundations so the container can be moved to it's final site. It's a bit warm but he loves doing this sort of thing. 8 by 2s on sturdy posts that were rammed some time ago. I did smirk to myself when he came in and said, "Don't know how that happened cause it measured it then cut it too short."   ( now  a quilter would have known; measure twice and cut once....wouldn't we? )
      I have been working on several projects. One is coming along very slowly cause I'm no typist. One of my jobs on the P and Q committee this year is being the Librarian (with M, she wants to learn ). I have done the job before 4 years ago and want to get it back on track. I still had in my computer the pages of the catalogue I had typed last time so now I am adding to that. I am deleting all the #s that have been discontinued and adding the new ones ( 60 haven't been added )  and trying to make it all consistent. I am also making a cross reference by content to a list that will help members to find books on a particular subject. It makes lots of sense to me but not to everyone ( yes teaching and good schooling all helps make some things second nature. ) We have about 600 books; magazines;  DVDs;  stencils and patterns. A wonderful resource for us all to share. I am keen that it runs smoothly and that items don't get lost or disappear. So my 4 typing fingers have been busy ( oh, how I wish I had learnt to touch type. )
   I have also been reading; gardening; cooking  (and today I hope sewing )

       About the quickest thing I can make is a batch of pikelets. ( drop scones in USA ??) Here is my recipe ( and probably yours too ) ( it's just a batter )
1 cup SR flour                                       1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
 1 large egg                                         2 tblsps of sugar
1/2 cup of sour milk ( or add tsp vinegar to fresh milk )
melt 1 tblsp of butter.

 In a bowl sift flour and soda,add sugar, make a well and break in egg, then very slowly add the milk mixing as you go. it should be a thick batter. ( if you add to much and it is thin you will have pancakes ).( the amount of milk you need depends how big the egg was ) It should just be able to slowly run off a spoon. Lastly mix in the melted butter.
 Heat a heavy bottomed pan or electric fry pan and spray on  some cooking oi., When you think it is hot enough( just drop a teaspoon full to test the heat. ) drop  the mix off the end of a tablespoon evenly around your pan( see photo ) When bubbles break through the batter and pop, turn, ( with an egg slice or similar) the pikelets over and cook the second side. Then remove from pan and lay on a cooling rack. ( in a clean tea towel if you want them to stay fresh for a while.)
 These may be eaten with all sorts of toppings, sweet or sour. They are best eaten the same day but freeze well.

 Percy Report.
   The other day I said we had found the first feather Percy Peacock had dropped. Well this morning he has just 5 long feathers left.

 Here are some of the moulted ones. ( we already had a jar full from years past.)

 He has been hanging around the house morosely ( I suppose because we are at the house not down in the orchard ). Sleeping on the deck.

 Of course he has left more than feathers...which I don't appreciate but will scrape up when dry and toss on the garden as fertiliser. I have also caught him looking in the glass ranch sliders at himself ... (thinking gosh my bum looks small like this! )

******

My patchwork friend D started Chemotherapy for a blood disorder on Thursday. I am worried how she will cope( she is too of course. ) So far she said the steroid she took on Friday kept her on a high and unable to sleep, but she is feeling okay so far. It is the beginning of a long journey. As her friend I can only be supportive,  certainly help with transport if it's ever needed, but a friend can feel rather useless at such times. She gets the same treatment next Thursday.

     **********

Goodness and sunshine in a basket. Note the one on the left has blight I think, but half was able to be used. These and any infected leaves are being taken off and burnt to stop any spread. ( the psyllid scare early in the season came to nothing I am glad to say )

 Also being harvested and eaten here are, 2 sorts of beans; courgettes; silverbeet; potatoes; lettuce; telegraph cucumbers spring onions and radishes. As there are so many avos ( from picking recently ) we are having them 3 times a day in some form ( on toast; in salads or as a starter with cottage cheese in the stone hole dribbled with a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. ) YUM! 

 Have a happy weekend Kiwis, and everyone else of course. Sorry about the snow, some of you are getting in Northern climes  - quite hard for us to visualise.