It's HERE if you would like to re-read.
What I didn't find last year was this illustration from one of the books that I love and often use on the blog (The Illustrated Country Year by Celia Lewis)
So if you spot any Hazelnuts on the ground that have been nibbled you know who to blame.
My Hazel in the garden is loaded this year, I've been picking a few to eat fresh, no sign of squirrels this year..............so far. I looked up storing them but they need to be ripe, trouble is then they fall off. I'm going to try roasting a few in their shells or maybe freezing them just to see what happens.
Thank you to everyone for lovely comments on Saturdays post. Because we didn't celebrate anniversaries only the children knew it would have been out 40th, and they were all working or away so it was a quiet day. But it was OK, all my days are quiet days now.
And latest news on the Branston Pickle............... Yes they do use caramel as a colouring, so homemade would never be so dark a colour as the factory made.
Back Tomorrow
Sue
I bought a bottle of caramel quite cheaply in a supermarket in France, ages ago. Being sugar, it lasts for years. Perhaps a spoonful of tamarind paste (from sainsbury's) would add colour. They use tamarind in HP sauce.
ReplyDeleteHer illustrations are just so attractive, aren't they.
ReplyDeleteOn my country walk yesterday, I noticed acorns and conkers on the ground and came home with blackberries and damsons. It's such a fruitful time of the year
Pleased your weekend went by okay. My damson tree is laden this year, I have had a few with custard and must pick them soon. Weather looks unsettled today. My GS and girlfriend came yesterday for a surprise visit so I got him to move a couple of big pots, I did a lot in the garden so the pots are looking very tiny.
ReplyDeleteHazel c uk
My grass (can't call it a lawn) is covered in hazel nuts this year. There's a very busy squirrel out there and I keep finding holes all over the garden. I'm also finding tiny hazel seedlings in the flower beds. If I'm lucky, I get them out with the nut still attached to the base of the root. If unlucky, I fear they will shoot again. When you look closely at hazel nuts, they're really lovely, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteno hazel nuts anywhere around these parts as I know of. Plenty of sweet chestnuts and the squirrels home in on them.
ReplyDeleteWe had a hazel tree in the garden of our last house....never got a single nut off it as the squirrels (there were several there, although strangely we have no squirrels at all here) always got there first.
ReplyDeleteOh Sue.....the illustrations in your book are just beautiful. I'm going to have to find myself a copy of the book as Ruby would love it.
ReplyDeleteHugs-x-
Such beautiful illustrations. I love hazel nuts, they always remind me of Christmas as a child as there'd always be a tray of them laid out with the nutcrackers.
ReplyDeleteOur hazel bush is by the lounge window and seemed to have a good crop. The squirrel has kept us highly entertained this week with his acrobatics as he tries to steal them all - and swears at the cats if they dare to come anywhere near. I've also spotted several little hazel seedlings, fortunately in plant pots rather than the grass, but I'm worried the neighbours might find their lawn transformed into woodland next year. Hey ho.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get a goodly amount of hazel nuts this year.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
You can buy caramel syrup beside the coffee in supermarkets. Not sure if it's the same thing, but maybe worth a look.
ReplyDelete