Wednesday 2 September 2009

Drowning in veggies.

What is it with me! I seem to have the knack of opening things upside down! Of late it has been the box of matches which is opened loads of times during the day to light our camping stove in the kitchen caravan. So just now, I was thinking that we would have scones for breakfast since we are minus any bread because I haven't made any as yet today and we gobbled up the last of the loaf last night with some spoonfuls of the first batch of this season's home-made fig jam, (gorgeous!!!). Anyway, scones. Baking Powder needed. Mmmm, not much left. Not sure if our French supermarket sells it. If they do, it will be labelled in French (of course!) which will require of me some researching. Therefore need to use the remainder of the contents sparingly.

So then why do I open it upside down, sending all the contents everywhere! Fortunately some could be scooped up from the handily place recipe book over which it had fallen, just sufficient for today's needs. The rest fell over Bools, our Springer Spaniel. And how could I have opened the container upside down! That is what I am now asking myself!

And so my day makes its progression.......



I photo-shot myself by mistake and was going to delete the picture but stopped and mused about how this is actually what I am doing for a lot of my day - busy doing this, busy doing that....

And the reason why I am so busy is this lot:



..........and


So I have a problem. I have been removed from the half barn, or rather the produce has: three bags potatoes, loads of onions, wheelbarrow full of courgettes and squashes. The builders required that I remove it all because they wanted to do the floor. All is now squeezed into the awning. And it is very untidy, and not really a good platform on which to shout 'We are being self sufficient' because to be quite honest with you, it is all a muddle. The onions have been dumped on top of the piles of tomatoes, the figs are being harvested as well, and to be quite frank with you, I am getting a tad fed up with this feeling of being drowned in veggies.

I have pots and pots of chutney and jam and no where to keep them apart from The Hut which is now crammed full of food. In the middle of it all we sit working away on our computers. Hubs began complaining about an odd odour the other day. A hunt around and he found a box of six eggs which had somehow managed to fidget their way behind some paperwork and were now well past their sell-by date. Not to worry though. The temperatures are starting to slide down a bit, so I will be able to keep some of the food in the kitchen caravan soon.

And that is why I put that top photo in, because of my commute between this area, that area, and everywhere in between just to cook lunch. I tell you what, though, it is getting me fitter, and I noticed the other day that my thighs have got some emerging muscles on them! Wow! From out of the cellulite, muscle is appearing! Crikey! Never thought that would happen again in this lifetime!

And so now: lessons I have learnt: That I am a messy so and so, but that I have an excellent excuse not to fret about that at the moment because of being drowned in veggies.
That I have picked up foot speed since arriving here just over a year ago.
That I have found a new love in my life, and that is my husband as I keep on discovering new facets of him which were submerged beneath our UK lifestyle.
That I am continually discovering new facets of myself, and that's not a bad statement to make when one is sixty-two.
That I will never have the svelte shape of my sixteen year old self again, but for my age, year, and model number, I am doing OK. Hope you are to.

4 comments:

TheChicGeek said...

Oh, Vera, I so enjoyed traversing your day with you! You have such a lovely way of sharing...I love it! You certainly have a green thumb and it appears your harvest is far more than just veggies, you are experiencing so many wonderful things in your life! Good for you!

The pictures of your land surrounding you are absolutely stunning. I am glad to have discovered your blog. Thanks for visiting me too :D
Have a Beautiful Day, Vera!

Vera said...

Hi D: Glad you stopped by again and that you enjoy my words. I have fun in writing them, and they also set me thinking about myself and where I am coming from in life.
Our land is stunning, and needs much work. And one of the major blessings of being here is the work, which is shaving off the years which were starting to lay heavily on me. I have found my spirit again, and it is good to share this discovery with you. Blessings to you this day.....

DUTA said...

The two best things in your life now seem to be the discovery of your husband and the discovery of muscle. Well done!

Vera said...

Oh you're so right Duta. We can take our partners for granted so much, and it is only when life becomes testing that we realise just how much we care for them. We are batting on the same wicket, my husband and I, and I continually count my blessings for that. By the way, thankyou for your words about my Mum. She has come through her hip operation OK, and is up and about.