The sun appeared this weekend and, after several false starts In February, it looks like spring is now here. I spent most of the weekend working in the garden. However, whilst on the computer Beeps, huntress extraordinaire that she is, brought this field mouse in to show me. He was a devil to catch - it took a cunning plan and most of the day to get him trapped before I went and hid him in the long grass outside so sneaky cats couldn't find him again.
Also making an appearance this weekend was this little fellow. Salamanders are fairly common in Asturias, although they hide in dank, dark places so you don't see them that often. I've found them before, on our drive, coming back from work at night, but this is the first time I'd caught one in daylight when I lifted the bucket he was hiding behind.
And while digging the potato patch - it's almost there - I was kept company by the lambs frolicking in the field next door and then head-butting their mum when they fancied a drink. There are lambs everywhere you look at the moment; I have trouble concentrating on the road when I drive down to work as every other field is full of them and they're so cute to watch.
Despite the potato patch still not being finished - we have until 19th March to get the potatoes in, the traditional day for planting here (it's also St. Josephs day/Father's day - you can tell we're in a Catholic country) - we're not doing too badly in general. The peas and garlics are going great guns, the onions have started to appear and we've got the parsnips and broads in too.
As I child used to loathe broad beans - the big, grey sort that my dad used to eat with a horrible tough shell that always stuck to the roof of your mouth. Now, having experienced them young, tender and freshly picked - as they should be (sorry dad!) they're one of my favourites. Hopefully the parsnips will do better this year than last. They seemed to be doing fine, but when we came to dig them up most of the lower part of the root had been munched by some unknown beast. This was particularly disappointing as parsnips are not usually sold in Spain - the locals have no idea what they are. We have our fingers crossed.
Also making an appearance this weekend was this little fellow. Salamanders are fairly common in Asturias, although they hide in dank, dark places so you don't see them that often. I've found them before, on our drive, coming back from work at night, but this is the first time I'd caught one in daylight when I lifted the bucket he was hiding behind.
And while digging the potato patch - it's almost there - I was kept company by the lambs frolicking in the field next door and then head-butting their mum when they fancied a drink. There are lambs everywhere you look at the moment; I have trouble concentrating on the road when I drive down to work as every other field is full of them and they're so cute to watch.
Despite the potato patch still not being finished - we have until 19th March to get the potatoes in, the traditional day for planting here (it's also St. Josephs day/Father's day - you can tell we're in a Catholic country) - we're not doing too badly in general. The peas and garlics are going great guns, the onions have started to appear and we've got the parsnips and broads in too.
As I child used to loathe broad beans - the big, grey sort that my dad used to eat with a horrible tough shell that always stuck to the roof of your mouth. Now, having experienced them young, tender and freshly picked - as they should be (sorry dad!) they're one of my favourites. Hopefully the parsnips will do better this year than last. They seemed to be doing fine, but when we came to dig them up most of the lower part of the root had been munched by some unknown beast. This was particularly disappointing as parsnips are not usually sold in Spain - the locals have no idea what they are. We have our fingers crossed.
2 comments:
I too loath broad beans and know what you mean by your childhood experiences. I know that Jamie Oliver said in his latest series that broad beans should be eaten young and green so I must keep that in mind if I ever have them again...
Absolutely. But even if they are big you can always remove the tough skin and just eat the tender inside part. They're still yummy that way.
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