The Year Round Nigel Slater Discussion thread

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello, all.

The Nigel Slater Christmas Chronicles readalong usually takes place here between November and February each year (the Christmas Chronicles being a book written by Nigel Slater full of winter recipes and anecdotes) It's been running for a few years, and the contributors have collectively decided it would be nice to have it running all year round.

So here it is. It is a place to appreciate all things Nigel-esque. Think seasonal food and recipes, enjoyment of nature, sharing of news and small moments of joy. It's a calm, cosy space for gentle chat and merriment so pull up a chair, grab a cuppa and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

Great news @AgathaMystery well done you!

Fantastic news @AgathaMystery and well done you! I'm a fan of the Habitat range and have their Morning Coffee room spray and fragrance oil. Bonus that they are regularly on offer.

Lovely tête a têtes @CrushingOnRubies they are my favourite of all the spring bulbs. I'm waiting patiently for my tulips to come into flower. I planted some deep purple and orange arrangements in tubs a couple of years ago and love the combo. The year round secret santa sounds lovely.

That tree bark looks amazing @Willow12345ai don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it.

Struggling a bit to type as we've just got in after one of DDs specialist Personal Training sessions and Mr D is not happy that we Left Him Alone so he is trying to sit on my hands qnd then my head alternately

Hope everyone is well this evening.

@RainbowZebraWarrior my mum does something similar with Narcissi and purple crocus in a raised bed and the effect is gorgeous.

That sounds gorgeous. My purple crocus are out in force currently and for the first time (they were planted around 13 years ago) one has popped up with a purple centre and a white outer. I've also just realised that my grape hyacinths haven't appeared yet, so I might have to clear some of the ground. The back garden is full of the beginnings of bluebells. Unfortunately they are the Spanish sort and were here before I moved in. Fruit trees are very late budding this year, but the roses have put on good growth already.

@Bimblesalong I meant to mention that I looked up the music that you recently said you'd bought on vinyl. It's fabulous! Mine was a little more mainstream. Sam Fender (a lad local to me) They were playing this album when I was in HMV, and everyone was saying they could imagine this last track as the soundtrack to the next John Lewis Christmas ad. It's called Remember my name and is a song he wrote about his late grandparents. It's stunning and remimds me of something of our old local North Eastern folk music mixed with Joni Mitchell and a bit of a church vibe. I've posted a link here for anyone who might be interested.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uaQm48G6IjY

Great news @AgathaMystery 😀

I see what you mean about the JL advert possibility @RainbowZebraWarrior , very northern and gritty.
I have all the early Joni albums on vinyl and also original Kate Bush albums. These are supplemented by many Pink Floyd and classical albums. Dad has a terrific collection back at home and also a wall full of musical scores. We are not quite sure what will happen to these. Whilst we kids will take some favourites there is a lot to house.

Planted up a bare root giant head hydrangea today. The dahlias will have to wait longer until the ground and air are warmer. My farmer Gracey ones have arrived but I’m still waiting on my Sarah raven ones. We need to clear the veg garden and to put in raised beds for the cutting flowers. My friend in Spain has sent me meadow flower seeds for the shadier end which I’ll sow as soon as the ground is clear and a little warmer.

I'm taking dd2 to see Sam Fender in June for her birthday.
Humph don't talk to me about spring bulbs. I planted 200 Daffs in October. They were coming up a treat. Been out today and nearly all of them have now had their buds chewed off by something. I suspect the squirrel. I'm livid!

@piscofrisco for reasons I don't understand, my brain has decided to 'gift' me the earworm of 'I suspect the squirrel' to the tune of 'I predict a riot'. Gah.

Bahaha. And now I also have it!

I am SO sorry.

@piscofrisco an upside here to having zero chickens for the first time in years is I’m seeing what spring flowers I do have. Previously they’ve been nibbled on like some expensive breakfast buffet.

Yeah to picc free @Bimblesalong

Many congrats to @AgathaMystery for job offer and @RainbowZebraWarrior for job well done and assertive emailing 💪

Loving the spring weather although it's raining tonight but not cold which is nice. Thinking about holiday to somewhere not too hot, maybe some lakes and mountains.

Congratulations on the job success @AgathaMystery .

@RainbowZebraWarrior you have fabulous assertive emailing skills!

What wonderful tree bark @Willow12345 . Such gorgeous texture!

I had a lovely day today. I've had flyers printed with the dates for all the antiques fairs I'm running this year. So today was spent visiting all the campsites / tourist info places / village noticeboards in the area to drop them off. It was so nice to tour round the area, it didn't feel like work at all. And I stopped at a lovely arty place for coffee and a spot of lunch. Locally it's a bit of a divisive place, but I love it.

Just been out wandering the front garden looking for any signs of grape hyacinths (none) and found myself singing 'I suspect a squirrel, I suspect a squirrel'

Overcast and chilly here with a watery sun trying to break through the cloud.

We usually have lots of grape hyacinths in the garden, but none have appeared this year - a mystery.

A mystery indeed. I shall check my parents garden as they usually have dozens that grow in their dry stone wall crevices.

I've spent a delicious hour in the garden. I honestly can't remember when I last had the energy to do that 😊 I heard so many birds despite the fact that the arse who lives at the back of me cut two trees down last year that were regularly used for nesting My beloved Lapwings are back, and I'm hearing so many more water birds now that parts of the local farmland is perma flooded. I must remember to keep on top of hand cream now that its gardening sesson, and treat myself to decent new gardening gloves. I am a sod for leaving them outside. Ruddy brain fog!

I also had this little fella keeping me company as I picked up leaves.

I have a few grape hyacinths but I cheated and bought them in pots from the garden centre - filling in the blank spaces scratched up by the chooks over the last few years. I’m hoping they will naturalise and spread.

I made my first comment on here at the end of February and haven't been back since as I've been laid low by a chest infection. But today I've been able to focus long enough to catch up on all the posts since. Much love and well wishes sent to those of you dealing with difficult things. You're all doing really well.

I've loved all the photos. Truly. When I've the energy, I'll try to take and add a few of my own.

I've also very much enjoyed the artwork, lambs, travel photos, pets and food talk, and have been looking up Cranks recipes. How have I never come across this deliciousness before? How? I think I need one of their cookbooks. And Homity pie. I definitely need that.

Sorry to hear you've been so poorly @PumpkinPatchScarecrow but pleased to hear you're now on the mend.

Good to hear that you’re on the mend @PumpkinPatchScarecrow ans glad the thread has been uplifting.

Aurora KP looks good from the weekend: 4-5, going on for a few days. We are heading to the 11 year peak at the end of March, so I’m hopeful of another sighting this year.

Yes, the geomagnetic activity is certainly there @Bimblesalong we just need a sustained elevated solar wind and the bz in the right direction. Plus of course clear skies. Skies here now are cloudy, but looking North from Shetland earlier was clear as a bell, so they might be in with a great chance tonight. They had 10 nights on the bounce recently! Clear skies forecast here for Saturday and Sunday night, so fingers crossed. I get a daily update from my Aurora watch North East group leader at 6pm, so I am eagerly awaiting.

Theres a lot of speculation around solar maximum at the moment. It is only an estimate that can only truly be known when it is looked back at in retrospect, and there's a lot of misinformation in the press declaring certain specific dates. The peak could be more like July and possibly into 2026. I read an interesting article on Space.com recently (usually highly accurate, although awful for Ads) which linked directly to a NASA conference on the subject. I'll see if I can dig it up.

One thing is for sure, I'll be very happy if we get another display like the one we got last May. Makes standing around every night on freezing cold nights absolutely worth it.

Grape hyacinths are just starting here

Here's that article about solar maximum if anyone wishes to read. (Don't blame you if you don't)

https://www.space.com/what-is-solar-maximum-and-when-will-it-happen

Also, the beautiful view North from Shetland (Burrafirth) right now. They had rain and cloud yesterday, which we have now in NE England now.

Forgot the pic

A lovely day again here today. Everyone in shirt sleeves on the farm, all 20 co farmers wedding the kitchen garden, very peacefully (for a time anyway, some of them got a bit fractious in the end). It felt almost monastic with us all hoeing away in the sun listening to the birds singing. Joyful.
Home to two tired and grumpy DSS's, a tired and grumpy Dh, a tired DD1 and a DD2 needing lifts at all hours. I wish I'd stayed at work .

Found today that my week long residential for my masters in summer willl be at Warwick uni. As a castle enthusiast this could not be better for me!!

A happy Friday to all. Hope you get some aurora action those that are well placed for it.

Well, I went into the shop that sells St Eval candles for a sniff. didn’t buy any, the tomato leaf one was startlingly realistic though. Ended up coming out with a load of beaded bracelets and some hairbands instead.