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!

@piscofrisco we used to be troubled with nowt but field mice here decades ago, but the rats are now a major issue. I had the unfortunate problem of them getting in my loft last January. The farm and stables near me have a lot of feral cats which seem to keep on top of them. When I worked at the seaside restaurant I'd see them every morning as I opened up. Bloody nightmare as, like you say, they are incredibly brazen.

@AgathaMystery I had need to visit Sainsbury's today so decided to have a good sniff of the Habitat candles. I think my senses must still be dulled post-virus as I could barely smell any of them, but the tomato one was the best. There's lots of offers on at the moment. I've also somehow happened across a new candle brand. Shetland soap company. They employ people with learning disabilities and Autism, and I must admit, their scents sound very intriguing.

Trying to build up the energy to go outside and check the skies. I also hope to open a book tomorrow (one of Nigel's preferably) Still feeling a tad feeble.

Went to flower arranging this evening. And the talk was from a chap who owns a local nursery which deals with succulents and palm trees. Really interesting. And has made me want to know about succulents.

@RainbowZebraWarrior no sky dancers here but we have a bit of light pollution and I am simply too tired to go walk to the middle of a reasonably nearby field. Glad you’re feeling a bit better and huzzah to dd!

@piscofrisco definitely a few dogs needed, really not my favourite creature at all.

@AgathaMystery I am now craving a visit to sainos and their candle section.

@CrushingOnRubies succulents are so lovely. Our big bus station has a green roof which may well be some sort of succulent amongst other low profile plants. Dh was genuinely surprised yesterday as when we drove past, he asked me how they managed to mow the roof, thinking it was grass.

There are Dogs. They are rubbish at rat catching it turns out. I’ve taken to bashing all the feed stacks with a shovel before I open them just in case!
Im woefully short of candles. Our Aldi seems to have stopped selling them for some reason and I’ve had no time for a TK run. Will remedy this weekend. The said might try a Sainsbury’s trip later as their range sounds promising

@Bimblesalong the lights kicked off massively here last night, but I didn't have the energy either. Tbh, there was a brief show at 8ish which I saw a little of from the back door, but then the rest happened between midnight and 2am, so way too late anyway. Nice to see all the beautiful photos on my NE Aurora feed this morning though and I was able to lie in bed and watch a bit on the Shetland cameras.

Here's a pic from Shetlands show.

@CrushingOnRubies my best friend is a succulent collector, she has hundreds of them. Obviously as they produce copious amounts of babies, so she's forever potting them on and has benches full in her grrenhouse. They are the best value as you get so many plants for free she always says. I get photos sent to me all the time and she recently acquired a rare one. She potted some up in a trough for me last year and I spotted them in the front garden yesterday not looking too happy. Best I ask her advice I think (she always says they are impossible to kill!)

I got some of my Sarah Raven Dahlia tubers yesterday. I don't have it in me to pot up 12 of the buggers so I'd best get on to the gardener. Thankfully the rest are arriving already potted in May.

@RainbowZebraWarrior my missing one arrived yesterday so I’ll pot that soon. I also have last year’s in store in the shed - think I went large on the extra ordering!

ds2 and dh are doing a good job on building my raised beds so all should be ready for the potted up plants arriving in May. We’ve also refurbished my cold frame so I have somewhere a little sheltered for other things.

I got the impression that they’re pretty hardy. And can cope with temperatures down to -1. But they do bounce back. They like spring and autumn seasons best.

I bought my late husband a set of a dozen during lockdown. I've now got about 100 of the little blighters, and I don't even like them much! I only keep them out of sentiment. They're in planters outside, and I just ignore them.

Evening all, I have been reading the thread muttering “must not buy more candles” because I rarely light them due to having cats and due to never sitting in one room for long enough (I am an evening potterer). But I couldn’t resist today, I went on a long-ish drive that I do regularly, there is a garden centre part way which I often stop at for a coffee and to use the loo. Well, they had a stand of Arran toiletries and candles, which I love, so one of my favourite fragranced candles fell into my basket, After The Rain, I have been using the fragrance for years and it is gorgeous. Oh well!

They are saying it will be a good night for aurora but it’s cloudy here, I will keep trying till bedtime but I could do with an early night after all the driving.

@EarlierDistraction I love After The Rain (I think they used to be called Arran Aromatics) and Fenwick used to sell them. They were possibly the first candles and aromatherapy things I ever bought 25 or 30 years ago.

The Aurora forecast tonight is / was brilliant in all areas apart from the Bz (the wind that brings it more southerly) I've been out looking for far too long and it's just not happening so I'm calling it a night.

It’s such a lovely clear night here and the kp of 6 is just unfair without that wind.

We’ve been out to the posh garden centre and the chaps have got on a bit more with the raised bed project. It’s been a beautiful bright day. I’ve planted some violas up in vintage tea cups. Nvn probably, too twee but I’m enjoy the Country Living aspect.

Yes, Arran Aromatics, I've still got some handcream with that name. Just dug out my After the Rain fragrance, I have a bit of a fragrance shopping habit and limited dresser space so I tend to wear one for a couple of weeks and then rotate. I often find mainstream fragrances (department store types, Chanel etc) too strong and favour more inexpensive eau de toilettes from M&S, Crabtree &Evelyn, L'occitane etc so I feel justified in my spending 😀

Morning all. Is it not Friday yet?

I woke up with beautiful sunshine, but it's gone dull, cold and windy now.

20% off your first purchase online with Arran Sense of Scotland I see @EarlierDistraction if and when you need to replace that fragrance. I think I got a bargain gift set in the January sales back in the 90s, but never seen their stuff anywhere recently.

Our farmer has been ploughing the fields for the past couple of nights so I'm wondering what we are getting. One field is usually given over to hay / silage and the other is usually wheat or rapeseed. I have a feeling he may be plating beans as green manure as I think they get incentives for this. He turned over another field or two to meadow a few years ago.

@Bimblesalong that viola colour perfectly matches the teacup. How lovely. I have a thing for vintage China and used to snap up whole sets from the charity shop when I saw them. They were displayed on my Welsh dresser, but I got heartily sick of cleaning them. I have this lovely nigella pattern one that I might dig out.

I enjoyed some real food last night. Just some fairly plain macaroni cheese, but gosh it was nice to be able to enjoy something. I must get in touch with my Maltese neighbour today. She messaged me at the weekend saying she'd made too much kidifi and did I want some. As I was poorly I said thank you but no. I now want to know what kidifi is / are as Google isn't helping me. I've had her stuffed vine leaves before and they are divine. She also makes a spaghetti sauce where its traditional to cook the onions until blackened. I'm still not so sure about that one.

Oh, and I was presented with a bag full of goodies by my Dad yesterday. His pal has made loads of silicone moulds and wanted me to have them. There's Buddhas, frogs, mushrooms, Christmas trees and allsorts. DD is super excited to use them to make soaps for all her new pals, so I'm going to get all the ingredients and utensils out ready for after school.

Has anyone had any seeds start to germinate yet? I feel I'll be waiting a while as most of what I planted needs 17 degrees.

Just gone through my Bookcase and found this (unused) hiding among the gardening books. Obviously the diary element is a bit useless now - though I might use it to note timings of blooms etc - but there are some lovely recipes and handy tips.

That's a lovely picture, too.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I’ve got a few seeds up - just cucumbers and tomatoes. They were in a heated propagator though so that feels a bit like cheating. (Said propagator is very small so I have to do a few at a time, then once they germinate I move them out and into the cold frame and put another couple in).

My Dad's tomato plants are already doing well @SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense but he goes through a convoluted process of putting them in the conservatory by day, then putting them on top of the kitchen cabinets each night from late January. He's done this for 40+ years and I think it would be cheaper to actually buy them, however, I buy him some amazing heritage seed varieties that you can't find in the shops so I secretly love the whole anticipation of it all.

How's everyone doing? I'm utterly shattered. Been shopping with DD after school then she wanted to make soaps for all her new pals. Was just making dinner when I got a call to say my uncle had passed away. He was admitted to hospital two days ago with pneumonia and wasn't responding to treatment, so it was somewhat expected. We've always said his life was a total miracle (and read like a Catherine Cookson novel) as he was born in 1938 at a touch over 1lb. My Aunt didn't know she was pregnant and had to make a bed for him out of a drawer. He was a millionaire in the early 1970's and brought us a video player back from the US when nobody had even heard of them. He lost the lot due to some very unwise decisions and giving lavish gifts to people he thought were friends. I realise now that he was likely Neurodivergent. Anyway, he was a colourful character with a hell of a life story.

I’m sorry for your loss @RainbowZebraWarrior . He sounds like a character

Very sorry to hear this, @RainbowZebraWarrior what a character and story. We’ve had a tragic loss in our family this week.

Glad to hear that things are going well for DD. Children are wonderful and also exhausting at any age.

Thanks and so sorry to hear of your tragic loss @Bimblesalong x

Lots of love to you @Bimblesalong & to you too RZW. A life well lived x

I’m sorry to hear about your losses @RainbowZebraWarrior and @Bimblesalong . We have lost one of DH’s uncles this week too, they weren’t close (his wife was a difficult person to say the least) and he was 90 and unwell but it is sad for their family.

I am having a coffee and breakfast muffin in the local Spoons (NVN) while catching up with my diary and emails, I like it in here in daytime, lots of happy chatter, bright and sunny, comfy seats and very cheap. Gets a bit rowdy in the evenings though.

Thanks @EarlierDistraction gosh I haven't been in a Spoons for ages. Used to regularly grab a breakfast there in a comfy booth. Ours in Whitley Bay is an old fire station and has some proper characters in there. Speaking of our town centre, we had a browse around the boutiques and gift shops yesterday after school and I bought some rather lovely wool socks and erm, some candles and wax melts.

Oh, for anyone who loves WC Winter, they have the tealights with 50% off (plus other fragrances) Some of it is store dependent and there was nowt left up here, but plenty in Southern England stores.

My lobelia are sprouting! (that sounded a bit wrong) I'm over the moon as seeds can be rather hit and miss and there's nowt worse than watering stuff for weeks on end to no end result.

I'm also going to have to try and get these SR Dahlia tubers in sharpish. They are massive and I'm having to rethink the pots they are going in.

The tonsillitis that never really went away due to having to abandon the meds has now turned to laryngitis so I am languishing on my bed mostly today. Going to watch Toast with DD this evening and order a takeaway. For now, I am going to select a new Audible title. Think I'm going for Ken Smith The Way of The Hermit.

Thanks guys. Making the most of the good things.

I have had a splurge of planting up violas in teacups and putting them around the house. Their little faces are very cheery. Must remember to keep an eye on them water wise.

I need to get the stored dahlias out of the shed and pot those too but have probably run out of pots. Too addicted. My Sarah Raven ones were between huge and tiny so we will see what will happen. The Farmer Gracey ones seemed extra dry, hopefully the earlier planting will enable them to hydrate and get going.