Year round Nigel Slater discussion thread Part 2

[RainbowZebraWarrior]

Hello, all and welcome to this lovely space for our continued chats.

A bit of background for anyone not familiar with this topic:

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, gardening, appreciation of the weather, and sharing of news and small moments of joy. It's a calm, cosy space for gentle chat and merriment so pull up a deckchair, grab a drink and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

Figgy maybe?

Thank you all for candle suggestions. I have ordered a couple from St Eval and got the jasmine one from Aldi which was suggested as well. Lovely scent. I normally get my candles from TK Max…they have some great options. I have also been pleasantly surprised with the reed diffusers from Aldi. I’ve gone through quite a few of the lime, basil and mandarin ones, such a great scent. I didn’t know they were dupes of more high end brands. The only other brand that has this name is Jo Malone and now I might buy the real thing and see if it’s worth the money 😀

I didn’t realise there was an advent calendar with candles, what a treat! I don’t like the chocolate calendars so I’m always after a good alternative. I got a tea one last year which was really nice. Oh I’m so ready for autumn and the festive season.

Piletka; I got my SIL a Bonne Maman calendar as a Christmas present last year, and she was very pleased with it. They do some unusual flavours. This is the link to the UK one; there's also a slightly different US one, as I don't know where you live.www.bonnemaman.co.uk/advent

Ooj, the design looks rather enchanting this year. I think if you pre-ordered it last year you got an extra couple of freebies. A jam knife and an extra jam, iirc. Looks like this year's comes with a festive jar of chocolate spread. Gosh, I'm tempted, but I've already ordered the Anthropologie advent (which is on its way already) and I'm holding out for the JL candle one if they do it. This was last years @Piletka Wasn't cheap at £99, but represents excellent value for money.

Hi @PandoraSocks , 🙂hope they're rewarding pay days.

@RainbowZebraWarrior That's a fun looking cupboard.

@Piletka The solution to candles vs cost here, is make your own. You can go a long way on a NVN budget with soy wax, essential oils, and jars, and build up collection of oils slowly.

Hanging onto the last of summer here still. But it will turn any day. Leaves just beginning to fall, but also still have lots of tiny moth caterpillars still descending on threads unusually late.

Lots of preserving going on, both from what's left of original garden and from lots of pots. A few plum trees and lavender and rosemary survived and have thrived and we have a huge glut of plums, and pots of strawberries that have done really well. and a fair crop of chilies. But apart from a lot of smoked mushroom slices on kebab sticks in the freezer it's all fruit . Veg has been eaten as we go or batch 'chutnied' to be added into proper chutney's later.

London has odd patches with their own micro climates, and we actually have a few avocado and lemon trees. Normally not enough continuous sunshine to produce much fully ripe fruit, but this year they've flourished in the heatwave and produced large amounts. Waiting on the more local collectors to have finished, then fingers crossed, hoping to get a look in on the out of reach ones with an extendable mistletoe pole.🙂Frozen guacamole ingredients if successful and plum guacamole if not.

Photo's aren't great quality, and span over last couple of weeks to yesterday's Jersey Tiger Moth.
Butterfly menage a trois accompanied a whole afternoon. Late fledged, very hot, young robin, (aprox 9 weeks) and happy visitor at 'emergency cool down station.' (AKA buckets of wet sand and mud, & water containers set up in shade)

Passion fruit are ripening nicely. First year that the plant has produced any fruit. Not sure if they will be edible or not.

starting to feel a bit autumnal but woken up to beautiful sunshine so going to make the most of it whilst it lasts.

It was quite chilly in Brighton this morning (12 degrees according to the weather report) but turned hotter as the day went on.

Phew! Busy day here, but a beautiful early Autumn afternoon. The day started cool with showers and temps a bit like Brighton by the sounds of it @sueelleker

It hit a heady 17 degrees by 3pm and we enjoyed a walk in the woods with our lovely cocker spaniel Belle, followed by a turn around the Nature reserve at Whitley Bay. Saw a Western Marsh Harrier at the reserve which is always a treat. DD and the dog had to tear me and my binoculars away in the end. Pleased she did as I'm rather aching now.

I was really surprised to see how many leaves were falling in the woods. One of the horse chestnut trees had lost more than half it's leaves already. A sign of the hot, dry Spring and Summer we've had I guess. There were also cyclamen popping up under the tree canopy and squirrels jumping from tree to tree collecting acorns.

Just before we left the Nature reserve, there were starling murmurations. That's definitely the earliest point in the year that I've seen this.

I have flowers on my Eringyum in it's first year which I'm really chuffed with and my smallest apple tree is laden. I'm waiting a bit longer before I harvest as I just love seeing them on the tree. It's the only fruit tree I have in my front garden and it's lovely to come home to.

@CrushingOnRubies loving your passion fruits! My parents have a passion vine and the flowers are so beautiful that my mother used to freeze them. We've never had fruits this far North though.

@EphemeraleEudemonia Loving your updates as always. I have some big, fat Elephant Hawk moth caterpillars in my garden as usual. They seem to favour the gravel near my back door, and I'm just watching one now, which is turning itself inside out, making a chrysalis. Agree about trying to make your own candles as you've recommended to @Piletka and we have a good stock already, although they will hopefully all be sold at our village Scarecrow Festival in three weeks time. DD has developed a love of Lavender oil, though, so we are going to make some just for us.

Some pics from our day. Didn't manage to capture the Marsh Harrier as he's too fast for me!

Wouldn't let me add more pics due to size, so trying again.

@RainbowZebraWarriornot sure why we had passionfruit this year. Not sure it is because it has matured enough now or if the dry weather has helped. What does your mum do with flowers once she has frozen them??

Well if my Apricot tree is anything to go by, I reckon it's down to lack or frost / warm Spring and Summers. She just keeps them in a tupperware tub in the freezer to admire their beauty at their peak. They really are the most beautiful flowers. My Apricot tree only fruited once during the warm Spring of 2007.

Meant to reply to this the other day. I've not bought from Dojo before, but there seems to be a sign up discount and the website also says free UK delivery if you buy a candle.

Woke up this morning pondering if Nigel is busy writing a new book. It's been a year since the last one. Wouldn't it be marvellous if this time next year we had a Christmas Chronicles Volume 2?

Just an idea, Nigel, if you're reading and hadn't started it already..

Yes please, Nigel, that would be wonderful!

Hi everyone, it's been a while, but I've spent the morning catching up, which has been a treat to see everyone's pictures, read the ramblings.

I found myself back in England at the start of August, for the first time in about 12 years! Mum is ill, so I spent a few days with her and took 5 year DD too. It was an experience!

Autumn has arrived here in the mountains, the first snow (although not proper snow) fell yesterday morning and it's quite cold now.

I'm very happy because it's mushroom season so we will be out today hunting for chanterelle and also blueberries. I found some two weeks ago, but now we've had some more rain, they should be peeping through the moss a little higher today.

Someone was talking about a hare up thread, yesterday morning I had a beautiful visiting Arctic hare outside my office. He is still brown and quite young, but I was able to get a picture.

Happy weekend!

@IngenTingsorry to hear about your mum being ill. I can imagine England has changed loads in 12 years. When you live here it’s a gradual change. Beautiful pictures. Seems bizarre that snow is falling already in Norway it’s 20 degrees where I am today.

very excited Søstrene Grene has opened in Exeter. Bit of a trek from where I am but doable for a day of shopping. Off to plan a trip.

Lovely to hear from you @IngenTing but sorry to hear that your Mum is ill. I did actually think about you yesterday and meant to tag you in my long post. I always wonder how your seasons are faring compared to the rest of us who (I think) are largely in the UK and Europe. Beautiful photo of your lovely hare too ❤️

It's so chilly here and also noticeably darker. I went out to water the garden late-ish and all my solar lights had kicked in. I've not seen them on since April. Nice to see that they are still working I guess, but the foghorn sounding from the river mouth at the same time really made me think of 'Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness' (I probably say this every year!)

Ran out of time to post yesterday as well, so running through swiftly this morning.

@IngenTing Sorry your Mum is unwell. As always lovely pics and post. Gorgeous hare.

@CrushingOnRubies Lovely passion fruit!

@RainbowZebraWarrior Feeling slightly guilty saying it's 22 degrees already here, and rising, and we have a fan going. Tommorow expected to hit 27.
Particularly elegant hornet mimicking hover fly enjoying the laburnum, and strawberry crop heading towards being Frangoli.

I brought a reed diffuser from Lidl woodsage & sea salt scent. Smell is lovely if subtle, which prefer tbh

That hare is a very handsome chap @IngenTing . And I'm so sorry to hear that your mum is not well.

@CrushingOnRubies I was excited to hear about Sostrene Grene opening in Exeter too. I feel an expedition coming on! I used to take my late father Xmas shopping in Exeter every year. And every year at some point in the day I would manage to lose him. I got to the point where the rest of the family were laying bets on when it would be!
Today's expedition is nearer home to Dunster to put signage for next weekends antiques fair. I feel tea and cake might be in order!

What a fine fellow @IngenTing I hope your mum is doing better, sorry to hear she is ill.
Delicious pictures @EphemeraleEudemonia Gardens and hedgerows are yielding bounty.

@RainbowZebraWarrior I like the sound of the JL candle advent. Please give a heads up if they do it again this year. I went into white co today to see what was coming in and they are featuring the fireside candle, which has a lovely smoky smell. The Winter one is my forever fave, however.

I meant to call at Lidl this morning after our usual market capers but was too tired. I'll be making a detour tomorrow though as I'm guessing that's a dupe for Jo Malone Woodsage and Seasalt. I also have my eye on an advent calendar this year that has a 50ml bottle of that very Jo Malone perfume in it.

@Bimblesalong I'll let you know the minute I hear anything about JL Home fragrance / candle advent. I think it was early October last year. I've just found the fireside candle in last years WC advent as I've had to clear it out for DD to apparently refill for me with precious things (mostly jewellery and crystals I suspect from our favourite market stall trader who retires in 4 weeks and has been giving DD some hefty discounts)

Lovely photos and produce @EphemeraleEudemonia you've just reminded me to put Brandy on my Waitrose order this week, although I'm going to make it in late September this year rather than early September.

@RainbowZebraWarriorpossibly- not had the privilege of smelling the Jo Malone version

@ConfusedmeanderingsI do enjoy Christmas shopping in Exeter. Never lost a parent though… yet. Planning on maybe a late October November early Christmas shopping trip maybe.

Christmas Chronicles V2 - yes please nigel 🤞.
I was in tk maxx the orher day and they had loads of autumnal candles in stock. I really cannot buy any more candles. I’m still working through last year’s stock! I do like JMs woodsage and sea salt though. Could be tempted…

@dazzlingdeborahrose When I was young, free and single I had a city centre flat right next to a TK Maxx. It is for the good of my wallet that I no longer live close to one. It is like walking into an Aladdin's cave!

My St Eval Embers candles have just turned up from Vinted. I cannot stop sniffing them. I've compared them with the WC Fireside candle and I have to say that I massively prefer the St Eval. There's something about all WC fragrances that just smell artificial to me (they all are at the end of the day, apart from the likes of Neom who only use essential oils) but I cannot get my head around WC fragrances. Again, that's possibly a good thing for my wallet.