Year Round Nigel Slater discussion thread - Part 4

[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 has been running for a few years, and the contributors 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 chair, grab a drink and relax.

A very hearty welcome to friends new and old!

Hope everyone is coping ok with the heat. It's around 22 degrees here, so fairly manageable.

The swim sounds splendid @martha79 If I could wish for one thing for my region, it would be some funding for an outdoor pool. A big deal was made a few years ago of totally resurrecting our outdoor pool at Tynemouth, but despite a lot of local famous folk wanting to chip in, it's just never happened. It looks so bloody sad these days. I used to swim in it as a kid, and now it's just a rusty mud bath full of huge rocks.

Gorgeous looking salad @Celiathebanshee I have a few sugar snap peas that are almost ready, but am still yet to sow my greek basil, lettuce, radish and spring onions. It will get done this week as I now have space.

12 of my 15 dahlia are going great guns. Hopefully the final three will catch up soon. I only got round to planting them last week as I ran out of pots, but a lovely neighbour put some fantastic pots at the end of their driveway with a 'Free to a good home' sign.

Hope you enjoy The Christopher's @EasterlyDirection It was a lead role absolutely made for Sir Ian McKellen IMHO. Quite a few twists and turns in the story, too. I have a list of around 7 films I want to see that come out between now and September, so I am going to sign up for Odeon Limitless for 3 months.

Bought a vase from a lovely seller at Tynemouth Market today who was retiring. Picked some cow parsley and plonked it in on the way back to the car. We have been doing tie dye this afternoon. I did a vest top, and DD has done me this Sea themed hoodie (not quite the finished product) DD also spotted this ispy set on a book stall for £1.50 which was a steal as it's like new. Currently on sale on Amazon for something daft like £78

By the way, Sainsbury's have punnets of British Strawberries on a Nectar deal for £1 and they are delicious!

32 degrees here today. We were invited for an impromptu lunch on a friend’s roof terrace so I now have terrace envy.

Beautiful terrace, @LillianGish we are due 31° tomorrow here - very few plans apart from cool walks and English Tapas - aka picky bits. Some marvellous finds there @RainbowZebraWarrior - glad to see ISpy books still amuse.

We’ve had a slow day here after last night’s wonderful choir concert. It went really well and the young boy chorister who sang the solo “oh for the wings of a dove” brought tears to many eyes. I have a head full of Parry’s “I was glad” today, with awesome organ accompaniment. The city looked very beautiful under a clear sky on the way back.

I spotted that Nigel is looking relaxed earlier on my coffee table pile (see the spine!).

Had a lovely day pottering in the garden for most of the day. Then took the dog to the beach for a run round.

Quiet pottering kind of day today. Bit of gardening, several loads of washing and plenty of food prep. Made this for dinner this evening and it's gorgeous!

www.tamingtwins.com/cabbage-salad/?utm_source=convertkit&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=3%20x%20Simple%20SALADS%20for%20Lettuce%20Haters%20%F0%9F%A5%AC%20-%2021861244&sh_kit=cbd2e8968317311cdff7ecd79dfe42e61c1e687f7056287de3bea50c4d1ed478#wprm-recipe-container-15840

Oh I’m definitely stealing that @petitpastaThankyou.
Ive got terrace envy @LillianGish
Sounds a lovely day @Bimblesalong. Was the cathedral very cool ? Ideal in this weather. Also I very much like your pink wall!
tie dye! I loved a bit of tie dye in my youth! I live give it another bash @rzw.
we used to live very near an outdoor pool @martha79and when I wfh I used to bob for a swim at lunch. And I’ve fond memories of the one at Hathersage-I’d a friend that lived there and we would all pile over in the long post exam summers and hang out there and pretend we were in LA or Miami-dreaming of getting out of the sleepy villages we are now all hankering to get back to! No outdoor pool here but we do have Rutland water where I went for a lovely swim yesterday and I am taking the DSS’s kayaking later today. Chilly water though. Not yet warmed up. But as it’s set to be 33 degrees here today it will be very welcome.

I used to very much enjoy fantasy football @EasterlyDirection. I don’t think I’d have the headspace to keep up with it nowadays. Is if even still a thing? It was massive back in the day wasn’t it?

Up early to walk the two fit dogs by the river before it gets too hot. Quick trip to Primark for holiday bits for the boys-they are going to Portugal tomorrow until the weekend-I am staying home to work and look after sick note dog. The an afternoon at the lake.
if we have energy we might go and see The Sheep Detective later. Air con cinema and a film about sheep is right up my street!

very glad I swapped my working day to Wednesday from today now. Did not fancy it in 33 degrees. Though I see it’s going to be there or therabouts tomorrow too. Sheesh.

have a lovely bank holiday Monday all :)

I am massively regretting saying I would work today. That is all

Concert sounds wonderful @Bimblesalong - and the cool of a cathedral with its ancient stone walls and associated smells sounds very inviting not to mention VN.

A warm good morning to all, I have deployed shorts and massive floppy hat and am shopping for picnic goodies - meeting my brother and his family in Salisbury later. Forecast for Salisbury is in the 30s, something we rarely experience here on the coast, so I might be spending some time in the cathedral (or at least the cloisters, which are free to enter).

Sang Evensong in a little medieval church yesterday and was expecting to find cool in there - no such luck. Our own venerable Victorian edifice remains perishing in all seasons, risked sandals yesterday and was rewarded with numb toes

Right, onward to the English tapas aisle - dh won't cope without his scotch eggs...

@piscofrisco I was at Hathersage, it's such a lovely place.

@Celiathebanshee it's not a day for working, I hope you don't melt!

@leporello your picnic sounds great. You've reminded me to buy scotch eggs as a friend visiting later in the week loves them!

I've been for a short walk, watered the plants, took a load of flowery photos, picked some salad for lunch and am now sitting in the shade in the garden while there is some. It's meant to get up to 32C around the point that my garden is in full sun 🥵

I have a little bit of work to do this week as I agreed to proofread/ send editing suggestions on an essay for someone - used to do this quite regularly but it's been a while so I need to get my head into that gear. It is research on a piece of music I really like though, so not too arduous.

Actually my office is delightfully cool - I'm almost a little chilly! - so there's that. But I quite like the sun and want to be outside pottering in my garden

PS lovely flowers! Gorgeous peony

Oh I didn’t realise you lived in that neck if the woods @martha79. I grew up in the Peak District.
just back from town where it was sweltering.my ruddy newly potted up plants are shrivelling.

Picnic view

Oh good Lord @Celiathebanshee thoughts and prayers mate. Lobbing frozen mochi icecream your way, even though the room is cool. I did a tiny bit of proof reading earlier on as I’ve things to send this week and have monitored the temperature in the office for the same period of time I’ll have a client there tomorrow. Fortunately, the foliage around it keeps it cool until noon.

@leporello that view is blissful. So sorry to hear about the warm church. Our cathedral was lovely and cool - they could make a fortune hiring out bedding spaces in weather like this.

@martha79 your editing task sounds lovely.

Yes, I'm just over the border in sunny South Yorkshire 🙂 I remember you saying your mum lived near Chatsworth. Hathersage is one of my favourite places - I was there quite regularly last summer, walking/ running and swimming. And visiting the cafes. And climbing up the hill to the church to look back down the valley. And buying fancy socks in the outdoors shops 🤣 I daydream about living there but not very practical when I don't drive (and I'm sure I'd get annoyed by how busy it can get).

Just retrieved some washing from the line and it was so hot it felt like it had been tumbled dried!

All this peony chat made me want some of my own!!

Springwatch tonight!

Hello all.

I need to catch up. I was writing a post late last night but then my Dad had a medical episode (won't go into detail as in case it's triggering for anyone) and we had to hot foot it round there. DD was amazing keeping my Mum calm as I saw to Dad. He was ok in the end, but he is ultimately very unwell. Undergoing more tests.

Hoping for a more peaceful evening tonight. Watching Springwatch which is hopefully a good start.

Meant to also say, some beautiful photos today and hope everyone is coping with the heat. Think we had a high of around 28 degrees today. My top tips are as many ice cubes as you can make, wet wipes in the freezer, along with a damp flannel in the freezer and ice packs to put inside your pillows tonight.

DD found this book for me today at the book swap table. Written and signed by the author who wrote Wintering. Has anyone read it?

Also watching spring watch…should be at choir but stupid hayfever is making me a sore throated bunged up, snivelling mess. Struggling to talk let alone sing.

@RainbowZebraWarriorwishing all the best for your dad. After the good news the other day and then this

Thanks @CrushingOnRubies I always say that this exact time of year is worst for hay fever. I blame the Lime Trees. They are everywhere and in full bloom right now!

Sooty to hear about your Dad RZW. Sending lots of love.
what lovely flowers @CrushingOnRubies. I do enjoy peony season short as it is.
My School friend lived in Hathersage Hall @martha79-said to have inspired the hall in Jane Eyre. It’s the house I’ve been most jealous of in all my life.

Scotch eggs for the win @leporello

Good Lord it’s hot. Had very little sleep and the boys and DH have woken me up leaving for their holiday. It’s going to be a looooong day on the farm at 33 degrees snd s very active Co farmer who doesn’t pay much mind to the weather. There will be a lot of jobs being found in the cool of the woods today that’s for sure.

not much chance of getting g back to sleep now so j might get up and take the dogs out shortly whilst it’s cooler .

have a lovely Tuesday all

Sorry to hear about your dad @RainbowZebraWarrior. I was thinking of all your top tips for cool nights when I was awake in heat last night. We’d been for what I’d hoped would be a cooling stroll along the Seine yesterday and a picnic under the trees, but really nowhere is cool in the city once it gets above 30 and it’s better to stay home with the windows closed and the fans on or find somewhere with air con to hang out! Beautiful peonies @CrushingOnRubies.

Sorry to hear about your dad @RainbowZebraWarrior, I hope he's doing OK. And well done to DD for being a calming presence.

@piscofrisco what a place to live - just googled it and... https://www.fineandcountry.co.uk/sheffield-estate-agents/property-sale/8-bedroom-detached-house-for-sale-in-hope-valley-hathersage/4726104
Hope you manage to keep in the shade today.

I've got a friend visiting today and we're having a 'cinema at home' afternoon. Did consider the actual cinema as it'd be air conditioned but would still need to get there and it's half term...

First of my big poppies has opened up overnight!