Topic: Hi all from CL

[CotswoldLass]

Just thought I'd drop by and say hi.....hope you're all well and that you've had a great gardening season.

It's been busy here but no excuse really for not dropping in, just been a funny old year. Garden's been good - lots of scrummy veg and although I have not gone as manic as I used to in the old garden, there's been plenty of colour and scent. Lurcher still going strong at 13 and three quarters - this is a lovely garen for her to sit out and get driven potty by squirrels!

Anyone grow Butternut Squash? First try this year and any recipe tips would be welcome!

Look forward to hearing from old friends,

Love CLx

[rosebud]

Hi CL, lovely to hear from you i hope everything is going very well, nice to see you back.  :) ;) :D ;D

[Obelixx]

Hi CL - nice to see you around again.  There are some recipes over on th erecipes board but my favourite way of cooking butternuts is to cut into chunks and drizzle with olive oil or cream and some freshly ground pepper and/or cumin and/or coriander and/or garlic.  Then I roast at 200C till it gets crispy brown edges.

It also makes wonderful soups and risotto and the Italians do a butternut stuffing for ravioli which I love.

[CotswoldLass]

Hi again,

Lovely to talk to you all! Obbelix that idea sounds scrummy for squash!

We just spent a lovely week in Tuscany this month for a friend's wedding and one day for lunch I had gorgeous pumkin ravioli with pine nuts and, I think, Pecorino. Not a great pasta maker have to admit though....

Is anyone else finding this a bit of wind-down time in the garden? It's always a shame to see the end of the petunias and sweet peas etc, though I made a arch covered with Morning Glory which is still going strong.

Love to all, CLx

[Heldi]

Hi CL! 

I was thinking about you only this morning!  Just starting another phase of my finding out about my adoption. Been taking it very slow. Get very agitated around this time of year as it heads towards the day of my birth. Something in the sunconscious that I can't explain. Luckily I was born on Hallowe'en and have that to distract me!

I'm really only getting started with my lotty after finally getting rid of most of the rubbish and getting some hens!

Bought some broad beans at the weekend so am dead excited to actually be on the verge of planting something!!

[Obelixx]

HI CL.  I was given a pasta machine some years ago by my in-laws.  The first time I used it was with another mum and her kids as a holiday project.  It took forever to roll out so I bought an electric motor for it when we were on hols in Livigno.  Much better.

Haven't used it for ages as it's been stashed in the attic pending major repair works here but it will be out again by Xmas.  All I need now is one of those ravioli trays Rick Stein had on a series last year.

My garden doesn't feel like it's shutting down - still have loads to do and have been waiting for rain to be able to transplant lots of stuff and rearrange some borders.   Lots of flowers and foliage still going strong.  I have gone off sweet peas.  It's been so dry that one lot got mildew and the other lot were wishy washy and not as pictured on the packet and I also got fed up of having to dead-head every day.  Morning glory for me from now on.  They've been brilliant this year.

Heldi - Don't twitch too much.  Enjoy the festivities.  I sowed my broad beans directly in the ground on Saturday and have covered them with wire mesh to stop meeces and girl thingies from digging them up.  Fingers crossed they grow OK.

[Heldi]

I'm sat indoors this morning Obby.  :(  It's raining hard. Today was going to be the day I prepared the spot of land for the broad beans. A bit of raking and the like.  How many do you sow?  I not ever been up close and personal to a broad bean plant,do they need any support or anything?  Isn't awful that I don't know this!   :-[  Always have had broad beans from the freezer.

I have to say that there veg out there that I've not even heard of,it's all a brand new world to me!

[Marianne]

Hi CL - Nice to see you around again.
Hope all is well in your part of the world.

 :D ;D

[Doris_Pinks]

Good to see you back CL, glad everything is fine with you.  DP

[Obelixx]

Hi Heldi.  I sowed a whole packet and felt optimistic so put one pre-soaked bean in each hole, 9" apart and in rows 9" apart - about 36 beans in all.   I only presoaked because the ground was been so dry but  I've watered them in too.   They will get individual plastic bottle cloches when they poke their noses above ground.   Later on they'll need pea sticks to help support them.   We get a lot of strong winds over the winter and spring.

The BBC promised me downpours today.  We started off cloudy and grey and hopeful but the wind's come and blown them on and we have sun again now.   Just as well, really as I've been getting on with painting doors and windows as I can't garden much with the dratted rib.

[BAGGY]

I sowed Aquadulce direct last autumn and filled in the meece eaten bits quite a bit later with Sutton.  My site is quite open too but rather than cane each one four stout poles,one at each corner, and then string to coral them in worked for me.

[Heldi]

Thanks Obby and Baggy!

Sorry CL for sneaking a sowing question into your thread !

[CotswoldLass]

Heldi, as if I'd mind!

Just makes me realise how much I've missed you all!

I completely understand about you taking your time over the adoption thing. I think there comes a time when it's right and you'll know. Mind you, (and I know mine is a tremendously happy story), I now LOVE buying and sending off little birthday prezzies for my cousins in Australia, and getting their news on email. I've got a proper family!


Erhem....back to gardening.....

I'm stuck here at the moment as we're not sure if a move may be on the cards due to OH's job, so things are a little slack in the garden right now. But I've just got a Butternut Squash in to cook, so that's exciting. I've still got lettuces and Spinach too.

Obby glad to find another 'MoGlo' fan!

re Broad Beans I put stakes in at each corner and then run string as they need it to support. Worked well this season.

Love CLx

[Mrs Ava]

Hi CL!  Glad to see you are still around.  Moving again...so soon?!?

[Obelixx]

HI CL - I only grew Morning Glory this year because Possum - my 10yr old daughter picked out the seeds along with loads of other blue stuff - for her new bed while we were raiding Wisley's shop last year.   They've been brilliant - high germination rate and prolific flowering and now the sun is lower and weaker the flowers last all day and are purple for another day.  Brilliant.

[busy_lizzie]

Nice to see you back again CL.   :D busy_lizzie

[Plocket]

Hello CL! How wonderful to hear from you. Hope all is well with you and yours. I guess you are pretty settled now?

As for butternut squash - it's lovely roasted and added to a salad of fresh baby spinach leaves, feta cheese and cherry tomatoes. Toasted pine nuts or almonds are nice in it too.

Or you can roast it with cream and nutmeg - halve it first (lengthwise) and put the cream in the indentation when you have removed the seeds.

I'll try and think of some more for you!

[CotswoldLass]

OOOOh yum Plocket....will try this weekend.

I can't tell you how much it means to 'see' everyone, really great.

We're not that settled, as my OH may be relocated to a job in Berkshire, but at the moment I can't 'go there'. Hated moving after 9 years, after 8 months at least may be easier, but anyway...

Want to hear all your news? Have not had time to review the threads, and I now get nagged if I'm on the net all the time, so please all, potted catch ups would be great.

Lots of love CLxx