Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” ― Robert Louis Stevenson

The propagators are warm, and have recently received their first batch of seed trays.  Last week I  planted Chillis, Peppers, Leeks, Parsnips, Sweet Peas, Statice and last but not least Lettuce - which incidentally is the only plant brave enough to poke its head out to see what the weather is like! They are straggly due to not great lighting on my windowsill, so they have been transferred to the greenhouse to see what happens next. I have also begun gardening outdoors a little and onion sets and more Garlic have been planted and are well protected from the Chickens...

I am continuing to make regular Rye bread, and this week a slight variation to the recipe - fennel seed, molasses, walnut plus mixed seeds.  The aroma when slicing it up for the freezer was heavenly!

Also made some Granola bars this week. I try to convince myself they are healthy, but deep down I know they aren't really!  See my recipe below, modified from an Ottolenghi cookbook, they are so good they never last more than about 24 hours in our house......

GRANOLA BARS -Makes 6-8

Oven 160c
45g Hazelnuts
45g dried apricots (chopped)
45g raisins
45g pumpkin seed/sunflower seeds
15g poppy seeds
190g porage oats
20g dessicated coconut
tsp cinnamon/mixed spice
pinch salt
optional - 50g choc chips dark/milk or white
95g unsalted butter/soya margarine (or 50/50)
85 g honey
95g soft brown sugar

1. Pour nearly boiling water to cover the raisins and apricots and leave for 15-30 mins
2. Line a 15-20cm tin with baking parchment
3. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl
4. Place the Butter/honey and sugar in a pan and bring to a low simmer, leave until a light brown colour, don't let it boil or darken much.

5. Pour the caramel over the dry ingredients and mix together, spoon into the tin, add some muesli or oats to the top and put in the heated oven for 25-30 mins.
6.  Leave to cool a little as they will be too soft when hot to cut up, divide and enjoy! Will keep for about a week - if you can save them that long!

You can pretty much use anything to make these bars, sometimes I use muesli instead of porage oats and any nuts go well in it - whatever is hanging around in the cupboard!

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. ~Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732

Stormy skies and ferocious winds have battered us at times this week.
Most days I walk to a small wood through which runs what used to be a tiny brook.....over the past six months it has waxed, and then waned repeatedly. For now it cascades merrily removing the water from uphill to down unceasingly.

On Monday I was saddened to see at least three trees just lying prostrate on the floor, completely uprooted - I think the softness of the ground has given them nothing to anchor to, and a few strong gusts of wind is all it took to bring them crashing down to the ground.