It’s a case of too many bassets in the kitchen recently.  Fortnum has learned that if he lies in the kitchen – right in the spot between the workbench and the cooker – there is  every chance that: (a) some bits will drop to the floor and he’ll be well placed to hoover them up [...]

There is no doubt it’s so much better when you can photograph the bassets at their eye level.  But this is much easier said than done.  For these dogs are just a few inches off the ground and as much as I love them and this basset eye view scrabbling around in the wet ground [...]

Autumn will be officially over in a week so I’ve been making the most of hanging onto the autumnal rituals and natural occurrences.  This spider’s web caught my eye as it’s captured the leaves falling.  The temperature forests or bush we have an all year ground verdant colour with little change from season to season.  [...]

Setting aside the biting wind and driving rain there are other signs of the onset of winter.  The root vegetables are starting to come into their own as winter warmers.  With soups and casseroles starting to be the order of the day we are well stocked with parsnips, turnips, carrots and celery to give us [...]

It’s been almost like a switch has been flicked.  Cold, wet and very miserable.  With the official start to winter just a few days away I should be unsurprised by the cold bleak weather but I’m not.  I keep thinking summer will arrive soon which of course it will but after winter and spring.  In [...]

Over the years my neighbours have ranged from wild and abusive to kind and gentle.  Living in the country the neighours tend to be furry and lovable.  Number 24 is our latest neighbour living on the grass verge just along the road.  I don’t know who is more indignant at their first meeting the goat [...]

I feel like I’ve been off in another land in recent weeks – in my case corporate land.  Even after years of working I still find it a real mystery as to why organisations make it so hard for people to work well within them.  Sure, there are lots of great places to work but [...]

Our kitchen has been a hive of activity today.  Mostly washing up after baking, preserving, roasting and simmering.  MT took over baking duties today not wishing to risk the chance of no cake in his lunchbox this week.  I’ve been busy pickling red cabbage and oven roasting tomatoes to make passata.   Such inspiration came from [...]

My new camera has come into it’s own in recent days.  With cloudy rainy skies, the bush walks have been a little on the dark side.  But not a problem any more.   The recent showers seem to have brought out new and colourful funghi clinging to the side of fallen trees.  It was a bright [...]