Friday Books, Gardening, Baking & Knitting.

Yesterday I had a rather lazy morning reading...

I had picked up these three books from the charity shop - the middle of which was only 79p, (the other two a £1 each).  I have seen this particular book (The Miniatrurist) before and been 'curious' so when I found it for so little (and a hardback!) I decided to try it.  I really enjoyed it and I didn't really put it down from the time I started it.

Time for more activity though come the afternoon and I set about planting the flowers I had bought at the garden centre the day before.

We bought three metal character planters last year and hadn't yet used them.  So they all got a flower each.

I finally managed to get the wall planter planted out - this should look pretty once they flowers get established.

A few pots were also planted up.

These are in my little sitting area in the front garden.

The little grass pathway needs cutting and also still needs the edging to be put in - hoping to get on to that this weekend.

This section of the rose garden is now planted up fully, with the last two roses bought yesterday planted. I need to get some more bark as well, but will do that once the edging is in to help contain it.

Tequila Sunrise is only little but spectacular.  Need to do a little weeding I see!

A new bud 

This is also a very pretty rose.

Looking at the garden from some different angles.

I also sewed some more mixed salad leaf greens.  

Two more books - I have started the second of the triology by Jane Gardam.

I also prepared a fruit bran loaf mix to bake this morning. (Recipe courtesy of Michelle from Remembering the Old Ways)

4 oz All Bran breakfast cereal

2 oz soft brown sugar

10 oz mixed dried fruit

1/2 pint milk.

Mix these ingredients together and leave overnight...

In the morning preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 ( 350 F or 180 C)

Add 4 oz wholemeal self raising flower and 1/3 tsp mixed spice

Add to fruit mix and stir well.

Spoon in to well greased (or lined) 2 lb loaf tin and bake for one hour.

Loaf currently in the oven cooking!

I also picked the rest of the gooseberries.  

There wasn't enough to make jam.

So I washed and top and tailed them

and made a crumble mix 

which made a very delicious desert!

My favourite little recipe tin in which I keep all my most used recipes and any new ones I find..

On my needles...

almost finished...

Finished.

And another.

Two new dishcloths.  I enjoy making these - they don't take long and save on purchasing dishcloths significantly.  I haven't bought a dishcloth/sponge in years. They wear and wash really well.