Soup Making, Garden Tending and Bread Baking

Thursday was a busy day at Linderhof

First from the trimmings of a friend's beef,

we added carrots, celery, onion, peppercorns, and a bay leaf

and simmered slowly.

On Wednesday

Thursday, we strained the broth, cut the meat into bite size pieces, added sliced carrots and sliced celery and chunks of potatoes and chopped onions and cooked until all were tender.

We then added frozen corn and frozen peas

It made a great luncheon soup

We also baked . . .

Top of the Tower Irish Soda Bread

A loaf to go with the soup

And a loaf for the Irish Farmhouse Luncheon on Friday

And then being intrigued with the cloche baked bread in the new

Williams Sonoma catalogue . . .

I decided that I needed that cloche

And so I went to find a place to store it

Only to find that I had a clay baking pot

A German one which cooks a good chicken

The smell of yeast and dough rising

The German baker filling in admirably for the $60 Williams Sonoma Cloche

And I'm looking forward to spending that $60 on something else!!!

* * * *

Fall is a busy time in the garden 

as we ready for winter

But March is busy as well

And so the afternoon was spent trimming and tidying

the front stairs and sidewalk.

Hard work for muscles not used to so much bending and stooping.

But I always reward myself with tea . . .

And a nosh

My Italian Sprinkle Cookies

Gardening (and chasing squirrels in the back garden) can

wear a body out!

Once we came in, Dolly was sacked out for the afternoon!

Dreaming, I'm sure, of squirrels caught and captured!