a personal statement
This is what happens to us in the UK after a year or more of lockdown.
But if that is too extreme for you, how about these?
I’m only allowing myself one package for this spring (that’s the plan…) so I couldn’t take any risks on sweet roll innovations. So I went with what can’t fail—sultanas, raisins, lemon and orange peel. Oh my!
Today I tasted two amazing things that are new to me. Dried mini figs and sun-dried apricots. The apricots taste as if they’ve been caramelised by the sun–rich and sweet.
I don’t recommend either for people with expensive dental work, but I do recommend them.
But a lot has happened. The view has changed from sheep and fields to London skyscape and Victorian terraces.
Face masks and vaccines–these are the topics of discussion for us all, no matter where in the world. Not too far away is a wind down of lockdown; we hope for good, but even for now it will be welcome.
Stay safe all, spring is on the way.
At about the one-week mark after our move from Kent to Bermondsey in South London we took a walk to Burgess Park. As we had been looking at houses before and after Covid-19 lockdown one of the items on our wish list was to be near a park. Burgess Park seemed to be one that was nearby when we crept, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, closer to Central London. At 140 acres it is a big park and was created from what were originally streets and houses, some bombed out in World War II, others just razed. It also incorporates part of the Grand Surrey Canal, closed in 1970 and filled in.
Because of its history there are still some roads with homes, schools, churches and a mosque that cut into its footprint. We looked at one house on Cobourg Road that had a tiny backyard but was surrounded by the park. However, standing on the sidewalk in front of the house with all the people going to and from the park proper it oddly felt like a prop house on a movie lot. With all the nature and wildlife nearby there was little privacy.
As I exited the park I saw this amusing attempt to bring the park’s inhabitants and visitors together.
It’s harvest time and we are in Kent so there must be apples! Today was the Cranbrook Apple Fair, which is known for its offbeat sensibility. 2019’s theme was Hippies and Vikings and fancy dress (costumes) were in either vein.
In addition to the costumed attendees there was a performance by the Red Barrows, which is a phenomenon I won’t even attempt to describe or explain. Just picture a half dozen or so bearded men with Viking horns and or peace symbols (remember the theme), red wheel barrows and lots of red smoke, flares and explosions running up, down and around High Street to a 70s Pop soundtrack.
Available for our enjoyment were various hard apple ciders, fresh pressed apple cider, apple cakes and other goodies. The Cranbrook High Street, an historical Market Town, was closed for the occasion.
In related apple news, here is the colourful first step toward apple/green tomato chutney. Green tomatoes are also something that come in October in Kent.
