Plain or Plane tree?

Shade from trees is wonderful in this hot and humid weather. We walked along under them and they shaded out the sun’s heat. The trouble is the leaves have started to fall…. It’s only June but I think the heat stress and lack of water isn’t helping. As I looked up into the tree canopy I could see some of the leaves were curled up and crispy…. Please let it rain….

my phone is dying!

My phone got very hot tonight and the USB lead almost burnt my hand when I disconnected it from the phone. I tried another lead and the same thing happened. The charge actually went down on the screen by ten percent when I put it on another charger. My guess is that the battery is playing up and instead of charging it has lost the ability to charge. I’m hoping I can get a replacement tomorrow,

The problem is I do everything on it, and having golfers elbow makes it hard to type on a normal keyboard. Plus no one can email me or phone me…..I hope i dont have to buy a new phone, I can’t afford it! Wish me luck!  

Hot

Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was hot. I drew flames and then use photodirector to add texture and pattern. I liked imagining the different colours in flames. I think this has a watercolour feeling to it. The app gives it a more even look, as without it the felt pens I have used look a bit rough because the tips of them are wearing out and getting broken and the ink is drying up.

I forgot pancake day…

I was busy yesterday doing some paperwork and by the time I remembered it was really too late to cook. So for tea today I made pancakes. They are a traditional food for Shrove Tuesday. You can look up the meaning of Shrove Tuesday on the Internet, and part of the tradition is eating pancakes.

How do you make them? (this is how I do it, it’s very vague! 😂). Put a couple of large cups of flour in a bowl. Mix in two or three eggs to make a thick paste then add milk to thin the paste down to a thickish batter (I prefer that as too much makes it runny) not too thick though. Maybe a 1/3 of a pint of milk? Beat it up with a fork till its a smooth batter. I think you are supposed to let it rest, I don’t!

Memories flood back as I remember my mom cooking them. She used to use half milk and half water I think? As winter was colder then it often snowed, she would use snow water as she said it was fresher than tap water.

Now your batter has rested…. Heat a frying pan on a high heat and add oil so its hot. Make sure the pan is hot but not smoking. Pour some batter into the pan and tip it so it spreads out across the base. You can see the batter drying out on the top as the bottom of the pancake cooks. Flip it with a spatula. It might break up but that’s better than trying to toss it and it landing on the floor! When it’s cooked lift or slide it onto a plate.

This recipe will make six to eight large pancakes. Try and make them equal sizes and as you put them on a plate sprinkle sugar or powdered sweetner plus lemon juice on them and fold them in half or roll them up. The last one always ends up too small or too thick depending on how much the batter is shared out.

The results are like thin, eggy, floury omelettes! Delicious. You can basically use different toppings, maybe stewed apple or banana slices or ice cream? We enjoyed them a lot. Good for a cold day.

Cool drink

I am fed up of decaff coffee, I want a cold drink. Maybe some ginger beer or diet tonic water. I have ice so I can cool it down. But its still winter so I might have a blackcurrant or orange cordial with hot water. Or orange juice with water to dilute it. That’s very soothing, and I choose the ones with low sugar. I might even share a bottle of beer with my hubby. I don’t know, but something less boring than decaff? Maybe a cup of tea.

Hot soothing drink

I’ve got up because I needed the bathroom. I’m still suffering with the lurgy. Not Covid according to the tests I’ve been doing. So I still have a sore throat and a cough which is worse when I lied down. I can’t take some cold meds as I’m on tablets that contraindicate them. I can’t use lemsip because it has something that can affect your heart rate. Instead I’m drinking hot diluted blackcurrant cordial, it’s sugar free and very tasty when it’s watered down, it seems to coat and soothe my throat. That and paracetamol every few hours seems to be doing the trick. X

Goodnight x

Crumpets for tea

Hot buttered crumpets for tea! The little holes in the top of them allow the butter or margarine to trickle down into tiny tubes inside the crumpet. You heat them under a grill or in a toaster on both sides to heat them up. The base of them is solid so when you add your topping it doesn’t leak out. I only used to have butter, but recently I’ve added grated cheese and microwaved them for a few seconds so it drizzled inside them, also try honey or jam (America calls it jelly). Note these are NOT muffins, that’s a whole different bready food.

Hot chilli

Oops, just made the mistake of adding too much chilli to our tea. My mouth has that bitter burning sensation that makes you want to drink something long and cold (possibly a pint of milk). I only intended to add a little flavour, and I deseeded the chilli (I only ever use one), perhaps it was very ripe. It certainly was a flavour enhancer with added oregano and garlic. I think my stomach is regretting my spice choices. Oh dear!

Tired

Yawning, aching, eyes blurred, too many late nights watching TV or videos on my phone. I could sleep, but my feet hurt, which keeps me awake. Then I’m either too hot or too cold, or hubby snores, or kicks my ankle. Too many decaff coffees make it worse. Even if I don’t have lots of thoughts sometimes it difficult. I put a light on, if I read sometimes I can sleep, I hear the book drop, but I’m gone. Other times I put the radio on low, a murmur, but sometimes I catch a headline and have to listen…. So many reasons for NOT sleeping, and yet HE can just sleep, like that, so annoying! ❤️