Life in the Lockdown Lane
Another week – another lockdown – all a little ho-hum. But then one only has to look at what’s happening outside to be revived! Trees a-blossom, birds a-twitter and delightfully scented freesias sprouting in all the backyard’s secret places. Spring has sprung – the circle of life continues!
Time to plant things! Not always a successful exercise alas and pots seem to be the way to go when one has poor soil and no inclination to start digging. And so it came to be that a punnet of tiny spinach plants was potted. Strategic placement came next – a position open to the sun and rain but close enough to the house to be easily moved to a sheltered spot should there be a threat of a late lingering frost. Another benefit of pot over plot! And what a result! Within a couple of weeks one has all of the leafy goodness one could want – pick off a leaf and another one miraculously appears! Confidence aroused – tomatoes will go in this week – beetroot the next!
Roasted or raw beetroots are a staple now that one has discovered that they are as easy to peel raw as any other vegetable. The common advice is to slide the peel off after cooking – advice which led one to believe they could only be peeled after cooking (while red hot) and that they had to be cooked whole. Not at all! Peel them, cut into bite size chunks, toss them in oil and roast for half an hour at 200degC along with – if you want – carrots, cauli, brussels sprouts or any other veg cut into similar size pieces. Yum!
Meanwhile, it was thinking of patios and warm spring days that led one, recently, to the supermarket beer aisle where one discovered a veritable treasure trove of new brews to try – all in cans. Cans are definitely the way to go over bottles pour moi – not so heavy to carry, non breakable and easy to throw in the recycling bin. The bonus is that most are now available in single cans so that one may choose one’s own “taster selection”. Quality over quantity is definitely the way to go. Savouring, as with wine, and learning to detect the sublte differences and nuances. Up until now one had found that the main difference between craft and mainstream beers was that the former were decidedly more “hoppy”. Imagine the surprise then when one of this chosen selection – the Stonecutter Scotch Ale by Renaissance Brewing Company – delivered a whole new experience to this apparently unschooled palate. Low in hops but high in malt (according to the handy taste guide on the can), it delivers layers of licquorice, caramel toffee and (no I didn’t imagine it) chocolate! A nice wee drop – och aye the noo!?
One doesn’t get much chance to dress up nowadays – and clothes won’t be “in fashion” forever, so what better excuse to go through the wardrobe and dress each day according to whim rather that according to any “code of compliance”. Things that were bought for a special occasion and never worn again. One is thinking maybe a cocktail dress for the next zoom meeting, the Annah S “leather” (wipe clean?) number to do the cleaning and perhaps the sequins might keep the bees at bay while reading in the sun. Have fun y’all. ‘Til next time. š
Rubytoos 