HRH Prince Philip, RIP
This week, with millions of others around the globe, we watched the final journey of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, beloved husband and the “rock and stay” of our Queen for 73 years, and exemplar of a lifetime of duty and service, as he was laid to rest in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. Whatever one may feel about the Royal Family, one could not fail to be deeply moved by the images of Her Majesty, shrouded in black and forced by Covid rules to sit alone with no-one to reach out a hand to comfort her in her grief.
She may be Queen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland and Head of the Commonwealth, but here, in this heart-wrenching image, we see her as a little old lady, almost 95 years old, a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, bowed in grief, and the nation’s heart goes out to her in her loss.
She recently released this lovely informal photo of the two of them in happier times at their estate in Balmoral in Scotland.
God save the Queen.
What’s On Your Workdesk this Wednesday?
I am working through all 80 squares for the cat throw, adding the black edging to them. This will unify the design when I crochet the squares together, and it also serves to ensure that I end up with exactly the same number of stitches on each side of the squares – essential if the joining pattern is to work correctly. I have now done more than half of them.
I’ve been grabbing every opportunity to work on this whenever my hubby has not been around. If he happens to come in, it’s easy to conceal the square under the blanket on my lap, but once this stage is complete, it will only be possible to work on the project after he’s gone to bed, because it will be too big to hide quickly as I start to join it all up!
Meantime, in his presence, I’ve been continuing to work on the Purple Circles jumper. This is how far I’ve got on the second sleeve, knitting down from the shoulder.
Food
It’s a busy time at the moment, feeding the ravenous freezer! Funny how everything seems to run out at once. As soon as I take out the last portion of a dish, I make up another batch. This week, the two main dishes I have made (both large pots) are Sweet and Sour Vegetables and Thai Green Curry.
Sweet and Sour Vegetables
I don’t think I’ve ever shared this recipe with you, so I’ll do it now as Recipe of the Week.
It is adapted from an original recipe for sweet and sour pork that was given to me 50 years ago this year! (My goodness, where have the years gone…) – by the mother of a Chinese friend of mine, with whom I spent the summer holidays at their home in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, just after leaving school.
Ingredients
2 cucumbers
2 tsp salt
2 tabs sugar or 2 tsp stevia
2 tabs vinegar
3 onions or 2 bunches spring onions
4 cloves garlic
2 peppers
200 g mushrooms
Any other veg to hand
2 tins jackfruit or substitute with chickpeas, beans etc., or any other veg
2 tins chopped tomatoes and 1/2 tube of tomato puree
1-2 tabs sugar or 1-2 tsp stevia
A good dash of soy sauce
2 small tins pineapple slices or chunks
Method
1. Cut the cucumbers into 4 lengthwise, remove seeds. Slice cucumber into chunks and add salt. Set aside until the cucumber has softened and liquid is coming out. Squeeze periodically. When softer, add sugar or stevia. Leave until dissolved, then add vinegar.
2. Dry sauté the chopped onion/sliced spring onions, chopped peppers, sliced mushrooms and any other veggies. Add garlic and cook without browning. Add the jackfruit and/or other vegetables.
3. Stir in the tomato ketchup or tinned tomatoes and puree, the rest of the sugar or stevia and the soy sauce and cook until veggies soft and everything is blended.
4. Add any cooked legumes and the pineapple chunks and juice and the cucumber and cook for a few more minutes.
5. Serve on a bed of brown rice.
This really is a delicious recipe. I also threw in a handful of cashews at the end.
I also made another South-East Asian meal this week: Thai Green Curry.
(This was featured as Recipe of the Week back in November of last year.)
You can use bought green curry paste or you can make your own, which I prefer to do.
This recipe has a really authentic Thai taste and we both love it. The only exotic ingredient is lemongrass, but you can buy it in most supermarkets these days.
Kitties
Your kitty fix for the week. They have been enjoying going out to play in the garden in this lovely spring weather we’ve been having.
If you look carefully, you can see Lily on the outhouse roof. Ruby is on the ground underneath, looking up at her.
Here is Lily again, sunbathing on the outhouse roof.
Lily, the shameless hussy, exposing all her bits!
After this, she ran off, and immediately Ruby took her place. How they love the warm sunshine!
Finally, a picture of Lily rubbing against my hubby’s foot under the table. She’s definitely a daddy’s girl, that one.
Our lovely spring garden
The primroses and violets are still there to be enjoyed, and the ferns are beginning to unfurl – gorgeous Fibonacci spirals in evidence! (There are some harts-tongue ferns in the pot with the primroses and violets, and more ferns on the bank itself.) Our Photinia “Red Robin” hedge is looking particularly splendid at the moment. The new growth comes out such a gorgeous rich red colour.
We have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather and having lunch on the patio again. It is so sheltered down there, and with our pretty umbrella we can even sit there in the height of summer when it gets extremely hot in this sun-trap.
An outing to Babbacombe
This week we went to Babbacombe to go along the cliff top and look at the sea. The gardens there are full of flowers in the summer, but it’s a bit early for that as yet.
There are several ocean liners in the bay at the moment – they’ve been stranded there for months due to Covid.
How blue the sea is!
I love this family’s patriotic windbreak, adorned with Union Flags!
Blossom trees.
A seagull enjoying the sunshine. It was so lovely seeing people out and about, relaxing and enjoying themselves.
Across the road away from the sea, there is a delightful little garden called “The Rose Garden” which was donated by a local philanthropist for everyone to enjoy. Not a lot in bloom yet, but it was lovely to wander through it. We’ll go back later in the year to see the roses.
So nice to get out and about a bit at last.
Good morning Shoshi my friend!! It has been a New York minute since I have visited or posted. It has been a whirlwind of couple of weeks past. But I couldn’t wait to come visit and see how the hubby throw was coming along and by gosh, by golly, you are about to get that thing together!! Love how the squares have come together and big grins at how I KNOW it will pull together! I just know he will be stoked!!! Of course the foodies had me licking my lips this morning! LOL I LOVE anything curry! I love ANY Asian ethnicity food…Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai….you name it I love it! I hope that doesn’t sound disrespectful, just truthful. They have cooking down to a science and a visit to any one of those countries would find me hard pressed to come home! LOL
I love the shot you showed of the HRH’s in happier times. So sweet. I have been watching with a broken heart for her. Like you said, not matter what follks feel about ANYTHING that is going on with them, your heart definitely goes out to her with that tremendous loss and the circumstances as well! Who wouldn’t want to be with her in this moment? So sad and my prayers have been for her and the family!
Ok, it’s looking like I need to have a sit down with your girls and tell them how refined ladies act and sit in public! LOLOL What cuteness, to be sure!! Truth be known, I love sprawiling out in the sun, just the same! LOL Who doesn’t love a good soak in the sun. Problem is, it only makes you sleepy when you do that, so then you have to go in and lay about afterward!! Ahhhh, such is life! LOLOL We have it hard don’t we???
All your pictures are just simply gorgeous!! My goodness what a beautiful town you live in! I would love to be on those lovely walks with you! So beautiful!! I’m hours away from any ocean here, but still can get there and enjoy a day if I wanted. Not as beautiful as your scene, but I do love looking at it! All the flowers seem to be slowly coming out for you and making little splash. Just so pretty. I bet the roses will be a yummy display! By the way, I LOVE, LOVE your backyard. It is so pretty and can we talk about that umbrella!! I LOVEEEEE it!! Right up my alley. I need one on my back porch. I have no cover at all and I get the afternoon sun, so it’s extremely hot back there in the summer. Mornings can be quite nice, minus the bus, but other than that, I can have a cup and quite on the weekend mornings before folks get up.
I hope all remains well on the health front. Doing good here. Colonoscopy Friday….uggghh and hopefully my second jab next week. Other than that, just dandy!! Blessings to you in the rest of your week and fluffly hugs to those sweet girls! Felicia #21
Lovely to see the progress on all your projects. I do feel for the Queen. To lose someone after having them as a constant companion for so many years has to be a struggle. That image is gut wrenching. The seaside photos make it all better, and I can’t wait for a walk on the beach myself. Soon.
Sidetracked momentarily by a new project but determined to visit ALL today! 😀
Mary Anne (1)
I felt so sad for the Queen as well sitting there on her own, I do hope she knew that there were millions of us sending love to her.
It’s amazing how edging the squares brings a cohesiveness to the project, I do the same as I’m a bit slapdash sewing up the squares but you can hide it if they’re all edged in the same colour, lol!! The sweater is lovely, you’ll feel a proper sense of achievement when that’s completed.
Hugs LLJ 6 xxx
Wow those blue skies are wonderful! I’m glad you managed to get out and about. I think Lily found the perfect spot on that roof! I’m hoping we have seen the end of the frost now – I had to bring several of our potted plants into the house to save them – they were quite happy in the potting shed all winter but the new shoots couldn’t cope with the frost! Lovely tribute to Prince Philip – I will miss his harmless “gaffes” – my personal favorite is when he said to the Nigerian president wearing his ethnic outfit “looks like you’re ready for bed” LOL – of course, these days everthing is deemed offensive by the woke brigade – no sense of humour at all! Happy WOYWW Shoshi! xx zsuzsa #15
I can’t see the video but I’ve got my cute fix from the beautiful kitties. Aren’t those helebores wonderful? I’d love to have some in my garden when we’ve got the next lot of jobs done. I’ve just realised I haven’t had lunch thanks to your Thai curry giving me the rumbles! Stay safe and keep smiling, Lisa-Jane #5
Oops, the video has gone!
Glad of the pictures of the kitties though – what beautiful companions they are – and so darned cute with it.
Love the squares you are making, the black really brings them to life. it’s like making a card and putting it on a black mount – Wow, it gives that added touch.
Love the recipe but how much does all that make? I often do a sweet and sour but mine is a concoction of my own. Might just have to cut yours down a bit and have a go. Authentic Chinese! Thanks!
Hugs, Neet 7 xx
Hello Shoshi. I did start a reply night before last, dozed off, dropped my phone and decided to turn off light and phone. Can’t wait to see the finished blanket and jumper- looks very interesting.
Kities make me smile. Next doors kitty has taken to spending a lot of time sunning herself in our garden 🙂 I think she knows now that it is me that goes in and out to look after her when her owners are away ( last time was a good while ago now of course)
Your recipe looks delicious, am contemplating trying it. I am sure I have visited Babbacombe, many moons ago. I am longing to see the sea, last time was Sept 2019, fingers crossed we make it this year.
Weather has been lovely here and I’ve enjoyed some outdoor socialising and doing little bits in the garden. I used to spend hours in the garden, health issues prevent me doing much 🙁 .
Anyway hope you are doing OK, take care. Anne x 18
It says video removed :(. The views of the sea and Sky are beautiful. How nice to be out and about in the sunshine. Your garden flowers are lovely. Love to see the kitties, they do like the sunshine don’t they. Happy WOYWW and have a great week Angel #3
Your garden is looking lovely, and to be able to eat out already must be enjoyed! What a great trip out you had, too. Have a good week, and good luck with the continuing blanket!
meant to also say, how sad Her Majesty looked in the pew all alone; a huge adjustment to come for her! It was an “enjoyable” if you know what I mean, service, very fitting.
Great photograph of the queen and Prince Philip and pleased to see the kitties enjoying the sun too. Looks like you enjoyed your day out too. Have a lovely creative week, Angela x12x
Sounds like a full week to me. I love all the colour in your garden, that’s what we need next. The skip is full of cut back ivy and weeds and garden tat. The ponds been moved, so we are getting there. Thanks for the inspirational plant pics
Have a lovely week Shoshi
Lynn xx 19
Hello again, Shoshi. Just popping back to say that I looked up Clematis Montana – aren’t they pretty? Must get one for our garden too! Do show us a photo of yours when they blossom. Re: Australians being outspoken – I’ve noticed how the Australian Sky News is completely different from any of our mainstream news outlets – they have become my go-to channel on YT when it comes to controversial issues that our media is trying to gloss over or bury entirely.
I think most people must have been very moved to see the Queen sitting there alone in the chapel – so poignant. I love how the kitties throw is coming along – the dark edges really draw the eye to the design, it is going to look so fabulous when it’s finished. It’s also great to see the spotty knitting reappear after a long break – I absolutely love the pattern and colours of that jumper and I can’t wait to see it finished. You have a beautiful and colourful garden at the moment, ours is still waiting for colourful things to open up but we do have a huge amount of violets everywhere – it must be a good year for them as we usually only have one or two little clumps. The kitties look like they are enjoying the garden greatly – they certainly have relaxing down to a fine art!
Hope you have a good week,
Diana xx #16
So good to be able to spend time outdoors now Shoshi – beautiful photos of the garden and your visit to Babbacombe. Love seeing the photos of the progressof the kitty throw and the shameless hussies themselves too. Looks like the freezer is being exceptionally well fed too lol. Meow to Lily and Ruby. Stay safe and happy WOYWW. Sarah #2
A lovely read as usual!
You started with such a moving tribute to the Queen and Prince Philip.
I am very impressed by the cat blankets progress.
Would love to try the first recipe but Kevin is not keen on sweet and sour. I have friends who live in KL. The last time I visited they took Sophie and I to some really local restaurants. Delicious food!
Lovely photos to finish…
Happy WOYWW!
Susan #14
Sorry I’m so late, but I will be early for tomorrows WOYWW! lovely pictures, the pussy cats are having a lovely sun attack! Jinx does that. Food looks interesting! I’m off it at the moment, have a blood test on Thursday, and I know they will moan at me for having too much sugar! Love the pussy cats squares, they are lovely! Happy last weeks WOYWW where I was #8 ((Lyn)) Aka ‘Rubbish Blogger’