Last week was a busy week in more ways than one.

We actually paid a couple of visits to the allotment. The first visit was to harvest some parsnips as I needed some for some meals that were on the week’s menu.

We lifted more than we needed as we decided to store some at home. Often when I need a parsnip we can’t, for some reason or other make it to the plot. We’ve been pleased with the crop. Most are ‘proper’ parsnip shaped rather than looking like fat deformed spiders. They must have continued developing as many were larger than those lifted earlier.

We lifted another batch of leeks to prepare for the freezer. Most had been affected by allium leaf miner and so after preparation we ended up with about half the amount that we should have had.

A second afternoon was spent doing some pruning and tidying. We have a laurel hedge that had spread too far. Most years, we have missed cutting it back before birds have decided to nest, so this year Martyn was determined to tame it.  

Whilst he was doing that, I was tidying under the greengage trees. It may not look very tidy but I cut back the pile of suckers on the left and cleared away a couple of barrowloads of grass. Most of the pile on the right will be used on the plot during the growing season,

Much of the rest of the week was filled with appointments and walks with Ruby.

Ruby was due to be clipped on Tuesday so on Monday we took her for a walk at Nostell where she always ends up caked with mud.  On arriving home she was given a bath in readiness for the groomer the next day

On Tuesday, I had my appointment at the clinic for my skin biopsies. I now have a hole in my arm and another on my leg. I must admit that I wasn’t expecting to end up with my first ever stitches.

The appointment was the first of the morning so I didn’t have a wait and we were treated to some lovely frosty views on the way home.

As Ruby was looking pristine after her grooming session, we decided on a cleaner walk later in the week

We had a ride out to Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal

As usual there was a backing track of pheasant calls. The four below were helpful enough to pose for the camera,

Coincidentally, whist I had the photos above on screen, Martyn told me to look out of the window by my desk. There was a female pheasant pecking the ground under the bird feeders. I think that it is the first time that we have seen a pheasant in the garden although last year we had one on the allotments.

Mrs. Pheasant spent some time strutting about amongst the hellebores, which are just starting to produce flower buds. She also explored the lawn areas. I bet she doesn’t put in an appearance at the end of next week for the RSPB bird count.

Some of our shrubs are also beginning to flower.

Onto last week’s food menus. We started the week with a sort of chicken orzo risotto. Into this went some of our onion, garlic, carrot, frozen peas, green beans and sweet corn.

Frozen green beans and peas also went into a vegetable frittata along with one of our shallots. This was served with some of our potatoes baked.

The only vegetable that we grew that was used in a creole turkey dish was an onion but it was served with a mixture of our green and broad beans.

Finally, I made a vegetarian layered bake. It comprised of thin slices of  our parsnip, carrot, onion and potato along with some bought sweet potato and swede. I didn’t think that the cooking method described would work so I cooked the sliced vegetables in the microwave. I made the sauce using milk, garlic and low fat cream cheese, instead if cream, separately.Finally, Martyn had to go to the hospital on Sunday for a Covid test  as a precursor to having a procedure on his nose next week. He now has to self isolate until then, which was unexpected given that the Covid rules are being abandoned on Monday and we are all supposed to be going back to normal life.

Personally, I’m not sure of that, it all seems a bit sudden. 

Anyway whatever you choose to do stay safe and well.