Lime Marmalade & the Black Dog!

I do try hard to write a cheerful blog because I don't want to lose any of you, hence loads of pics recently!! But......

Have you heard of Winston Churchill's 'Black Dog'? (Depression)

"Our society unfortunately still has these strange ideas about depression – that weak people get depressed. If weak people get depressed then why did Winston Churchill get depressed? Why did Abraham Lincoln get depressed? Why did Charles Darwin get depressed?" Dr Ian Chung.

I am sadly one of these people and I believe I have done well to get through the last 6 months with everything thats been going on! Anyway I saw the GP 2 weeks ago and everything is now in hand. To be honest its a b****r! I still have no idea why? Its like someone has flicked a switch and try as I might I can't seem to flick it back! I must admit I don't talk about it much as I don't like people knowing, but I can tell you because I don't see you!!!!!
I don't need sympathy, I would never ever harm myself in any way shape or form, because I know I am better for the family a zombie in the corner of the sofa than not here at all!! I also know how loved I am!! So maybe now you understand my confusion as to why I get this!!

So what do I do to help myself, I set a task everyday, something I have to do or should try to do. Usually I am quite happy to spend a whole morning down the garden or cooking, sewing, knitting or whatever. I am lucky if I can manage half an hour at the moment, so that is what I do and today it is the turn of the Lime Marmalade. This takes alot longer than half an hour, but I can break it up, so last night I gathered the ingredients



such lovely cheerful colours!



I then squeezed all the lemons and limes and put the lime skins through the mincer (I don't like large rind in my marmalade)then put the minced rinds into the juice to soak over night!

This morning I popped it all in a pan, in the bag are the membranes and pips of the lemons and limes.



Still looks a nice colour!

Then I boiled it for 1 hour before removing the bag and adding the sugar. Now the photo does not really do this justice because it still looks a good colour here but to be honest it looks like 'vomit'!!!!!



I did the saucer test, well in my case the small plate test,to see if it had reached setting point. I also took the opportunity to taste it! My goodness it will certainly wake you up, hubby won't like it, I think it will be too bitter for him!



then poured it into the jars.



and now a close up!




Next time I won't put so much of the rind in! Can't wait to taste it, maybe I will have a piece of toast for lunch!!!!!!

So for coffee break I wandered to my favourite spot in the garden and what I do love to see apart from sunshine, is washing on the line



chickens enjoying themselves, even though they have wrecked the garden



look at all the frogs spawn. The lump I showed you the other day has grown and is getting tails!!



I will keep an eye on it this weekend and let you know how they grow! Right I'm off to have lunch down the garden, catch you all later!!

Marmalade Making!

After the washing machine man had been and fixed my machine (£40) I had designated today as 'Marmalade Making Day'!
So are you ready? Here we go.........................

Gather all your ingredients



Wash the oranges and lemons!



no I didn't really use soapy water, I'm just checking your paying attention!!!!
Squeeze the oranges amd lemons, keep all the pips and pith to put into a muslin bag which will go into the marmalade mixture whilst cooking, this has pectin in it which helps the marmalade set!.



Now chop finely or mince the skins of the oranges and lemons. I am mincing with my £10 bargain buy mincer (including postage) from Ebay!! The suction thing isn't to good but it does an excellent job and definately speeds the whole process up.



Plonk everything except the sugar in a pan!



Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 hours, reducing the liquid by half, add the sugar.



bring back to the boil and boil vigourously until setting point, I use a thermometer for this, skim off the skum which I am in the middle of doing,cos I forgot to take a picture!! (silly me)



Pour into jars



and now for a close up



So would I make it again? Definately! The first part with the oranges and lemons takes about 1 hour, but I would imagine you could use a food processor which would speed everything up. You then have at least 2 hours if not more, in the middle whilst it boils to get on and do something else. Then reaching setting point and into jars!! Easy!!!!

I am here!! Motivation at zero though!!

Some of you may know, some may not that Tori has Aspergers Syndrome! I'm not sure the outside agencies have any idea what we go through at home.
I won't say what exactly happened on Sunday just that she ran away Sunday afternoon wearing just jeans and a t-shirt! Bearing in mind how cold it was, we gave her an hour, thinking she would just stomp round the village. But she didn't!! So Mark & I went out looking leaving our wonderful neighbour to hold the fort in case she came back! Anyway to cut a long story short after 2 hours we still hadn't found her, but she had heard me calling and she made her way home!! She was purple and had been sat on some logs in a field about 500yds away from home!
Now everything is fine, all sorted and more or less back to what it was. But this has really affected me badly!! I am struggling but who doesn't, keep putting one foot infront of the other and see what happens!!!

I started having my hair coloured about October last year, as the grey was getting to me!! I had like a grey hairband effect! Anyway I went to the hairdressers to have an all over touch up on Friday and it looks like I have gone totally white!!!!!!!! I wonder if it is because of the operations and stress I have been through the last 6 months!!!

My good deed for the day!!!! (Maybe the week!!!)
My friend who has MS, well her tramper packed up last week. This is her Tramper..



its like a fourwheel drive invalid carriage and allows outdoor people to carry on with outdoor actvities even though they may have disabilities!
So for some unknown reason the engineer wouldn't/couldn't come to her so we went to them. It has its own trailer so we loaded it up, 100 miles round trip, 1 hour wait, £25 bill, and it is now working and back at home! She is happy now because she is house bound without it. She has horses, chickens, sheep and a dog which she still helps look after, with believe it or not a very little amount of support! I admire her guts she has so much strength!!

Now I need to do something to get me going again, so look what arrived in the post today



My £10 including postage, mincer from Ebay!!! So I think I will do some Marmalading!!!! Well not exactly now, maybe tomorrow or the next day!!

Bits & Bobs and Oranges!

Catching up on housework (blah) and ironing (double blah). I had a go at an ATC, I won't be posting a picture or doing anymore!!!

I am also trying out some 'Amigurumi Patterns' these are Japanese Crochet patterns. Just playing around, if they turn out ok I'll post info on them!!

I recieved some new Yarn through the post the other day from Yarn Yard (link on right)


I will get knitting again very soon, can't say who for or what I will be knitting though!


Doing a bit of research for someone's Family History which is proving to have a twist or two!!!



No I have not gone totally mad and decided to up my Vitamin C intake!!!
These are Seville Oranges, and what do you make with them?????????? Marmalade!!! I have never made Marmalade before in my life and as I am game to have a go at most things I thought I would have a go at Marmalade, well it is a favourite of hubbies!! I am going to freeze these as I have been assured by Lottie that this will be OK. Then when I feel ready we are going to have a Marmalde Day!! If you fancy joining in, let me know and we can all make Marmalade together!!!

The Great Pip Challenge



This is the Ginger, do you think I should take it out of the propergator now???