First, the sad news. Our beautiful Minette is gone, fallen victim to a tractor or plough. We’ll miss her terribly; her affection and adventurous spirit, her readiness to decamp to Blandine’s house whenever we went away, her camouflage skills not just outdoors but inside too (below), and her virtuoso tree-climbing. Also the fact that unlike many cats, she wasn’t much of a killer: she presented us with the occasional fieldmouse, but never stalked or caught a bird.
Her disgruntled look, in the final photo below, is due to a newcomer, Nala, who turned up as hungry and determined to adopt us as Minette was herself, back in 2017. ( I first saw Nala up on her hind legs, very skinny and trying to grab the fatballs from the bird table).
Nala has now been spayed, and is also recovering from an array of ailments including fleas, ticks, and chronic gum disease. She is eating very well indeed.
A fortnight in England
Our short Easter visit was filled, as always, with grandchildren …
… but there was also time for lunch and a walk with cousins near Petersfield …
… as well as visits to Ben and Kay in Stansted, Judith and Steve in Ely, and Susan and Sophia in Caxton.
Wild food and foraging
I’m in a super-informative Facebook group called ‘UK Wild Food Larder’ which is great for the novice forager. Stinging and dead nettles, primroses, plantains, and dandelions – all growing in profusion at this time of year – make good eating, and often have medicinal properties too.
I like recipes that are quick and/or simple. Dandelion pancakes, dandelion honey, nettle soup, rosehip cough syrup, and cleaver juice have all worked well so far.
The rosehip gin and dandelion-root coffee were underwhelming at first try, but may be worth another go.
Still in preparation are dead-nettle infused olive oil (to be blended with beeswax etc. for a salve), and dandelion vinegar (not sure what to use this for yet!)
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