What did you do today?

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Today we went to the Yarra Ranges to the source of the Yarra river, 31C day trudged up a steep incline, walking with my wife is slower than taking a Sloth for a walk.
At the end of it the La La Falls, how disappointing. Hardly more than a trickle.
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The smell of the ferns was good, I wonder what it would be like on a wet day with the smell of the Gum trees coming through.
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High 30's tomorrow, low 40's the next day, itching to get a brew on. There are times when I miss lock down.:(
Good news is Tuesday is 21C will be brewing Yeoman strong ale clone.🙂
 
Your picture of the ferns reminds me of the lost fern garden in the woods at the top of the Canonteign waterfall near Newton abbot in Devon!
Back in the 1800's Lord Exeter's Mrs (I think!) created the fern garden there as it was her hobby collecting the large ferns from various parts of the world...it was forgotten and grew over but the ferns survived. It's now been cleared and it's worth a look, especially the views from the top of the falls.
 
Just had a look Clint they are tree ferns, over here under the canopy of the gum trees the ferns do grow very tall, competing for the light. The area we visited was logged in the early 1900's. So it shows how quick the gums grow back.
http://www.canonteignfalls.co.uk/victorian-fern-gardenBy the way not to far further down turns into a very nice trout water, not sure if they have to stock it or the produce naturally. The biggest recorded was a 10 kg fish just a few kilometres down from where we were.
A book I am sure you would like is River keeper, I had it in hardback lent it out and didn't come back.
https://www.amazon.com/River-Keeper.../ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
 
Went out to level my patio for the gazebo but even the stones are frozen so came in after an hour and replaced the kitchen tap.
 

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This morning I started to install a can ceiling in the keezer shed.

Just need to source about 300 more unique 330ml cans and I'm sorted 😆

I also tidied up the little serving hatch to the outside world and added a missing handle to one of the Nukataps.

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This morning I started to install a can ceiling in the keezer shed.

Just need to source about 300 more unique 330ml cans and I'm sorted 😆

I also tidied up the little serving hatch to the outside world and added a missing handle to one of the Nukataps.

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Clever idea and if I may interject as it maybe feasible to filled them with expanding foam from the £ shop to give a bit more insulation...
 
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Went skiing in St Moritz then went to Paris for lunch followed by by tea in Jamaica. Bit like Groundhog Day.
Best thing to do is ski or perhaps skate down on the frozen lake because I found st. moritz to be a bit Meh* compared to zermatt.

*unless you want to buy a £24K watch on a whim.
 
In the garden today digging out all the veg that has over-wintered - leaf beet, chard, beetroot, kale and a few leeks.
Felt positively spring like at 14 C after the recent cold snap.
Watched a variety of birds including fieldfares stripping the berries of our holly tree.
Had one of our resident robins for company as I turned over the beds, will get some broad beans in as soon as ground is a little drier.
 
I done nowt today coz my back was still sore,it was tipping down and I was fed up...
Woke up and heard the rain and rejoiced, no gardening today. Rolled over and had a bit of a celebratory nap and then a good stretch and got up and put a brew on (two brews: one of tea and one of beer). Made a risotto for tea and just finishing my third Thunder Gods Imperial Summer Lightning, before rolling into the TV room for a bit of whatever milady fancies and another good stretch and some gratuitous snoring in the knowledge of a day well spent.
Cheer up, Clint. Life's Good. acheers.
 
Back to working from home today after a pretty fulfilling weekend. After work I caught up on some Real CSI stuff on BBC (that kind of tv really interests me) and grilled some sweet chilli chicken skewers obtained from the local butchers for dinner. I can't wait for the sunshine BBQ days to return.
 
Made a red lentil and ham hough soup. It doesn't look too inviting but I would quite happily eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner with thickly buttered crusty loaf until there is none left, then I'll lick any remaining spoons on offer.

I don't soak the smoked hough. Instead, quickly boil for 10 minutes, chuck the water out then refill the pot with 4/5 ltr cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for two hours. Meanwhile, thinly slice/dice 2 large or 4 small carrots, 3 sticks of celery and 1 large or 2 small onions. Sweat these in a separate pan over a low heat with 2 tbsp butter for 20 minutes, lid on stirring occasionally so they don't catch.

Add 3 crushed garlic cloves and continue to sweat for another 2 minutes.

While the garlic is mingling lift the hough out of the stock and set aside to cool but keep the stock!! When the 2 minutes is up throw 600g of split red lentils rinsed with cold water into the sweated veg. Cover this lentil & veg base with the saved hough stock water; you're looking for about an inch or two above the veg & lentil base. If you've not enough stock, add water. Simmer (stirring often) for 35 /40 minutes.

While the soup is simmering use 2 forks to strip the hough. You want to separate the meat from the fat and skin (I know, I know, but it's worth it) 😖. Be quite thorough but don't worry if there are streaks of fat left in with the meat Think pulled pork ish.

When the soup is thick, remember to keep stirring, chuck the stripped hough back in, turn off the heat and season to taste. White pepper is better than black pepper at this stage. Also, taste before adding salt as the hough stock will be salty.

It's always better if you leave it until the day after.

Some people blitz the veg & lentils before adding the ham but naw! If you've followed this and your veg is thinly sliced/diced you should have a thick, thick soup with visible veg and ham.

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Woke up and heard the rain and rejoiced, no gardening today. Rolled over and had a bit of a celebratory nap and then a good stretch and got up and put a brew on (two brews: one of tea and one of beer). Made a risotto for tea and just finishing my third Thunder Gods Imperial Summer Lightning, before rolling into the TV room for a bit of whatever milady fancies and another good stretch and some gratuitous snoring in the knowledge of a day well spent.
Cheer up, Clint. Life's Good. acheers.
Hmmm the TV room.....TMI athumb..
 
Took my car its MOT , walked the 2 miles home, bottled my Leffe Brune. Got another 2 mile walk back to the garage, hope the rain stays off.
 
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