Rites of Spring … short and sweet … the wonderful early vegetable and fruit season kicks in – for me … it's rhubarb and asparagus …
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| Concept design for Act 1, by Nicholas Roerich's for Diaghilev's 1913 production of 'Le Sacre du Printemps' |
Two things – when I asked my father's BIL whether he had any rhubarb in the garden … I hadn't noticed any – but he said 'yes' … my eyes lit up, my tummy came to life …
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| Rhubarb Crumble |
… then came the denouement … he said: 'I can't stand the stuff, so I buried it under the compost heap' – well that took the deliciousness out of my brain sails yes I meant 'sails'! I had to laugh with him …
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| Asparagus bundle |
Moving on – Mike at A Bit About Britain wrote two posts about Monarchy – I understand: not that interesting to many – but part of our history.
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| NB - not Mike! (Resting not so elderly gardener) |
He wrote one on Monarchy through the centuries … it's a long feature – but very thorough … the history of our country has reached another milestone … Mike is an excellent 'recordist' …
Then on the day, he and his wife decided to visit some of the Coronation sights – Slough, which is outside London, but made travelling easier; Windsor – you'll know about that place and castle – well I hope so! Then they went into central London … and then they travelled around … brave souls, I say!
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| Also not Mike, nor my uncle! |
However – both posts give us an honest overview of Coronation life today and over the centuries …
I haven't really enjoyed the Spring – a really cold wind … I'm still trying to deal with the blood pressure aspect – just need to get my act into gear and spur myself on.
Other things are on the horizon … as is my way – always lots going on … but I'm being sluggish … I will come through – positive by nature …
Cricket and tennis are upon us – again summer time sports – so good to enjoy! I have a lovely cricket post to entice you to think positively about the game - through some authors!
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| Sketches of Maria Piltz performing the sacrificial dance - I think I need to try and copy - they might bring me back to Spring like life ... |
It's really sticky here – so I'm glad I'm by the coast able to see the sea with its breeze … even if it's called 'a Channel'!
That's all folk – I'll now be getting back to normal posting – a WEP entry is due next week … enjoy your summers/winters – wherever you may be.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
28 comments:
A bit of tennis will cheer everyone.
Familiar with Slough - visited my brother when he lived there.
We went out to Sunday lunch this week, as always, and one of the grandchildren asked for asparagus. Don't get me wrong... I love asparagus. But it is a spring-early summer vegetable and not in the greengrocer in mid-winter.
I wonder if I can learn to grow asparagus in my own back vegetable yard. Then I could cook it any time of year :)
Hoping the blood pressure issue will improve, Hilary!
I'm a fan of asparagus, but my husband isn't so much! I don't put it in front of him often, ha.
@ Alex - it'll be fun having the tennis down here ... and with Queens and Wimbledon very soon too. Interesting you know Slough - it has a number of high-tech organisations based in the town ... probably why your brother lived there ... I'm guessing!
@ Hels - asparagus is a very challenging vegetable to grow - so I don't think your back vegetable yard would be suitable - more effort than worth it. But - of course - please try! It takes at least two years before you can cut the shoots ... it's not a simple veg - though was easy back in Roman days!! I think you need to give your grandchild a project - to see how it could grow!! It only has a season of a few weeks here - then needs to rest before next year!!!
@ Elizabeth - yes I hope the blood pressure will improve - once I can do a bit more de-stressing of volunteering things.
It's a treat we can enjoy ... I love it - only ten days or so before the season ends ... and the rhubarb becomes enormous - better when it's young ...
Thanks so much for visiting - after my slouch away ... I'm back and getting myself into gear for being more ordered - cheers Hilary
Do whatever they tell you to get that blood pressure under control.
Hari Om
mmmmmmmm rhubarb.....mmmmmmm asparagus..... okay, what were you saying......🥴.... YAM xx (who adds +ve wishes for BP control.)
Asparagus and rhubarb - two of my favourites!
It must be good to feel the sea breezes on a hot day - delicious x x
We too have been enjoying both asparagus and rhubarb, Hilary. We enjoy them both very much and look forward to them each spring. In addition to the usual dessert features for which rhubarb is rightly renowned, we enjoy it best of all in a sauce we make to serve with chicken. We stumbled onto this recipe a few years ago and have made it ever since. Get that blood pressure under control - not a condition to be trifled with. I always think that cricket is far more than a game; it is part of the very culture of Britain. It is so outrageously long and it can take days to play a match and sometimes, as I understand it, even at the end there may not be a winner. But in then meantime one has tea and cucumber sandwiches, and perhaps scones and clotted cream. That's hard to beat. And, of course, if there is one binding force between former members of the Empire, it is cricket. The very term has become associated with fair play. I hope you will enjoy it often this summer. David
Now I’m craving rhubarb crumble! Asparagus I can take or leave.
Mmmm to both asparagus and rhubarb. I like them both (a lot). Himself does not. More for me.
Cricket? Count me out. I would rather watch the grass grow.
I hope that pesky blood pressure can be brought under control. I am looking forward to your WEP post. Rather a lot.
He grows rhubarb but hates it? You should tell him you'll take it all off his hands in the future and not to bury it.
@ Diane - the BP is much better ... and once the next couple of 'stressy' weeks are over then it'll be even better ... thanks for your concern!
@ Yam - I know this time of year is wonderfully delightful - lots of asparagus and rhubarb ... and if I'm bad - Cornish cream with the rhubarb. Thanks too re the BP ...
@ Janice - it's funny how we love some things, yet others hate them ... more, like you, for me I say! The cooling breeze is blissful - I remember days in middle England with the heat ... oh not so good.
@ David - interesting you make a savoury sauce with your rhubarb - I've heard of it here being used with mackerel. I just enjoy the stuff too much as a dessert - something I don't eat very often ...
Cricket is (was probably) a way of life ... certainly when I was growing up - my parents loved hearing the cricket on the radio. You're right it's a long game - yet I keep coming across interesting stories about it ... that culture thing - as well as the Brits crossing continents and spreading the game ...
Tea - yes ... cucumber sandwiches ... oh so good ... followed by scones with Cornish cream.
Your comment is poignantly right ... those were the days ...
@ Anabel - nope - can't miss out either of the dishes ... another week or so of asparagus ...
@ EC - that's what I say ... more for me! Love the stuff - both stuffs!!
Watching cricket - the grass does grow over 5 days - but the game is changing ... for the better I hope - we shall see: The Ashes (England v Australia) start on Friday ... so I'll have cricket in the background then ...
I think you're going to have a cricket post first - but you'll enjoy it ... I promise you - literary connections ... then WEP with a close encounter storyline ...
@ Liz - not quite - they had rhubarb in the garden ... but my uncle disliked it and so they buried the plant under the compost heap - the garden was fairly large, the compost heap was equally swamping! Poor rhubarb couldn't survive ... sadly he died about 13 years ago ... and the garden has been sold.
Thanks so much - it's nostalgia time at the moment ... too many memories of days gone by ... cricket, tennis, long hot sunny days ... an English summer is made. I know others will think along different lines - cheers to one and all - Hilary
Always ready for Wimbledon - strawberries and cream. We've leaped into summer here - thunderstorms and hail, then 100 F by Thursday - oh boy. But it is pool season and that's a plus. Feel free to come take a warm plunge!
Hope you get that blood pressure under control.
Cheers,
We like asparagus once in a while. It's easy to have too much of a good thing here, asparagus is one of those veggie staples that's on the supermarket shelf all year round.
As for rhubarb, a suprising-sounding favourite in our household is rhubarb and strawberry pie. Who'd have thought of that combination?
@ Joanne - yes the tennis season has started ... and the British stories will be coming in ... we need our summer warmth and sun to ripen our soft fruits. We've had some thunderstorms here - but nothing like you've had in Boulder Colorado, or some I know you've had in Texas - and yes thank you ... I'd love to visit for a warm plunge!
@ Sandra - the BP seems to be better ... and I'll have more free time, less stress, to lower it even more.
@ Ian - I remember asparagus being on the market for the year I was there ... I do like seasonal fruits and veg - which we have here as you will remember. I'm always surprised by rhubarb and strawberry pie - I've spotted that trend in the States ... here we have rhubarb and apple quite often, as well as blackberries ...
Thanks to you three - we all love our summer fruits and veg - take care and cheers - Hilary
I think I'd be okay without the asparagus having an ammonia smell;)
Cheers,
Funny thing: My wife loves asparagus and I dislike it; I love rhubarb and she can't stand it! Do you know of the Rhubarb Triangle in Yorkshire? It's where the UK produces early 'forced' rhubarb which does well there because it originated in cold, damp Siberia!
@ Sandra - it's one of those reactions I've grown used to over the years - asparagus used to do that ... so I'm wondering if it's been bred out. At some stage I'll find out!
@ Bazza - oh these things ... that some love and others hate - other commenters have said the same. Me - I'm on my own and love both!
The Rhubarb Triangle and the Liquorice Triangle ... yes I've heard of both ... and had noted that rhubarb originally came from Siberia - strange but true. Rhubarb by candlelight ... so the stalks stay pink ... I love it. A friend brought me another large bunch last night - which I'm just cooking it up now ... and will freeze some of it.
Great to see you both ... funny old world we live in - cheers Hilary
Hope the upcoming week is warm and sunny for you.
Cheers,
Writing the word rhubarb makes me smile. There are none in our California stores. The strawberries are here in abundance, from northern CA. Now if I can get those two fruits together, I will be happy.
I think we get out of sorts when the weather doesn't match our perception of the season. Our spring has been cooler than normal-if there is a normal anymore-which has me not ready for summer. I missed YakYak part-2 (I just caught up on that) but glad to catch this on. I hope you get the blood pressure under control.
Oh yes, rhubarb... the first fine thing in spring... then the asparagus, white with us! and then the strawberries... delicious.
Your posts are wonderful - thank you... yes.
I only know cricket from "Alice in Wonderland" :-) Now have fun for you, I wish you a great weekend.
My grandma loved rhubarb and always made delicious things with. Everything she cooked was homemade. Making homemade noodles and biscuits with her are some of my fondest memories (easy tasks to include a child in). :)
Here to say hello. I enjoy the history lessons. Studying US Civics over here right now to add to my teacher certification. :)
I don't think I've ever tried asparagus, but I love rhubarb - especially in a crumble with a bit of natural yoghurt on top!
@ Sandra - warm and sunny interspersed with thunderstorms by the sound of it! Still it's summer - the main thing ... and we've had some rain ...
@ Susan - how interesting that's there no rhubarb in your California stores - I know over the years I've read up on strawberry and rhubarb pies ... also how much they're loved in the States. We usually add apple to our rhubarb ...
@ Dan - I've had 'a bad' Winter into Spring - not usual for me. The blood pressure has to be priority ... I'm nearly at that point ... it's fitting everything in and not feeling too stressed about things ...
@ Viola - great to see you ... your garden is full of rhubarb, with beautiful veg and fruits - lovely to see. I've never been that keen on white asparagus - but grew up with our green plants ...
Ah no - I think you're mistaking cricket for croquet ... a somewhat different game. However I admire you - bearing in mind English is not your first language - and our sports can be very odd!
@ Rosey - yes we were very fortunate growing up - we had homemade dishes from the garden all the time ... but from my mother, not either of my grandmothers - I think they both had cooks.
Congratulations on studying US Civics - which you will add to your teacher certification ... brilliant. I love all the learning I still do ... and am glad you appreciate the history snippets here: thank you.
@ Annalisa - it's lost the best bit now (I think!) ... the ammonia reaction our bodies give it. But a friend brought me some more rhubarb, so I'm still enjoying it - with some Greek yoghurt on top.
Thanks for your visits ... we have had rain!! Take care and I'll be around visiting - cheers Hilary
Hi, Hilary - Aspargus in my favourite vegetable. I wish that I liked rhubarb but have never aquired a taste for it.
Sending warm thoughts your way.
Hi Donna - oh I know ... asparagus is just delicious - the season has finished here now. Strange about rhubarb ... but we all have different tastes. Great to see you here - thank you for the comment - cheers Hilary
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