Saturday 12th July - cardoons, ice cream sauces, Balinese music

 The Garden

I took some time in the garden this morning before the day heated up. My cardoons are flowering, even the ones that were attacked by blackfly and liberally sprayed with a mixture of washing up liquid and vegetable oil.

They are taller than the fence, over 6 feet.

I deadheaded some more lavender, watered the pots nearest the back door and enjoyed the scene.

I picked the last few broad beans; we've a hosepipe ban starting from next weekend so the less we have that needs watering, the better. 

Picking the beans was a bit of a dodgy exercise as my long oxygen cannula only reaches halfway towards them. I took it off and hooked it over a handy bay tree at its full extent, walked down to the beans, and made it back before I was getting seriously out of breath. 

Oxygen 

I could have gone and fetched a cylinder but... there are time when I feel a bit cantankerous about the whole oxygen scenario and just go for it. BB would raise an eyebrow and remark 'it's hard work being lazy' and he's not wrong!

In these really hot days I've been using a cylinder instead of the mains powered concentrator in the afternoons when the temperature rises. The concentrator, as well as making a continuous chuntering noise like an air-conditioner also produces a lot of heat. Well, the heat is welcome in winter, but not in a heatwave! 

The cylinders are really for going out and about, well, that's not happening at the moment! So I use them while I sit and watch the tennis. 

Saving water

I have suggested lowering the buckets out of the bathroom window on a length of rope when we save the bathwater. BB says carrying them down the stairs is easier. I guess the bathroom window, being directly over the bath would be tricky. 

Ice Cream

I have removed temptation by buying icecreamd that BB prefers and I actually don't like. This has worked well. There is a tub of vanilla in the freezer though, and sometimes I hear it's gentle call...

Shout out to Ang for her Mary Berry Toffee Sauce recipe on her blog 'Tracing Rainbows' today.

And shout out to Lorrie for her blueberry traybake recipe on her blog today. I shall make sure I have the ingredients for both in my next shopping order!

Here's my contribution to the sweet treat collection 

Hot Chocolate Sauce for Ice Cream

Make this just before you serve the ice cream

2oz plain chocolate 

1 oz butter

Melt in microwave (90 sec on full power, but this is an old recipe from the days when full power was probably 600W)

Beat in 2 tablespoons milk

It sets when you pour it over the ice cream

Tennis

The men's doubles final was terrific.

The women's singles final is tragic. I can hardly bear to watch. Amanda Anisomova has lost to Iga Swiatek. 6-0 6-0. It was as hard to watch as Djokavic and Sinner yesterday. 

Men's final tomorrow...

Music

I thought I'd choose gamelan music from Bali. I have a feeling this might be a modern composition, but in the traditional style.

Here's the YouTube link if you want to read a little more about it.