Blogtober 2021 :: Day 23

Another Saturday rolls around and once again I find myself feeling comforted by my familiar and gentle domestic routines. I took great pleasure in switching off my alarm yesterday, and although I still woke up at around about the same time it was blissful to just stay in bed for a while. I stretched myself out to full capacity like a starfish (J was already up so I took full advantage of the extra space), and thoroughly enjoyed the slow, still, quiet start to my day.

Let me tell you about this box of tomatoes which is probably the biggest thing I've ever carried home from the market, possibly with the exception of the Giant Celery last year. ** As a side note, the giant celery was purchased on 24th October last year - this exact time of October seems very abundant around here, no?

Anyhow - about the tomatoes, these gloriously sweet and juicy sunshine-ripened Spanish tomatoes still clinging to the vine. I've been buying large amounts in brown paper bags every single Saturday for many months, often returning on a Wednesday to re-stock because we eat a ridiculous quantity of tomatoes in this house.

Last week Dominic (the lovely man who runs the veggie stall) was away on his holidays to Scarborough and so there was no veggie market stall last Saturday. Oh I did miss it, we had to buy from the supermarket and I tell you it just wasn't nearly as good, it really wasn't!! So this morning when we went to his stall I told him how much he was missed and in return he said  that he had a present for me. I didn't believe him at first, but then he told me it was no joke and that there really was a gift waiting for me. He asked me to guess what I thought it might be, and the very first thing that sprang to mind was tomatoes. Well I was utterly bowled over when he laughed out loud and reached under his stall to bring out a box FULL of vine tomatoes which he said were especially for me. They are the last cherry vine tomatoes of the season, and he had saved them for me - all mine!!!!! I was so touched, and of course I absolutely insisted on paying him for them because just look how many there are, but he would only take £2.50 for them. I felt like the luckiest lady in town this morning, so crazy-happy carrying my wooden box of toms, popping a few in my mouth every so often and marvelling at how sweet they are.

I wanted to show you these mushrooms too, also from Dominic's stall  aren't they a delight? They are a mixture of edible varieties and I'm not really sure how to identify them or even whether I need to? They were a  bit of an impulse buy (I was still quite overcome by the tomatoes) so I'm not sure what exactly to do with them....

....I think I may just cook them very simply and have them for brunch tomorrow while they are still nice and fresh. I'm thinking I'll pan fry them in a little olive oil, butter, garlic and parsley and serve them up on granary toast. Maybe with some vine tomatoes on the side too, because I do have a few tomatoes to hand that I could use.

Similar to last Saturday, I decided to make some soup for lunch and of course it absolutely had to have tomatoes in it. I roasted up a big tray of red peppers (I bought 5 peppers for £1 from the market), onion, garlic, sweet potato and tomatoes. When they were soft I added them into a pan with some veggie stock, a generous squeeze of tomato purée and a dollop of sundried tomato pesto, seasoned it well then whizzed it all up with my swanky new stick blender.

I only recently bought myself a stick blender for making soups and I am so taken with it. It's a dream to use and makes the whole process so much easier (and not nearly as messy) as transferring the mixture into my blender in small batches. I can just whizz away directly in the pan now. I bought this 600w Bosch one so it's quite powerful and does the job effortlessly. 

The soup was absolutely delicious, very rich and warming and just the thing for a quick weekend lunch. 

This afternoon I pootled along to the pharmacy with Little Lady to collect a prescription for her. Her blood test results came in yesterday and although mostly they were all normal she does have mild anaemia so has been prescribed iron tablets to take. It would go some way to explaining her low energy and low mood during the past few months so in a way we're relieved to have found something that can be worked with and fairly easily fixed. Some of you may remember that I have been anaemic in the past (twice in fact) so I know exactly what it's like and how low it can make you feel. The struggle is real, and I very much hope that she will begin to feel like her normal self again as the iron tablets begin to give her body what it needs.

On the way home we rested for a little while on a bench beside the canal. It was quite cold to be honest but LL needed to eat something and told me in no uncertain terms that she absolutely could not wait until we got home. Okay then, a bench picnic it is, no matter how chilly my bones are.

I snapped the above photo of my sofa when I came home as I could just tell that Little B had been right there at some point. Even when he was very small he always needed at least two blankets to be properly cosy and things haven't really changed all that much. He's just very much bigger now (as tall as me) so I'm surprised he only felt the need for two blankets today - usually he can be found under a whole pile of them. 

I've started writing my blog by candlelight in the evenings and I absolutely love it. It gives me just enough light to see where to put my fingers on the keyboard but feels beautifully cosy and atmospheric. The only light we have in our large downstairs room right now is coming from candles, fairy lights and the fire. It's quite lovely. 

Right then, I'm going to love you and leave you for now, I hope you've enjoyed this scintillating tale of tomatoes and mushrooms, soup and cold benches, blankets and candlelight. Such a thrilling life I lead. More waffle coming your way tomorrow xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Rei]

Like your blog so much!

[Rachell]

What a cosy blog post! Just lovely XX

[Lynn]

That box of tomatoes looks wonderful! My garden is mostly tomato plants. There’s nothing like fresh grown tomatoes. I make an olive oil and Grape or cherry sauce for pasta. Garlic, basil and Italian spices go into it. Heavy on the tomatoes. Yum! It’s really summer in a bowl of pasta.

[Louise]

Oh wow those tomatoes! We love tomatoes but often don't buy them from the shops during winter as they are expensive, bland and watery. But come Spring (now) and we plant, plant, plant tomatoes in our garden, in pots and look forward to December when they start being available to picking. So glorious! We eat them straight of the vine in the garden (so does the dog. He's a weirdo), in salads, pastas, you name it. You tomato gift is making me look forward to our tomatoes soon!

[Bev Drake]

Lucy,it is such a pleasure to wake up & read your blogs each morning. In 2014 my friend Judy & I & husbands came & had coffee with you at the cafe & had a tour of your studio. We are from Australia & it was such a good time & Skipton was gorgeous. We’ve been back to the UK 3 times since but never able to get accommodation near when Yarndale was on & now not sure if we will get to see our London based son again. Your photos are superb & a ray of hope of travel again after 4 months of lock down. Thank you so much for your efforts & we could almost taste those delicious tomatoes.. l look forward to more please! Bev.

[Barbara]

Love those beeswax candles. Definitely candle weather. You have made me feel VERY HUNGRY the thought of all those roasted tomatoes and soup. Yum yum. Love stick blenders I so agree they make soup making so much easier. Glad you have been able to sort out your daughters tiredness. Hopefully she will bounce back soon. B x

[Jan Grosvenor]

I live on the Isle of Wight having moved from South Yorkshire seven and a half years ago. On the Island we have The Tomato Stall, a company that grows fantastic tomatoes of all kinds as well as sauces, relishes, and everything Tomato. Such brilliant products although you can't beat a good market stall.
Thanks for your daily stories and most of all your patterns. Loving doing the Yuletide blanket. Xx

[Deb]

I really enjoy your blog and sharing your life. Please don't worry about being scintillating. You live in a lovey area and my life is far more boring.

[Jacqui]

Typo 16 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[Jacqui]

Wow lots of tomatoes how lovely!

I love candles fairy lights and blankets yay!

Anaemia is a horrible thing I was 18 when first anaemic and the doctor told me mackeson or guiness would soon help that then he went maybe nit as you are only 16 and chuckled 😂😂😂😂😂

Another gorgeous blog! Thank Yoooooooooo

[Winwick Mum]

You're going to look like a tomato after eating all those! 🤣 What a kind thing for Dominic to do xx

[PennyL]

Simply wanted to say, reading your blog makes me happy. Always has. Thank you xxxx

[Linda]

Love all your posts, but this was was particularly lovely. Always so bright and colourful with your great photos. Hope LL starts to feel brighter soon.

[Irene Jackson]

Lucy you even made me feel all cosy down here in East Anglia where it is very cold now - thank you!

[Ruth]

Ok...how many people who read this post will not buy those delicious tomatoes on their next trip to the store?! Yummy!

I truly enjoy your blog. Thank you!

[Arina]

I can feel the cosiness and now I am longing for homemade soup....gonna make some tomorrow

[K brownlee]

How old is Little B now? I remember when he was an infant!

[Charlotte Pountney]

You take such care over little details, you notice things, and photograph and describe them beautifully. It IS thrilling to follow your daily doings...thank you, Lucy, I genuinely look forward to seeing what you post every day!

[Marylin Ollivier]

Hi Lucy I am jealous over those sweet lil toms...nature's candy. What's more cozy that crochet blankets, candles, a lit fireplace...homemade soup. (sigh). Thank you for sharing your days with us. I hope the iron does the trick for LL. Hugs, MO

[CJ]

Yes, good idea with the mushrooms, they will be delicious like that. I do like roasted veggies with tomatoes, scrumptious. Stick blenders are so handy aren't they, and so easy to use and clean. Although mine gets a bit of a hammering as the eldest likes to make smoothies with chunks of frozen mango. Can't get him to defrost them first. I hope your daughter feels better after some extra iron. I've had anaemia as well and I take tablets from time to time. Not all the time, but regular bouts, hoping to keep it at bay. CJ xx

[julie ann king]

i love reading about your life, it seems idyllic, i enjoy using your blanket patterns, i'm making a yule tide blanket for my daughter at the moment, i hope little lady soon feels better x

[DeLynn]

Lucy—my husband is an Ob/Gyn. He had our two daughters start taking prenatal vitamins when they were teenagers (with no risk of pregnancy occurring) and recommends that to other young women as well. He feels they are very beneficial—especially for the iron. In the US these can just be purchased over the counter without a prescription. You may want to ask LL’s dr his/her thoughts on this idea.

[Sarah]

I very much enjoyed reading about your day. Those tomatoes (and your soup!) look wonderful. Hope your daughter feels better soon xx

[Carol]

Hope your daughter feels better soon! I mis-typed. Carol

[Carol]

Hi Lucy, I look forward to your. Blog each day. Always wonderful, like an adventure. Hope your day feels better soon! Carol