Granny's Parlour

The weekend is a good time for grazing. This is a summary of some of the delightful Blog articles I have been reading during the week. I invite you to graze through these, and also through the archives of the creative writers who have written about appetizing recipes, food preparation, gardening, canning and preserving, and many other aspects of nutrition, homesteading and living a sensible and healthy lifestyle.

We begin this review with a very creative approach to tea on The English Tea Store Blog. Never-failing to please tea with a never-failing-to-entertain movie, sweet treat on the side… what a perfect combo to wind down from the business of each day and the noise of the mind.

Tea and Cookie Cutter Movies begins, “So many movies seem to follow the same mold… that they seem not written but cut out like cookies with a cookie cutter. In a way, this makes these movies as perfect for tea time as real cookies are… These “cookie cutter” movies have the same villains… the same conflict setup and resolution… Actors change… Scenery even changes, sort of like how a portrait photographer changes his backdrop… Such similarities can make these movies a suitable backdrop for tea time… Of course, you’re also going to want a tea that you know well…” [Read full article]

Daisy’s World ends an article about Breakfast Ham and Egg Tarts with the word, “Serve immediately.” I wish I could! I thought. These are very distinguished and prove that you can serve an elegant and original meal without spending a week worrying in the kitchen. I imagine serving these as a special weekend breakfast treat to share with family and make everyone feel like kings and queens!

“Looking for something simple, yet elegant to serve at your next Sunday brunch?  Why not try these breakfast tarts? …I have served these tarts with various fillings (prosciutto, sautéed mushrooms, bacon), herbs (chives, thyme, oregano), and cheeses (Parmesan, Gruyère, Fontina), and get rave reviews from friends and family every time. With less time spent cooking, I get to spend more time with my guests…” [Read full article]

The Gardening Canuck Blog is like a travelogue, recounting the daily, peaceful journey of the gardener. An article titled, The Last of 200 Bulbs, will show you exactly what I mean. I think you will enjoy the pace and kind passion of the writing style.

“The last of the 200 bulbs went in today. It was cloudy and cold in the garden, which urged me to finish… It still felt like October then, but today, November looms large…  And now, outside the garden waits for its winter coat. Glenn prepared the lawn yesterday, hope in his heart for a velvety expanse of green next spring. He truly is a gardener – all lawn guys are to my mind – they just express themselves in green perfection… This is an impatient time of year. I begin to long for the hush of snow that will soon tuck in the plants… [Read full article]

The Flying T Ranch Blog offered a pleasant surprise I absolutely had to share. The article is titled, “Duck Fat” by a 13-year-old guest Blogger recounting the adventures (true story) of a family duck nicknamed Garfield. Her great sense of humor and story-telling style hooked me from first sentence to last. This is a little gem.

“Established fact: Grown Muscovy Duck drakes are usually too heavy to get very far off the ground. Obviously, this goes for flying down, too. Doc, our drake, has problems with understanding this… Then Doc discovered a secret. By hopping to the lower roost, and flying clumsily the rest of the way, he could get to the wall where his girls spend the night. It was only a matter of time before he discovered the ladder… I shined my light on the ladder to the loft to see if the barn cat would favor us with a visit. Instead of a large black cat, I saw a large white and gray duck. You guessed it, Doc. [Read full article]

Finally, a new Discover. I stumbled upon a vibrant Blog written by a landscaper whose love of nature and landscape, and affinity with both were obvious. She calls her Blog Drawn Outdoors. An article titled, “Contain it” caught my attention.

I must allow the above picture to reveal the flavor of this particular article, but here are the first few lines: “Containers. Yes, it is true they are a little bit needier and fussier than the traditional in the ground kind of gardens, but containers and pots can be a lot of fun.  Not only can you have fun with your plants, but you also have the fun of designing and styling with the container too!…” [Read full article]

Enjoy, perhaps with your favorite tea, ham and egg tarts and a good cookie-cutter movie.