Welcome 2022

 Goodbye 2021!

 

 Hello 2022!

My goodness, I haven't been here for well over a year! Where did 2021 go?  I can make all sorts of excuses,  but the reality of it was that I got lazy, first of all I was seduced by Instagram then got fed up with it and then sort of did nothing..... However, it is a new year, and full of good intentions I shall put my best foot forward and start blogging and reading blogs again. 

When I look back over the last year I have been just coasting, I suppose its the pandemic but I just hunkered down in my little world, quite happy, except for the loss of one of my cats, Zana, whom this blog was named after.

ZANA (2006 -2021)

 

I never talked about her much as she was quite a shy cat and didn't like her photo taken! I rescued her from a abusive home and she was timid throughout her 15 years.  I miss her a lot as she had a big personality and the house feels empty without her.  I still have Lucy, her daughter a gentle moggy and we muddle along together.

 

Lucy (in front) with Zana and Ambrose

As you can  see Lucy loves the camera! Despite being nearly 15 herself she is very fit and active and adores being the sole centre of attention, lol.

One thing that has been taking up a lot of my time is that I have decided to self publish a book of my art.  I love drawing and painting our native birds and was asked to do a series of cards for my church, I loved doing that and have decided to take it one step further and do a small book, Amazon have a great program  for self publishing. Below is the fantail (Piwakawaka), So far I have completed 6, another 12 or so to go!  I am finding the verse harder than the painting!
 

 I am still crocheting away, but not as obsessively as before, over the last week or two I have been doing washcloths as I had totally run out,  I would have had more to show but gave a couple away yesterday.  My crochet these days is quite simple as I tend to crochet in the evening when I am tired and don't want too much mental exercise haha. I have a huge stash of yarn and so am doing simple grannie blankets for the elderly in our community and children's beanies etc for a local charity.

 

The garden is a riot of colour at the moment, we have a lot of rain and it has kept everything very green and fresh, but now that summer has kicked in it will start to fade and dry out. 

 The vegetable garden is flourishing, and yesterday picked beetroot, lettuce, spring onions and the last of the broad beans, tomatoes are still green and the potatoes will be ready soon.

Plans for 2022?

More of the same but more focused.  This is where this blog will help, I am hoping by committing to blogging once a week, it will stop me procrastinating!  I am the biggest procrastinator ever.  I lose so much time and time is flying, I am still thinking where did 2021 go?!  Also I want this blog is be a tool for my family and friends to see what I am up to as I am the world's worst "stay in touch" person. Part of being a procrastinator I think - my head goes I'll phone tomorrow, next week comes, I think I'll phone tonight, I wake up in the middle of the night, oh I forgot to phone, oh well I'll definitely phone tomorrow............ (sorry Lynlee, Shelly, Julie et al!)

Every year I try and develop another skill or activity, stops then brain matter from dying! This year I want to concentrate on my cooking skills, I want to make the food I eat exciting and fresh and healthy.  More vegetables and less stodge (cheese sandwiches and pasta) There is nothing wrong with either, but when your diet consist mainly of these it is not good for the old waistline  and so on. 

 

 So.... I have all these cookbooks that adorn my bookshelves that I slaver over and then go and make a sandwich, lol! The dangers of living alone. So I have decided to devote a month to each of my favourite books and cook at least 2 dishes a week from them.  The cookbook for January is Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. He is my favourite cookbook writer ever, he cooks the food I like to eat and as it is summer his salads and vege dishes are just the thing.

 

 This Burger is not one of his recipes, but a recipe I have made for years.

Lentil Burgers

Lentil Burger

Tin of brown lentils

frozen spinach or fresh cooked about a tablespoon or two and chopped finely

grated sweet potato 1 cupish 

salt and pepper perhaps some smoked paprika or cumin whatever you fancy.

breadcrumbs to stiffen the mix

Mash the lentils leave some whole for texture,  add spinach (Make sure you have squeezed all the water out.) and sweet potato and seasonings, Mix add breadcrumbs to stiffen and form patties to fit your bun size. Fry them in olive oil for 10 minutes or so for each side.  Make the burger buns up with lettuce leaves, grated carrot and tomato and a dressing of your choice (a citrus one is very good), add burger and top with avocado or cheese.

Sorry, the  recipe is not more precise but really its more of a method than anything, but I assure you they are delish!  I love them made with black beans too.

While I have been writing this I realize what my theme for 2022 is!  I have plenty, I don't need more, I just need to use it! 

Well that's it for now, I will be back next Sunday 

Sharon and Lucy