Hunters Lodge Living

Isn’t the weather just glorious at the moment? I think a little bit of sunshine is the best motivation of all for getting out into the garden.

I have to rein myself in though when it comes to sowing outdoors because the sunshine is usually followed by plummeting temperatures at night – that frost can be lethal.

But I don’t have to step outdoors to get sowing. My windowsills indoors are filling up nicely with trays of seeds that I’m hoping will germinate over the next few weeks. The seed potatoes are also benefiting from the warm rays too.

And speaking of seeds, the winner of the lovely Greenside Up giftbox competition is Bobbie Ryan. Congratulations Bobbie – I hope you enjoy great success with the fifteen varieties of seeds. 

  Miss Ruth picking the competition winner...

My days are filled with writing at the moment and we’re still on target for my book “Food From An Irish Garden” to be in shops before Christmas. I am also writing guest blogposts for both CountryLife and Quickcrop websites at the moment, so add in school runs, my own photography classes, extra-curricular activities and you will begin to understand why I’m not spending too much time baking right now. Well that’s not strictly true – I did take the time to make Wholesome Ireland’s Apple Crumble Cake and I am in love with it– I urge you to try it.

As the hens are laying like there’s no tomorrow at the moment, I really had no excuse but to make some meringues too. Topped with last year’s raspberries, they were enough for my family to forget all about my recent absenteeism in the kitchen! In fact, I think I’ll have to include this particular recipe in my book – it’s a winner every time.

So today is March 1st and I've just collected 20 fresh eggs in the garden (and three duck eggs this morning) so it's safe to say Spring has definitely arrived here at Hunters Lodge.  I also discovered that our second white Silkie has gone broody, so the countdown has begun to the arrival of the first chicks of the year.

I do love Spring..

My online guide to Keeping Chickens is now available in the Web Store on this site.