Blueberry Bakewell for Lady Day

Blueberry Bakewell

Yesterday was the Feast of the Annunciation, and my waking gloom was turned to joy as I realised that Lady Day was a good enough excuse to have a cup of coffee. It was also my work retreat day, so after our walk to Co-op, Benedict Ambrose and I watched the FSSP Mass in Warrington online. Then B.A. went back to work, and I wrote to my spiritual director. (I would normally go to see him but--lockdown.) After some reading, I went outside to hoe up the weeds between the concrete paving stones around the lawn. This was rather pleasant, as it was about 54 Fahrenheit outside.

Next I began to make a loaf of bread, and while that was proving, I made a blueberry Bakewell. I had meant to make a raspberry one, but there were no raspberries in Co-op. Channelling the old Blitz Spirit, I decided to experiment with what there was. As the blueberries were from hard-hit Spain, I washed them thoroughly, even with a dab of dish soap as I had seen advised online. This led to protests from B.A., who found counter-arguments online, so there will be no more washing fruit and veg with dish soap.

Work in progress.

As we watch the infection rate for the UK climb and climb, we are unsure what is our best course of action. Should we go for walks, or should we run up and down our stairs for exercise? When is it safest to go to the supermarket? Should we delay going to the supermarket for as long as possible? Should we really wait a day before opening packages? How do we disinfect our wall-to-wall carpet?

The eponymous apple tree.

I would love to wipe all our groceries with disinfecting wipes, but there are no disinfecting wipes to had, so we just do more hand washing after handling groceries and while cooking. The inability to see the Vile Germ and thus to know if we are eliminating it from our home or not is driving me a bit mad. This morning I woke at 6, and when I fell asleep I dreamed that I had travelled to China, where my media outlet was having its AGM.

Well, to cheer us up, here are photographs from our garden. As you can see, there isn't much to admire yet. That's rosemary and thyme in the barrel, and the little bush at the top end of the hoe-like thing is lavender.

The compost bin and beech leaves. 

Day's Gardening note: Dug up weeds from between concrete paving stones.