I've been too lazy for writing on my blog, but have enjoyed this hot dry summer. What I was really pleased was that I was able to wear short sleeves almost every day. We have had a wet winter, so we deserve this fine summer.
I feel I need declare my agenda for this summer (by the end of August) so that I complete my tasks.
I've been working out to open an online shop at one of the most popular art and craft selling sites but very soon, hopefully finish setting up this weekend. Alongside I'd like to finish the next paper cut art for the Autumn, and also finish the next year's calendar of the plants in the UK.
Anyway, the autumn is approaching now. While raspberry bush in our garden has been producing still red sweet aromatic berries, though, strawberry runners are growing endlessly and the hazel nuts are fattening day by day. Why not the squirrel's family in the neighbour's bushy garden find the fresh nuts for their dinner!
I got two young hazel about 7, 8 years ago, and planted in our back garden. They had only 2 nuts last year for the ever first time. This year, at last, they got plenty of nuts. But the naughty squirrels have eaten the most of them lavishly. I decided to crop some nuts for us before all the nuts were gone. We haven't tried green nuts. But cob nuts ( a sort of hazel nuts) are now in vegetable shops and some supermarkets.
My children helped to crack the shells. The nuts are moist and a bit soft. I could slice them easily.
The sliced nuts were eaten with salad leaves, sprincled balsamic vinegar and virgin olive oil. They tasted nutty but very subtle and green?, how I can describe, green crispy vegetable rather than nuts. I prefer, to be honest, ripe nutty fatty ones. Yet they were not so bad anyway.
