Lunch from scratch.

Home made butter, soda bread and soup.

I've been making my own butter on and off for the last year or so, or at least whenever I find double cream reduced in price at the supermarket. Butter has increased to an astronomical price over the last 18 months and making your own is not only easy and a lot cheaper but it also tastes so much nicer than the top brands in the shops, especially if preserved with Maldon sea salt flakes. Unsalted butter needs to be used relatively quickly as it doesn't have the preservative to enable it to be kept, but its great if planning to do any baking.

The leftover butter milk has sometimes gone into scones, but most recently into a fresh loaf of soda bread. So within an hour I can have a whole pat of butter (about 250g) for about a third of the price of a packet in the shops and a fresh loaf.

And what better to go with it but a nice warming bowl of soup. Yesterday it was celery and potato.

Introducing Archie

Archie, the Springer Spaniel, is a new member of the family, recused from a dogs home last week by Rhiannon and Mark and now living very comfortably in their home.

He has his little problems which will require attention and work but so far so good. 

We had a nice family outing yesterday up at The Lookout and being a water dog he loved the puddles.

A good bath later and he was looking lovely again.

Work in progress

I've been working on this scarf since early November and have no idea why everything I do seems to be taking me so long lately. I only seem to manage a few rows here and there, in between doing other things (more unfinished projects). But I've had this pattern bookmarked for some time and its lovely, as is the wool, which I've had for at least two years and actually can't wait for it to be finished, maybe even today at some point, all ready for starting work (whenever that may be)!

I got the pattern from here on Ravelry