Delicate bluebells, vibrant fields & interesting hedgerows

 

April comes with our woods being filled with bluebells, their delicate stems dancing in the breeze. There are some interesting facts & superstitions associated with bluebells & fairy rings. The sap used to be used in book binding. 

We have been on a few local walks through fields of vibrant yellow rape seed / canola & stopped to take photos of the bluebells nestled next to the hedgerows. 

In places on the field, the rape seed was as tall as I am & being at the same height gives you a heady scent. The flowers attract all sorts of little insects & bugs & when I got back to the car & at home, I found all sorts of things dropping out of my hair. 

Our little wood opposite our house had such interesting clusters of bluebells - blue, pink & white ones in clusters under the trees. 

Nature has the best colours under the dappled light of the emerging leaves in the woods. The woods have English bluebells but we have some Spanish ones in our garden that I do not remember planting, just a little patch under the shrubs. This link helps to identify the two different ones. 

I hope you have time to get out in nature too & to enjoy the calm of forest bathing in the woods - just connecting to nature & birdsongs. 

Thanks for stopping by, please leave a comment so I can return the visit. 

Dee 🪾🪵🌾💐

Date & banana bread

 

I am always loathe to throw over ripe bananas because they make the best banana bread. 

The recipe I used today makes 1 large loaf & 12 muffin size ones. 

250g salted butter, at room temperature 

200g brown sugar

4 large eggs

200g of pitted dates, cut & soaked in fruit tea to just cover

5 / 6 ripe bananas, mashed

480g flour

2 tbsp of baking powder

1-2 tsp spices of choice (cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg etc)

2 tsp vanilla extract 

I used loaf liners / muffin papers so no need to grease the pans

Preheat the oven to 175c fan

Chop the 200g of dates, place in a shallow bowl & add a fruit tea bag & boiling water to just cover. I used peach & orange tea but any fruit or earl grey tea will do. Leave to steep & mash with a fork. 

Cream the butter & sugar till light & fluffy.

Add the cooled dates & the liquid to the bowl & mix again till light. 

Add the eggs & some of the flour & mix well. 

Add the remaining flour, the vanilla extract, the baking powder & spices & mix lightly. 

I first added a serving spoon of mixture to each of the 12 muffin cases, then spooned the rest of the mixture in to the loaf tin. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes for the muffins - check with a sharp knife to see if done. 

Keep baking the loaf for another 25-35 minutes until a sharp knife comes out cleanly. 

I covered it half way with tin foil to stop it browning too much. 

Cool on racks, pop on the kettle & enjoy. 

If I am not going to eat all the loaf over a few days, I slice it & freeze it sliced. 

When a treat is needed, a slice can be heated & then buttered so it is never wasted. 

How do you like yours? Tell all.  

Thank you for stopping by, it is appreciated. 

Dee 🧈🧑‍🍳 📝👩‍💻