Magnum Opus

No, not an amazing new piece of textile art, the sort to inspire, the sort that could win prizes and sell for loadsamoney.

But a heck of a lot of time and energy has gone into this project nevertheless:

Yup, I've been sorting my recipes out.

Every year I get a gift subscription to a certain food magazine .  Unfortunately, the lethal combination of a monthly magazine delivered through the letterbox, my worrying hoarding tendencies and my neverending quest for Vegetable Solutions, has resulted in a massive stack of clippings, box files and plastic wallets of recipe overload. 

But I think I'm nearly there!  I've been ruthless and chucked recipes that I know I'll never make, made a massive teetering pile of old magazines for the recycling collection, sorted everything I'm keeping into "main vegetable ingredient" categories, and now I can begin the long process of sticking it all into useable pages for my plastic folders.  I've just spent a happy morning working my way through "Green and Leafy", but I've hit a bit of a wall with where to put cauliflowers.  One idea does spring to mind, but I know I should eat them because they're good for me...

But it's not all vegetables around here.

We made an impromptu visit to Wales to see Mamgu for some apple tart refills.  While there, when it wasn't raining, I took the opportunity to look at some of the trees and bushes more carefully, in the vain hope that trees won't be so difficult anymore.

I like this idea of collaging text and drawing over it.  I will develop this idea...

And the Girl and I spent a happy half-hour grubbing around in the little slate quarry at the end of the track.  We brought plastic boxes of slate pieces home....but the colours seem to be better when it's wet, which in Wales is nearly all of the time...maybe I could varnish it?

Not a very good representation, but a quick go at recording the colours.  Again, something to work on.

I also made a little box of inspirational words, in the hope that I may conquer my fear of journaling and learn to express my innermost thoughts...

Hmmm.  I did surprise myself and write a haiku the other day:

See the trout leaping

Coffee foam river thunders

Nature harsh and cruel

Inspired by seeing the sea trout trying to jump up the fish ladder.  I've never seen them before and we were there for ages, wanting to see if one made it to the top.  But I think I'll leave the poetry to someone else.

Back to it - "Autumn and Earthy" and "Root Vegetables" next!