One Potato, two potato, three potato, four!

They have arrived!  The spuds are here.  I dug two baskets of these beauties out with my bare hands last week.  I invited my parents to lunch, for a Baked Potato ceremony.  This variety of spud is rather aptly called 'Red Rooster'.   I took some camping, wrapped them in foil and cooked them on the campfire.  I even packed butter and salt.  With sausages they were delicious, mind you everything tastes delicious when your camping, it sure does make you hungry.  My friend is coming to lunch today, for a 'Jacket Potato'.  She is a gardener too and we often exchange produce or plants, so I look forward to her visits.  Her husband's marmalade is usually exchanged for a jar of my Raspberry Jam.
I am going to make a Potato Curry again 'Medha style'.  I loved each one of 'Mimi's Mommy's'  potato recipes.

Mimi's Mommy - Authentic Indian recipes with the Versatile Potato

My attempts at Medha's recipes

I love the humble spud!  Do you have any favourite potato recipes?
  

Camping Crochet - 'Crazy Art Batts'

I posted about 'Challenge Day' for the 'Tour De Fleece' where I spun 200g of 'Crazy Batts' into singles.  The Crazy Art Batts were bought at a discount price for a group 'Spin along' in the Yummy Yarns UK  group on Ravelry.   I practiced slubs but didn't quite master control of  them.  I could make them but not every time I intended to and I had no control over their size.  I am partial to a big fat slub in a Yarn though.  The resulting yarn was very thick and slubby in places and very unpredictable.  I loved it for all its lumps and bumps.  It was great fun to spin.
'Tour De Fleece' Challenge Day - Crazy Art Batts Blog Post
I washed the skeins to set the twist  and  took them with me camping along with my trusty 'Jumbo Crochet Hook'.

This Hook is 'The Beast' of all my Crochet Hooks' I love it!  I think it is a 25mm.  While Euan played on a park that backed on to the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey, I peacefully crocheted and played 'Frisbee' with Lacey.  (You see, I am talented like that and a master at multi-tasking).  Whatever you make with this hook grows very quickly.  I have previously made two shawls with it and they grew at warp speed.  I have also experimented with 'rag' crochet using it.

Handspun Natural Grey Gotland with Pink Merino - Made with Jumbo Hook
(This came Camping too and it was perfect)

Handspun Corriedale Beaded Yarn 

Whilst Camping I decided to make a 'Crazy Art Batt Hat'.  I would have made another shawl or shrug if I had enough yarn.  (I see more Art Batt singles on the horizon).  The 'small' hat took 100g of yarn.  Have you ever tried to photograph a hat while it is on your own head?  I do not know why I am admitting it here, but I have!  I can be a bit ditsy sometimes.  ( You may have worked that out for yourselves already!)

Take 1 - A glimpse of the chaos I live in but not much hat!

Take 2 - A glimpse of the chaos I live in and the Budgie cage, but still not much hat!

Third time lucky- Certainly not!

Good Old Henry saved the day and was a willing Model again wearing my 'Crazy Hat'

I am on the look out now for a large Grey and Pink felt flower to go on the side of the hat.  I think I will have to make one.  I am sure Henry will model again when the hat is completely finished and fitted with an suitable  embellishment.

July 2011 Photo Collage

July has been another busy and colourful month.  I can't quite believe we are 'almost' in August already.  Does anyone know how many craft days there are until Christmas?  Have a great August.

Busy on a Goat Farm!

Looking after more than fifty goats is very hard work for Sarah and Ian the farmers.  I am sure the help from willing, over enthusiastic little campers is much appreciated!  First Euan had to remove the old hay from the troughs of the youngest goats and give it to the middle sized goats.

The youngest goats were very hungry for fresh Hay and goat 'cake'.  One was so hungry it had a couple of nibbles of Euan's hair.  In Euan's own words it made him 'quite angry!'.  I think the goat thought it was carrot.

Hungry goats eat a lot of hay twice a day.

Theses guys push and shove to get to the food, they have bad manners and there was some butting of heads and even standing on each other.

Euan was brave and got into the pen with the youngest goats.  As soon as the goats started doing what came naturally to them...

He got out quite quickly!

The older goats eat silage and they seem to love it.  Then for their afters they have 'Goat Cake' pellets.

While all the children were busy Ken and I had time to bond.

What a charmer.  He is about two years old.  It is amazing to think that the kid billies will grow that fast.

Up close and personal!  Such a cutey with a very soft muzzle.  He was a Gentle Giant.  He shared an important job on the farm with Billy Kid, the other big Billy Goat.  Between them they are the 'Daddy' to a lot of kids!  They are doing a great job.  Poor Billy the ladies prefer Ken.  I think it is his enigmatic charm that does it.

A very photogenic boy.

The funny looking goats are sheep!  Three sheep live with all these goats I think, they think they are goats.  They are enjoying their cake.  After the 'Tour De Fleece' I am looking at all animals and seeing potential fiber everywhere.  I am not sure goat fibre would be great but these Suffolk sheep had lovely fleece.

I think Cashmere goats would make a fantastic addition to my three chickens.  Euan and I would also like a pet pig!
I did get some crochet done while I was away...honest Guv!  I will try to dig it out of the 'post' holiday mayhem and share it tomorrow.  The weekend here looks set to be a Sunny one, I hope you are enjoying yours.  Today we are going  to my parents to celebrate my Mom's Birthday. 

Camping in Somerset July 2011

Here is my old tent, in a field on a Goat Farm in Somerset.  I am back home now, happily back in the Land of Blog, safe and sound and clean again.  None the worse for my experience but running water, comfortable chairs and electricity feel like luxury.

We had a couple of camp fires, baking potatoes, cooking sausages and toasting marshmallows.  Sadly the toasting Marshmallows resulted in my friend taking a trip to Accident and Emergency!  A Marshmallow fell of it's stick and gave her a nasty burn!  It has really put me off toasting Marshmallows.  They will no longer be part of my camping experience.

The weather was more than kind to us and the river was very welcome for cooling off.  I don't really deal with precise temperatures there is just freezing, cold, chilly, mild, warm, hot and very hot in my vocabulary.  It was very hot.  The river was great for cooling off and not just for Lacey...

We all took a dip!

Sarah was lucky enough to see a kingfisher at the river but I had too much noise accompanying me.  I did admire the flowers though.

Edit : My bro thinks this may be Great Willow herb, I thought willow herb too but am open to
 offers :)

I do not know what these are but they are beauties, I will get around to identifying them but if any one knows I would appreciate it....

This one I think is Himalayan Balsam described as beautiful but dangerous.  It escaped from Kew Gardens in the 1830s and is currently taking over the British countryside as an invasive weed!

  We were in good company with the Lords and Ladies on the riverbank.

All the fresh air of the open countryside even made sleeping on an airbed possible.

Tomorrow I will post about Euan's experiences with 'Goat care'.  We had a very hands on experience and got involved with the daily chores.  We missed our chickens terribly and Euan liked checking the Hens on the farm for eggs.  When I got home the 'Girls' all clucked happily for a while, they missed their Mama.  I want to be a goat farmer when I grow up!  I fell in love with a billy goat called Ken, I think he liked me too.  I always think the best thing about going away is coming home though.  It is just a shame I had to leave Ken behind.

End Of - Tour De Fleece 2011 - Phew!