jam and jerusalem
- At September 29, 2010
- By Rachael
- In Allotment, Cooking, Craft, Gardening, Village life
37
Look at my gorgeous, new look Tales from the Village! The blog has been beautified by Liz at Violet Posy Design who is psychic, I think. And a bit of a kindred spirit, too. If you haven’t visited her blog Violet Posy you must. She loves all the stuff I do, and she’s a Doctor Who geek too.
Meanwhile, back to life in the village. I have to confess that although I haven’t yet joined The WI (or Women’s Institute, as it used to be known) I suspect it won’t be long. You know you’re being lured in when the reports in the village newspaper of what they’re up to sound quite tempting. And Jerusalem is one of my favourite hymns, so I would love that bit. (Do they still sing it? My singing is so spectacularly bad that it’d probably be best for everyone if they gave it a miss.)
Anyway, I digress. This week’s theme at Tara’s Gallery is Food.
So here I am again, harping on about getting out into the countryside and picking it. It’s there, it’s free, nobody minds if you pick it as long as you stick to The Countryside Code. The blackberry jam I’ve made from these berries is a million times nicer than anything you could buy in the supermarket, and with no pesticides and a million times more vitamins. (disclaimer: I have no idea if that’s true, but I sort of think it ought to be)
I may even enter the WI Real Jam Festival. It’s a slippery slope, isn’t it? Oh dear.
Tasha Goddard
Lovely new look and what gorgeous photos. I love that hymn too, and I’m really not a hymn person (or religious at all).
Deborah at Kilbourne Grove
Hey Rachael, your new look is gorgeous, love all the yummy, moody shots, gets me sooo in the mood for autumn.
kyooty
I learn something new every time I come to read here. What a fabulous organization.
Brooke
When I met my husband I had something to feed him because I had gathered apples from a neighbor who just considered them a nuisance & made pie.
Now, let’s be clear, he grabbed me because I’m irresistibly cute & witty. But it didn’t hurt that I knew where to scrounge the ingredients for pie.
New look is lovely.
Rachael
Hahaha! I have a terrible confession to make: the other day, I made a chicken pie from leftovers. I was glowing with domestic smuggery, the house looked like a bombsite and I’d taken the whole day to do it just about. Husband pointed out that it’d taken me 15 years of marriage to make him a chicken pie. Oops.
TheMadHouse
I dont have a WI near me – boohoo his. But I love the new look, I knew I would, you and Liz are so like me in taste and style! WI missed a trick not inviting you to the stoves thing a modern mother went to!
Rachael
I know. Blooming heck. Tsk.
You could start a WI, you know. In fact I think you would be fab at it, and it could be one of the groovy new crafts-and-cups-of-tea ones!
jfb57
One of my favourite programmes ‘Jam & Jerusalem’! Love the new look & you are so right – all that goodness right there for the picking!
Rachael
I’d forgotten there was a programme with that name! I was just thinking about the WI’s reputation. I’ve never seen it though – would I like it, d’you think? Must go and have a look online.
Morgan B.
Your blog is gorgeous! Nice work.
I am suffering from major blog-envy.
The photos are amazing and the jam looks incredible.
Rachael
Thank you lovely M – all down to the lovely Liz at http://www.violetposy.com. She’s booking for January 2011, if you’re interested! And I must get that meme done. I am so behind on everything.
Bumbling
OK, this just proves what a city girl I am.
We have brambles/blackberries growing in our back garden. And I’m too scared to pick them in case I have mis-identified them…
#fail
Rachael
I call them brambles too – I have to translate for the English and American readers! Now you’re armed with my photos you can go and eat some, safe in the knowledge you won’t expire. (eek. please don’t sue me!)
Heather
When I think of the WI I think of the Calendar Girls movie where they did a naked calendar. Jerusalem makes me think of Monty Python sketches but I’m an uncultured American. LOL
Rachael
Hahahaha! I love Monty Python.
Funnily enough some people in our village did a naked calendar last year. I absolutely did NOT. Haha!
Elaine
Lovely photos! I’ve been out in our local park filling my freezer with blackberries (or brambles, as I call them). It’s a fantastic free resource. Add them to the apples I got from a colleague’s garden and hey presto! Crumbles, tarts and jams.
Rachael
Brambles to me too – I went to school in Forress and Bo’ness and only moved to England 15 years ago. Oh, that makes me sound ancient!
Kate
Love the new layout and also loving your pix.
Rachael
Thanks Kate! Liz is very clever, and very intuitive.
Nova
lovely new look!
gorgeous photos….I made jam for the first time ever this year. Must ask how you sterilise the lovely jars you put your jam into. I ended up using normal jars because I wasn’t sure how to sterilise the ‘pretty ones’ X
Rachael
Ooh, Nova, it’s easy. Shove ‘em in the dishwasher and put them through the hottest cycle. Or, wash them in really hot soapy water, then pop them in a low oven for 10 mins. Meanwhile boil a pan of water and dunk the rubber rings in to sterilise them. Then burn your fingers and swear a lot when putting the whole lot together. Or is that just me? Hrmm.
Mirka Moore
Beautiful collection of food
@Kahanka
Rachael
Thank you! I could eat brambles every day. Yum.
Tatjana
In my alternative life, the one with 4 kids and the smallholding in England I’d be joining the WI, too, so I think you should do it so I can live vicariously through you!
Rachael
I will. I think that’s a wonderful idea…and when I turn up and say ‘I’m here because Tatjana says I have to come’ they won’t think I’m at all bonkers, will they? Hahaha!
Karin @ Cafe Bebe
Beeee-oooootiful my dear! Liz is a goddess and so are you! Mwah…now when are you coming to see me??
Karin
Rachael
Soon, my pretty, soon. xx
Chris at Thinly Spread
I love the new look! Gorgeous! And those photos have me drooling! I’ve been contemplating the Jam Festival too…so tempting!
Rachael
Thanks Chris! I love jam. I wish it had no calories, though.
liveotherwise
Like it. Although it’s a teeny bit too big for my poor little netbook. Can read it all, it’s just your header goes off the side slightly!
Nice and clean still, but with a touch of you. Good combo.
Great food pics!
Rachael
Ooh, let me tell Liz. It fits on my netbook but it’s got a biggish screen compared to my old one. I’ll sort it! Glad you like it though – logic told me white and plain, but instinct made me go for what I really love best. And every time I come here now I sigh a little happy sigh.
Alethea
Blog looks gorgeous and I love your post! Those pictures are amazing!
Rachael
Thank you Alethea! I’m glad you like the new look.
Deer Baby
Ohh it’s really, really pretty. Like Cath Kidston and Jane Brocket rolled into one but still unique, very much you and navigatable – that’s not a word is it?
The WI is awfully trendy. When I’ve been to festivals like Isle of Wight and Camp Bestival, you could hardly get near the WI tent for all the bright young things queuing up to get in the WI tent.
Rachael
Our WI is not very trendy – I imagine your Brighton ones are, but here it’s very much more in the traditional bent. But I rather love that, because I do love old ladies.
And hooray, I’m glad you like it. Liz is very clever.
Linda
I like the slope you’re on. Wheee! I can live vicariously through all your domestic goddess-ness.
Gorgeous new look for your blog: vintage-y and pretty, but uncluttered and easy to look at.
Rachael
Godlessness, more like. Hahahaha! I’m glad you like it though. oxoxx