Hi yikes it's Thursday already! This week seems to have sped by! I had such a fruity day yesterday. In the morning I made damson jelly which is oh so pretty. I always get nervous when I'm making preserves etc in case they don't work. My jelly is lovely and soft, still jelly, but definitely not solid. I ummed and ahhed before taking it off the stove, did the ''crinkle on the cold plate test'' several times and then decided it was ready. I could have left it just a little longer and think I will next time, particularly if I want to sell it on my stall or give it away. I have to tell you the flavour is gobsmackingly gorgeous and I can't wait to try it with grilled lamb chops or cold meats. Here is a photo - I tried to show how clear it is:
At the moment we are thinking about changing Chester's diet in case that is causing his seizures. This is a really tough one because whatever we change it too could be just as bad, unless I start cooking all his meals at home. I honestly am thinking hard about that one as even though I know it will be quite a bit of work, it might just be worth it! We've done some research after someone told us that rosemary extract can cause seizures (epileptics have to stay well clear of it) and lots of pet foods have it in them because it is a natural preservative (and a neurotoxin, ack). The food issue may have nothing to do with Chester's seizures but then again it might! Crikey, what to do???!!! Needless to say it's weighing on our minds. If possible we'd dearly love for him not to have to be on medication, he's just so young! I guess there is going to be no quick fix with this.
Ooooh I've also been drying some plums and prunes in our dehydrator and they've worked brilliantly. I love dried fruit and homemade is just so special and delicious - plus it has no preservatives in it. I'm going to dry some more prunes today, plus sort out the 6kg or so of damson plums I have left. I've ordered some more small jars so I can make another lot of jelly and I think I'm going to freeze some for later too.
Even more exciting, we got a decent amount of rain yesterday and last night, round 1.5 inches or so so I'm a very happy chappy! Everything looks so fresh. Tomorrow I'm going to spread compost like a mad woman to help conserve the moisture.
Right, I'm off to walk Chester-chops (one of his nicknames) and I just hope he has a bit more energy this morning. Big smiles..
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