Recent content by Toddy

A bunch of heather tied onto a rope with a boulder at the end. The boulder is dropped down the lum, rattling as it goes, and the heather is pulled through after. Dreadful mess but a cleaned out lum :)

I can truthfully say that all of my Dysons have been utterly rock solid reliable. We only bought more than one so that I didn't need to lug the heavy one upstairs when RA flared. Then later I wanted one with the wand and the powered head, so we bought that and used the original near twenty year...

I like my Dysons but I think they're overly expensive, especially since they are no longer made here, and while innovation is a good thing, constant change just annoys and confuses. Watching thread with interest; I really ought to replace the 25 year old one.

I've got three Dyson's. They're all old, well used, still work fine.....

I've been good :)

Hello :) and welcome to the virtual campfire. Pull up a log, the kettle's on, come and join the conversations :D M

I used to do a lot of natural dyeing. Dyeing uses mordants. These are metals that help dye chemically bond to fabrics. There are five in common usage. Alum, Iron, Copper, Tin and Chrome. I have huge concerns about the safety of mordants, and I had a big well funded project to organise and knew...

Easter eggs and Lindt chocolate bunnies :D Supermarkets are selling them off for about a pound each now. I think we're good for chocolate until ooooh, Hallowe'en ?! :rolleyes2:

GM food is just the latest in mankind's choice food picks. Humanity alters the world to best suit itself...define suit though, define who though....honestly, it doesn't worry me, because I know that we've been domesticating choice foods, and virtually every culture in the world does it, since...

Coca leaf doesn't grow here though, but meadowsweet does, and it's roots smell and taste like germoline...long provenance for their use agin toothache :)

I can manage almost all of it from late Spring through to late Autumn, but spices are hard to grow here. Nutmeg, mace, peppercorns, cinnamon, vanilla......we can do without, but they add so much to our food. Fruit wise bananas come to mind, citrus fruits, etc., don't grow here. Olive oil ? we...

Probably moving the shed next door disturbed the nest enough that they've gone looking for new lodgings. You knew the problem wasn't your fault, and that most likely it was from next door; looks like you were right. You've certainly worked to cut down their numbers though, and that must have...

They are very mild when cooked, but if you use them to season the butter for quick frying, and even the cooking in the butter is very fast, then they seem to keep enough to be garlic without being in anyway overpowering.

I know there are restrictions, but if you can dig up some of the bulbs, they're like skinny shallots. Cut off the roots and slice the bulbs up in long angled slivers. Fry those in butter, then you can use that jus to fry venison, steak, or beef ham or fish. If you wait a couple of weeks and in...

If you drain a tub of cottage cheese, add a little salt and a good handful of finely sliced wild garlic tops, mix well, and chill for a wee while in the fridge.....absolutely lovely with baked spuds :) and no added heavy calories. Also good with salad or tortilla chips.