Jaspers!

They're busy little blighters, aren't they. We're slightly concerned that they're stripping the bases of our sunflowers to make themselves a nest - hopefully it's far enough away not to be a problem. But it's fascinating to watch them work:



I'm not quite sure why today has produced so many blog posts, it's probably due to being able actually to do a few things after a bout of illness. And it's been a dry day too, apart from one very brief rogue shower, so we've been able to do enough to feel that we're back on top of things in the garden.

And inside too. I'm inordinately proud of my first attempt at making a pain de campagne (my secret's below). Ali at Craft Matters has been turning out brilliant loaves for ages now, but I've finally had a go myself. And it's turned out really well. Here it is fresh out of the oven:



And here it is at dinner time, when we had some to go with a lovely salad of sorrel, grilled courgettes, green beans, eggs and cheese:



It's been really satisfying - all down to following the painstaking step by step instructions of a book that (without being completely over the top) has rather changed our lives, Bread Matters by Andrew Whitley. Thoroughly and unreservedly recommended.