Oh, really!

It was so dark at midday that we had to have the lights on. It's damp and drear outside, the sort of weather that chills me.

I've been spending days, and several evenings out, wearing my dressing gown. Oh, really, what a slob! A few years ago there was condemnation in the press for those uncouth people who fell out of bed and trundled round the supermarket in their pyjamas. Since then pjs have become quite a fashion item, seen on the glitterati all over the place. But dressing gowns have yet to become a 'thing'. Am I about to become a trailblazer? I've worn it out in the evening over a black silk shirt and black velvet trousers with a pop of yellow colour from an amber necklace that a daughter bought for me in Russia. (Sorry Chekhov, Tolstoy, Akhadulina and Yevtushenko but now I have REALLY fallen out with Russia.) I don't think that anyone thought, good grief, woman in a dressing gown. Perhaps they did, but I was warm and comfortable and couldn't care less.

 

It was made in India from soft recycled cotton and sold by Toast. It is blissfully comfy.

The different patterns are unified by a white running stitch over all the fabric. There are no buttons. (My fingers now find buttons tricky.)

And there are two generous pockets. What's not to like!

Joining Patti, who hosts Visible Monday.

Seeds

We are putting a lot of food out for the birds during this cold weather and also eating rather more than usual ourselves. A solitary fieldfare appeared on the lawn yesterday, we usually see them in flocks and I think that this one must have been blown off course by the stormy weather. We put out water and some apples from the store that were softening and it ate steadily away at one for much of the day. I thought perhaps it was injured, but when a blackbird and a robin came to share the food it put up a very spirited defence and sent them away. Like the birds, we also like to eat a good amount of seeds and nuts. I make  savoury biscuits with seeds based on a recipe in The Green Kitchen book. I'm not a strict recipe follower, I adapt quite freely with whatever happens to be in the house.

I keep everything very simple and omit the orange juice and honey. I tried it the first time I used the recipe and it was far too sweet for my taste. I'm also quite happy to leave out salt. I make half the quantities stated below, spread the mixture and break into random pieces when cooked.

My ingredients are

spelt flour

mixed seeds

olive oil

crushed linseed 

plus water to get the right gloopy consistency.

The result is a very crisp, thin and seedy biscuit. 

Lovely with soft cheese and a few grapes.