An update from the summer cottage

We have been living at the summer cottage since Easter, and so many things have happend here! The cottage has a new outside that we just finished painting. We have made some new beds for flowers and the blueberries, and I have had a go at casting things in concrete. ...and I have a new bench that wrapps around the tree!

In a garden some things never change. The peonies are the stars again, as they were the last year, and the year before...and before. Two years ago I devided a huge iris and now they have settled in their new places and look lovely and strong. We have the usual crops this year too; potatoes, peas, some onions, cabbage, brccoli and some runner beans.

The black currents are doing really well this year. I'm so glad for that because I love the tast of them. I plan to dry some and add to chocolate for Christmas. I should try some in short bread too.

We have plenty of rhubarb and I make a cordial that is so refreshing. This is how I make it:

About 2 kilo rhubarb cut into 2 cm parts.
1 liter water
1/2 kilo sugar.

Have the rhubarb in a large pot. When all the rhubarb has disntegrated strain off the juice. Return the juice to the pot and add the sugar and stir until all the sugar is disolved. Bottle the cordial and leave it out to cool. Store in the refrigirator. My keep for about two weeks.

I mix 1 part cordial with 2 parts water, and it is a very refreshing summer drink!