#sublimesunday | jahming, boats and garden journal - free recipe inside

Unlike yesterday, the day started well: I discovered how to play things from my iPad on the tv (better sound system). I was looking for a little hopping music while I was tidying and dusting. This fitted the bill perfectly:

Finally dragged myself away to put a pot of pinto beans in the slow cooker. My own adapted recipe for tasty beans in a rich sauce. Add meat or not, as you wish, and the secret ingredient is fennel seeds (harvested from my garden last year).

Cold Wet Rainy Day Pinto Beans

200g dried pinto or black beans soaked overnight and cooked with two bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. One onion and three or four carrots, diced, two cloves of garlic, halved, sauteed in olive oil until soft and the onion translucent. Add three or four skinned chopped fresh tomatoes, a tablespoon each of tomato paste and honey, a teaspoon each of coriander, cumin, thyme, paprika (or cayenne), fennel seeds, salt and pepper to taste (Patrick likes white pepper). Stir and leave over a low fire while you dissolve half a stock cube in 250ml water and add to the mix. Bring to the boil, stir and add to the slow cooker with your drained beans. (if you want to add meat, fry it now until browned and add to the pot). Stir again, leave on low while you go to look at some boats and eat five hours later with some rice and steamed vegetables.

Messing About On Boats

Yesterday I wrote about a boat I'd seen for sale. Today, I went to look at it. The first signs weren't auspicious.

The barrier was down. I called the Marina Office. I could hear the outside phone bell ringing away before the answerphone clicked in: "We're not here, come back tomorrow. And we're closed on Wednesdays."

I decided to channel my inner @slobberchops and break in by climbing over the barrier. Easier for my friend who, at over six foot, just stepped over the yellow railings. I went more for the older woman getting over a stile technique. But we were in.

It was pouring with rain and there was no one around. I felt a little trepidatious seeing the private property sign.

We couldn't find the boat I was looking for, a 23ft Norman Cruiser, but there were all manner of craft there, in all conditions, from very swish to how is that staying afloat? Some even had their own garden.

We found the Jolie instead, a 20ft Norman Cruiser, four berths, tiny galley, toilet cubicle, outboard motor and tank, solar panel and ...

... snazzy cockpit and awning, BSSC until September. £3,950 ono, job done.

As the Marina Office was closed we couldn't view or get any information about mooring fees etc. It rained the whole time we were there and felt a little dismal. Not that I'm intending to live on it, but the Marina felt like it could be bleak in poorer weather.

We adjourned to the Hope and Anchor on the Grand Union Canal for a full debrief. We decided we're going to look at Castle Marina in Nottingham and Union Wharf. There are also the gin palace marinas in Ely. It could be a whole summer project. We'll have to take better note of Marina Office times, though.

Garden Journal 2019

Meanwhile, in spite of heavy rain and scorching sun, the garden has been glorious. I decided to go for a meadow look with the front lawn, initially because the lawn mower cable was frayed, but subsequently, it just looks much prettier. The following photographs were taken at various days and times over the past week, and even today, #sublimesunday, I was out there in the late afternoon, in the rain, staking tomato plants.

The vegetable garden hasn't done so well this year, with relentless rain followed by scorching temperatures. But still I can go out in the evening and get enough pickings for supper - new potatoes and french beans, some rocket leaves, mint for the potatoes, oregano for the salad.

The runner beans are very happy and just starting to produce the first beans, there should be lots over the next few weeks. I have been wondering whether to lift the onions, the foliage is very battered but still green and I'm disappointed there have been no flowers. I wasn't planning to harvest them until September, but with more wet weather, I'm unsure.

Oregano, taking over the garden, a right straggly plant but covered in flowers and a great attractant for butterflies and bees and other insects. These flowers were covered in bees, but only one was left!

A late evening picture of flowering cardoons. These are majestic plants, over seven feet tall, and grown for their stems, which I have to say are not worth the effort, being fibrous and bitter. However, they look fabulous, if a bit prehistoric, and have these thistle like flowers, which are also very attractive to bees and hoverflies. Although some of the produce has been a bit lacking, the proliferation of insects has been amazing.

The herbs and flowers outside the back door are thriving. The lavender on the left is also often covered in bees.

A stoic patio rose that keeps growing, however neglected. I left it when I went to London and it was still hanging on when I got back six years later.

The hydrangea has had beautiful colours this year.

This honeysuckle has a beautiful perfume, lovely in the evening.

I discovered the overgrown shrubbery that formed the border with next door was full of rose trees. They're just coming into their second bloom of the year and we may get a third one before the summer is out.

The pinto beans were delicious, warming and filling. I'm off to my bed now after a glorious #sublimesunday. Sleep well.