I saw it when I was washing the fresh picked blackcurrants. I picked it out of the dish and set it on the long road to freedom. I hope it made it to the kitchen door and out into the garden.

It’s much tinier than a blackcurrant.

First apple strudel of the year using windfall apples and raspberry jam

The three chicks are growing but still very small

The french beans are doing well

The Victoria plums are starting to ripen

It will soon be time to make my late dad’s favourite conserve – plum jam.

Who’s eating the plums in the paddock?

Last week I couldn’t get to London because of the after effects of dental surgery. However mum had her regular, weekly visit from my brother plus from niece and her grandson in law and her great grandson. She really thrives on those contacts even though they are at a distance and through the barrier of a window. Today I spent a really “happy hour” chatting with mum about the past, the present and the rather uncertain future.

Talks ranged from Chelsea (her team) and Man Utd making it through to the Champions League to the death of actress Olivia de Havilland. There were snippets about staff and residents in the home (mum is a pretty good judge of character). We discussed family and friends and the talk that daughter gave last night on the subject of the UN report on antisemitism in which daughter played a major role. Mum gets pleasure from all her grandchildren and great grandchildren and never “plays favourites”. She was particularly touched by a visit from her oldest great grandson last week. “When he left,” she told me, “he said – Grandma I really love you”. It’s confusing because all the great grandchildren call her grandma and NOT great grandma. Her reward for being a wonderful mum, grandma and great grandma is the love she receives from three generations.

They were picked and washed and trimmed and salted this morning and rinsed and drained and dried this evening.

Then packed in jars and covered in vinegar, sealed and labelled. Hands off until late August!

We moved the goat milking platform into the adjacent barn and rearranged the furniture in there. It also needed a jolly good clean (as did I when I had finished!).

Then it was time to pick the last of the white currants and turn them into jam

I fancied my hand at choux pastry but it wasn’t a great success as the buns didn’t rise enough. Nevertheless I will eat a coffee and cream bun and try again later in the week. Any excuse to eat whipped cream and coffee icing!