Saturday 12th July 2025

It’s very warm today.

Yesterday was too, but I was involved in a community event, which involved spending most of the day in a hot, hot kitchen. We made it through, though, and it was a great success all round.

My feet are sore today, but I’m enjoying putting them up, relaxing a bit, then pottering about in between - one of my superpowers.

I made some raspberry and rose petal cordial last week - homegrown on both counts. I enjoyed a glass out on the patio this afternoon. It was so refreshing diluted with fizzy water, and not too strong a rose flavour, either.

I took a book out, but it was too hot to read. It's Summer, by Edith Wharton. I’m not very far into it and quite enjoying it so far, although it does feel a bit dark and opressive. Maybe one to read on a stormy summer afternoon.

I’ve just finished the Confessions by St Augustine. He was quite the wild child, and a very naughty young man, by his own account, but eventually he found the Lord and became Christian. It was a good translation (Chadwick), so a reasonably accessible read. Some paragraphs needed a couple of readings though - especially just before bed.

More enjoyably, I’m binging my way through The Chronicles of Narnia. I’ve never got past the second book before, and now I’m about to start the last in the series. This has been an interesting experience. On the surface, I thought they were children's stories, and typical of the times they were written. As I have gone through the series, however, I am seeing a much bigger picture, and it is a tale so deep and magnificent that I struggle to articulate it. The Last Battle awaits - am I ready to face it?

If you like the sound of the cordial and fancy giving it a go, it’s very easy.

Bring to a boil;

700g raspberries

300 g caster sugar

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

500ml water

1tsp citric acid.

Simmer for 15 minutes then let cool for 30.

Put 50g fragrant rose petals in a large bowl and pour the raspberry syrup over them. Cover with a tea towel and leave overnight.

[I don't spray my roses or anything like that, so just used my own petals. They were either Queen or Princess of Sweden or Denmark.]

Strain the syrup through muslin and pour into sterilised bottles. Keep in a cool dark place for 3 months or so.

You could make this with any fruit/flower combination you might have.

Strawberry and lavender, gooseberry and elderflower, blackcurrant and mint etc.

The possibilities are endless, really.

Hope you are enjoying the summer.