Old blooms...

I really must get my journal up to date before I forget what happened on the missing days!  

I just don't know where the time is going at the moment.  I can't believe tomorrow is the last day of July or that it's almost six months since my surgery! 

Today has been a day of little chores all too boring to mention.  I did make a lasagne from scratch (apart from the pasta which was pre-bough) trying a different ragu recipe.  

I usually include garlic, bay leaves, oregano and mixed herbs in my sauce, but a traditional rag sauce starts with the usual base of onion, carrot and celery, mince beef and chopped pancetta then just white wine, finely chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock and milk.  I have attempted to make this before but each time succumbed to adding herbs and garlic for fear it would be too bland, but I am aware when I eat lasagne in restaurants, there's never hers and garlic in the sauce and I always really enjoy it.  

So today was the day.  House to myself, music on and the therapeutic chopping of the veg, the slow saute to bring out the flavour, browning the mince then deglazing the pan with white wine, adding the rest of the ingredients and letting it slow simmer for two and a half hours.  

David returned from golf (no, don't ask about his round ;-) and said he could smell the ragu as soon as he got into the drive (the back door was open) and it cheered him up :-)

I am happy to report that we both thoroughly enjoyed the lasagne and there's one tucked in the freezer for another day.  When I am making ragu for spaghetti Bol I will make it with the addition of herbs, garlic etc, but in. future when making lasagne, I think I will make it this way.

In the garden this evening to water the tubs and realised I didn't have a blip.  Took various shots of plants but decided this hydrangea deserved another shot at being my blip.  

I think my earliest blip of her is from 2012, not long after we moved here.  I am amazed she is still alive!  She's not in the best spot and has been accidentally chopped down more than once, but still she blooms.  A garden survivor :-)