Saturday, November 04, 2006

Birthday Boy

November 4th is my husband’s birthday. As it was a lovely sunny day – a rarity in November – we went out to lunch. We drove via Dunster and Wheddon Cross to Exford. No sign of any hunting and very little of the season’s falling of leaves. There are two hotels in Exford but we tend to favour the Crown with its charming water garden.

We both chose grilled chicken with ‘champ mash’. I love any mash and this turned out to be champignon and was surrounded by delicious gravy. Afterwards My husband had B & B pudding with custard, and I had a dainty crème brulee with fruit compote ‘cos I’m a lady. We wandered round the village and marvelled at hardy souls at the other pub eating out by the river in shirt sleeves – the temperature
just above freezing. The village green is the greenest green you’ve ever seen.

We drove back over Exmoor – saw ponies and something in the channel which could have been a dredger. Then we saw a pony galloping hell for leather along the coast. What was he late for one wondered? Dropping down Porlock Hill I caught a glimpse of a sign saying Porlock was twinned with somewhere in Belgium. I will try to find out where – as I know the Belgian connection will be avid to know.

We called at a nursery and I got a beautiful scarlet cyclamen plant for a poorly neighbour. I couldn’t understand why the flowers were so big – apparently because it was in indoor one. It was beautifully gift wrapped and incredibly priced at £3.49. Sorry Judy – I should have taken a photo but I have delivered it already. Another year – another dollar!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

When one has a blog one always has ones' camera at the ready - nice pics. Lovely afternoon here also, though spent working hard in the garden ( I'm clocking up the choccie treats ) not in the pub.
Going to a big new garden centre that has just opened not to far away tomorrow, so I expect I shall come home with some new 'babies'.

Z said...

I'd have been surprised if I'd ordered champ and found mushroom in it - I only know it as Irish mashed potatoes with spring onions, and delicious it is.

Glad you had a good meal and a good day though.

Pat said...

polly: I still have some bulbs to plant. Hope we haven't left it too late now there is frost around.

z; maybe my assumption was wrong. There could have been spring onions in it and the mushrooms in the gravy. It was the 'champ' that confused me.

Anonymous said...

Pat, depends what bulbs they are, most spring bulbs can be planted up until December, in the south anyway.

Anonymous said...

Just thought: I have had 'champ' mash before and it certainly didn't have mushrooms in it. I think you may be confusing champ and champions and mash and gravy and mushrooms and and and


and these word verifications are becoming more and more obscure.

kenju said...

I love cyclamen plants, but I forgive the "no photo" thing...lol.

Lovely photos, especially the water garden!

Pat said...

Polly: I just have some iris bulbs to plant - will do it today and put the vulnerables in the sun room. Better get cracking!

Judy: it was such a vivid scarlet too but hopefully it will have a cheering effect.

Anonymous said...

Love the pics. Envy your husband his "B&B pudding".

Pat said...

Jack: I did too so I had a couple of spoonfuls!

Anonymous said...

I've been away.

Lovely photos as always. Happy Birthday to a very lucky gentleman.

Cheers.

Pat said...

Thanks Randall - I'll tell him!