'What a to do, what a to do....' Hortensia was muttering to herself as she eyed the huge pile of fresh wild garlic leaves that Archibold had proudly brought home after his morning forage. 'I really only needed a few leaves.......' Suddenly she knew what to do with the unexpected surplus, 'a party, that's what, we'll have a party, and I can use all the leaves for a lovely dish of cheese and garlic bake!' Hortensia tied on her lucky blue apron, the one with little red hearts embroidered on the hem and set to washing the leaves.
Archibold was presented with a lump of really rather hard cheese and an old roll when he returned home for lunch, Hortensia had even prepared a long list of invitations for him to deliver as soon as he had finished his cup of tea. 'Nothing like a Start of Spring Party' said Hortensia, 'best to give everybody lots of notice so they can plan what they are going to wear.'
Gnomes are mostly quite practical about clothing, but as Archibold remarked later that afternoon when he was flopped in the rocking chair exhausted by delivering all of the invitations, 'not often we get a chance to wear something bright.' Like all gnomes, Archibold and Hortensia honoured the old code that all the creatures of the forest lived by, and only wore clothing that blended in with their natural habitat so as to be as inconspicuous as possible. 'Thats why parties are essential Archie, can you imagine never having an opportunity to wear your red velvet waistcoat again?'
Hortensia was quite red in the face herself from the effort of making ten large dishes of rolled garlic leaves stuffed with fresh cheese, herbs and breadcrumbs in a cheese sauce. 'I'll have to start putting them in the oven soon, and then there is the bramble crumble to finish, oh my oh my, so much to do!' Archie smiled at her as he offered to be in charge of keeping the oven hot and baking the delicious treats. 'More than enough My Dear, you really have excelled yourself his time!'
Hortensia dashed upstairs to cool her face and choose her outfit for the evening ahead. 'Such a relief to be having a supper party, no need to set the table and just think of the dancing!' Downstairs Archibold was keeping an eye on the dishes in the oven as the glorious smell of cheese and garlic began to waft about the house. He began to lift the extra chairs of their wooden pegs where they hung high up on the walls. All gnomes keep extra chairs in case visitors come by, sensibly storing them out of harms way high up on the walls of their houses, but conveniently within reach from a small step ladder.
'Ta da da, ta ta da ta!' Archibold whirled around holding a chair as his dancing partner when he suddenly stopped in amazement, Hortensia stood in the doorway, she was wearing a glorious blue dress the colour of a summer sky and Archibold knew with all his being, that he just had to sweep off her feet for a little dance of happiness..............
Thursday 14 March 2013
Sunday 3 March 2013
Nettle tea and honey flapjacks........
Hortensia and Archibold were sitting by the fire enjoying a delicious cup of tea. 'Oooh Archie, I do love our morning cup of tea, and such a lovely pot of the very best nettle top too!' Archibold smiled - long ago they had decided that every day - unless on an escapade - that they would stop whatever they were busy doing and meet up for a morning cup of tea at eleven am. Eleven in the morning is just the right sort of time for a refreshing cup of tea and a proper sit down to organise the day.
Archibold took great pride in collecting leaves for Hortensia's teas, and the first tender tips of spring nettles were her most favourite of all. Archibold liked to gather them early in the morning, of course he had to be careful because nettles are quite tall, and the stems most prickly and could give a terrible rash to a careless gatherer.
Humbert, Archibold's father had taught him how to lasso the plant tops without hurting himself. 'There you go boy' he used to shout, Humbert was very keen on shouting - and singing - whenever possible, 'Swing the rope over your shoulder and bring the tip down!' Of course, as you can well imagine, it was easier said than done and poor Archibold had found learning an aggravating experience, especially as Humbert would accompany all of his attempts with loud shouts of 'one, two, three and away she goes!' and other, sometimes rather rude, comments.
However, now that Archibold was an expert forager and had human gardens of his own to look after, he could bring home lots of special treats for Hortensia to blend into her teas. Hortensia was very proud of Archibold's prowess and in return would bake the special honey flapjacks that he absolutely adored.
'Very tasty indeed My Dear' Archibold mumbled, 'helps keep the damp out'. Not that gnomes are particularly prone to damp, but as Archibold then said 'you can never be to careful at the end of a long winter, damp gets about, nasty thing damp.'
Hortensia agreed, she had seen her Mother, Wispy, become quite bent over with the effects of damp. Wispy was short for Wisteria, but as everyone knows, Wisteria is not thought of as a proper name for a young gnomette because it rhythms with Hysteria - and any thought of hysteria was thought of as rather a bad omen for an adult gnomes temperament. Besides Wispy's hair was always floating out of her hats in gentle golden curls, so Wispy suited her very well indeed.
' Thank you Archie for the lovely fresh milk, perhaps a saffron custard might be nice for tea?' Archie's eyes twinkled, he had been thinking about a custard when he brought home such a big jug of milk, ' just perfect My Dear, just perfect!' And with that he kissed Hortensia and Baby Harriet and was off out to tend a wild rose that needed pruning!
Archibold took great pride in collecting leaves for Hortensia's teas, and the first tender tips of spring nettles were her most favourite of all. Archibold liked to gather them early in the morning, of course he had to be careful because nettles are quite tall, and the stems most prickly and could give a terrible rash to a careless gatherer.
Humbert, Archibold's father had taught him how to lasso the plant tops without hurting himself. 'There you go boy' he used to shout, Humbert was very keen on shouting - and singing - whenever possible, 'Swing the rope over your shoulder and bring the tip down!' Of course, as you can well imagine, it was easier said than done and poor Archibold had found learning an aggravating experience, especially as Humbert would accompany all of his attempts with loud shouts of 'one, two, three and away she goes!' and other, sometimes rather rude, comments.
However, now that Archibold was an expert forager and had human gardens of his own to look after, he could bring home lots of special treats for Hortensia to blend into her teas. Hortensia was very proud of Archibold's prowess and in return would bake the special honey flapjacks that he absolutely adored.
'Very tasty indeed My Dear' Archibold mumbled, 'helps keep the damp out'. Not that gnomes are particularly prone to damp, but as Archibold then said 'you can never be to careful at the end of a long winter, damp gets about, nasty thing damp.'
Hortensia agreed, she had seen her Mother, Wispy, become quite bent over with the effects of damp. Wispy was short for Wisteria, but as everyone knows, Wisteria is not thought of as a proper name for a young gnomette because it rhythms with Hysteria - and any thought of hysteria was thought of as rather a bad omen for an adult gnomes temperament. Besides Wispy's hair was always floating out of her hats in gentle golden curls, so Wispy suited her very well indeed.
' Thank you Archie for the lovely fresh milk, perhaps a saffron custard might be nice for tea?' Archie's eyes twinkled, he had been thinking about a custard when he brought home such a big jug of milk, ' just perfect My Dear, just perfect!' And with that he kissed Hortensia and Baby Harriet and was off out to tend a wild rose that needed pruning!
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