The leaves of my "Royal Purple" Cotinus are a constant source of beautiful colour combinations. This is what many of them look like today, as they fall off the shrub:
I almost prefer them like that to their normal uniform deep purple!
It's only 10 days or so since I cut down the big Bronze Fennel stems, and already the plants are putting up new fronds:
I'm sure that these delicate little leaves would make a fine culinary ingredient - imagine them as a garnish on top of a fillet of Sea Bream or something. Yuck! I'm trying NOT to do so, since I don't eat any fish,and even the thought of it disgusts me, but Fennel is supposed to go well with many types of fish, isn't it?
My interest in the Fennel leaves, however, is not of a culinary nature, but of a photographic one... In gloomy light conditions the camera has major difficulty knowing exactly what to focus on, but if you persevere the results are definitely worthwhile
The other day we had the guttering around our house replaced, a procedure which produced a considerable influx to the garden of lumps of moss previously residing on the roof. This one fell onto the lid of the water-butt, where it was at eye-level for me and caught my attention as I walked past:
Is it just my vivid imagination, or does this look a little bit like a Hedgehog? (A very little bit..?)
This shot is a bit different. I just saw that moment when a shaft of sunlight was illuminating this little cluster of Dogwood leaves. I think the effect is almost like a lampshade being lit-up from the inside.
My opportunities for photography have recently been quite limited for one reason and another (e.g. the atrocious weather), so maybe my next few posts are going to need to rely more on the written than the visual messages!
It definitely looks like a hedgehog! Fennel goes really well with salami if you're not a fish person. I'm liking all your pictures.
ReplyDeleteYes, and I also like it in Black Pudding!
DeleteYes, a hedgehog with green spikes.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say that the moss reminded me of a hedgehog!
ReplyDeleteWe have had small amounts of fennel fronds ij a mixed salad leaf dish.
The leaf almost looks as though you [painted in the veins!
Definitely a hedgehog!
ReplyDeleteAlso, you've now made me go out into the pitch-black garden to see if my cotinus leaves are as spectacular as yours. They are not, but the bruise I got from walking straight into a garden chair might produce some lovely colouring.
I too think it looks like a hedgehog. I've never grown fennel though so haven't a clue what it would go with. I used to hate the licorice flavor in my food. I've gotten over that but still haven't grown anything with it.
ReplyDeleteMoss is quite fascinating, a bit like fungi really. It looks so different up close.
ReplyDeleteLike the moss as well. Fascinating...
ReplyDelete