June update in English

Here we are again – another month has come and gone and it’s time for the monthly update in English. By definition, June is always a lovely month. The first real month of summer.

*Self seeded columbines in our June garden.*

Flowers, birds singing, sunshine, and soft wind. This June has come and gone more speedily than ever and it has been centered on mainly one thing: our silver anniversary.

Yes – we’ve been married for 25 years. Amazing.

*Friends and neighbors decorated our front door.*

We actually had not expected to be able to celebrate at all. Up until just a few weeks before the anniversary date, corona restrictions were in place, and no more than 10 people were allowed together at any time or place. Suddenly, this number was changed to 50 – and we sprang into action and started booking, shopping, and organizing.

We had a party tent set up in the part of the garden overlooking the valley.

Luckily, our local gourmet chef, Lina, could fit us into her busy schedule and be in charge of all the food. We had tapas – a whole range of different small courses. 3 entrees, 3 main dishes, cheeses, and dessert. So delicious, and all arranged beautifully on wooden planks and decorative platters.

*Giant prawns with tarragon mayonaise and dec0rated with pearls made from orange juice*

*The beef tenderloin was from our own Charolais cattle.*

*Chocolate cakes with chocolate mousse and raspberries.*

The wine we bought from our local importer of Italian wines.

Note the hand written numbers on the bottles – the wine came from a small Italian vineyard and every bottle has been cared for from grape to bottle.

Everything was sourced locally. How lucky we are to live where we do and have the people around us that we do.

We were able to borrow plates, glasses, etc., from the parish hall. Who has matching plates and glasses for 30?

I did the flowers myself – what a luxury to be able to spend half a day arranging flowers…

*A mix of flowers from the garden and from the florist…*

Meanwhile, the world around us kept turning and summer kept progressing. The hedgerows filled with flowering hawthorn,

and the first wild roses started blooming. The wild roses are always first to bloom.

*Multiflora roses by our garden pavillon – and a glimpse of Maggie who is always there somewhere when photos are being taken…*

*Rosa rogusa shelters part of the garden from the west wind.*

And what else happened? Did I cook anything myself that is worth sharing? Well – a simple and tasty pasta dish is always welcome, isn’t it?

*Pasta with chorizo, tomatoes, capers and basil*

But otherwise? No. Summer is not the time to hole up in the kitchen. The barbecue has been busy, though.

Now we are looking forward to July. Summer Vacation. Sunshine and berry picking in the garden. We might take a short trip abroad and bring the dogs. Just to Germany, we think. Only a few hours’ drive. Just because we are allowed to travel again.

The world is opening.

Have a lovely July and I’ll be back with an update in English again in a month’s time.

Forfatter Karen Engell Dalsgaard

Bondekone, blogger, køkkenentusiast, oversætter, Bed & Breakfast vært, havefreak, bogorm - det var noget af det. Her skriver jeg om alt det, der optager mig i hverdagen - opskrifter, haven og naturen, anmelder bøger, jeg har læst med meget mere. Vis alle indlæg af Karen Engell Dalsgaard