You may remember my resourceful husband used his trusty roll of duck/duct tape on holiday to fix a myriad of things from splintered decking to repairing holes in the massive rubber rings for the water slides.
This weekend he put his tape to good use in an effort to save our heavily-laden Victoria plum tree. It’s still quite a young tree and this year the amount of fruit was so great, the weary branches kept splitting. We are picking the fruit every day but I still have too much. I’ve seen some recipes on Nova’s blog Cherished by Me and she’s promised to send me one for plum vodka! Now this sounds like my sort of recipe. Hopefully it will turn out better than a disastrous plum crumble which was complete mush, possibly on account of plums being too ripe or the wrong kind of sugar or using self-raising flour – take your pick. Who can mess up a crumble – the easiest recipe in the world? The jam-making starts today: brace yourselves, women of the WI. “And was Jerusalem builded here…..”
The photo below shows the tree also being supported by the clothes prop. It’s an attractive look, isn’t it, but hopefully it will do the trick until the fruit has been harvested.
These photos were taken on Sunday 29 August for Tara Cain’s gallery. She has asked all the gallery-lovers to take a photo on the same day, to coincide with three great bloggers who were going to Bangladesh on Sunday to support and highlight the work of Save the Children.(#Blogladesh)
Isn’t it rather ironic that my photos on that day should show a tree providing a surfeit of fruit, far too much for me to cope with, and yet there are millions in the world who are suffering because of inadequate nutrition?
That’s food for thought.
It certainly is a whopper & all that fruit!That will be jam then!
My they were tasty plums though. They'll make up some fabulous recipes.
Skinner675 – it's a little skinny tree so I'm amazed how well it's done. Jam later today, fingers crossed.
Expat Mum – of course, you had some of them last weekend. There's still hundreds of them – I just wish I were a more accomplished cook!
I'm having a little bloggy break here while waiting for my plum jam (Delia's recipe…)to do its stuff…. Loving this homemade thing! (but brought down to earth by your comparison. We are so very lucky)
Good 'ole duct tape. I put it on the soles of my daughter's dance shoes to stop them slipping….i like the sound of that Plum Vodka too…
what will your hubby do the day he has a problem that he can't fix with Duck(T) tape? He is a GP not a surgeon, yes? please say yes to that, please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Plan B – I have a Delia recipe too but don't hold your breath it will work with my luck and cookery skills.
Sugarplum Kawaii – Yeah, another use for the stuff!
Kelloggsville – indeed he's a GP not a surgeon thank god. Though he does do a bit of minor surgery! He once super-glued his rubber glove to a child's forehead when dealing with a cut.
That's a very good analogy. Plus the jam sounds good. Duct tape is certainly earning its keep in your house. He must get through dozens of rolls of the stuff.
If your very first sponsored post isn't by duct/duck tape I shall be very disappointed, in fact why haven't they contacted you will a big advertisement budget?
Nice plums. x
Deer Baby and Very Bored – I must take photos of all the duck taped things in our house (I've just noticed it on the shower). Like the sound of a big advertising budget: bring it on. How about "What Dougie Does with Duck(t) Tape".
They look a lovely colour….I'm about to send the recipes. x
Czech people make slivovitz from plums (plum brandy)…yummy 😉
That duck/duct tape is really useful! I hope it manages to save the tree from damage. The plums look superb.
ooh send me some, they look so lush and juicy. Although we are hardly malnourished to justify that request!
duct tape on holiday … genius
happy jam making
Food for thought indeed. What a magnificent crop! I have a recipe for Plum Liqueur if you need one…and plum ice cream, plum and raspberry sauce, plum chutney and plum soup! Give me a shout if you want any of them!
I am in plum heaven too. Plum jam is a-coming, although I am the only one who eats it. Always have a splodge on the side of my dinner plate in fact. Now cannot have roast potatoes without it.
The irony is sad however. The waste we produce is criminal – and that's not just the plums I can't reach or the ones that 'go' before we spot them. It is a massive problem that probably can be solved by politicians but never will be. And that is the true crime.
Nova,Mirka,Elaine, Fiona, Notes, Christine and MSG –
Thanks for all the comments – my first batch of jam was a bit runny but in a Bonne Maman kind of way so a success I think. Doing more today and giving most of it away as, like Madame Smoking Gun, it seems to be only me that eats it in our house.
I'm about to make some elderberry vodka, nom nom nom. Great use of duct tape, although I tend to only use it on the kids to make them sit still. Horses for courses I guess.
Goonerjamie – will add that use to Dougie's list. Many thanks!