Confessions of a serial mower - an Aga Saga

A comment from Pondside made me realize we all rave about our Agas, Rayburns and suchlike and some folks, particularly across the pond don't know so much about them. So, in a nutshell, they are either two ovened or four, mine is two, run on gas, oil, solid fuel or electric, enamelled ranges. Enormous storage heaters that cook. Not cheap to run, but then they can do so much more than cook - heat water, radiators, press clothes on the simmering lids, drying herbs, preserving, toasting bread and crumpets on the hobs, and warming bums. There is really nothing quite like an Aga roast. You can even do a "fry-up" in a pan on the floor of the roasting oven.
Visitors tend to race across the kitchen and hang off the hand rail, warming their bottoms. Farmhouses and large country houses had them way before they became fashionable. They are instantly available to cook with, whenever, no preheating etc here. Rather than worry about temperature control you place your items for cooking in varying positions within the ovens - the top oven being the hottest etc. Sounds really weird at first, but you soon get the hang of it. Mine is run by propane gas as we do not have mains here, and is a rather dark chocolate brown - it was inherited with the house and this particular colour, whilst not my choice, has now come back into fashion and can be bought again would you believe. I knew if I waited long enough it would. www.aga-web.co.uk

Daughter outlaw, a new convert to them, has just purchased one second hand herself off e-bay for her house in Portsmouth. She has got the more traditional cream. All she needs now is her new kitchen to put it in - planning permitting! I know lots of you lucky things out there have four ovened ones and I am rather envious of that. Still, beggars can't be choosers. Still, having been brought up in a home with a solid fuel Rayburn which was a nightmare to control and keep clean, I was just plain thrilled to get a gas Aga of any size or colour. When we were in Florida last I saw a four ovened Aga going into a MacMansion as they are known - even in the heat and humidity of Florida, they are the thing to have - you just turn up the air con I guess. In Suffolk, I hardly ever need to turn her off, even on the hottest days, I just open all the windows and doors - I can't really bear to be without her you see. Bugger the flies!
So for Pondside, a tiny potted blog about an Aga - so now you know what we are all on about.

Confessions of a serial mower - back to normal

Yesterday was totally mad. Rain drove through cracks and places we didn't even know we had places. The dining room leaded light window, large and North facing of course, streamed with rivulets of water, draining down to the ledge and then along the beams to the wood floor. Pooling just short of my huge rug. We mopped up with towels hastily grabbed from bathroom and did the best we could to stem the tide.
I have lit the wood burner in there today, to try to dry and air out the room.
We recorded over 3 inches of rain this weekend. Extraordinary for this time of year -more rain in a day than usually for the whole of May. The dampness seems to be seeping through the house, except for my beloved kitchen with madam Aga sending out her warm rays to greet me. Thank god, and the occupants before me, for she!

Others, less fortunate in the neighbouring village have been without power since Sunday so I can only imagine how they are coping.

Our traditional Whitsun Gala held every year for the past 60 in the surroundings of Framlingham Castle was washed out. Cancelled for the first time in living memory.
Bert Stocks Fun Fair arrived, but no fun was to be found. As fast as they tried to
erect their equipment, it just sunk into the mire that is the Castle Meadow. If it didn't have a running moat, it has one now.
Fields stand with water - just two weeks ago we were despairing that the beet would die through lack of rain, and now they stand up to their necks in water.
Their leaves are at least touching over the rows, on schedule, by the Suffolk Show, tomorrow. Surely it will stop raining by then. The Trinity Showground at Bucklesham near Ipswich [named after the Suffolk Trinity of horse, sheep and red poll cattle) stands on light sandy soil, "boy's land" as they say round here - so it should drain and be usable we hope. For a wonderful day out, where Town meets Country, there's not much to beat the Suffolk Show - especially if the sun should shine on it. It usually does. Here's hoping.
A view of our barley taken last week, on a Suffolk sunny day.