seems grim up north

In the depths of February it can seem as if everything is a bit grim.  After the second person in the course of a week had commented that I didn't have to look for troubles I realised that I was maybe talking things down a bit.  Like vistas on the Yorkshire moors, the description (snow! wind! seven effing miles!) can obscure the delight that comes from a sunny day standing on top of the world with good boots on your feet and fine food at the end of the walk.

I've been delaying writing up the blog in the belief that I'd have a sturdy new job to report but, alas, the construction industry has not yet responded to my availability.  I've applied for a fair few jobs but I've either been under-qualified and over-experienced (a graduate trainee programme for the nuclear energy industry where I was surrounded by 20 year old physics undergraduates) or over-qualified and under-experienced (carbon reduction officer for a local authority who were obviously surprised to be interviewing an Oxford graduate). While I would really, really like a salaried job at the minute I'm not yet knocking on Ian Duncan Smith's door and I'm happy enough that when the right one comes I'll be ready for it.

Drumbuidhe is still a bit battered from the winter with standard energy problems (flat battery on the diesel and an unidentified leak) but the solar panels have kicked in as we start to get glimpses of sunshine and the system works well enough to let you see where the problems are.  Also C has cut down his drinking on medical advice which has calmed everything down a bit.  A wee group from Mull is coming out on Wednesday to have a look at the possibility of installing a working wind turbine which could help with the guddle of inputs and outputs from the Darrieus as well as providing both electricity and income (from the feed in tariff which, yes, pays out even if you don't have a grid to feed into).

Even in the darkest part of the year there are delights to be had and Saturday's dinner was one with blood oranges in season and in caramel.  Two ingredients but still delicious.

oranges in caramel

oranges
sugar






peel the oranges by slicing the top and bottom off then cutting peel, pith and all off in a spiral.  The sharper your knife the easier this is and do it over the dish to keep as much of the juice as possible.  Slice the oranges into rounds about the thickness of a pound coin and lay in your dish.  Put the sugar and a dash of water onto heat (the water will all boil away but it's there to stop the sugar sticking to the pan and burning ... use enough to dissolve the sugar) and boil 'til it starts to colour.  Swirl the pan to make sure it colours evenly and, when it's as dark as you want, pour over the oranges.  Leave them for an hour or so or longer for the caramel to dissolve and then eat with ice cream, cream or anything you fancy.