Travellers Return Engaged, Late Daffodils, Marmalade Recipe.

Our globe-trotters have returned  and as engaged persons!
 Elder Son & KT arrived home late this morning after a 24 hour flight from Sydney. I think their definition of Hell is 24 hours in economy class from the other side of the world! They are exhausted and jet-lagged and Elder Son says he's never flying again!
However, despite all that they have had a most wonderful trip and have marvellous photographs and tales of spectacular and extraordinary places and a type of farming that is so different to what we do in Wales.
It was the agriculture that Eldest Son was so keen to see. Younger Son was able to arrange for him to experience millking 850 cows (!!!) in an hour & a half, in a 'state of the art' rotary parlour which was a real thrill for him. So very different to the life of his own dear farm!
Apart from the tiredness, the change in temperature has been bit of a shock...they left Sydney sweltering in the 30s' and arrived home to cold rain and what is becoming a very late spring.
It is lovely to have them home and yes, they got engaged on Mount Cook on the South Island of New Zealand. It is a great piece of news and everyone is so pleased for them.

We normally have some daffodils in flower by the 1st March, St Davids' Day, but this year they are still tight green buds and will be so for a while yet, I think.

In response to a request left on the last posting for the recipe that the Farmer uses to make marmalade, here it is;

3lbs Seville oranges
41/2 - 6 pints water
6lbs sugar
 1tspn. citric or tartaric acid or juice of 2 lemons

Scrub the fruit, cut in half, squeeze out the juice and pips and slice the peel without removing the pith.
Put the sliced peel, soft pulp and jiuce in a pan with the water. Tie the pips and fibrous tissue ina muslin bag and cook gently for 2 hrs. or until the peel is quite soft.
Squeeze the muslin bag and remove, add the the sugar, stir until this is dissolved, then boil quickly until setting point is reached.
Remove the scum, allow the marmalade to cool slightly and pour into warmed jars. Cover with waxed circles while still hot and put on lids.

The Farmer likes the peel cut cut very thick and in big chunks; I prefer it very fine and probably like marmalade jelly even better.