A Nuts and Basket Case

Recently I bought these 2 baskets that I'm using for storing wood and pine cones. The pine cones I collect in the woods and let them dry before I use them for either decoration or for putting them on the fire in my wood stove. While I was trying to take a pic of my new baskets this happened.
Like me, Kadootje (= little present) loves baskets. And we are not the only ones as you can see here.
And of course, while I was trying to take some pics of Macavity on the front porch in his own private basket, who had to stick her cute little nose where it didn't belong?
Kadootje!

I collect baskets in all shapes and sizes as they come in so handy. Just think of all the many good uses you can put your baskets to, like:
hanging baskets,
baskets up against a wall filled with plants,
baskets to put pots in or
erm, sorry about that! BTW the one in the middle is baby Russian BlueWillow. Isn't she just absolutely adorable? On the left is her sister Paloma and on the right her sister Ravenna. They were about 3 weeks old then, cute as can be and already very much into baskets. Do you suppose the love of baskets contagious?

I use my baskets for so many things like collecting wood for the stove
or for putting dead flowers in when I'm deadheading the roses
or for collecting fresh fruits from my organic kitchen garden.
I also put the delicate flowers of the elderberry in my baskets. Every year I collect the elderberry flowers to make elderberry champagne.
My baskets are also used for carrying the harvest from my kitchen garden into my kitchen.
And when I'm cutting flowers for the vase there's always a basket dangling from one arm where I put the cut flowers in. That way the delicate flowers won't get damaged.
I even have a metal basket that informs other gardeners of who I am. ;-)
Recently I had to pick a nice crop of pears and this basket came in very handy too. It's a very nice and sturdy one that I use for carrying heavy stuff like blocks of wood or a crop of pears or a ...............
big heavy Maine Coon cat named Dolly Daisy. Boy, is she heavy to carry around in a basket! The things I do for my cats!

In the garden I use these plastic baskets for storing potting compost in or I chuck weeds in them while I'm doing a spot of weeding.
It must be crystal clear by now that I'm nuts about baskets. Speaking of which ........................
Here's a basket filled to the brim with hazelnuts. I got those from my friend Godelive who has a hazelnut tree in her garden.
And I have walnuts, zillions of walnuts. What on earth shall I do with them all?
Recently I went for another walk in the forest where I found these: chestnuts. I guess it will be chestnut roasting time on Bliss soon!
I'm slowly going nuts here; what to do with all those walnuts and hazelnuts? Please help; suggestions and recipes welcome!

copyright Y.E.W. Heuzen

When you've got to go you've got to go, so why not do it in style? I wonder how many old troopers in the entertainment world have ended their careers with these words ringing in their ears. Well, it's the same with deciduous trees, some at any rate.
Roy Lancaster