Walks in March- such warm sunny days!

It's a shame there's no associated sounds as the birdsong just lately has been WONDERFUL.

28th March was a very warm day : into the twenties so the dogs went for a cooling -off paddle.

Pip even wandered downstream following a floating twig and ''fishing''.

Serenely beautiful.

Ripples and reflections.

New green leaves: HOPE and NEW BEGINNINGS.

The trees too were ''greening'' up.

Had a nasty and malevolent shock in Mid March while I was away- stalked via e-mail -and these quiet- but birdsong musical- and serene walks were a balm to my soul.

End of October: sloe collecting day

Remember my sad harvest of sloes from the other week? Hey ho: did much better today! 1270 g of super ripe big juicy sloes. Gathered on a dog walk today where we did also get soaked, but that's by the by. The dogs- who love to eat the ripe sloes- found them at the side of the footpath again but this time I had the sense to look up and I saw there were many more in these old gnarled tree/bushes and many were in a private garden...( NOTE to SELF : grow sloe trees in own garden as soon as possible!) . BUT also this time I noticed that there were 2 right adise the garden fence and their fruit was falling onto the pubilc footpath. A little skae of the tree trunk and VOILA it was RAINING ripe sloes! They hit our heads, shoulders and arms : rat tat tat, plop plop plop. Thus it was great fun a-gathering these sloes. Miss Y was with me and it was a race for both of us to gather our harvest before the dogs got to them.

Found a recipe online and will be buying the gin, sugar and preserving jars tomorrow, maybe we have enough to make 3 l of sloe gin for New Years and beyond.

Yesterday we did have our day out in Bath: above the Roman Baths but the queues were too long to visit, kids etc.

Loved,loved looo-oooved these ancient Singer black'n gold sewing machines in this shop window.

Made me remember the dear treadle I bought at auction in the 1980's but had to lose/leave behind in the divorce: shame.

We saw an exhibition of Britain from the Air photographic exhibition , these are salmon farms in the Hebrides. The girls had fun walking on a giant map of Britain.

Found Miss Y a cafe JUICE MOOSE CAFE with gluten free brownies and fresh juiced juices: Yummmeeeeee.

Finally visited the Royal Crescent ( in the rain) despite many visits to Bath BC( before children) we had never done this before. Bought 2 wee Tree decs from Rossiters: it actually SMELLED of Christmas in that shop already.

Wee Miss Mousy and a whicker woven heart. They look better than my bleached out photos.

Miss E and I visited the Fashion Museum and had a fun time trying on hats and corsets and crinolines but those pics are still on my/her blackberry. To follow soon.

After time spent in Jack Wills, Octopus, Top shop, Apple store, Orange store, River Island etc for the girls and the Wool shop on Old Orchard street for me, we sped home to walk and feed the dogs, we had a lovely day out. (Alas I was only allowed a few minutes in the woolshop and they did not have the colours of felted tweed that I needed)

This morning at home JJ tossed some old bread on the table: ''for the birds'': SEE what happened:

This was accompanied by much intense whining and whimpering.

I can see it but how do you get to it? Oh look I'm much closer now but still cannot reach....

Can you see Lucy?

And now? So close and yet so far

Ach my beautiful collar, 'twas too pink too stripey and is now still being unpicked. I made a wee decorative circles snood in the car on the way to/from Bath- piccies soon.

Our lovely blue edge kettle died ( ie leaked) within 7 months of purchase and this is the replacement: you can SEE the bubbles dancing and there's blue lights too. Steam, see?

Half eaten now: this is the Earl Grey tea cake - gluten free- from the cookbook in the last post.

I'm the only one eating it. As we bought some WEINACHT'S Stollen from both W'rose and Asda Miss E and JJ are wolfing that instead. Miss Y also doesn't rate it alas.

And this was the chocolate and banana gluten free cake made with rice flour that Miss Y wanted.

We're going to ''ice'' it with chocolate spread tonight to see if it will be eaten?

I can't waste food but don't want to have to eat it myself.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN and a Novel Nourishing November to you all.

Ps the Sloe Gin should be ready to drink by end of December: perfect for our toast to 2011?!!!

Christmas pudding time again

It's that time of year again: time to make the Christmas pudding: such a lovely rythm to the year; I'm pretty sure I made it at a similar time last year? This year though I'm making 3/4 of the mixture for 3 of us and 1/4 Gluten free for Miss Y: ie a 900ml pudding AND a 300ml pudding.

Here's the fruit a -soaking: now I know it doesn't look like much but OOOH THE SMELL!!! DIVINE. Just as if Christmas is already here. The kids have already made a few lists and also decided what they're giving us apparently. The 6 Bells in town has a decorated X-mas tree in the entrance. Bit early I think. Then again X-mas cards and toys etc went on sale in September in some supermarkets. Try to catch the sales while people think they still have jobs? Comprehensive Spending Review will likely make millions redundant.

This year it was this stout that JJ kindly bought while I was walking the dogs at Moreton. Not sure it'd be gluten free but what the H. Only for soaking the fruit?

Talking of fruit, did you know Dachshunds like sloes? I managed to pick only these measley few,but Pips andLucy managed to eat lots of large squashy ripe ones they found on the path.

Oh I hope I can go back with a ladder as I do so love Sloe gin and Christmas. Mum used to make it every year and give me a bottle but now I'll have to make it and take her some. JJ has the recipe on his i-phone. ( glad to find it CAN be useful, but mostly it's a nuisance)

Frost and blue skies again today and such glorious berries on the trees; we'll have another hard winter?! Remember last year, all the berries, JJ's prediction and then ALL THAT SNOW in January?

My aubretia is still flourishing in happy harmonious blues even if all my astors have died in the frost.

Red Kites were screeching and circling the house, causing much barking from the dogs.

Lucy.

And Pippa, wonderful eyebrows aren't they?

Did you see the article in Country Life recently? Why dachshunds are TOP dogs! Bought it in Petersfield in September as that COULD be Pips and Lucy on the cover- before /after grooming respectively.

This was the other shot of them. At a school. The article said what characters they were: well:

Lucy looking oh so sorry for herself. I have only these 2 blankets on such a cold hard floor....

That's because minutes earlier SHE had pulled her basket to the other side of the kitchen and pulled the cushion- well chewed of course- and the blanket OUT of the basket. She does like re-arranging things.

Favourite place: SOFA! Favourite activity: CHEWING something.


PS Also note new sweater dress in first piccie? Am so very pleased with this. Long and warm and very cost effective as it was from my beloved TKMAXX. I do love browsing and hunting for designer bits and bargains there.

BIG Birthday day- all day joys

How old is this face?????????
Hi there, sorry about the delay but my beloved camera died last week and as it's my birthday today I was not allowed to replace it as this would make an ideal present.... BUT we had to choose it together and as we've been snowed under type busy THAT has not yet happened.
So we've had many lovely days but only a few photos taken with my phone- camera to show for it and my computer does not accept my phone camera photos- it has to go via JJ's laptop....

My BIG day started at 6.30 am with a cold tired Miss E who had snuck down to the kitchen at 6 am to finish the cake she made all by herself and ESPECIALLY for ME!

RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE BROWNIE CHEESECAKE!

Made from 3 mouthwateringly delicioso layers. We cuddled in bed till 7 am to warm her up again( the heating had been off overnight and temp had plummeted to 0 C) then Miss Y woke up and went to make me breakfast in bed!

A huge Cath Kidstone mug of hot tea followed by granary toast with vegemite- yum yum.

Presents and cards, including a fab poem written to me by Miss E and amazing tokens from Miss Y , then JJ woke up and joined in and even both Lucy AND Pippa came upstairs and jumped on the bed to ''kiss'' me HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

After seeing the kids off to school , JJ and I went for a walk on the South Downs Way. It was a bright sunny day, with the bluest of blue skies , no clouds and we arrived at our chosen start point at Buriton by 11.50 am. Even though I had received the national trail guide AND the OS map ( # 197) for my birthday we managed to set off in the opposite direction from the plan......

THIS path DID look so very inviting!

Instead of getting to South Harting we arrived at the Queen Elizabeth Country park and Butser Hill but as we so thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, who cares? LOVELY woods and we even saw a DEER running across the path aheead of us, that's good luck isn't it? Pipa and Lucy were in their element too, Lucy running ahead and Pippa trotting along happily too - for a change-.

Did you call me?

Oh boy, I LOVE it here!

I'm a log, a hairy log....

Which way now?

Pippa is on the lead: a/ because of the rabbits, b/ she's in season and c/ she still has no re-call: always ignores any calling of her name.....

Lovely birdsong was our background music all afternoon.
JJ had made delicious sandwiches and we found a place to have tea/coffee and lemon drizzle cake!

Back again to drive home for a late school pick-up.

Views on the walk back.

Lucy leading the way back to the car. Waiting for us. I have Pippa who by now is doing regular lying down protests.

JJ lying down with a well earned drink just before the 2 hour drive home....

After the tiniest bit of crochet - I have started Rowan's Sardinia pattern in DK Patons pure cotton in the dark lilac shown.( 4mm hook)- and after a refreshing malibu'n pineapple I slept almost ALL the way home!

After this the festivities continued but that's for another day!