Links

It would appear I have not quite cracked it yet! Garden Girl is here.

Feed the birds.

Yesterday, inspired by "my tiny plot" we made our own birdfeeders to hang in the garden.









We used beef dripping, apples and regular bird seed. I think I enjoyed myself more than the children. However,I am now not so sure if beef dripping is OK, having read some comments from "my tiny plot."






Anyway,they looked very pretty nonetheless but we will probably use vegetable suet next time.






And now, after commenting on garden girls blog, we are going to take part in the big garden bird watch at the end of January. How exciting. Ain't blogging great? And guess who just learned to do links!

Scones

As I am joining a diet club tonight for the nth time, I thought I had better bake and eat something first, the condemned mans last meal so to speak!

So here are my version of scones, adapted from my Mums recipe when we were kids


The Recipe

1 lb self raising flour (I use tescos own organic)
4 oz soft marg or butter (I use stork)
4 oz caster sugar
4 oz plump raisins (I use lazy Jacks organic)
2 medium eggs
90 mls milk (approx)

Rub the fat into the flour (I do it by hand only because I dont have a food processor/kitchen aid thingy) till it resembles fine bread crumbs.
Add the sugar and fruit.
Beat eggs add milk to eggs then pour into well in middle of dry ingredients reserving a drop (2 tablespoons?) for basting the top.
Use a fork to bring it all together to a soft dough. It shouldn't be too sticky nor too dry.
Plop it onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a rough circle approx 8 inches diameter and 1 and a half inches deep, there is no need for a rolling pin.
Use 2 and a half inch diameter cutter to cut the scones, they should be 1 and 1/2 inches deep.
If you get more than 10 you have not cut them deep enough.
Put on lined baking tray allowing a little space for expansion, brush tops with reserved egg and milk.

Gas mark 4 or 180-200 degrees centigrade depending on whether you have fan oven or not. Cook for 13-18 minutes depending on your oven. (At my last house I did 13 mins at 185 degrees but this oven takes 18mins at 200! I assume you know your own oven.)

Allow to cool and voila................



Enjoy with a cup of tea, your favourite jam and if you're feeling really decadent, a little clotted cream. Yum!

Beatlemania

When I was approx 14 years old, there was a season of Beatles films on TV. I watched them all and became obsessed. My room was plastered with posters and I played their records all the time.
My 16 year old eldest daughter has also discovered them and now I am often taken back to my teens when I hear her playing the CDs.
This morning I was delighted when Chris Evans played "All you need is love" (one of my favourites) as the opening track on his 1st radio 2 breakfast show.


Here is a pic today of me (on the left) and my good friend Pat at work. She was mocking me last week when I said I was starting a blog. But when she saw it today she wants some of her friends to read it too! She is such a good laugh at work and a great colleague too.




I have dutifully fed my sourdough starter today and it is bubbling away nicely. Can't wait to bake it.

Vintage coffee set

I picked this up yesterday from my local cancer research charity shop for £9.95. Isn't it gorgeous? With 6 cups and saucers and only one very small clean chip on 1 cup. I am thrilled with it. The colours remind me of spring which seems oh so far away at the moment.





I was lucky enough to get this book for Christmas and I've just started a sourdough starter for baking bread. I've never baked sourdough before so am looking forward to it.

I am a bit of a technophobe and this is a whole new experience for me, so please bear with my terrible photo taking and I haven't a clue how to do links yet but am hoping to learn soon.

Snow

Snow, snow and more snow. We are just about fed up with it all now despite the beauty. It was -13 degrees on Tuesday morning when I was trudging my paper round at 6.15am. Still, the children are enjoying it, especially with the schools all closed.







Having some fun at the table...




The view from my bedroom window at sunset...




Dearly beloved admiring same view....





This is our outdoor crib made from bits of old calf hurdles from my Dads farm, (complete with a bit of crusty manure in places, very authentic) and figures made from chicken wire covered in scrap fabrics. We think the snow really made it look good this year and we had lots of comments from passersby, (it is under our front window.) I took this photo of it on the 6th Jan.



Anyway its all back to school on Monday, with 1st lot of AS modular exams for our eldest. I do miss them when they all go back. It's lovely having them at home and the snow has been a bonus bringing almost an extra week at home.

Ta Dahhhhhhh

Welcome to my blog!
I can't believe I am writing this. I have been an avid blog reader and largely lurker for several years and am finally dipping my toe in the water. And on the feast of the Epiphany too. How apt!

I have been motivated to begin by a desire to document aspects of our family life, mainly so the children can have a record in years to come. (Optimistic or what?)

First of all I want to take a photo every day if possible. So , here goes......






1st Jan 2010.

My two lovely youngest on a freezing New Year's day in the park.