Good Cheer

Hello.


We had a little trip to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum yesterday with a friend and her children. A really enjoyed it and was most impressed with Sir Roger the elephant. N seemed to be entertained by it all too and was happy to remain in his pushchair for most of the morning - I had been worried he would just protest (very loudly!) till he got out to run around but he was absolutely fine, just me worrying about things which never happen as usual -which reminds me of a quote (I had to look it up as my memory is not good):

"Let us be of good cheer, remembering that the misfortunes hardest to bear are those which will never happen." ~ James Russel Lowell.

So there you go...

The other crochet cushion cover.

This granny square cushion cover has been "in progress" for a few months now and is the first crochet project I started since catching the crochet bug back in the middle of last year. I enjoyed making up the little granny squares (courtesy of the tutorial by Lucy at Attic24) but I haven't enjoyed sewing in all the ends and crocheting the squares together. I'm glad I only did enough squares for a cushion cover and am not faced with blanket sized proportions!

Last night I finished joining the squares and I've just 9 more ends to sew in. I'm still ages away from a "tada" moment though as I need to find something to use for the back of the cover and then join it all together. Hmmm, perhaps I'll attempt a little crochet flower or something for my next project so that I have the pleasure of completing something in under a year!

We just need a pink dinosaur and then they'll match the cushion cover colours!

Taking decent interior photos at the moment is just impossible with the low light levels at this time of year, using the flash just makes colours look wrong...

...so here is the only photo I'm sharing of my rearranged living room. It's the first traditional stained glass piece I made about 15 years ago. It had been languishing in the spare room as it didn't suit the old living room colour scheme, but now I've covered up the faded red sofa and armchair with throws it actually goes quite well.

Bits of the garden are reappearing from under the snow. These lovely deep pinky-red buds of the flowering currant make me rather happy! Soon I'll be able to see how many of the bulbs I planted in the autumn will be making an appearance - lots I hope.

I'm also looking forward to the time when this little fellow decides there are better things to do than stand on my feet whenever I'm trying to make dinner!

Thanks to the most recent post by Cathy of One Pink Goose I was reminded that I had an unopened tin of biscuits in the cupboard (one of those emergency Christmas presents that you'd really quite like to keep for yourself). The tin design appealed to me...

... and the biscuits aren't too bad either. However, I really must get back out on my bike soon!

More Fattie Cutties (with recipe) YUM!

We stay quite close to the airport and today we had a flying visit from my parents as they dropped in on their way to Lanzarote.

It was a good excuse to make some more Fattie Cutties as I knew they were a delicacy my Dad would appreciate.


Here's the recipe (summarised from Sue Lawrence's "On Baking" which I think is an excellent book. It contains lots of recipes from various parts of the UK each preceded by a couple of paragraphs with interesting information about the origins of the recipes. The book was first published in 1996 so predates the more trendy books now on offer but definitely deserves it's space on my baking bookshelf.)

170g 6oz plain flour
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
85g 3oz caster sugar
85g 3oz currants
85g 3oz melted butter
approx 1 tbsp milk

Mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and currants in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the melted butter and just enough milk to combine to a stiff dough. Knead lightly and divide into 2 balls. Flatten each half into a round about 5mm thick and cut into 4 wedges.

Preheat the girdle/griddle to medium hot, grease lightly then cook the fattie cutties for 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Again, they were delicious - how could they not be with all that butter and sugar!

I did also make the wholemeal almond honey cake from River Cottage Everyday...

It was also tasty, though given the choice I would take the fattie cutties.

My Mum always brings some goodies with her...

... a few back copies of Country Life, de rigeur reading for Blogland it would appear...

... and some extra edible treats, mmmm.

Hope you're having a tasty day!

Going round in circles.

The last couple of evenings have been spent pleasantly occupied with consuming the last of the Christmas chocolates, ignoring the housework...

...and getting down to some crochet.

My cushion cover is now 16" in diameter. I originally planned to finish at this point but I've decided it could do with being an inch or so larger - an excuse for another couple of rounds tonight.

Also tonight I'm planning to make this cake...

... which is from River Cottage Everyday, one of the books I received for Christmas. It's a gorgeous book and I've already made Hugh's sausage stew (better than the one I normally make) and Artichoke & Nettle Gratin (except I used potatoes and spinach - still delicious). When first reading this book I developed a rather odd desire to move in with Hugh (breakfast at his house sounds fantastic) but this slightly worrying feeling has now passed!

My other Christmas books lingering around the sofa include Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache which is supposed to be a way of making healthy cakes by using vegetables in many of the recipes. It's a nicer looking book than I expected - plenty of ideas for photographing cakes in your garden, but I'll reserve judgement on the recipes till I've actually made something from it. Lastly there's a Grow & Eat Your Own Veg effort from Delia & Gay Search - I've not looked much at this one at all yet, a pleasure for later.

Weatherwise we're now having a little bit of a thaw. Normally I'd be sad to see the snow go but it has been bitterly cold since Christmas and the warmer air (ie just above freezing!) is very welcome. Yesterday while nipping out to the Co-op and dragging A & N out for some fresh air I took a couple more photos of the village while it was still looking pretty with what snow was left.

Looking South from the railway bridge.

Looking North.

I started this post when I put N down for his afternoon nap which he declined to take. It's now evening and I'm wondering whether I really can be bothered to make the cake, the kitchen is such a tip - N likes to empty the cupboards and I've made a right mess while making tea, anyway, here he is...

...I do wonder what I'd do without bananas - he really is a Hungry Horace and a banana snack has saved us many a time!

Saturday Morning Bike Ride

Ha, I jest!

The roads aren't exactly in a condition suitable for happy cycling so I take a long walk instead.

I do go up my usual hill out the village and I'm pleased to note that it does actually take longer to walk it than cycle it (I did wonder sometimes!). I love how the countryside opens out once you reach the top.

A little group of friendly robins pose in the foreground here.

Compared to some of the country we don't actually have that much snow but what we do have has been here from before Christmas as it's been rather on the cold side since then. We did have another light dusting last night just to freshen things up for my walk though sadly I'm denied the gorgeous bright blue skies of recent days.

The sun rises through the clouds. The little folly can be seen right in the middle of the above photo. At this point I can take a right and turn the walk into a big loop, so I do.

Looking back towards the sunrise. There are lots of pylons around here, sometimes I try to avoid photographing them but they are part of the scenery so they do creep/march into my photos now and again.

I like the landscape layers.

It's pretty much downhill from here all the way home. As the road becomes more travelled it is less pleasant to walk on as the cars expose the ice previously hidden under the snow.

Back home and I manage to finally get a good photograph of "our" robin.

We also have a song thrush and a redwing who visit regularly. They and the robin like to chase each other away from the food. I'd never seen a redwing till this year and had to look it up in my book - he's the one on the right!

Hubby and the children are still visiting Grandad after swimming lessons so I have time to make some lentil soup and have a bash at some fattie cutties. Fattie Cutties? I'd never heard of them either but the recipe was on the opposite page from that for the crumpets I'd attempted to make earlier for breakfast, plus the girdle was still out. They're like flat buttery currant scones and hail from Orkney. And they were delicious, they were all eaten before I could take photographic evidence but I'll definitely be making them again, just need to buy some more butter. I lurve butter, for this I blame my Dad. I thought I spread it quite thick but after visiting the parents again at New Year I realise I'm quite modest in my portion control in comparison. Talk about teeth marks! It has to be proper yellow salty butter too. Mmmmmm...

No wonder I need to get out on my bike more often.

First Trip for 2010

Our New Year's resolution took myself, A & N to Semple Loch today. It's somewhere we visit a lot so it doesn't really count as a new trip BUT at the moment it's completely frozen over. We've never seen it like this so it is a new experience for us.

The children weren't actually too keen to go and did a lot of whinging while we were there. I also got a little frustrated at not being able to walk as far and as fast as I'd like and to take lots more photos so so it wasn't a complete success but at least we got out the house, and the sun was shining!

Swans sit on top of the ice.

The flat area to the right is the loch. There were quite a few dog walkers right out in the middle of the loch. We weren't so brave/daft.

Some more swans fly in. Despite wearing two pairs of socks the little girl in the foreground has feet so cold that they "sting like nettles" and isn't very happy.

The scene just in front of where we parked the car.

I took the Christmas decorations down last night. The tree is now out in the back garden, I like to get a Norway spruce as I love its fragrance, however, having been unable to smell anything since the middle of December it all seemed a little bit of a waste of effort this year. (A has been letting me know when N needs his nappy changed - one smell I don't miss!) While the living room was in disarray I decided to rearrange the furniture. It's still rather a mess but I'll try and tidy it up enough for a photo soon, just wish the room was a foot or so wider.

Tonight I'll be doing some more of this...

... I'm going to a friends for a craft evening and hope to do a couple more rounds of what is intended to eventually be a crocheted cushion cover.

The rounds are starting to take quite a long time to do now and it's not as "exciting" as it was in the beginning. Although I'm trying very hard to be random with the colours it is working out quite ordered in effect. Perhaps for the other side I'll do two rounds of each colour so that the bands are wider. Hmmm...

A New Year's Resolution...

Hello and Happy New Year!

Today is the first day I have ventured outside for any length of time since before Christmas. It was fantastic to be outdoors again!

We wandered down through the village to attend one of the local Toddler groups and I took a couple of photos en route.

It's been so cold that the snow which fell before Christmas is still lying. We had another light dusting of snow last night.

Our destination is old church hall on the left which dates from 1724.

We're first to arrive. A would normally be at nursery on a Tuesday morning but the schools and nurseries aren't back on till tomorrow. It was a big treat for her to go to Toddlers again! It's a lovely big hall and there are lots of cars and tricycles to zoom around on. Great fun. I enjoyed getting back out and about too.

Next to the church and hall is the Weaver's Cottage.

As can be seen from the inscription above the door the cottage dates from 1723. Although we've lived in the village for 8 years we've still never visited it - something to rectify this year I think. A will be going to school after the summer so it would be good to make the most of the time I have with her before then - I'd like to take her (and N of course!) on a few trips and visit some of our local attractions. I suppose that's a New Year's resolution then! We'll see how we get on...

It's a cracker...

One of the songs A sang at her nursery show (on the theme of Christmas around the world) was Kling Glockchen Klingeling. I looked it up on YouTube, as you do, and came across this version by Marianne and Michael. I have to say that I find it absolutely fascintating and have watched it so many times though can't quite understand why! Is it the costumes, the naff musical arrangement, what they're doing with their hands, the audience... it led me on a YouTube journey following Marianne & Michael - what an enjoyable waste of time that was!

A's show was on the 16th Dec which was when the "worst cold I've ever had" started. Since then I've not been able to taste or smell anything which is perhaps just as well as it means I can't taste the yucky green stuff I am exuding - I've never experienced so much snot/phlegm during a cold! To top it all, we all succumbed to a vomiting bug the weekend before Christmas - N managed to cover his bedroom floor and A the sofa (we had to cancel the big family get together we'd planned for the Sunday). Then I developed sinusitus. Today I'm now finally feeling human again though still unable to small or taste and also my ears are now blocked. Thankfully the sinusitus seems to have cleared up as although I'm still bunged up it's no longer painful. Ahhh woe is me! Not a Christmas I'd like to repeat. We've had lots of lovely snow but I can't wait for it to go as I hate the horrible cold damp air that comes with it - just sets my coughing off again.

I've pretty much been hibernating over the Christmas period. Hubby kindly did the Christmas food shop. I'd put crackers on the list as it's not Christmas without crackers, except he bought biscuit crackers! There was also no fresh poultry left so he bough a frozen turkey which is fine except we left it out in the snow as we didn't have any room in the fridge/freezer and didn't read the label till the morning of Christmas eve when we realised it took 48 hrs to defrost. Fortunately he was able to get back to the shops & buy some proper crackers and a ham. We've still the trukey in the freezer - I'm looking forward to eating it once my sense of taste returns.

His family have a big "do" on boxing day where we all take something to eat. I didn't go this year but I had made a key lime pie when I was feeling better which I'd frozen. Hubby took it and the children along. It was in a springform tin. He didn't know that you had to support the base when you released the spring...

Hope you're having a better Christmas than we are!

...SPLAT!

Christmas Preparations

Well! I'm a little bit busy and a big bit disorganised but I wanted to post some photos from the last week. After seeing Chritsmas trees up and decorated on other people's blogs at the weekend I was motivated to get a move on with ours, it looks and smelled nice (I can't actually smell it at the moment due to a completely blocked up nose!)

At the last minute I now have family descending on the 20th for a meal and a present swap so Christmas has suddenly moved forward 5 days. Added to that, aside from baking, writing cards, present buying and wrapping, I still have a mirrror order to complete... (help!)

We had freezing fog the day we collected the Christmas tree.

Earlier that morning I did manage to get a Christmas cake made. It's this one - Nigella's chocolate fruit cake though I added Pimms No3 instead of coffee liquer.

I'm not that keen on rich fruit cakes, this one was suggested to me as an alternative which I might like.

It still looked & smelled pretty rich and fruity to me though so I'll wait till I actually taste it before recommending/condeming it! I've not decorated it yet either, so the final ta-da photo is yet to come.

Festive mantlepiece.

A close-up of the little nativity scene in front of the clock on the mantlepiece. It's so small that all the pieces fit into one matchbox.

The crafty books shelf.

My favourite Christmas card received so far.

Santa!

A little sprig of holly with berries rescued from the holly tree in the garden which is now bare, the blackbirds and thrushes having taken their fill.

Fairycakes for N's toddlers Christmas party.

I had some icing left over so iced these gingerbread hearts from Ikea. They've not been hung up, just eaten!

I thought this fairycake was really pretty, I kept it back for A.

Some pelargoniums still flowering in a frost-free spot.

One morning we awoke to fantastic frosty scenes though by the time I'd dropped A at nursery a warm front had moved over. I took this photo when I got back from nursery not long before the frosty spider's web on the gate disappeared completely.

A long distance shot of a bluetit enjoying the fat ball. I like to think the out of focus quality makes it look more like a painting than a photo.

A's robin. I love the colours.

So, a bit of a photo collection with not many words I'm afraid. I hope your Christmas preparations are going better than mine! Have fun...