Gone fishing !

Have run out of Blogging steam so am having a little rest until inspiration strikes again !!

My sister in law visited at weekend and brought this cake she has made !!Look forward to sampling it !!!

News from Prince

Prince Reporting

I sent some of my wages to help the deprived dogs and was delighted to receive a reply and also a photo of two re homed animals who look very happy .

I felt very proud when they congratulated me on holding down such a responsible job ( that's one in the eye for the birds -- they think that because they can sing they are the bee's knees -when really they are only lay-abouts )You will see that I have been promoted and am now watchdog for two timepieces. Perhaps I will soon reach the height of my ambition which is to rise from humble watch dog to become a very important clock watcher.

Miraculous Medicines

One night last week I had a very sore throat and great difficulty swallowing. Out came all the 'fast acting relief' pastilles, anti viral ,anti everything else lozenges but nothing worked. I was in pain !!! Unable to sleep I got up to browse the net for any suggestions.By this stage had they recommended that standing on one leg for half an hour in the snow was a sure cure I was so desperate I would have done it .The suggestions weren't quite so drastic but bad enough. " Mix 1 teasp cayenne pepper with half a pint of water and gargle "Feeling rather sceptical I did this and couldn't believe the fantastic result ! Went back to bed, slept well and woke with just had a bit of discomfort in the morning

Subsequently a cold developed and ran its course but ended up with relentless cough.- again no relief from the patent medicines. Spurred on by success I had another browse. Came up with 'Home Remedy for Coughs. Slice an onion,cover with honey,leave to stand, drink 1 teasp of resultant gunge " It smelt and tasted foul -but again amazing results .- great relief !

These cures must be ancient and used for many years and they're certainly what I'll use in the future.

Now I'm browsing for a remedy for memory loss,short sightedness and deafness.

It is the last Car Rally this weekend so winter must be on its way and it's time to batten down the hatches and stock up on supplies. Cosy evenings by the fire await. Lovely !

Happy week end to all !!

Still alive and kicking !

"Since there is never a time when worldly activities come to an end, limit your activities "I read these words of wisdom this week and will try and heed them .The days pass so quickly and there is always a queue of things to do and sadly Blogging has been at the end of the line. Perhaps I should consider cutting back on things like cleaning and ironing.

The car rally season is finished with nothing noteworthy happening. At least I have got Sundays back and had an enjoyable 'bake in ' this morning.

I'm into making Muffins at the moment and keep trying different recipes. Today I made Apple Streusel and Almond and Apricot. I also made Coffee Walnut Cake and a Marmalade Cake.

Craft Work

Our Guild is taking part in the Cultural Olympiad and we have been asked to make cushions as personal welcoming gifts for the parcipitants The instructions are very precise. Cushions should measure 16 inches square and be made from pure British wool. Any lining must also be made of wool.I am working on two possibilities and will decide which one to send when they are completed. Roger's new jumper has had to go on the back burner for a bit !

Cushion 1-handspun oddments

Cushion 2 -commercial Aran

Happy week to all !

le Weekend

We have been very busy lately hence the paucity of posts ! We had a bit of breather yesterday and went for a country run. The weather was good and we went to one of our favourite pubs . The countryside was lovely,still green but there was a nip of autumn in the air .We like this pub because it is well worn and comfortable,like us The coffee machine is labelled 'bottomless well ' and you can help yourself to as many cups as you wish. Also they serve half portions which is great. Sometimes full portions can be a bit daunting for delicate appetites and it must be disappointing for a chef to see some of the results of his efforts consigned to the recycle bin.
There is a 7th century Church in the village and there was a wedding in progress. A beautiful setting and a lovely day for it !There was a Scottish flavour with several guests sporting kilts.

Today R. made the most of another lovely day, and went cycling and covered 79 miles. I took the opportunity to stock up with the baking as the social calendar is getting rather full again with visitors imminent.
I made chocolate cake, date and walnut cakes,lemon drizzle,fruit cake and muffins. Have had many attempts and disasters with muffins until my friend Jane gave me a super recipe.R tried one when he came back and said, "Very Nice. " which is praise indeed from a Yorkshireman.

Happy week to all !

This and that

PRINCE

I am called Prince and I am employed by my master as a watchdog.My brief is to sit on a bedside locker and guard his timepiece when he is not wearing it. It's usually a satisfying job although sometimes my neighbours, the birds (especially that robin ) get a bit jealous and try to steal my watch. I've pointed out to them that there's no such thing as a watchbird but they wont have it and peck at my fur until I let them have a lend. Apart from that it is a happy life . When I am on duty I often pass the time thinking of less fortunate dogs who do not have kind masters and a good life. I think I will send them some of my wages to buy a few bones and comforts.

DYEING

Skeins ready for the plunge

I was aiming for a mid blue colour. In the past I have used a dye bath trying both natural and synthetic indigo along with the appropriate chemicals--be it soda ash, sodium dithionite caustic soda,washing soda whatever the recipe called for and usually had good results . Last time though something went disastrously wrong and I was left with a wishy washy pathetic apology for blue. Them I was given some carpet dyes-simple just mix and use so I cheated and used that .One of the advantages of advancing years is that it's O. K. to cheat It's quite permissible to hide behind someone at Pilates to do a bit of slacking,selective deafness can be an asset too. I'm waiting for the day when I can buy the cakes from M & S with a clear conscience or even purchase a weeks ready meals !.

The result of the dyeing was the other extreme a ,rather strident colour, I'm not too keen on it but it's for a jumper for R. and he likes it. I've overdyed a sample with yellow and got a pleasant moss green but he's adamant he likes the blue.

Think I'll have another plug for at the moss green ( perhaps this particular blue appeals to men. I remember going to the shop with my mum taking my dad to choose some wool for a jumper and she said to him, " Choose what colour you want , Sam" and he chose a similar strident blue and my Mum pointed to the display and said " We'll take that nice grey "

Happy week to all !!

Up date

Apologies !! I have been taken to task for being a neglectful blogger. So here goes ! A bit of an update.

R. and the M. G Part 2

We went to another rally last week end and the vexed question -to sell or not to sell ? resurfaced .' Yes, No, Yes, No' and this time it stopped at 'Yes.' " Just a try to see if anyone is interested. " The 'For Sale' notice finally went on display. There were three enquires and two seemed quite serious. The first was keen until he asked,"Does it have over drive ? " When the answer was, " No, " he lost interest and moved on leaving R. quite hurt that his baby had been challenged and found wanting. Another potential buyer liked the car and made an offer but said that he would take out all the red upholstery and seats and replace them with cream.He might just have well have suggested ripping R.'s heart out or pulling off his head. The effect would have been the same .The offer was refused,the car quickly taken off the market and we came home.

Next morning R. disappeared into the garage and was busy poring over car books and making lengthy phone calls to garages all over the country .What for ?? To see about obtaining and having an over drive fitted. It's all in hand now so no one will again be able to point a finger and infer that his baby is deficient .At least there is a project in hand and I can reign supreme in my kitchen again, free from the attentions of an interferring busy body.

On the Craft Front

Earlier in the year we discovered that Farmer Parr from 'Animal World 'had been throwing away all his sheep fleeces as nobody seemed to want them. Most of them are rare breeds as well. This year one of our guild members got in touch with him , rescued some and brought them to our meeting . I got two white and a black fleece and have spun and knitted Farmer Parr a warm scarf--- just what he needs this weather. He'll have to put it away until Winter for when he has to go out in the cold and feed his llamas,reindeer,pot bellied pigs and ferrets.

I've also spun 16 ounces of Texel fleece ready to dye a mid blue . I'm a bit reluctant to tackle this.If it goes wrong and I don't get the shade I want it's such a waste ! It represents many hours work . Never mind. Why not live dangerously !

The hanging baskets have done well this year ,thanks to all the lovely weather !

Happy weekend to all !

Horticulture

Our low maintenance garden

I have a friend who used to say, " I can't wait for Sunday. I'll be able to go into my garden and get digging / hoeing /weeding/pruning/mowing/sowing /transplanting etc." I cannot imagine anything worse.Do I hear accusations of, "What a horticultural Philistine ! " " What could be better than spending a day communing with Nature ?." or " Growing and Nurturing is a wonderful Spiritual Experience "It is perhaps very fulfilling to produce a beautiful bouquet of flowers or a a bumper crop of organic vegetables but Morrisons are quite good at it too without all the hassle and trauma.
Maybe it's down to my childhood memories when during The War we were exhorted to,"Dig for Victory ". My dad felt patriotic and got carried away with all the propaganda and posters showing strong, healthy outdoor types weighed down with huge baskets of freshly dug potatoes and prize winning cabbages .He was so impressed he dug up the front garden and sowed and planted enough vegetables to feed all the road.Alas something went wrong . The potatoes were all riddled with wire worm and there weren't even enough for one boiling, The cauliflowers were heartless and the onions shrivelled and died . The radishes did well but there is a limit to their use and the number you can eat . Dad gave up and went back to following the football results.
We ( or rather R. ) keeps our garden neat, tidy and low maintenance but that's a chore all the same. I do like dabbling in containers and hanging baskets. They're quite genteel and not too taxing and fulfill my interpretation of 'gardening '. Results vary from year to year but this time they are rather pleasing-cannot say it's because of my green fingers and application- its the sunny weather we have been enjoying.

If you are a horticulturist a happy digging weekend !