A Nosy Female Makes an Appearance

A warm welcome to Jeanette from makinghome and eggbounder new followers. A greeting also to the followers on Bloglovin, I am going to concentrate some hopping around there later on. I am not tech minded so will probably be doing this the slowest, most long winded way there is. I have started this before but been called away to another job and it has been, out of sight out of mind. My apologies to one and all.
Today has been a complete mixture, at 6:00 it was bright sunshine, so washing went on the line. During the morning the sun came and went a few times, the washing dried fast as there was a brisk breeze. By 12:00 it tried to rain but there were only a few spots and the day continued as before. It is now overcast but still quite warm.
Ben has been walked 3 times, all in bright sun, and is currently snoozing.
My liver was  delicious yesterday and used up 3 carrots and 1/4 of a swede from the fridge. I put a shake of frozen mixed peppers, 6 cubes of frozen spinach and a small sliced onion in with the liver. All in the slow cooker, I thickened the gravy and added the dumplings, AF Herby Dumpling mix, 30 minutes before dinner time. I got 3 ample servings from it, and all went down with relish.

This was mine, the other plates were larger.

The back of my floor cushion, I like the pattern but next time will try to make the corner loops smaller. I have made this in a simple pillowcase style but will be on the lookout for some big bright coloured buttons.

The ripple front, I like this and think that another will be along soon and possibly a lap throw.

Now, that nosy female.

I have made a start on Mrs Frank, this is the first time that I have used an Amigurumi pattern, and started with a magic ring. I did frog it out 3 times before the light came on and I read the pattern correctly, completely a case of more haste less speed.

I have the colours lined up and will beetle away happily tonight. in front of the TV. I gave her a pink nose as I do not have black or dark brown yarn, Mr Frank will probably get a blue nose. Then again he may turn out to be a Schnapps drinker in which case his nose will be red.

Nothing to say about much today really, I did a little blog hopping this morning and lost an hour. The garden is having a rest today, I made bread and a tray of flapjacks. Chicken thighs in a cook in Barbecue Sauce Bag from AF with salad for dinner tonight.

The kettle has hardly been cold all day as I have been indoors. I did consider popping into Long Sutton to visit friends but as it is now raining quite hard will think again.

I will have to shop tomorrow, just a few basics that have run down too far for my peace of mind. I need to pick up some more food for Ben as well and some milk. 

I got a flyer from Farm Foods this morning, I might nip in there for a look, it is just over the road from Lidl and Tesco so I can get every thing I need and fill the tank with cheap petrol in next to no time.

Reasons to be grateful.

1.  The cottage is full of the scent of freash baked bread.

2. I have a batch of seedy, fruity flapjacks to nibble on.

3. Dinner is prepped ready to go, as the chicken is in a bag the washing up will be minimal

4. I have cooked Raspberries and Apples from the freezer, still eating last years fruit.

5. The last boxes went to the CS yesterday.

It was really good to see the last 3 boxes of unwanted things go off to the CS, it did not free up a huge space but it looks less cluttered now. I still have what seems like mountains of things but each and every item has been looked a twice and is a keeper, for now. I have extended my wardrobe rule, 1 in 1 out, to the rest of the home. I do not need cupboards full of extras in case I am swamped with visitors, now that my family is spread so thin and over such a wide area that does not happen. For years it was nothing to have over 20 sit down to Sunday Lunch, or have 30 to a barbecue. Now 5 is a crowd, and that includes me.

I emptied the glass cabinet as well and now have only the ones that are used regularly, about 1/10 th of what I did have.

I went through my baking tins and took some to James and Cerys when we went last. I have hung on to a few just in case I end up somewhere with a good social minded group of neighbours, or even a Knit and Natter group.  Tray bakes and cup cakes may well be required.

I have 4 bread tins, that fills the oven and gives me almost 2 weeks bread in one baking session.

The pyrex section is big but I do use every bit of it regularly, I have sizes from 2 to 6 portion dishes and am reluctant to part with any.

I think that will suffice for today, I feel the need for tea, again.

                TTFN                                                      Pam

Banshees Evicted by Kilkenny Cats

Another busy day, totally enjoyable though, my 9 patches are halfway to becoming blocks. They don't look too bad, I was a bit worried about the red but am glad that I went with it now.

It hasn't all been happy sewing though, I had to do a bit of this as well.

When you carry pens in your pockets they gradually wear a hole through and it is a rather an unsettling feeling when one slithers down the inside of your leg. Squirmy very squirmy.

All mended now, I do not like mending but these are favourite jeans, and yes they are men,s but the fit is fantastic.

I had to buckle down and do that as this dropped on the mat this morning and I would not touch it till my sewing was done.

The pattern was free inside and I am already deciding what fabrics I will be using. 

There is a buying guide to dress forms as well, just what I need as I want to replace the one that went walkabout a few years ago.

 I have only skimmed through it and will be curling up with a brew later to read it cover to cover. There is a brand new Janome sewing machine on the back cover, I may have to do a bit of surfing to find a price. I have a strong suspicion that it will be somewhere around £How Much!!!

I have done a bit of baking but can not share as it has gone to my neighbours. I read a few blogs yesterday that talked about a week for  "Random Acts of Kindness". I suppose that was one. Really it is just the way that I was raised, if someone needs and you can fulfill that need then you just do.  I certainly don't need to be prompted or have a week dedicated to it.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. I managed 3 walks in the dry despite the rain.

2. My cottage smells of  Steak and Kidney Pie and Bakewell Pudding, and I nearly forgot the Apple Crumble.

3. I have more homemade soup for dinner tonight, yum.

4. We have a date for the village shop to re open Feb 22. Yes!

5. I managed to find 2 more David Baldacci books at the library yesterday.

The wind after lying low came back with a vengeance this morning. It sounded for all the world like KilKenny cats screaming expletives at the World. 

KilKenny Cats? you say, what on Earth? well sit back and enjoy the rhyme.

There once were two cats from KilKenny,

Each thought there was one cat too many.

So they fought and they fit,

And they scratched and they bit.

Till (excepting their nails

and the tips of their tails)

Instead of two cats there weren't any!

I remember that from school days, I used to be able to recite the Jabberwocky and one of these days I will memorise it again.

Anyway it sounded like a barn full of cats earlier, now it is just gusting not screaming.

I made bread in the bread maker yesterday and it was heavy, I peeped through the plastic panel about 30 minutes before it was due to come out, I could see that it had not risen properly and instantly new why. I had used my cup measures instead of the ones that came with the machine. It will be fine toasted with the soup and the rest will become big croutons and breadcrumbs. So I could find myself eating S.O.S. tomorrow, lovely with crisp shingles.

Time to say goodbye, well only till the next post.

 TTFN                                                  Pam. 

.

It's beginning to smell like Christmas round here.

The first mince pies with this years mincemeat have come out of the oven.

These are destined for the CS tomorrow morning, it is market day and they won't have time to pop out to the bakery , while I was rolling pastry I made a few sausage rolls as well, the pastry ran out before the sausage meat so I wound a cut of strip around the last one. I don't like to re roll shortcrust pastry, it makes it a little tough. I don't waste any, I cook the off cuts and just pop them on some cooked fruit for instant pie, it,s a cheat but that's what you get in many a restaurant. 

I caught the lovely Nigel cooking Christmas leftovers on TV last night and tonight I copied one of his dishes.

Bubble and Squeak cakes, Nigel made his with roast parsnips and sprouts and put a little bit of cheese in the middle. Fine, I had parsnips but no sprouts. What I did have was cabbage, broccoli and some carrot and swede mash so that's what I used, I also had a piece of RTC Cambozola and used that, a dusting of flour and a rest in the fridge to firm up.

I browned them in a dab of butter and a slug of oil and popped them in the oven with the baking for 15 minutes, too good, much too good.

Another batch of Delia's mincemeat, I wasn't drunk just suffering from a slight list to starboard. These are all for gifting.

Apart from that I have been clearing my dresser and I have a box of stuff for the CS, I am also emptying my bookcase. I now have enough space in one of the built in cupboards to hold everything so the bookcase is going.

I have a big mirror hanging over the fireplace, I want to move it opposite the window to help the low light levels. I am thinking of making a wall hanging to replace it.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. The sweet smell of mince pies drifting round the cottage.

2. 5 jars of lusciousness sitting in the kitchen.

3. More floor space coming my way soon, very soon.

4. Ben running around with Greg, the dog next door, ears flapping, tail going round in circles.

5. A meeting with an old friend this morning, a gossip and a good catch up.

All in all it has been a good day, it has been cold and windy, there was a flurry of rain but the wind was so strong it blew the clouds away.

Tomorrow I will finish clearing the bookcase and claim that floor space. No sewing for me before Monday, it will be brush and gloss or emulsion, lovely, pray for a dry day the windows will be open.

                   TTFN                               Pam

Sew far Sew good

Late on parade, oops, I have noe excuse. What I do have is a kitchen full of baking, an empty ironing basket and a stack of strips with a white square pinned on ready to push through Little Gem.
All my tree blocks are finished and I may have changed my mind  (again) ( do I even have a mind) ( am I on auto pilot). More of that later.

I have made 2 of each of these to go with the 2 I showed you yesterday.

I decided to spend some quality time in the kitchen after walking Ben out 3 times in the glorious sun shine, he had an extra walk as it may be the last time we see sun for a few days.

I rustled these up and some more of the same that has gone to new homes.

We had roast Lamb on Sunday so I chopped some of the meat up, mixed it into some gravy with a tsp of mint sauce and made some Tiddy Oggies. I made 8 big sausage rolls the rest are in the fridge, 2 in mine and 4 in Neville's.

Some Apple Crumbles with the apple cooked to a puree, just how Francesca likes them, and Demarara sugar in the crumble for the crunch.

I had a little pastry left so made a simple plum jam tart.

A pleasant way to spend an afternoon, I have a batch of mincemeat planned for tomorrow and a couple of cakes. I have a fruit cake recipe that uses a jar of mincemeat and will be making 2 hence the need to make some more.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. Sunshine all day.

2. Watching Ben enjoying the Lamb bone.

3. All set up to sew my white squares on the strip sets.

4. Francesca has Friday off to do the last minute packing.

5. A box of goodies is on it's way here.

 Just to put the icing on the cake if you read yesterdays comments you will see that I have a little bit of extra sunshine coming my way, nice.
                  TTFN                    Pam

By Heck it's Been a Lovely Day

The sun has been shining since quite early, Ben has enjoyed 2 long walks in the warmth of it. I have spent my time sewing, cooking and reading. Lovely Day.

This was gifted to me at the weekend, I have seen it but never bought a copy, I love magazines but they are very expensive and my storage space is finite, and getting full.

It is full of bright colours, lots of adverts which I will ignore and several freebies which I will enter to win, well someone will win them.

It came with a free novel, I passed that on already. It also had a small pack of felt and bits and bobs to make these little things.

The templates are included and I will photocopy them at various sizes, buy some bigger pieces of felt and make a little family. I am not sure whether I like the Fox or the Squirrel the most. I feel a visit to Button Up and Stitch coming on.

Three fruit loaves, 1 for each neighbour and 1 for us, I tried it while warm from the oven, well it was a new recipe, ooh nice, no need for butter I will make it again but will add more cinnamon.

More Wholemeal bread from my Polish Organic flour, very tasty and not in the slightest bit naughty, well not yet anyway. I will slice these when cold and freeze them. we do not eat a huge amount of bread and I do not want it to spoil.

My final bake was this pair of fresh pineapple cakes. I got 2 big pineapples for £1 on Burton Market Saturday. Some I had fresh, some went into these and the rest is frozen.

This is ready for me to make a batch of chutney, all I have to do is dig out the recipe, get the rest of the ingredients out and tomorrow morning it will be made. This is for my hampers and will be ready by Christmas, it doesn't need 3 months to mellow like some chutneys. Date, Orange and Apricot it even sounds a bit Christmassy.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. A house full of the smells of baking.

2. Cottage Pie, made earlier, ready to pop in the oven for dinner.

3. Empty laundry and ironing baskets.

4. No pain at all.

5. A pile of little sewing jobs done.

My sewing was nothing spectacular, buttons needing replacing, a hem to sew up, a zip to replace, all that kind of thing. It had been looking at me for far too long and now it is done.

Tonight I am going to sew the strip sets for the Oz quilt, it will be a fast make, I already have the batting and backing.
I have my swap partner for the Christmas Cracker Swap, I read her blog and know exactly what I am doing. I just have to find out her colour preference and I will be away.

I just need to shred some cabbage and cut some broccoli florets and dinner will be sorted.

                                        TTFN      Pam

PS . Does any one read The Iowa Housewife blog, it is on my list. There are some brilliant recipes and I have not had a failure yet. Todays was a bread recipe to keep in the fridge, you just take the dough out in the morning and have fresh rolls in no time. Guess what I will be doing after dinner.

1 last pic from my mag.

Sunday High Tea

Hello, come on in and sit down, the table is set and the kettle is singing. I've put the teapot to warm and Fran put the coffee on just in case.
It is ages since I saw you, now let me think, oh yes when we had the garden party. Do you remember my firework tree, he he. What about all the apple blossom, that has fruited wonderfully and I have made stacks of jams and jellies and masses of apple sauce. Yes of course I will find you a jar or three to take home, I might be persuaded to rootle out a jar of mincemeat as well, it wont be long you know before we will be up to our armpits in mince pies and sausage rolls.

Here it is, oops I have chopped the top off the sponge cake, let me have another try.

 There that is better, you need a slice of sponge at a tea party. I used the Silver Maple china, it has the biggest pot, oh dear I haven't put the sugar in the bowl yet, it will only take a minute. I always forget the sugar, we don't use it.

Mini quiches, so much easier than a slice to handle, no forks needed.

Cinnamon and Apple Cake, just the job for a chilly afternoon, I may warm a slice up and have some cream with it, naughty but nice.

Norfolk Shortcakes, Grannies recipe, just for old times sake.

Yes there are plenty of scones with butter and jam, and the cream is in the fridge.

A single crust apple pie, I could not just bin the extra pastry and I've plenty of apples, you can take that home if you want.

I hope that you have had enough to eat, if not there is plenty more where that came from, I always bake too much. It takes me back to when I was a little girl, Sunday morning in the kitchen with Granny baking up a storm. We would start early and finish just in time for dinner at 12.00 on the dot.

Any way I better see you on your way, you have a drive home and the weather report is for high winds, watch out for tree branches and dustbin lids.

Don't worry about the washing up, Fran and I will get through that in no time.

Thank you for coming, don't be a stranger drop in when ever you like.               TTFN                       Pam