Bibliophile delight

More goodies courtesy of our post man. The wonderful Bookpeople website has excellent books at brilliant prices, the choice is limited but I can always find something I like, and I couldn't resist the following -
Lovely warming soups - I might have to hold on until the winter to try them out, but at least it will be sitting on the shelf ready and waiting.

The Brilliant Carol Klein, not only shows you how to grow your own veg, but cook them as well....oh I can't wait for to get my veggie patch started

Can't you just smell the freshly dug carrots?

And how can anyone resist fresh asparagus!?

Or jewel like fresh peppers....

Or wonderful roasted new potatoes.....now where is my fork, garden of course!

You don't have to frequent the dreaded supermarket when you fancy a Pizza!

Fiery Focaccia - yum

Or little panzerotti......

Recipes don't have to be for food. Natural housekeeping is gaining popularity, and this little book has great ideas.

Not the best of photos, but then I don't pretend to be David Bailey :0)

We can even go futher back, ideas from Granny's day......

and printed in a good old fashioned style

Back to Carol, this time for help in growing your own fruit

It is really warm enough to grow these in the uk?

It's certainly wet enough for nice plump strawberries......

and grapes..........................

Well I'm off for a little light reading now, guilt free of course......well not one book cost over a fiver!

Special Sunday

Yes I know that it is now heading towards next Sunday, but I've finally got around to telling about our last weekend.

As well as it being Mother' day, it was OH's birthday. Funny, when my birthday is on a Sunday, I share that with Father's day as well :0)

OH and I had been over to the local market town last week, and I spotted a brand new, still with it's label on, Cath Kidston hanging washbag in the local charity shop. I dragged him in and we snapped it up before anyone else could, the ladies in the shop said it had only gone out on show half and hour before....bargain at £2.50. I won't be using it as a wash bag, but with the different pockets it's ideal for smaller knitting, sewing or jewellery making projects, keeping everything together. I said that I would be happy to that as a Mothers day present, but on the day No2 son also gave me a lovely weeping willow tree. No 1 son bought me a lovely 2 tier cake stand, in the colours I'm collecting for our kitchen - I just have to get my act together and paint the walls and I can get everything out.

We had all asked OH what he wanted for his birthday, but as usually he didn't have a clue, in the end everyone had the same idea, and he has ended up with a new wardrobe of T-shirts. That should see him out for the rest of the year, next time he might give us a clue LoL.

Lovely weather, also meant that we could enjoy the sun watching No 2 play his game of rugby, and to cap of a good day his team won 73-17!

I hope everyone else had a great day too.

Oooh a Peeping Tom

Look who was staring in through the window at breakfast time. Isn't he handsome? Do you think he would like some cereal.......?

No, Just a drink........I prefer a cup of tea myself :0)

Kidston Fest

Ok this isn't a Kidston, it's an Emma Bridgewater. I use it as my lunchbox, to take to work.

This picture doesn't do it justice - it is the most amazing purple inside, it really cheers up my sandwiches :0)

The first of the Kidstons OH bought for me;

and another; I love the little toadstool design.

And what amazing value the threadbox turned out to be;

look at all the colours of thread, all you could possibly need, and the lovely little needle case stops me stabbing my fingers as I have a habit of leaving the needs sticking into the cotton reels so I don't lose them.

What have we now...... I won't need to go searching for pins again;

and I'm already filling this with the spare buttons that come with new clothes that are normally found hiding in the bottom of the odsy drawer;

Spoilt again...thank you!!!!

Where do I start?

Well hopefully spring is on the way. I've been avidly reading the seed catalogues and decided what I want to grow, and need to make a start. Supporting the local shops, we are going to take a trip to our local garden centre at the weekend to try to find the seeds.

First though I think I need to give my green house a good clear out so that I have space to put my little seed trays. It's been a bit neglected since last year, and being the wimp that I am, I couldn't face having to clear it out in the freezing cold.

Next I need to get my little veggie patch rotavated again. We have quite heavy soil, and whilst that is brilliant for keeping the nutrients in the ground, it tends to get very cloggy over winter and needs quite a bit of breaking up before it will be ready for little plants.

Of course before I start, we need to get some fencing up to prevent the hens from having a lovely feast at the veggies expense. Last year I discovered they loved lettuce, had a penchant to carrot tops, didn't like courgettes and were quicker at picking peas than me!

And whilst I'm digging and planting, I can look around at the bulbs that are coming up.

And can sit and read, wrapped up on my garden seat with daffodils at my feet.

And lastly, I thought I show you poor Jasper - he looks really weird without his lovely tail feathers, he just has the one left sticking up, but he has managed to regain his balance and at least can join the others up their tree. Hopefully his feathers will soon start to re-grow.

Lucky me

have a bit of catching up to do, not having posted for so long. I have been lucky enough to win a couple of things over the past couple of months.

Just before Christmas, Clare at Vintage Home, was having a give away. I didn't win the main prize, but was so close with my guess that she sent me a gorgeous mouse mat. It really is beautiful and almost too nice to use, but it cheers me up just looking at it and it would be such a waste not to use it. Clare has some wonderful items for sale - check out her blog and follow the link.

Then just after Christmas, Trace at Just because.., had a RAK (Random Act of Kindness) give away, and I again I won. She sent me a lovely apron.....very useful when I am making my marmalades. I do like making preserves, but have to admit to being rather clumsy when pouring into jars and always manage to splash myself. I'm going to try the recipe in the summer - I know its a christmas cake, but as it is from New Zealand, it should be a much lighter cake that the heavy ones we are used to in the cold of the uk.

and reading on the news about the cold and snow we were having, Trace also added some lovely warm socks.....brilliantly snuggly!

Thank you both so much. Opening up the parcels was a real treat, and all pressies are being well and truly used.

p.s. Mel of at home with Mel Mel - if you are reading this, because I was out of touch for a while, I missed your call for bloggers interested in your blog to let you know before you made you blog private. I'd love to carry on reading your daily posts, so if it's not too late I'd like to say Yes :0)

Remember me?

Hi all

I thought I had better do a post before every forgot I existed :0)

It is so long since my last post, but my time management seems to have taken a dive in 2009 and I just haven't be able to get to do a blog. I've missed receiving comments from other bloggers and checking out what other people have been doing - makes me feel as though I've been on another planet for a couple of months.

Thank you to those of you who have checked to see if I'm ok, it means a lot.

No pictures today I'm sorry, I just wanted to get back in touch.

Well over the past couple of months, I've been busy trying to keep up with my resolutions, listed in my last post.

• I've nearly finished by diploma, only 2 more modules to do, I'm determined that I will finish before Easter.
• I've been working on my fitness - 30 minutes a night on Wii Fit, and with the nights now drawing out, I'm going to try starting jogging in the evenings.
• Still buying as much as possible locally - I've got to the point where i really begrudge giving the supermarkets my money.
• I was busy making bitter Seville Orange Marmalade -ending up with over a dozen pots, I think I got a bit carried away, so a few friends and family have had pots and I've had good feedback which was nice.
• I was waiting for the lovely Trace at Just because to do her Fear of Flying course, so see if it was something I thought would work for me - but having heard about it I don't think it will - any one got any ideas to cure my fear?
• I've been busy making birthday presents as well - plenty of jewellery leaving the Chicken Run lately. I also want to learn how to crochet (yet another thing to add to my list) but don't know anyone who can crochet, so I've bought a couple of books to try to teach myself but so far I'm not having much luck. Perhaps I need to join a timebank group, and see if there is anyone who is willing to teach crochet there.

With spring slipping towards us, the seed catalogues have been landing on the door mat thick and fast. I need to get my act together and plan out my little veggie plot and get my seeds started.

Lastly, I know Trace I just couldn't help myself with the grumpy old woman, I thought I'd pass on a little news about Jasper one of my lovely cockerills. On Sunday some selfish person allowed their terrier to run loose in the village - said hound decided to come into our garden where the chickens were have a lovely time scratching round in the sunshine (htey are doing a brilliant job clearing the grass of moss!) chasing the poor things around the garden. Luckily, as regular readers know, my hens fly and sleep up a tree so all barr Jasper flew on top of fences and hedges to escape, but the dog managed to get a firm hold on Jasp. No 2 son heard the commotion and chased the dog away, but not before it had literally pulled all of Jaspers tail feathers out. I know it could be much worse, but poor Jasper is now walking around looking as though someone had started to pluck him, luckily apart from looking rather weird he doesn't seem to be any the worse for his ordeal, but it makes me so mad when people don't control their animals - who is to say it wouldn't have attached a small child if there had been one in the garden! Thats my rant over - sorry....

I must close now and I won't leave it so long next time - thanks for bearing with me - I promise pictures as well.