Fun in the snow

I hope you've all been making the most of this weather, if you've had it, before it goes from that magical crisp Narnia scene to that murky-coloured slippery one. Its JUST beginning to be a nuisance, but for a couple of days, we had a lot of fun.

Ben, the snow penguin. The most wonderful thing about snowmen is how different they all are, and how they are made by what you happen to find! And also how they turn out differently from what you expected. They seem to bring everyone together too, to relive their childhood and have fun, despite any usual dislike of the cold.

Snowball fights and Snow Angels are a must. We did better this snowy day, than last year's snowy days. I suppose that now we are 4 and 6 (and 30) we have more stamina against the cold, and energy to finish snowy creations without rushing home tearfully, to stamp feet and hang soggy gloves on the radiator. Although in truth, our snowguin would not have looked as majestic without the help of my fella. I was better suited to directing, and carrot-holding, while the other three produced quite a masterpiece I think. The hot chocolates waited until the light had gone. And even as it was getting very dark, the snow was still shiny and beautiful. Perhaps more beautiful at this time of day.

xxx

Blackberry Cake

I do love blackberries. And the best recipe I have for these little treasures-amongst-the-thorns, is this one. I needed to share it with you. Let me know if you get a chance to give it a try! I'll be collecting the last of the year's blackberries this afternoon, and making my third and final cake of the year. I'm almost completely certain you won't be disappointed.

Blackberry Cake.

8 oz self raising flour

4 oz margarine

4-6oz sugar

1 egg

2 large handfuls of blackberries

Grease a shallow tin. Mix the sugar, marg and flour together with your hands. When its ready (breadcrumb-y), add the egg, then stir in the blackberries- a few at a time.

 At this point, it will look like a complete failure: a little soggy perhaps, and an alarming colour. Don't panic!

Ahhhhh! No really, this is fine.

Pop it into the tin and cook quite gently (190 degrees-ish) for a while (45 minutes-ish). Its a little vague, because the cooking time varies with the amount of blackberries you add- ie, how wet the mixture is. But this isn't the sort of recipe to be worried about accuracy and measurements. This is where my mum and I differ- she goes for a few blackberries, for flavour, and I tend to chuck them all in, in the excitement, and keep vigil by the oven for a very long time- until a skewer comes out fairly clean. A little juicy squishyness is ok- as long as it has firmed a bit, and you're satisfied that the egg is cooked, and the cake is 'done'. Both of our cakes are lovely, but mine feels more decadent, and I will readily accept my mum's point that my version needs to be eaten quickly or refridgerated, and hers doesn't. Thats fine- they never last very long in my house anyway. She also keeps back 2oz of sugar to sprinkle on the top just before she bakes, so that she has a firm topping.

Yes, this is a loaf tin, but I think as lovely as it is to have a chunky 'slice' of cake, it is a bit 

of a bugger to get the cooking times right! Shallow tins are probably better.

Its especially lovely served warm, and also nicest if you can resist the urge to beat the mixture into oblivion- the plain cakey taste in amongst the blackberries- and the contrasts of colour between the two, (almost a marble effect) are one of the nicest aspects. Its also a good idea to keep some fruits back, and pop them in 'whole' once the mixture is in the tin, ready for the oven. Its such a fun cake! And perhaps all the nicer, as it is a seasonal one, and something to look forward to, just a couple of times a year. I can't take the credit for this recipe- it initially came from the very lovely Mrs ABC, who always provided the most popular cakes at the bakey Children's Society Sale back home.

Not a great photo! A little steamy, but yummy all the same.

Enjoy. Before the blackberry picking, I'm going to nurse my cold and rest my sinusy-head, which has lingered a week- which is the main cause of my absense this time! Sorry about that... I also need to talk nicely to my washing machine and my digi-box as they have both had a rebellious moment today. Things come in threes don't they... I'll let you know what breaks down next!


xxx

Just a Holiday note...

Hello! Its been such a long time, but I've been away, and at home with family since we last spoke, pretty much constantly. You could say, I've been busy being Home and Away. I want nothing better than a long sit down and a cuppa, and a large helping or some homemade blackberry cake, so that I can catch up on all that has been going on while I have been absent, presumed missing, from my little blog.
I'm looking forward to escaping for a while, from the housework and into some lovely posts, and finding some time to sit down and write a bit about my adventures too. It feels like much more than three weeks or so since I was here last.
I promised to fill you in on the festival, which I must do, and then of course there was the week abroad, and the return home to gather the beautiful small people up into my arms and squeeze tightly. I've been doing lots of that. Our camping trip this week has been postponed due to the rain, so I'll be thinking up more local things to do, (squeezing the last out of our holiday... as we seem to only have a tiny amount left), but whether it could top the day trips we took last week with my parents, and the makey-fun we got up to, I have yet to discover. I'll let you know.
We're back to London next week for a Duck Tour, then I guess we all go back to school... but lets not think about that yet. If I don't make it back, its because flying homemade kites took presidence!

Catch you soon.


xxx

Three-Photos-Thursday, 9th June

Meep, Meep, Meep!

Under the bridge we go!

Here we Come!

Aren't we fluffy?!

xxx

Eastery Goodness

As predicted... I didn't manage to get back here before Easter, but I hope your long weekends were full of nice things. Mine was! I bought this little chappy for my niece, (and was so pleased with the find!) and the campervan for my lovely fella.

Christmas Easter is all about giving. Egg-cup-pressies wherever possible I say. 

And there was baking, much baking.

The Little People helped with the mixing, and icing, (and EATING) but mummy will have to admit to finishing the getting carried away with the decorating after they lost interest slightly.

My first attempt at a simnel cake for many years. Its only me (and a couple of visitors) who eat it. Not a bad situation given my love of marzipan...

I cooked a roast chicken dinner on Easter Sunday, which was a treat in itself (I don't do roasts very often on account of Pickle Missy's veggy preferences, and me working Sunday lunchtimes). This weekend was different, and the left-overs didn't last long. I made a Rocky Road for pud with crushed cadburys mini eggs, but you'll have to trust me on that one, as the photos didn't really come out.


What else? Well there were swimming trips, arty-moments, barbeques by the beach (no we don't live in Australia, but this weather convinces one to do these things!) an Easter Egg Hunt, and picnics, and gardening, and baking and, and, and...

Our lovely Easter cards.

I'll do another post on the garden soon, but I couldn't wait any longer to show you our hanging basket in its new position, hanging!- look!

The children had scooters from mummy. There is something to be said for the art of nagging. Given enough time, mummy does listen, and she does respond! I didn't mind treating them, as their birthdays are so near to Christmas, that they could otherwise miss these Summery Outside thingys. No major injuries as yet, unless you count a very sore trapped finger... but that was more the fault of a bedroom door hinge...

 Note the green and gold curly-ribbons, which are now permanent fixtures, and arguably just as exciting as the main present.

Lots of outsideyness this week. Perfect.

It was all quite fab... and now we must leave it behind, in an ' in between Christmas and New Year' fashion, because the loveliness isn't quite over-and-done-with yet, although it feels like its all happening a bit too quickly. It is a great pull, to have to resume 'normal business' for a couple of days, and to have to pretend to concentrate on school and work... before the Royal Wedding Bank Holiday (!!!!) which I hope will be full of lots more nice things.



xxx

PS, the 's' on the keyboard only works when it feels like it, so in actual fact, 'Easter' keeps coming out as 'Eater'. You ought to see my kitchen cupboards after the Little People opened the rest of their pressies from family and friends- how apt!

A Perfectly Imperfect Easter Tree.

IF I were more organised, and I was a member of the bloggy circle who produced beautifully crafted and seasonal wonders, I might be tempted to do a 'how-to' here. But as it is, I am not, and my pictures aren't great, it leans terribly to the left, and my children did things their own way, with as much sellotape as possible. Isn't that what its all about though? I'm very proud of their efforts- come and have a look!

We made an Easter Tree this week.

 I like to 'mark' Easter, like we do Christmas (although on a slightly smaller scale), so I have a handful of holiday projects, for Little People who are, afterall, only ever at home with me, for every-other 25th December. They're old enough this year to get quite involved with the preparations. And I've been really busy, so we won't get around to them all this year, but we certainly enjoyed this one.

We love daisies, and seeing them pop up through the grass over the last couple of months has given us great pleasure.

 My beautiful brolly pot. I have another of these on my staircase-window, with a flowery arangement in, but have recently realised that the picture is fading! Very sad face. I have rotated the 'vase' and am now on the lookout for a new one.

The inspiration for this comes from the wonderful Mrs. B. She is the sort of lady who knows something interesting about everybody, who has an orginal Lowri, who has newts in the pond, a fresh cake just out of the oven, and an empty drawer designated as 'the spare'... to gauge clutter. (If things find their way into it, she has a clear-out). Until fairly recently (and I do believe she's almost into her early 80s, but you'd never know), she used to swim, before 8am, twice a week. And yes, she also has a jar of sticks, decorated with Easter loveliness, on her grand piano at this time of year. We love Mrs. B.

 That scrunchy stuff is blossom. Yes, I thought you could tell.

 A happy sunflower (with an artist's impression of seeds in the middle), and another artist at work.

We didn't need much in the way of materials. This tree is the image of 'cheap and cheerful'. We've borrowed the brolly-pot from the inside the front door, but thankfully we haven't needed brollys, or a vestibule to put wet ones in for a few weeks. Quite the oppposite- where are those sunhats?! We gathered regular tickle-sticks on walks, I covered them with strips of coloured tissue paper, then, the decorations that we didn't already have, were made, and attached with a loop of green gift-ribbon. I kinda wish we had more sticks with other offshoots attached, rather than regular doggy-fetch uninteresting ones, but nevermind. It might have been an idea to use pipecleaners to reinforce the little-er offshoots, and manipulate them into more interesting, and stronger bends, but that would have required buying pipecleaners. Nah...

We had the pink bows hanging around the craft box, and we made the leaves to fill out the branches. It looked more like an Easter Tree, and less like a collection of sticks covered in paper, once the leaves were on!

 A dandelion... but that was obvious too I'm sure...

I had some decorations given to me a few years back, and I'm all about Childhood Traditions, so hopefully the children will come to recognise them and look forward to their arrival, like they do the Christmas decs. These went on the tree. We also bought 6 decorated eggs at the shop around the corner, and a chick or two, and added home-made spring-like-happenings: seasonal things that we have seen on our walks, and some other grass-dwelling-favourites... and a cotton-wool lamb (chiefly because he wanted to be there).

He (Curly Whirly Flick Flick, to give him his full title) demanded to be sat in the centre. His fluff is falling off but he's a cheerful kind of chap, who isn't bothered by such matters

Hopefully I should make it back to share another Easter-post with you before the day... but its turning into a busy week (in a nice way!) If I don't, have a wonderful weekend!

xxx