Monday 31 October 2011

Microwave Dumplings

Dumplings cook very well in the microwave.

Put 4oz self-raising flour and 2oz suet into a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

 If you want a more adventurous dumpling, add your choice of herbs  (I like to use parsley). 
Grated cheese added to the mix makes a tasty variation too. 
Just had a thought - I might try a few slivers of sun-dried tomato next time and a few slivers of parmesan....


Put prepared dumpling dough, divided into portions, into a  glass casserole with a small amount of stock.
Put lid onto casserole.
Microwave on High for 2 minutes.


Result!

Sunday 30 October 2011

Rain Clouds


Let...


...it...

...rain.

And it did!

Spectacular cumulonimbus and great curtains of rain sweeping across the fields.

Saturday 29 October 2011

Good Friends



Just had a super couple of hours catching up with some very lovely, long-time friends. Is there a better way to spend an afternoon?

Friday 28 October 2011

Do Not Fear


"Do not fear what may happen tomorrow.
the same loving Father who cares for you today
will care for you tomorrow and every day."
St Francis de Sales

Thursday 27 October 2011

Be Yourself


"Don't try to be someone else.
Just try to be yourself."
St Francis de Sales

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Where Odd Socks Go



Ever wondered where all the odd socks go?

Even when we moved house I never found my lost socks. Someone must be missing this one - it was in the middle of the field on the footpath yesterday when the dog and I came back from our walk. 

Monday 24 October 2011

Words of Wisdom




"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset."
St Francis de Sales

Sunday 23 October 2011

Holly and Ivy


Holly

The holly trees are well-endowed with berries. Some would say that that indicates a severe winter - I'll wait and see. There are plenty of berries on the ivy too.


Ivy


Saturday 22 October 2011

A Good-to-be-Alive Day


Reclaiming the footpath!

Wonderful walk today; sun, warmth, cool breeze blustering among the branches, birds busy in the bushes, bright berries and perfect peace. A good-to-be-alive day.


Bright Hawthorn Berries

Friday 21 October 2011

Home-made Soup


Home-made soup days are coming.

On cold, autumnal and wintry days it's comforting to make a soup full of vegetables, noodles and baby sausagemeat-meatballs. 

Standing over a warm stove smelling sauteing  bacon bits, onion, carrot, parsnip, swede, potato (literally whatever veg I have available) is wonderful. Then I add hot water to cover and organic stock cube(s) , drop in washed and cut up leeks, if I have any, and little meatballs formed from the sausage meat from half-a-dozen chipolata sausages (just squeeze out of the skins). A handful of pasta follows (and sometimes a can of borlotti beans) and then the soup simmers until the vegetables are tender and the meat balls are cooked.

Served with grated cheese, to sprinkle on top, and warm garlic and coriander naan bread, this is a lovely, warming, comforting meal. I make it often. 

Monday 17 October 2011

Unidentified 2


Seed Pods of the Unidentified Plant

This strange plant has striking seed pods, the structure is quite beautiful and they change colour as they ripen.



It's growing so well I suppose it must be a weed!!


Sunday 16 October 2011

Unidentified


Unknown Plant

So interesting when odd, unexpected plants turn up. I haven't seen one of these before.


It has a blue rimmed flower which looks too small, quite out of proportion with the large, serrated leaves and the overall height of the plant.

Saturday 15 October 2011

Stonehenge


Taken from the car as we whizzed by.

We didn't have time to stop and wander around Stonehenge this time so I snapped away as we drove past. Considering that the light was pretty poor the photos weren't bad. 

There are some better ones here from Stonehenge Tours.


Friday 14 October 2011

Parasol Mushrooms


Parasol Mushrooms



These parasol mushrooms grow in autumn and early winter. 

Thursday 13 October 2011

Autumn Lilies


Autumn Lily

Such a lovely flower to cheer up autumn days. The Autumn lily is a  member of the Lycoris family.

Wednesday 12 October 2011

Tai Chi

Wonderful! Our Tai Chi class began with two sets - a full half-hour of gentle stretching, working muscles, improving balance and calming the mind. I felt renewed afterwards.

The benefits of Tai Chi are enjoyed by all ages, it's not only for the elderly. The earlier you start the longer you have to try to perfect the 108 moves.

Find out how Taoist Tai Chi can benefit you at http://www.taoist.org/?page_id=56

Tuesday 11 October 2011

Which Logs?



Open fire days are coming - though not today as it's still warm. It's time, however, to contemplate the coming of colder weather and to stock up on winter fuel.
The question is - wood logs or straw logs?

This site looks useful on the subject of burning wood.

And this site answers questions about straw logs.

Monday 10 October 2011

Brain Waves

Reading this article today, I feel apprehensive about the future. Yes, it's great that new technologies can help people with injuries have a better life - but it's the potential for misuse  that worries me.

Saturday 8 October 2011

Cley Windmill




One of the sights-to-see on the North Norfolk coast, there's also accomodation. I'd love to spend a few days here staying in the tower of the windmill, the views over the salt marshes must be terrific -  but so far all I have is photographs!

Friday 7 October 2011

Spot the Frog


Spot the Frog

While watering my allotment a couple of evenings ago something moved - to be precise, hopped away. Looking down I saw this handsome fellow (might be a female). From other pictures I've seen it looks like a common frog. It sat quite still while I photographed it.




Thursday 6 October 2011

A Time to Plough


Jazz has found the footpath!

The farmer has kindly left tractor tyre tracks to show the position of the footpath - bit of a scramble across the furrows - and now the poppies are well and truly finished.

Wednesday 5 October 2011

Autumn and John Keats


October Bonfire 

Bonfires and Autumn just seem to go together. This was quite  an impressive one on the allotments a couple of plots away from mine. The wind was blowing my way so I returned home well smoked!


Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimmed their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor.
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep.
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too -
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.




Tuesday 4 October 2011

Bracket Fungus


A type of bracket fungus

Fungus is amazing. The bracket fungus above is growing on an old tree stump - it's so beautiful I couldn't resist taking a photo.

Monday 3 October 2011

Vapour Trails


There really is something...


...quite spectacular... 


...about vapour trails.

Sunday 2 October 2011

Resourceful Cat


On the bread-maker - while in operation


On the computer monitor 

Sushi was good at finding warm places to sleep!

Saturday 1 October 2011

Durdle Door


Durdle Door

This is 'one of the most photographed landmarks along the Jurassic Coast' according to World Heritage Coast. So - my photo's not a rarity but it is a precious memory. 


And this is the bay next door - such blue sea, so different from the grey, silty water off the Suffolk coast.