Shrove Tuesday ...

... aka Pancake Day was later this year, on 24th February. Nowadays I tend to associate pancake-making with the passing of my Nana, as it was Shrove Tuesday and that evening we left the hospital and went to my parent's home to make pancakes for the children. It may sound a strange thing to do but it helped my Mum and I to cope with the events of that day.

I make my batter by feel rather than weighing the ingredients and this year my pancakes turned out better than usual. Last year I wouldn't have posted pictures of my pancakes for the world! lol!

They even flipped well.
Sugar and lemon juice de rigueur.
The two excerpts below are taken from "Cattern Cakes and Lace".

Click on them to enlarge and read.

A Kiss for a woman

A cake for a man

Run to the church

with a frying pan.

A Children's Rhyme

Bye, Bye Bunny

Sadly Lettuce won't be hopping around the garden any more.

He passed away yesterday evening.

This photo was taken in happier times.

June 2007.

Nana

This week, 10 years have gone by since my Nana passed away, the day before her 79th birthday. I still miss her very much and think of her every day.

This photo is a favourite of mine and my Mum's, because Nana has written on the back "Following in Dad's footsteps". She is on the farm, where he worked, posing in his hat.

Happy Valentine's Day

A Valentine cake for my husband - I don't own a heart-shaped tin, so I improvised with some baking parchment and pastry tins. Looking more like a cat than a heart at this stage!

That's getting better.

A heart-shaped box of chocolates for my love.
More hearts -

Fairy cakes and marshmallows.

Mr Whippy ice-creams.

Almond biscuits.

Cheese Straws/hearts

Even the apples are getting in on the act.

And there had to be some knitting!

Lavender sachets filled with home-grown Old English Lavender.

The First Snowdrop

We have lived in this area for 18 years now and this is the longest lasting snow that we have seen here. It has been wonderful, but today it has been raining steadily all day.

A last dusting of snow on the clematis

and on the couple embracing near the patio door.

Dirty footprints

Maurice finally made it outside!
The snow is gradually melting away to reveal the aconites again
and the first snowdrops appear.

I spent the weekend at home, warm inside knitting, baking and finally getting some housework done. I made some of Jay's favourites - boiled fruit cake and these currant buns that are also my Dad's favourite. This is my Mum's recipe and my Dad always had one in his packed lunch when he went to work.

Currant Buns

Makes approx. 15

4 oz soft margarine

4 oz granulated sugar

8 oz SR flour

2 medium eggs

4 oz dried fruit

a little milk

Preheat oven to 190'C and place paper cases in a bun tin.

Cream together margarine and sugar.

Beat in eggs, with a little flour if necessary.

Fold in flour and fruit.

Add a little milk to form a soft dropping consistency.

Fill bun cases 3/4 full.

Bake for approximately 12 minutes.

The dessert this weekend was apple and mincemeat crumble with custard.

I'm going to have to exercise more!!

Tooth Fairy Wanted

A gruesome way to spend an afternoon!

Jay had his four back teeth extracted ready to wear a brace. Poor boy first his tonsils and now this. He is back at school today and eating carefully!

Last picture of snow.

We had a little more snow last night, but now it is raining. I would love to have a week of snow like this each winter, just like when I was a child growing up in Norfolk. During the course of a telephone conversation with my Mum this week, she said that I would get more housework done whilst staying indoors! "No", I said, "I'm going out to play snowballs!" I know that the snow has caused disruption for many people, but I have welcomed the chance to play in the snow with my children and make more memories to treasure. Or maybe not the last picture as it is snowing again!

White Fields

White Fields
In winter-time we go
Walking in the fields of snow;
Where there is no grass at all;
Where the top of every wall.
Every fence, and every tree,
Is as white as white can be.
Pointing out the way we came -
Every one of them the same-
All across the fields there be
Prints in silver filigree;
And our mothers always know,
By the footprints in the snow,
Where it is the children go.
-
This poem by James Stephens sums up the day here.

Yippee! It's Still Snowing

I loved waking up to a frozen, glittering world this morning.

Snow brings out the inner child in me!

More snow falling this morning, Jay has gone out to play with his friends.

Somewhere under the blanket of snow are these early primroses.

Keeping warm indoors are the hyacinth bulbs that I planted recently.

Our dessert from last night.
Saucy Chocolate Puddings topped with rum flavoured cream.
"Proper winter food" said my husband!

A Winter Wonderland

Waking up to a winter wonderland.

Daylight arrives.

Maurice isn't too sure about this.

Much too slippery and cold, he has spent the rest on the day curled up on the sofa!

Going out after breakfast.

Let the fun commence!

Jay launches the first snowball. Then decides that we need more snow, so creates snow-showers from the boughs.
We meet up with a friend and her two dogs.

Action shot - just look at those ears!

Snowballs on fur - time to take them home.

Robin Redbreast

Snow-capped berries.

Aspects of my friend's snowy garden.

Back home again.

I catch Ella red-handed as she eats the birds' bread!

Mahonia.

Frozen fairies, butterfly and squirrels in our back garden.

Ella makes a snowball.

This cat has a screw loose at the best of times!