Birthday and Christmas Preparations

 

I had one of those dreaded "big birthdays" a few weeks ago. To be honest I can't believe I am 70. Physically, I may feel it sometimes but mentally I feel about 25!

I told everyone not to spend a fortune on a "special" cake as I much prefer homemade so they made me my favourite Carrot Cake :)

D bought me a bat detector which I have wanted for years and made me some Christmas Fudge.  Fudge is definitely worth making at home as it is much nicer and cheaper than bought although it is time consuming and you do need a sugar thermometer or thermapen.

Emily bought me lots of things including the latest Mary Berry cookbook and a book of lists - ideal for me who is always making them!

My main present from B was a painting we had seen in an art gallery in Leominster.

I do enjoy preparing for Christmas - in fact I sometimes think I find the preparations more fun than the actual event!

Holly wreath for the front door bought from a florist's in Coleshill.

The mistletoe bunch from Tenbury Wells.

I always make a canon ball Christmas Pudding although I have to admit only D and I actually like it!

Christmas cake having its last "feed" of brandy!

I am very behind with preparations this year mainly due to the two trips to Herefordshire but I finally made the mincemeat.

Most Christmas recipes I use are by Mary Berry or from BBC Good Food but these cheese savouries which I freeze are from a Delia recipe.

Today I'll make  the stained glass window biscuits - some to eat now and some to freeze which just leaves the Mincemeat Macaroons and Mince Pies to make later in the week plus the veggie main and starter.  B always cooks the actual Christmas dinner and we re-heat the vegetarian main. D saw a good recipe on Mary Berry's Christmas Programme for Cranberry and Stilton Scones so I'll make those on Christmas Eve for the vegetarian starter.  

The Christmas Tree and decorations have now gone up.

This is an Advent Calendar with a difference. Its called The Night Before Christmas and you add a piece each day. I must admit it was a faff to put the house together and some of the pieces are a bit fiddly to add but its something different.

Building wise the news is not good - after an absence of 3 weeks (one of them got married!). They are back with a vengeance. Scaffolding now up on our patio :( They didn't screen it so we have gone somewhat ballistic and told them they can't access it until they do!). Worst yesterday was when two half house bricks came down the chimney and landed on the hearth in the front room together with tons of rubble all over Christmas decorations! B got straight onto owner and later party wall surveyor.  A row with the former ensued!  Apparently builders in loft used a power tool (which they are not supposed to do on party wall) against a chimney breast which they thought was double walled - it wasn't it was a single wall which anyone can see and came straight into our chimney breast. The surveyor is coming to inspect today to see what happened. Could do without all this with Christmas to get ready for.  Plus I am not sleeping hardly at all!  I fear the builders are totally incompetent :(

I hope everyone is staying safe and well.

All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera. (I don't particularly rate my photos but if anyone ever wishes to use one or one of my son's I would be grateful for an email first thanks).

"Bits and Pieces"

The days continue to merge into one!


As long as it is not raining I wander round the garden several times a day looking for new plants in flower, birds and insects.

More flowers on the patio clematis and

a different variety (no idea which one) clambering over an arch further up the garden.

Thyme continues to flower

Miniature strawberries - to be honest I am not sure if they are "wild" or planted over 40 years ago by the previous owner but they appear each year. We used to grow strawberries in a fruit cage but that was in a different area of the garden.

Timothy enjoying his daily walk!

Choiysa in flower - mum and dad bought us this shrub many many years ago.

Hawthorn - sadly never flowers profusely - I blame OH for over pruning it although he says this is not the case. The garden has not been tended that well so far this year as B has had a lot of problems with his legs. An xray just before lock down suggests he has osteo arthritis of the hips and spine which he needs to see the doctor about when they are accepting appointments again. Ibuprofen helps him a lot but the GP took him off that as she said it was causing his blood pressure to increase :(

Timothy again - he does like azaleas!

This is the border that has been taken over by Red Campion - really pleased about this!

Common Vetch (I think - please correct me if I am wrong)

Azaleas

Rock Rose

Water Avens by the pond

This morning there were 7 eggs in the Blue Tit nest and

she has begun to incubate. It is good to see the male goes in regularly to feed her.

Sadly, over the last few days a Magpie has been seen again several times near the Blackbird nest so I suspect this will eventually get predated.


Speckled Wood butterflies are still being seen most days and today I saw a male Brimstone. Tawny Mining Bee and Tree Bumble Bee are new species for the year. The Large Red Damselfly seems to have disappeared or moved on perhaps.


Wildflower area and mini woodland at the top of the garden.

I've been keeping up the "journal" but not drawing every day partly because of the rain and not going into the garden to find items to draw.

I'm just taking each day as it comes and trying to keep my mind occupied. I am still doing the heraldry course and the os puzzle book and reading fiction and non-fiction. I've knitted a little owl and just have to sew it up. I finished the OU free War Memorial Course which, although short, was interesting and certainly makes you ask questions about the different forms memorials take, the location and symbols etc. When all this is over I will be taking a lot of photos whenever I can find them. I've signed up for another OU free course on Life in the Palaeozoic which may well repeat information I learned years ago when I took Geology courses with them. But as I have forgotten a lot of what I learnt it will refresh it in my memory!!





It was E's birthday last week - it was not the celebration she planned as two short holidays had to be cancelled and she couldn't meet friends but we made the best of it in the circumstances.

I found a Christmas Pudding sparkler we hadn't used to put in the cake.

*D

Flowers sent by one friend

*D

Another friend left flowers on the drive for her.

Birmingham Airport has been used for "military" exercises with sightings of a Chinook helicopter and this plane.

*D


An old spirograph gift was found in a wardrobe and put into use.

*D


Pressing garden flowers

*D


The hammered silver coin from Queen Elizabeth I's reign I mentioned D had found in my last post.

*D

*D


Apart from an Apple and Blackberry crumble no baking this week


Tea cooked by D using up pitta breads and peppers.

*D


Glamorgan Sausages again made by D with a Watercress, Apple and Walnut salad courtesy of me!

*D



Plain flour has nearly run out but I must thank Sarah Head who kindly left a comment in the last post asking if I had tried Shipton Mill as they release delivery slots at some stage during the day. Yesterday I visited the website and kept refreshing it every time I was on the computer and I was fortunate enough to get a delivery slot so all being well I should have some plain, self raising, wholemeal and bread flour in a week or so. I wasn't greedy I just had two 1 kg bags of each but at least we can bake again for a while without worrying about running out for a few weeks. I did consider buying a few 16kg sacks (which they sell from a different shop) but B was not keen on having too much flour lying about.

So thank you Sarah.



I hope everyone is staying safe and well. Take care.



*D Photos taken by D with the Canon SX 50 HS bridge camera
Rest of photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera