Christmas whisky

Graham couldn't believe the size of the glass on christmas day. Mind you he has made up for it since.

red moon

I love this photo that Graham took of the moon rising over the sea at mablethorpe.it needs enlarging to get the full effect.

Through my kitchen window

This mornings sunrise from my kitchen window. It looked magical but I didn't have to go out in it!!

Apple pinwheels

mary Sue set me off and I just had to make some apple,walnut and maple syrup pinwheels.

Pheasants being prepared

Airline food

This made me laugh, not least because I am soon to face airline food.!

" The problem with airline food is that they try to do something posh, with several courses drizzled with extra words, but then give you a table the size of a mouse mat!
Even at the pointy end of the aeroplane it's a bit of an elbows in affair, but if you want to butter a bread roll in the cheap seats, then three people have to get up and stand in the aisle."

Not much else has been happening. yesterday was coffee morning where I had a Jam Stall and sold a bit. This morning has been spent plucking and cleaning two pheasants given to us by a neighbour whose son went shooting yesterday. The pheasants are now nicely settled in the freezer.

Just had a phone call from my sister. Things are better in Sheffield now that the snow is melting.
we still have a lot of ice but it's much warmer today.
Thats all for now.
Sheila x

Winter

Winter has come with a vengence. We have had a bit of snow but it's been sunny. However now that the sun has gone it is bitterly cold and everywhere is black ice. I haven't been out today but have preffered to stay in and make bread and things. I don't like the snow and cold weather. I don't know how my american family put's up with it!
Tomorrow is our table top sale. I hope we get some customers. People may stay at home if the weather worsens overnight and all our hard work will be for nothing.
more on this after the event.

Here I am!

My blog site has been in a mess. After about an hour of trying to fix it I was ready to throw in the towel but my lovely husband had about an hour at it and finally was victorious!
I have been getting ready for Saturday when I have a stall at the village hall tabletop sale.

Every night though we have been enthralled by the latest run of "I'm a celebrity"which is set in the bush in Australia. (not far from S&S actually). Of the last six years of this programme, which is on for an hour every night,this set of celebrities has been the most compelling to watch. I shall not know what to do with myself when it finishes in two weeks time!

It's very strange without my chickens and we both look for them through the window. Occasionally I think I hear clucking, It's usually pheasants in the field next door.There are alot of pheasants this year. my neighbour usually shoots some for us but he has been laid up with a broken leg. He's almost back in action though.
thats all for now.
sheila x

ALL GONE!

So it's Sunday morning and the meter reader Malcolm and his wife Chris have been and taken all my birds. I think they will be very happy in their new home. Malcolm and Chris are the sort of people who take in waifs and strays and so it is that my chickens (and Ed the duck) will be sharing a home with a ? emily ? the pig whom they rescued from being made into sausages last week.
they also have horses, ducks, geese, dogs and other assorted animals.
As soon as they had gone I cleaned out all the sheds and Graham cleaned up the garden. cut down some tree branches and laid some turfs on the bare patches. it looks quite tidy. I am looking forward to staying in bed in the morning without feeling guilty and without having to get up to let the chickens out.
The only downside is that I won't have any eggs!
Just made several jars of mint jelly from the Spearmint that is running wild outside the kitchen door despite the fact that Graham dug it all out about a month ago.

R.I.P.

One of my chickens who has been poorly for a couple of days, died during the night yesterday so now I am down to 3 of my original 9 Isa Warrens. She was gang banged by the two cockerels and couldn't get back to her feet she was so weak. I tried all the usual things with her, Asprin, milky porridge and a blanket warmed in the microwave but to no avail. They are funny things hens. They seem to give up the ghost.
I have been trying to dispatch one of the cockerels, but each time I catch it ( a feat in itself ) I hold it by the neck for a while and then feel sorry for it and let it go! Graham says I am a moral coward because I shouldn't expect someone else to do my dirty work. I think that is his way of saying "don't ask me!"
Even if I did manage to dispatch it we wouldn't eat it, so it seems like a waste of a life. A bit like fox hunting.
Not much else to report. the weather is dreadful. It's dark again before it gets light. just the usual!
sheila x

Leaf peeping Mablethorpe style

Who needs New England?

pumpkin and garlic bread

Pumpkins

have just finished, well almost, a marathon pumpkin cook. It wasn't such a big one but it has taken some using!
we don't really have a tradition of decorating Pumpkins as they do in the U.S.A but there are lots of recipes to use them,

First up was Pumpkin and Garlic bread............
!2oz bread flour.
1oz yeast.
1 tsp. Salt
a Quantity of Pureed Pumpkin.( about a cup full)
2 Tablspoon Honey
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Warm water......but be carefull with the amount because of all the other liquids.
Knead and bake as usual but when you take them out of the oven quickly dip them in....

Garlic Sauce..
1-3 cloves garlic crushed
olive oil or melted butter/ or both
dried sage
Parmesan cheese (optional)
pinch of salt

Next up was mrs Beetons Pumpkin Preserve.

thickly slice some Pumpkin so that it looks like tinned peaches.
Layer in a dish, alternating with sugar, a sprinkle of powdered Ginger and lemon juice.
leave overnight
put in a large sauce pan and slowly cook until pumpkin is tender.
Put Pumpkin pieces into a jar.
Boil the remaining syrup until thickish and pour over the pumpkin..

Pumpkin soup was next
Chopped Pumpkin
chopped Onion
chopped potatoes
bunch of chopped herbs
usual condiments
garlic
cook until everything is tender
Blitz with a liquidiser and add a drop of milk or cream

I aim to make jam with whats left but thats another story!

Boston

Had a lovely day out in Boston with our friends Alan and vicky. We went to our usual cafe for lunch and it was delicious, Steak and Guiness pudding with all the trimmings, followed by ginger sponge and custard. ( they only had one treacle sponge left!)
Because we don't have any shops where we live, I am like somebody let loose and I bought a couple of pairs of trousers and two jumpers.
Today it is freezing cold and I think it's a sign of things to come. we must get away for the winter but as yet we are unable to decide where to go.
No eggs being laid. I keep threatening them with stretched necks but to no avail!
lifes pretty boring. Sheila x

flowers

Winter is fast approaching and these are the last flowers to appear. they make a very welcome splash of colour.
We have just had visitors. they have been to Northern Cyprus to revisit the places our friend went to when he was in the army. They have had glorious weather and lovely food. I am so jealous!

marks

Look at the grab marks where the cockerels are treading her. Poor thing!

I have sobbed almost all day. how wonderful that the chilean miners are nearly all brought to the surface.

cockerels

Here are the two cockerels. One of them has to go but which one?
note Ed the duck and friend.

Elderberry cordial

First tasting, and very nice too!

Watching T.V

It must seem that all I do is watch T.V as I am always telling you what I have watched. Well last night was the final episode of "This is England '86". Talk about shocking. I was heard to cry out at one point! There was rape, incest, murder and football and it was riveting. Do try to watch it if it comes to a t.v near you.
English readers of this blog will know what I mean by a"Sunday evening soporific " The new one is a period costume called "Downton Abbey" very nice.
On Thursday I hope to watch "An idiot abroad" It's always nice to go to bed laughing.
Graham picked me a whole lot of Elderberries and this morning I have been making Elderberry and crab apple jelly. I shall have a stall at the next coffee morning.
Ed the duck continues to live the life of a chicken and comes running when I call him. Two of the babies are now "Cock-a-doodle do-ing".
thats about it .Really boring i'm afraid.
Sheila x

Gina's birthday

Well today it is our daughters birthday so will take this opportunity to wish her a happy birthday and to hope that she has a lovely day.
Late night last night. I was at the W.I where a woman came to show us hats through the ages. we had a laugh trying all the hats on. I look a pi****k in most of them. good job too as the price of some of them would have halved the national debt!
Have just watched the final episode of "bouquet of barbed wire". Very good. you should try to watch it if it comes on your T.V at any time. It could be a bit raunchy for the USA though!
Tonight is the final episode ofd "this England 86" This has alao been rivetting if you like sex and swearing! Sandra, the main character is Eliah from Emmerdale.
This is a picture of some of my hens (and a duck that thinks it's a hen ) in the field next door. The white ones will be twenty weeks old this weekend so should start doing grown up things like laying eggs.

magic mushrooms

This morning these mushrooms appeared. they weren't there yesterday. 9 hours later they have gone. All that remains are a few shrivelled black husks.

At a loose end.

I find myself at a loose end this morning. Of course there is a lot I could be doing but really I wasn't born to dust. Late to bed last night. First we watched the new "bouquet of barbed wire" Some of you will have seen the original back in the eighties, when we were all shocked by the incestuous behaviour of the characters. Well the new version is not so very different and just as riveting!
Then we had to watch" England 1986" which is about a group of people on a council estate. the 2nd part is on tonight. Very good if a little mystifying.
Have just found a lottery ticket under some booze bottles. I am going to check the numbers. The lottery people are appealing to someone to come forward and claim £1,250,000 still outstanding from March!
When I went to let the chickens out this morning, one of them was crowing fit to burst. The only snag is that I couldn't see which one it was. They have taken to attacking Ed the duck. One hen lays on him whilst the others peck him around the head. When is he going to start fighting back?
Oh well . Must go . Shopping to do. Sheila x

The speaker

This lady is a famous auther who writes about the Elizabethen era in lincolnshire. a very funny speaker.

W.I. Lunch

here are some of the W.I. ladies in front of the windmill where we went for lunch.

tomato

does this remind you of anyone?

avian life

One of our babies actually did a cock a doodle doo this morning. he will probably have to go!!
In other news my neighbour rang to say that they had just seen an albino squirrel heading our way!
Two skeins of wild geese, each containing about twelve geese, have set up home in the field opposite and have taken to flying around noisily about 7.30 each evening. They frighten the life out of my hens!
Graham has found a rat run in the dyke and has put poisen down.He has been slashing and digging all day with his new sickle which he had sent from Sheffield. The postman actually allowed us to have it and didn't steal it as is usual with parcels that get sent to us.
today I have made some Tomato chow chow which is a kind of pickle done in the slow cooker. Very nice.
Thats all for now. sheila x

OOH AHH !!!

http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/Health-and-Beauty/Beauty/Appy-Feet-review_11490.asp

Have a look at what Gina and I got up to on Sunday!

bread cones

This is my first attempt at making bread cones. They are far too big so I will have to try again at some stage. Eat one of these with filling and you won't need any dinner!
I haven't blogged for a while as there is not a lot happening. we go to gina's this weekend for a few days. We shall probably share the bedroom with the cat!
Speaking of cats you will all no doubt have seen the T.V footage of the woman putting a cat into a wheely bin. somebody should do it to her! The police have had to put her under guard as she has had so many death threats. She is a respectable middle aged bank clerk. What on earth was she thinking?
We have probably decided to go to Western Australia this winter. The meter reader is having my hens. Ed the duck is still hanging on in there. she flies occasionally but never offers to leave the compound.
I said I wasn't going to make any more jam but I have already made Apricot conserve and now my neighbour has just brought me some blackberries. Oh well !
more later.

manchester tart.

Here's tonights pudding.A celebration for Sameers team winning!

garden party

I think I forgot to tell you about the neighbours garden party. They have it every year and it's a big occasion. There is an abundance of food and drink and it goes on from about 2pm until after midnight. there are games such as cricket and egg and spoon races for the kids and anyone can play. One year we took my sister Susan. She enjoyed it greatly. Anyway this year Graham decided that he didn't want to go. ( he regards putting clean clothes on as a punishment) so I said I would go just for a little while just to be sociable. How good were the old men who had just come back from France, having attended the D.day landings? they showed us photo's and talked to us at length about their exploits during the war. I love anything like that. I hope it's something me or mine never have to experience. I particularly loved one old guy who had this conversation;-

"And how did you feel about killing germans?"
" Well, I knew if I killed him, his mother would recieve a telegram and would be very upset"
"On the other hand, if he killed me, my mother would recieve a telegram and be very upset"
"I thought that I would prefer his mother to be upset rather then mine!"

Oh and I forgot to tell you that throughout all this talk and eating I was drinking the local cider.
Now Graham and I have been trying to find this cider maker for a few months and here was a great big box full. Of course when you are talking and it's interesting, you lose track of time and of how much you have drunk.! I was amazed to look at my watch and see how long I had been there. To be honest I couldn't see my watch very clearly and my head was starting to spin a bit so I filled a glass with cider and decided to take it home for Graham. Now our nieghbours live about a hundred yards across the road and I don't know how I managed to weave through the speeding cars without spilling the cider but I arrived home all giggly, only to find that we had visitors who looked at me open mouthed!!
but that's another story.

vacuum cleaner.

About two weeks ago our Dyson gave up the ghost. As we have had it for about ten years we weren't too upset but it meant we had to buy another one. Now I have never been a big fan of Dysons so after much trawling of the internet we bought one of those pull along things that are like leading a yappy dog around. Horrible and it hurts my back but.............
Wondering how we could dispose of the old Dyson now that the local tip has closed, Graham hit upon the idea of partially dismantling it and sneaking it into the bin. Because it had a very long cable he thought he would cut off the cable in case he could use it for something else. (poor Gina. When we finally croak it she will have the joy of getting rid of all the things that might come in handy) but I digress. Graham came into the kitchen for some scissors and in a fit of optimism plugged the Dyson in. It worked perfectly!!! It is now in pride of place and the yappy dog has been relegated to the shed!!
More news on the chicken front. Ed the duck is slowly starting to hold his own with the hens and even went as far as to hold a pecking fight with one of the big hens, She is still terrified of the white bantam though and runs away whenever she is in the vicinity.
The babies are more or less doing their own thing now and their "mother" laid her first egg this year. Two of the babies are cockrels we think so one of them will have to go unless someone comes forward and offers it a home. Norman has said he will come and do the dastardly deed! He will even eat it afterwards!
Graham has gone to ask a friend if he would be willing to have our chickens this winter as we are thinking of going to Australia again. If not we will give them away and start again with another lot when we get back.
Not much else to report. It's all gone quiet since my birthday celebrations.

Hangover!!

This is the lovely restaurant that Graham took me too last night. we had the taster menu which was
Twice baked goats cheese tarts and salad leaves with Balsamic vinegar reduction
Butternut squash soup with red anadammer ( don't ask. I don't know either)
Grilled haslet with cheese souffle topping and red onion and tomato sauce. ( that was the best thing yummy)
Slow roasted lamb on a bed of mashed potatoes and carrots.
blackcurrant Sorbet
Waffle with strawberries and Raspberries in a pond of cream anglaise and a compote of raspberries.

unfortunately for Graham he was driving so it fell to me to drink! After two Martinis and a glass of cider we came home where we proceeded to drink some of the Metaxa brandy that Gina brought back from crete. Hence this morning I had to take two Paracetemols
for a headache!

happy birthday to me1

well today I am 65. when I was young it never occurred to me that I would one day be old! I don't know how I feel about being 65. it's a milestone in a persons life. I have been celebrating for a week now but I think it will be all over after tonight. Graham has booked a table at a very posh restaurant ( for posh read very expensive). it's a tasting menu. there is no choice. You just have what the chef gives you. I can't remember if it is 5 or 7 courses!
Gina and Andrew were here for a week which was lovely, Susan and Trevor came for the day yesterday and we walked on the beach. Me and Trevor love whelks, much to everyones disgust but we had a big dish full each.
On saturday we all went to the beach to see Patrick Mower switch on the illuminations. ( he's Rodney in Emmerdale)
I have been having visitors all day long. my neighbours came with a bottle of wine. and I have got dozens of cards. many of my friends have given me money for my charity "Smile train"
all in all, so far it's been a nice birthday.

Birthday bouquet

t

Here are the nice flowers my friends bought me.

My birthday party

Last night we went to a pub for a meal with some of my friends. a good time was had by all.