Gratuitous spider's webs caught on a gorse bush - just for Halloween! |
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Thursday 31 October 2013
Tuesday 29 October 2013
A Windy Country Walk through Fairyland
Before the storm on Sunday Little Miss and I decided to make the most of a bit of dry weather and go for a little explore. She has such a vivid imagination that even a country walk becomes fun (as long as she doesn't get bored or tired!) Bigger Miss was at a sleepover so it was good to have some quality time with Little Miss and this is the (fairy) story of our walk...
We had found a sycamore seed earlier and watched it fly like a helicopter so Little Miss decided to be a helicopter seed! |
Fairy cups and acorns |
There were thousands and thousands of fairy cups and acorns to collect |
We found a bush laden with holly berries - hopefully there may be some left for Christmas |
I loved the way the sun caught the golden leaves on this tree |
Next we entered the part of the wood that the girls call 'Fairyland' and Little Miss had lots of 'her' fairies to release - they were going to tea with their friends in the fairy doors. |
Reflections of Fairyland |
The fairies have to have lots of seats too of course! |
Releasing more fairies into the fairy castle - we had a lot of fairies to let go! |
More comfy fairy seats! |
and at the end after a few renditions and variations on 'we're going on a bear hunt' we found some chestnuts hiding in their prickly cases! THE END |
Sunday 27 October 2013
A Year in Pictures - Week 43
This week all I have succeeded in doing is getting more befuddled than ever by the myriad of things I need to remember and I am heartily glad of half term. We have sewing, sunsets and a spot of dressing up.
For more autumnal fun head on over to the Boy and Me:
Last weekend Bigger Miss and I went to the monthly sewing club and made some pretty oak leaf brooches and hair clips - even I joined in. |
Bigger Miss ready for eighties dress up day at school |
Awesome winter sunset |
For more autumnal fun head on over to the Boy and Me:
Sunday 20 October 2013
Saturday 19 October 2013
A Year in Pictures - Week 42
This week has mostly been about me restraining myself from slinging the laptop across the room as it groaned slowly on slower than a sloth. Having tried multiple different fixes I have now updated Java and (cross fingers, touch wood, pray) it seems to be a bit better. It has been very hard keeping up with everything when most of the time I am staring at a blank screen. I have taken a few pictures - mainly of the garden as the rest of the week has been the usual manic routine.
At school Bigger Miss has finally completed some never ending project homework and they had their harvest festival at the local church which sounded lovely but no parents allowed as the church is not big enough! Bigger Miss also visited the Fire Station with the Brownies and had a whale of a time even witnessing a real live call out! No pics of any of this though I'm afraid.
To see if anyone else has had a more exciting week head on over to the Boy and Me:
At school Bigger Miss has finally completed some never ending project homework and they had their harvest festival at the local church which sounded lovely but no parents allowed as the church is not big enough! Bigger Miss also visited the Fire Station with the Brownies and had a whale of a time even witnessing a real live call out! No pics of any of this though I'm afraid.
A rare hair do for a party for Little Miss |
A promising sunrise but 'red sky in the morning - Shepherds Warning' |
Those shadows lengthen as the days get shorter |
Loving the autumnal colour on my Japanese Acer |
To see if anyone else has had a more exciting week head on over to the Boy and Me:
Apple and Pear Picking at Blackmoor Estate - a picture post
We have been apple (and pear) picking on the beautiful local Blackmoor Estate pretty much every year since we moved here. It is one of those events like Christmas and Easter that is not to be missed and we always seem to get a lovely sunny autumn morning for it which makes for some lovely photos. So here it is apple picking at Blackmoor Estate in pictures (some from this year some from years past):
Linking up to Country Kids at Coombe Mill:
Rosy apples |
Perfect Pears! |
Little Miss back when she was just 3! |
The Orchards have a wonderful symmetry |
Huge apple! |
Shall I pick this one? |
We love a ladybird |
Marching up the rows |
Puddling around |
The stunning views from the Orchards |
Linking up to Country Kids at Coombe Mill:
Labels:
apples,
autumn,
Blackmoor Estate,
country kids,
fruit,
pears
National Baking Week - Chocolate Pear Cake
After our pear and apple picking at the weekend and it being National Baking Week and all I thought I would share this really really easy recipe I found using pears. I have to admit I am not a huge pear fan, I love most fresh fruit but pears I really prefer cooked. I found this recipe on Nigella Lawson's website so I take no credit for the recipe but it is super easy and really yummy. Even the kids will eat it!
Chocolate Pear Cake
4- 5 fresh pears peeled, cored and quartered (Nigella's recipe uses tinned pears but it's great for fresh pears too)
125g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
125g caster sugar
150g softened butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 largish eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
Preheat the oven to 200 C/gas mark 6 and grease a 22cm square ovenproof dish (or use a silicone dish like mine and you don't need to grease it - yay!)
Prepare the pears and arrange them in the bottom of the dish so they cover the dish more or less
Put all the other ingredients in a mixing bowl and whizz up with an electric hand mixer. (Nigella uses a food processor but that's just more washing up!!)
Spread the mixture over the pears and bake for 30 minutes
Let it cool for 5 or 10 minutes and cut into about 9 slices and serve - warm with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, cream, ice cream or for real chocolatey indulgence chocolate sauce - yum!
No excuses now - this is just the easiest pudding ever - so geeet baking!
Scrummy served warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt. |
Chocolate Pear Cake
4- 5 fresh pears peeled, cored and quartered (Nigella's recipe uses tinned pears but it's great for fresh pears too)
125g plain flour
25g cocoa powder
125g caster sugar
150g softened butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 largish eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
Preheat the oven to 200 C/gas mark 6 and grease a 22cm square ovenproof dish (or use a silicone dish like mine and you don't need to grease it - yay!)
Prepare the pears and arrange them in the bottom of the dish so they cover the dish more or less
Put all the other ingredients in a mixing bowl and whizz up with an electric hand mixer. (Nigella uses a food processor but that's just more washing up!!)
Spread the mixture over the pears and bake for 30 minutes
Let it cool for 5 or 10 minutes and cut into about 9 slices and serve - warm with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, cream, ice cream or for real chocolatey indulgence chocolate sauce - yum!
No excuses now - this is just the easiest pudding ever - so geeet baking!
Tuesday 15 October 2013
National Baking Week - Super Easy Yoghurt Cake
Now I'm not much of a baker to be honest. I can bake a basic cake or a banana loaf but they often don't turn out quite right. I'm also not that great at baking with the kids - too much of a control freak to just let them get on with it! I found this recipe in a book called 'French Children Don't Throw Food' by Pamela Druckerman and it has encouraged me to get them to do a bit more baking (although I still don't let go as much as those French mothers!) So in honour of National Baking Week I thought I would share.
The idea is that the cake is so simple that even little kids can bake it more or less on their own. The yoghurt tub is used to measure out the ingredients so it is super easy for them. We have always added fruit to ours so far - we have tried raspberries, cherries and blackberries amongst others. Although it can turn out a little heavy because of the yoghurt it doesn't feel too unhealthy either. Definitely worth giving a go!
Yoghurt Cake (or Gateau au Yaourt)
2 tubs plain whole milk yoghurt (indiv. portion tubs about 175g) - we have used greek yoghurt
2 eggs
2 tubs sugar (or just 1, depending on taste) - we use about 1.5
1 tspn vanilla essence
just under 1 tub vegetable oil - we just use sunflower oil
4 tubs plain flour
1.5 tspn baking powder
1 or tubs of added ingredients - fruit, chocolate - you can try all sorts (optional)
Preheat oven to 190 degrees (gas mark 5 ) Use veg oil to grease a 9 inch round pan or loaf tin.
Gently combine the yoghurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil. In a separate bowl mix the flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until the ingredients are combined, but don't over mix. You can add 2 tubs frozen or fresh berries, a tub of chocolate chips or any flavouring you like. Cook for 35 minutes, then 5 minutes more if it doesn't pass the skewer test. It should be almost crispy on the outside but springy on the inside. Let it cool. Delicious served slightly warm with a cuppa and a dollop of greek yoghurt.
Here is a pic of the one we made with the cherries:
The idea is that the cake is so simple that even little kids can bake it more or less on their own. The yoghurt tub is used to measure out the ingredients so it is super easy for them. We have always added fruit to ours so far - we have tried raspberries, cherries and blackberries amongst others. Although it can turn out a little heavy because of the yoghurt it doesn't feel too unhealthy either. Definitely worth giving a go!
Yoghurt Cake (or Gateau au Yaourt)
2 tubs plain whole milk yoghurt (indiv. portion tubs about 175g) - we have used greek yoghurt
2 eggs
2 tubs sugar (or just 1, depending on taste) - we use about 1.5
1 tspn vanilla essence
just under 1 tub vegetable oil - we just use sunflower oil
4 tubs plain flour
1.5 tspn baking powder
1 or tubs of added ingredients - fruit, chocolate - you can try all sorts (optional)
Preheat oven to 190 degrees (gas mark 5 ) Use veg oil to grease a 9 inch round pan or loaf tin.
Gently combine the yoghurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil. In a separate bowl mix the flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until the ingredients are combined, but don't over mix. You can add 2 tubs frozen or fresh berries, a tub of chocolate chips or any flavouring you like. Cook for 35 minutes, then 5 minutes more if it doesn't pass the skewer test. It should be almost crispy on the outside but springy on the inside. Let it cool. Delicious served slightly warm with a cuppa and a dollop of greek yoghurt.
Here is a pic of the one we made with the cherries:
Monday 14 October 2013
Macro Monday - Fabulous Fungi edition
I haven't joined in with Macro Monday in a while and I have missed it.I do love my macros and although I haven't stopped taking them, more often than not they have appeared on a Silent Sunday or I just haven't had the time. However with the advent of the autumnal season of mists and mellow fruitfulness I have discovered fungi and they are fab! So here is a selection of fabulous fungi. Unlike flowers I haven't got a clue what any of them so please just enjoy the pictures and if anyone can enlighten me that would be wonderful.
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