Frozen

 

Have been spending far too much time at the garden over the past week, can't wait to have a couple of weeks away from it. Running out of things to do as its all a bit frozen now. The ground is solid, the pond is solid and most of the paths are slippy and not a great time for cutting anything but a tree. Little house in the glen is looking quite festive, well the sitting room is. We have our little tree up and there is some tinsel about the place and some lights around the mantel peice. Going to get something more tomorrow as not looking festive enough was the general consensus of the household. Was looking all winter wonderland like outside and then it rained so most went and now it just very slippery and frozen, we don't get much sun in winter, can't remember the last time I felt the warmth of the sun.... not long till the shortest day though. Have been slack on both the present buying front and the card front, although not bucking up much, yet. 

Daphne doing a spot of ice skating.

We went for a walk in the woods one afternoon, a bit off the path, well on no path at all. Seemed like a good idea till the light began to fade and we weren't sure which way was home. The waist high heather on the decent was like walking through porridge.


Just burnt my tongue on a fresh-from-the-oven mince pie. Sadly mincemeat is brought and not as yummy as homemade.

Birthday!

A few snaps from Birthday activities last week...

Doughnuts for dessert (shared!) - nice but they should put some jam inside or give a little pot like they did with the chocolate sauce. Main course for me was sea bream with polenta chips - chunky but crispy on the edges -really good.

We went to a favourite cocktail bar called Santa Chupitos after dinner. Quite small and very black inside. The cocktails are all written up high on the walls and above the main bar. We went in the smaller room where there are big sofas and a smaller bar. Me and Julia had yummy Bakewell Tartinis. We were so excited that we didn't fully pay attention as to how to make them except that there was some chambord involved and a thin layer of cream on the top. One was sufficient though, well maybe could manage one more..you need to like almond/amaretto though!

Sadly no pictures of the wonderful Jesse Malin. He came and sat on the floor right by us which was just too close for a snap! Julia had never heard of him before but enjoyed it especially his accent!

Warm, cook, roast!

I have a confession... we've had the electric blanket on! It has three settings... 1,2,3 or warm, cook, roast as we prefer to call them! Roast is only really allowed on very cold nights and only then to warm the bed before getting in... I love it and try to keep it on for a little bit longer but Mr Croak won't have any of it!

In other news! Last weekend I went to St Albans to catch up with two of my friends from Art college - 10 years ago! We did a lot of catching up and even managed to fit in seeing some fireworks! We don't meet up very often and when we do it means there are always presents! This time we opened last years Christmas pressies and birthday pressies too! We all felt very festive by the end of the weekend! I was given this huge mug that looks like it is old enamel but is actually ceramic with a clever glaze!



We have been trying to improve the insulation in our house in preparation for the winter - we were very cold last year, especially in the build up to Christmas when it reached -20c! We put some carpet down last week, and covered the windows in faux cling film and today I have put up some thicker curtains! Sadly they were just too short... not any more!



ta-dar!



new curtains... too short!



no problem -

I'll just add a bit more fabric...



I am very excited about tomorrow's adventure... getting the train in the morning to go and see Hoppy Spadge, Nubby Tope and Tippety Nippet! What fun!



Whisky, stone circles and the best fish and chips in Scotland

Mother, father and Kato came to stay last weekend, well for a long weekend. The sun came out and helped show the delights of North East Scotland off to their best. We went to a megalithic stone circle on a very windy hill and then nearly got lost on a walk from it, due to lack of map. Ate a buttery, not really a delight seeing as it is like a squashed salty coissant. Went for a walk around the estate in glorious autumn sunshine. Drove over the hills to find out how whisky is made and try to tell the differences between three different aged whiskies, all much of a muchness to me but tasty though. Wandered round my garden and gave them some chilli plants. Moved a large chest of drawers and a large rug into the sitting room, matches in with the rest of the dark brown furniture we own. Had delicious fish and chips at the officialy best shop in the whole of Scotland. It was a mixed platter of cod cheeks (not actually the cheeks of cod I don't think), smoked haddock and coley. It changes every week, last time it was different fish, one was salmon but the other two escape me! We then went for a quick walk on the beech as it was quite bracing, Barnaby tried to get Daphne into the sea, she was not convinced.

Kato and Daphne are such opposit dogs

Just before Mum and Dad headed back south, we went further into the hills beyond Braemar, following the river Dee. It was very windy and I was sure I could see snow on the distant hills. If you go further in apparently there are some spectacular waterfalls and some massive bowls carved out be stones, there's one fifty meters deep. Will definitly have to come back and go for a saunter sometime. Cairn Gorm is nearby too, bet its chilly on top of there.

Got lots of things around the house done this weekend. Did learn one thing though, don't take a 12 year old boy with you to do your weekly shop, you end up with some very suspect items in your trolly. We did also see a firework display on saturday, which was delayed, because the line at the burger stall was massive.

First Roast Beef and Biscuits

I am too tired and full to relate exactly how, but today I made, Pumpkin Soup, Lemon Drops and Jam Swirls, and my First Roast Beef Dinner - with yorkshires!

Pork Roast and Carrot Cake

I began this post last Sunday and was too exhausted to finish it!

'Boo! With the clocks gonig back it's completely dark at only 5 o'clock, a sad day, but I am snug in the house with a pork joint roasting and a carrot cake cooking!'

Both were a terrific success, carrot cake has only just been finished, and the Pork Roast did two evenings and a lunch. Pork Roast was very simple, rubbed with salt, pepper and crushed fennel and roasted slowly, and I managed crackling too! Had it with roasties, broccoli, and some delicious apple sauce (made with enormous shropshire Bramley!).

Carrot Cake was moist and yummy - but I messed up the frosting by making it too runny and it made the whole thing a sticky, but delish, mess!






Last night was another culinary triumph with sticky bb ribs, crispy hoisin chicken thighs, and red cabbage colesalw, plus a game of Baker St, and the Guns of Navarone!


On the programme for today, Roast Beef, Pumpkin Soup, and Biscuits! Oh, and preparation for a job interview! Yay.

Biscuits, Birthday cake, Brownies... and a Breakdown truck!

Where has the time gone?! I had a couple of days off at half term last week (feels like forever ago!). During that time, I went out for a hot chocolate and a cafe made jammie dodger with Mum - she had the ginger crunch, both were pretty good!
I completed my moss stitch square - Hoppy Spadge has suggested it could be a lap warmer... the jury are still out.

On Friday it was Mr Croak's birthday and so went for a mooch / shop during the day and then out with the family for a curry and then home for birthday cake! Which was delish!

I gave Mr Croak the new DVD 'Senna' which we watched later in the weekend which was very good.

Saturday was a more girlie day... it started with me having 7" chopped off my hair! Appointment was booked for a trim but then I had a more spontaneous moment when in the chair and said goodbye to the lot! Just managed to take a 'before' shot!

Thankfully I am enjoying the new length and look!

Following the excitement of loosing the long locks, I met up with a couple of my best friends from school for more tea and cake! I indulged with a fantastic slab of chocolate brownie, and a pot of Earl Grey - a lovely afternoon!

Yesterday was rather dramatic as my car overheated and I had to be brought home on the back of a recovery vehicle :(  After a day at the garage it has miraculously been fixed and is back home again! Phew!

Halloween!

Whoooooooo! Yes, we love halloween, and have been really looking forward to this weekend. Firstly though, we went to see Melancholia on Friday - I found it very sad, and very beautiful, as I think I was supposed to, but think it could be 20 minutes shorter. And my goodness the Soho audience were a bag of grizzly warts!

So, back to the fun! Mr and I spent Saturday making Halloween costumes, me the spider, he the web. His web was made from an old blak t-shirt and some grey-pearly wool. First we made a star with the wool, by cutting slits in the t-shirt and knotting the wool underneath. Then, we tied the wool to the star in a spiral. And then tied on the fly!

I went all in black, leggings, shorts and a long sleeve t-shirt. And made legs by stuffing tights with balls of old newspaper, and then, tying them together, splitting the waist part and tying it around my shoulders/arms - make any sense? Maybe not, but it worked. And here are the snaps!

Weekend Antics

As already reported by Mrs Croak, we had a rendez-vous at Manchester Picadilly before drifting (as much as we could in the hoards) round the craft fair. Other favourites were Rachel Eardley's jewellery made of defunct coins, Faye Power's birdie crockery (especially the pheasant tea pot!) and Cathy Miles' wire sculptures - birds in a cage having a tea party!). Lots of lovely stuff and looking forward to finding 2 nice square frames for my Ruth Green cards. Town was typically manic so myself and country mouse did not linger too long anywhere- just a peruse, then lurked at the station for short time till my train and collected my tickets for the Carlisle jaunt!

After a rest, a brew, a beer and Strictly it was back into town to a new restaurant with food from the 11 more Southern states of America (situated right next to where craft fair had been - typical!) suggested by our friends. Lots of BBQ, ribs and deep-fried pickles! I had ribs that can see here and were good but BIG! There was an extra dish of the spicy sweet sauce and a pastry brush to slather it on with. We ordered a bit too much - the cornbread was step too far and was taken home by one of our party to the hilarity of everyone else. No way could any of us manage dessert!

Sunday we did bit of clearing out, tip trip and some relocation of wires at the house (started a little late in the day really as had to have the light circuits off to do it so had to complete final stage by torch!). Day ended with Downton scandals and reduced (and therefore even more delicious) Gu choc souffles mmmmmmmm

Dog training

This would be a simple evening activity if we had chosen a placid, super easy to train dog. Having a liking to take the slightly lumpy path to the side, we went for the dog that can be trained but also is quite keen on doing what she fancies if your option doesn't fit with her plan. I like to think it gives her lots of character. However, trying to control a very small, in comparison to the Labradors, Jack Russel who just wants to play, she just does herself no favours, or me. She did have some good moments. We have definitly mastered sit but not lie down, quite good at find and does come when she is called, apart from if she is doing something she isn't ment to be doing. Which on the whole for a four and a half month old isn't too bad. Don't you think so Daphne? Ok, I'll give you a gravy bone to convince you...

An Afternoon of Baking & Cooking

4 tasks for one afternoon and I'm going to blog as I go;
No1 Bread - a lovely milk loaf
No2 Smokey Sausage Chowder
No3 Lasagne
No4 Eccles Cakes

No 1 did not begin the afternoon well - is a very simple white dough, that is nice and sweet as it is made with milk. Though the dough was rather tough as I was trying to knead it, and I realised I'd forgotten to add the water - pesky recipe only puts it in the instructions, not in the ingredients list - grrr. So, back it went into the bowl with the forgotten water, and made a nasty sloppy mess that has taken aaaages to work in. Sigh. But, eventually got to a lovely smooth and springy dough which is now rising.

No2 - the chowder, which I am going to make to take for lunch this week.
I'm using smokey sausages called Small Silesian Sausages - they smell delicious! Have chopped them into small rounds, and fried them gently, before adding a large white onion, chopped, and a couple of bay leaves. Have diced some spuds ready to go into the pot.

No3 Lasagne - this is for supper, and will probably be enough for tomorrow night too. No instructions here, as am sure all make lasagne in their own way.... or see my other blog.... not a traitor I promise... Interestingly (for me anyway), I am making it with pork mince, to see if it works.

No2 onions are nice and soft, so in go the spuds, just till their warmed through, then in with chicken stock, meanwhile onions  garlic sweating, pepper and courgette chopped ready, meat about to go in...

No1 Bread dough is rising nicely..

No 2 - Soup has been left to bubble away happily, with the addition of some sweetcorn when the potato is nearly cooked

No4 Now that lasagne and soup are at leave alone stages, I'm getting fruit ready for eccles cakes - sadly only raisins, peel and ginger available - with a bit of honey and butter. Am making it way ahead of time so that it can cook and go sticky before being put into the pastry.

No1 Back to bread - dough has rised, and I'm going to knock it down and put it in a loaf tin to prove

No4 Now time for the pastry for the eccles cakes - quickly made and popped into the fridge.

Washed up....

No2 Milk added to chowder, and once it's hot, soup off and left till cool to tupperware for the week

No1 Bread into oven - sherry into glass, husband home

No 3 -  White sauce for lasagne being made, then am going to build up the layers and grate cheese on the top ready for the oven - bread staring to smell yummy, husband not happy with furnace temperature of flat

 No3 Bread out, Lasagne into oven - pastry out of fridge and rolled

No4 Building eccles while lasagne in oven - small circles, filled with fruit, and placed on their seal, a couple of holes in the top and brushed with milk (as have no eggs) - only one word, appalling. If this was the bake off I'd be going home!


 Completion - Eccles into oven.....





 Eccles out! Disaster!!!

 Lasagne out!

Lasagne Served!

Wonderful Radio 4 kept my ears happy throughout this fun, though slightly exhausting, afternoon...

Sigh

Curse the job hunt! Once again I am stuck inside on a beautiful Sunday, sending off hopeful applications in response to job adverts! Not very fun but most sensible as next week is looking rather busy with a birthday party and parental visit, followed by Halloween!

Not much to report otherwise, Mr and I saw Bunny at the Soho Theatre - which was very very good, if not quite our cup of tea. Also, had a fantastic night of cocktails and dancing with friends at Guanabara, which made me fairly sleepy yesterday!

In other news, am experimenting with no-sugar diet (due to tummy trouble not wait loss...) and is an interesting episode - no biccies or choc, and savoury snacks only. Am allowing myself natural sugar from fruit hence my plan to bake mixed fruit eccles cakes later this afternoon - will report in due course. Also planning another loaf of bread...

Back to applications, fingers crossed all round please...

Great Northern Contempoary Craft Fair

Yesterday, Nubby Tope and I went to spend much of the morning / luncheon time at the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair!

I successfully negotiated the first hurdle of the morning - which was resisting the temptation to get on the 'Borth Express' which happened to be leaving the station just before the train I needed to Manchester!

After a fun bus journey (there were a couple of pug's on the bus that seemed to enjoy the journey) we had a quick scamper in the wrong direction, before getting back on track and spying the signs to guide us the right way!

A wristband each later and we were in! It was jam packed with loveliness, although also jam packed with people perusing the loveliness, and rather warm in some of the rooms!

There were rather a lot of things that caught our fancy! Particular favourites were....

Ruth Green 'limited edition hand-made screen prints, inspired by mid-century design and the British countryside' she has a lovely website and we were very taken with her work. Here is 'red squirrels', an image from her website.
Nubby invested in a couple of lovely cards and we both loved her prints and also her book! (Noisy Neighbours). She also has a wonderful blog (redrutho.blogspot.com)!

Jennifer Collier 'recycled and transformed papers that would go unloved; exploring the "remaking" of household objects. She also has a fab website and some amazing work! I particularly like her cameras...

We also really liked Katie Almond's work... 'hand painted porcelain jugs, cups and cake stands inspired by nostalgia and vintage ephemera'. I've just been reading her blog which if lovely and has some great images of her work!

And finally (as I have to get up at some point!) we were also very taken with Julie Haslam who makes 'innovative home textiles inspired by an old family recipe book' ! They were great - we were particularly taken with the 'Rock buns' a family favourite as Tippity Nippett showed in a previous post!

There were many more exhibitors work that we really liked - I might add some more later!

Hurrah! It's the weekend!

I'm very pleased it's the weekend! Even better than that- it is half term! It's been a very hectic week and I haven't managed to blog once!

Sadly I haven't been up to much that is exciting this week (hence the lack of posting!) but I thought I'd share my Friday treat(s!)...

I'm off to see Nubby Tope today which is very exciting! We're going to see http://www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk/index.html which I'm very much looking forward to!

An evening of two halves

Evening got off to a good start with a supper of beef fried with black pepper, mixed in with lovely creamy leeks, and mashed potato on the side - Yum! And, as a treat for the week, and to use up some apple that was hanging about I made these rather tasty little swirls.....

Buttery pastry, rolled into a rectangle, and spread with pureed apple, crystalised ginger, chopped toasted nuts and honey - rolled up, sliced and baked! Yet to taste...


And the other half of the evening was spent registering with yet more job agencies - sigh.

The weather is turning...

 
Yesterday was so gloriously sunny we decided to get up and go for a walk. Was a bit fresh in the shade though. Just down from our house is the trout loch, sometimes you see someone fishing from a boat on it but today it was as smooth as a pane of glass with a lonely abandoned boat.

This is the glen where we live. Our house is somewhere amongst the trees in the middle. We had decided to do a loop, so much better than retracing your steps, it was such a wonderfully clear day. You can see all the planted trees around the house at the centre of the estate, some are pretty big and most planted over 100 years ago. Parts of the forest on the hills contain very old multi stemed Scotch Pines.

 There are quite a lot of birch forests around. All are turning golden yellow now. They have a lovely feel to them, as they don't have a dense canopy its always very airy and full of dappled light. Some particulary old ones are covered in lichens and look like a wizened old woman.

Today the weather has completely changed. It has rained most of the day and been quite windy, snow was forcast for the mountains. The temperature dropped quite a bit as the day went on and in the garden after starting the day enthusiastically outside, we migrated into the warmth of the bothy for a bit pot washing, plastic plant pots that is, and chatting about the excellence of Buddy Holly and how much holiday to take at Christmas...

A day of hibernation (almost!)

What a lovely way to spend a Sunday! A very lazy start, with a lovely lie in and a listen to Desert Island Discs with a huge quantity of tea and a glossie magazine to peruse!

After a brief excursion to top up on provisions for the week we returned back to the house and I curled up again, this time with a film and some knitting!

I'm a fairly novice knitter! But am keen to learn how different patterns are made and also how garments are constructed. While out I invested in some knitting bobbins (99p - I thought the gamble was worth it) and spent the evening experimenting with using them and some very basic Fair Isle! (I love Fair Isle patterns and have always wondered how to do it). The image is the first attempt at using a knitting bobbin!

It has been very wild and windy here today - we even had a little fire, the first of the year! I can hear the wind outside and the rain is hitting the window - it's lovely to be tucked up in the warm!

Now, back to the knitting!