No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

[Deleted User]

FTM that's what I loved doing when I homeschooled DD2 in Germany. We both retained a lot more information by 'living' a practical experience day than by just doing the lesson plan. We had one amazing day after we'd been to a Medieval Festival at one of the local villages. We had a whole day not using any modern devices or electricity, we had candlelight, cooked on an open fire and only foods available in the time so no spuds, sugar,white flour etc. We drank water or apple juice and made pottage and hearth bread for our lunch and had a spit roast on the open fire for supper, it all took a long time to cook, but we both remember it with affection. Best fun was finding a recipe for ink and trying to make quill pens and write with them, brilliant stuff, Lyn xxx.

scottishminnie

Evening all.


Hope everyone is well, certainly seems like we are all busy. I get the feeling that the current dose of sunshine is doing the world of good too.


I had a really busy weekend and didn't get round to posting at all however it was productive. I visited my favourite auntie in law for a good natter (a very good one we downed 3 cups of coffee each!) and the promise of some snowdrops from her garden when they have finished flowering. I have very little success with snowdrops - I had a total of 2 in the whole garden.


I had a lovely surprise when I got home last night. I helped out a business contact of hubby's with something a while back and to my delight he delivered a huge (5/6 foot) magnolia bush as a thank you. I'm absolutely thrilled and now planning where it will be planted.


Harry, our semi tame hare, has reappeared over the last week and is hopping around the garden and we have another part time resident - a wild pheasant. He has been christened Peter. I'm hoping the farm cats who drop in from time to time won't bother him too much although he seems very self assured and I can't imagine even the big ginger tom cat posing much of a threat to him.


Mum and I are heading south on Saturday for a day out in London. We are off to Kensington Palace for the day (mainly to see the exhibition of royal dresses) and then for afternoon tea at the Park Terrace Restaurant. This was part of mum's Christmas gift - she loves that it gets spread out beyond Christmas and I like that we can do something now the weather is a bit more spring like.


So although it's just one day I now need to make sure I'm up to date with everything on Friday and pick up any missed chores on Sunday. I'm so much a creature of routine and habit

candlelight_2013

SM your Saturday sounds wonderful, have a great time with your Mum.

My Mum had a Star magnolia in her garden it was lovely. She had seen one in a neighbours garden and really wanted one of her own. Anyway Dad found one in a local nursery and bought it for her. The flowers, as I remember, are not as big as the normal magnolia.

Much love
Candlelightx

[Deleted User]

Morning everyone, I'm sitting here looking out of the front window at the lovely blue sky and bright sunshine, the hedge is covered with blackthorn blossom and will be followed a bit later by the hawthorn blossom, the daffs in the lawn on both sides of the hedge are in full glory, the birch and apple trees are beginning to swell their leaf buds and I can hear birdsong aplenty through the open window - it really doesn't get much better than this does it. I love to be able to count blessings rather than bemoan life and this really is the day to do so, wish you were all here to share it, it's georgeous!!! Lyn xxx.

elona

DH bought some rose bushes the other day and is happily in the garden planting them. I just brought him a nice mug of tea after popping out to post a letter and check for deals in local supermarket.

Foggy this morning but lovely and sunny now. Can't wait till it is warm enough to eat meals in the garden but lovely not to need a heavy jacket or coat when going out.

Bunny (wild) is running around the garden and birds are using the bird house DH put up but only big fat pigeons using it so far much to his dismay.

[Deleted User]

Hello ELONA we're a bit luckier down here in the deep south, we've had the most marvellous weeks weather so far and cooked and ate out in the garden on Sunday. Today I had to peel my fleece jacket off in the bus coming back from town as it was just tooooo hot. I love being able to walk the lurcha in the dry too, all our walks are returning to passable as the footpaths are drying out, and spring seems to be getting a real foothold too. The wildflowers are magnificent this year, the celandines are so big and so many blooms it's beautiful seeing whole banks of bright yellow stars in the sunshine and we've blackthorn like snow on the bigger trees, and early violets and primroses our too, wonderful after all that cold and rainy weather, Lyn xxx.

hoglet121

Morning everybody :-)

We have had the most marvelous week weather-wise, and just in time for the weekend we have an ex-tropical cyclone heading our way... We get them a couple of times a year and they often don't amount to much more than heavy rain and relatively strong winds, but we'll be bringing in the loose bits of garden furniture tonight just in case.

We had a lovely evening last night, we went to watch the development squads from 2 Super Rugby franchises play. Free to go along, a beautiful sunny and warm evening and a couple of recogisable faces to spot. Rugby really is all encompassing here, and local games are always free so we like to go and support.

One of our adults cats felt happy enough to spend a little while sleeping on our bed whilst Alfie was there last night. This really is progress... Still got the younger adult cat to convince. He is out a lot at the moment because the little one wants to play with him all the time. He used to always come and see us in the night and snuggle up with us under the duvet but he hasn't done that since the kitten arrived. Would love to have him back with us, but I know it will just take a little time.

Hope you all have a lovely evening

Hoglet x

[Deleted User]

FTM I've just had a natter with DD1 and she's going to try to send the girls a postcard with a stamp from the country she happens to be in every time she goes abroad, so we'll do France, then in the summer it will be Zambia, in the autumn she's running a battlefields trip to Belgium and then near Christmas she and I are going to Berlin so that will be Germany too and whenever any of us are abroad, I'll make sure they all have your address and we'll send one each to the tots, it will help with Geography lessons and be fun for us too!!! Lyn xxx.

candlelight_2013

Lyn I think there will be 2 very excited young girls. What a good idea and far more interesting to actually receive the stamps on a postcard with a view of that City.

I think my geography lessons would have been far more interesting if I had had an "Aunty Lyn:).

Well it has been another glorious day here, although dense fog first thing again. Have a busy weekend because DGD1 is 21 in 2 weeks but she will be away for her birthday so I am preparing a special meal for her and boyfriend, have ordered a birthday cake from Costco so must pick that up tomorrow, and have wrapped all her presents as well. She is having money off us but she has to have a few presents as well doesn't she. In fact I think she is having money off most relatives.but I do want to make Sunday special for her.

Have a good weekend everyone and hopefully the weather will be good as well.

Much love
Candlelightx

hoglet121

Hello everybody

Well that weekend shot past, and here I am back at work again. Funny how quickly the weekends go...

Saturday we had a lovely evening with my cousin - I made slow roast lamb, parsley pesto potatoes with apple cucumber, butternut squash puree, honey and thyme carrots, salsa verde and gravy. Everyone enjoyed it and we had a nice evening chatting. She met the little kitten too and he turned on the charm.

I decided to keep all the cats in over the weekend - the adult male was disappearing for long periods and I wanted to remind him where home is. Last 2 nights he's come for a snuggle under the duvet so things are slowly coming round. On Friday night they all fought for most for most of the night, but after that it has been much more peaceful so it looks like the plan is working.

Yesterday I went to our monthly craft club with my cousins and some of their friends. We bring lots of food and spend a good few hours working on our projects. I got a little patch of my cross stitch finished but still have quite a way to go - this one is taking forever but I will get lots more done in the winter when the weather is gloomy.

Well the ex-cyclone turned into a little bit of wind and rain, the cover blew off that BBQ but that was it. Glad the cats were in though, always hate thinking of them out when the weather's grotty. Saturday was warm despite the rain, but yesterday evening was chilly... just a little reminder that it's no longer summer.

No batch cooking this weekend but the freezer is still well stocked. Might need to make some more soup up during the week though but there's enough for at least 3 days. Will need to get back to it next weekend for sure as we'll be out of mid week meals by then.

Hope you all have a lovely evening :-)

Hoglet x