Red sky at night, shepherds delight

Hello again

After a lovely bracing walk with my DH yesterday we arrived home just as the sun was setting, lighting up everywhere with the most glorious rosy light

 

 

a beautiful but fleeting sight, then back indoors to light the candles

I just love getting cosy on these dark evenings, how about you?

Helenxx

Busy Weekend

Morning everyone, at last the sun is shining.  Good thing as I'm taking my darling mum out later this morning to help her finish her Christmas shopping.  She is 87 years old and quite frail, but still insists on getting her own things, which is brilliant. 

How Christmas shopping used to look when I was a little girl - courtesy of Google

 

Yesterday my brother in law and nephew came to visit, so I made a family favourite, a traditional meal from the Caucaus region, Grozhnish, its kind of like a ravioli with spicy and garlic infused minced beef in the centre, wrapped up in a dough not unlike wholemeal pasta, all hand made.  Takes 4 hours to make and they took just over 15 minutes to eat it all:

 

 

 

And they still found room for some yummy cake made by my daughter...

 

 



I'm hoping to start crafting some Christmas presents this afternoon, yes it is quite last minute but I'm a fast worker (I hope!!)

Have a lovely Sunday.

Helenxx

Remember, Remember the Month of November...

...and the end of October too.

Hello again, quite a while since I've been here!  And what a busy few weeks it has been to be sure!

This time of the year, Autumn, is my favourite of all, and boy have we been busy making the most of it, so busy in fact that I didn't have any time to spend on the internet!  Added into that we have had some exams (DD) UCAS (DS3), and huge amounts of coursework (DS1 and DS2).  I am now putting the final touches to my thesis, but the university has extended the deadline without my asking, something to do with the restructure they are doing - well, cant complain can I?!

So, here are a few compilations of what we have been up during these last few busy but very enjoyable autumn weeks.

First of all - Halloween!  As usual my bestest friend Sue and her DD came to visit and we went out on our usual walk around the neighbourhood.  We then came back to a lovely tea of spicy soup, lovingly prepared by my DH - bless him!

I love Jack O'Lanterns and anything remotely pumpkin-related!

Next up it was Bonfire Night, again celebrated at Sue's home, she has a lovely big garden, very necessary with the huge bonfire we have every year.

Then the next week we saw the arrival of our yearly Street Fair - this time Sue couldn't come with us as sadly she wasn't feeling well, but her lovely daughter came along with us.  I had a spin on the Waltzers ("scream if you want to go faster!!!!!") and then became incredibly brave and went on the biggest big wheel I had ever seen at a fair.  It was very scary, especially when waiting at the top for other riders to board below!  In fact I was so wobbly afterwards I had to have a helping of candy floss to recover (at least that's what I told everyone ;))

Of course we have managed a few walks in our beautiful local Outwoods, looking wonderful in all it's Autumn Glory:

And of course, all this activity had us working up quite an appetite, so we have done a bit of baking:  pumpkin ginger biscuits, Yorkshire Parkin and pumpkin cupcakes

Now, autumn is beginning to draw to a close, I'm always sad to see it end, but looking forward to crisp winter days and the festive season.

Hope all is well with you and yours, and that my bloggy friends from the US had a very happy Thanksgiving.

Helenxx

PS - Amanda, your Autumn Swap parcel has been posted, hope you will receive it soon, thanks so much for your patience xx

Autumn - season of yummy cakes!

Hello everyone

When the weather turns cooler, and we enter the beautiful season of autumn, my mind turns to baking and cooking yummy treats and comforting foods. 

I love watching the Hairy Bikers on TV, and over the last couple of weeks the intrepid cooks have been travelling around Europe baking and making yummy treats.  During the episode from Germany they demonstrated a scrummy Black Forest Gateau, so last weekend I had a go at making one.  This was the result

Four layers of chocolate cake sandwiched together with cherries in syrup, black cherry jam, whipped double cream and crumbled Cadbury's Flake

Heavenly!!

Then, the night before our recent trip to the Knitting and Stitching Show I decided to bake a cake to slice up and take with us (I also made falafel and put these inside wraps with hoummus).  I am really into all things Scandanavian, and again, the HB guys had been to Norway where they baked up a storm.  But this time I went to Finland (metaphorically speaking you understand, it is on my must-visit list but I haven't been there yet!!) and made a traditional Tiger Cake - or, in Finnish, Tiikerikakku:

It might not look very glamorous, but the flavours were awesome, the juice and rind of an orange went in, as well as lavish amounts of cocoa.  It got the thumbs up from everyone, and I think will be a regular item on my baking agenda.

What are your favourite recipes for autumn?

Helenxx

What a treat!

Hi everyone!

Yesterday I was lucky enough to go to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace in London courtesy of my bestest friend Sue.  Our daughters came along, and DH was the chauffeur!  I was really looking forward to it as you can imagine.

Although I didn't get to take any photos inside the show (too busy looking around, and it was so crowded) I took these in the grounds of the Ally Pally (it's affectionate nickname).

Wonderful views of my beloved London skyline:

Here is the Alexandra Palace - it used to be BBC studios until the early 1980's, hence the transmitter mast:

Back inside, I actually had the chance to be the stall holder for a few minutes, great fun, whilst Sue had a quick break.  All too soon the it was closing time, and it was time to walk back to the car, which we had to park about a mile away as the Ally Pally car parks were full.  Sue was staying in a hotel nearer to London, so our plan was to drop her off there to save her having to take the tube.  However, DH was persuaded by Darling Daughter to take us into the city centre for an evening walk along the Thames!  It was really lovely, plenty of photo opportunities...

Well, we were starting to get a bit hungry so DH treated us to a meal at Pizza Hut - yummy!  What a star!  Sue and I realised we hadn't been to London together since we were both 18 - we had been on a trip together from Art College, so it was extra special. 

It was a fabulous day and night out with family and friends, and DH was an absolute star - men were in short supply at the K&SS and he is not really what you would call an arty person.

Sue reported that the show had been a great success, which I'm absolutely delighted about.  All in all, a great weekend!

Helenxx

Slip Sliding Away...

...into the Autumn.  September is nearly over, in the blink of an eye we will be into October. 

The weather today has been glorious, so after running a few errands DH and I headed up to our local Outwoods, nothing too strenuous as I am still left quite breathless from my recent illness, but a gentle stroll was just the thing.

On first glance the woods seemed to still be in summer mode...

 

But, look closer and signs of Autumn were everywhere...

 

 

... a stunning blue toadstool like in a fairy tale...

.

...autumn leaves, these are sweet chestnut...

 

...from the mighty oak...

 

....and from the birch trees...

 ...huddled together, a group of little toadstools...

 

...and a solitary one just peeking from amongst the grass and fallen leaves...

 

....all signs that the autumn is getting ready to launch in full swing.  And now home for one of DH's legendary roast dinners.  Just the thing for these evenings that are now drawing in so quickly.

 

Enjoy a lovely, cosy Sunday evening everyone!

 

Helenxx

Welcome Autumn, season of mists and mellow fruitfulness

Hello everyone, here we are on the first day of Autumn, my very favourite season of all.  Last night the moon was incredible, lighting up the countryside, casting it's gleam on everything.  Truly magical.  (BTW the photo above was edited by me, but the image was from Google - my photography skills are not quite this good!)

 

I just cant wait to see those autumn colours over the next few weeks!  At the moment I'm looking for a scene to photograph each week to log the changing colours - some of you joined me in the Autumn Photo Challenge last year, it was so lovely to see how the colours changed week by week.  I got the idea from an American website which charts the weekly progress of autumn in New England.

 

So, what has been happening since I was last here in blogland?  A lot has been going on - the illness I mentioned in my last post turned into bronchitis - not very nice.  I had to continue to work throughout which was been tough.  But now on the mend and getting back into the flow, including starting a new job this week which is very exciting! 

So I must give apologies to my lovely Autumn Swap partner - hopefully will be ready to post off my parcel to you by the end of next week.

Anyway, I have been continuing with my crochet.  I found this lovely yarn, which is made in Turkey

 

 It reminded me so much of a pumpkin!  The silver pumpkin is part of my growing pumpkin collection, I just love 'em.

 

 And here is what I made - Autumn Cushion #2:

 

 

 It is such a lovely texture, very comfy and cosy

 

 

 just the thing for snuggling up with on a chilly autumn evening!

 

Well, must away and hang more washing out - it is a lovely, sunny, breezy early autumn day here.  Later on I am going to make a bread and butter pudding, my DH saw one on a TV cooking show last week and has been going on and on (and on and on and on) about it.  This though is an angel cake I made a couple of weeks ago having seen it made (with mixed results) on Great British Bake Off (one of my "must watch" TV shows at the moment)

 

 

It worked out quite well, the inside of the cake was delightfully light and fluffy

 

It didn't hang around very long - this slice was eaten seconds after I took the photo!

 

Have a lovely Sunday.

 

Helenxx