La Belle Sauvage (The Book of Dust Vol.1) - Philip Pullman

Malcolm Polstead's Oxford life has been one of routine, ordinary even. He is happiest playing with his daemon, Asta, in their canoe, La Belle Sauvage. But now as the rain builds, the world around Malcolm and Asta is, it seems set to become increasingly far from ordinary.

Finding himself linked to a baby by the name of Lyra Belacqua, Malcolm is forced to undertake the challenge of his life to make a dangerous journey that will change him and Lyra forever...

Have any of you been watching the BBC dramatisation of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials. Myself and my DIL have been avid watchers of the series.  It took a couple of goes at watching the first episode for me to get into it but once I realised who all the characters were and  what the deamons meant to their person then it started to make more sense.  It was whilst I was talking to a colleague at the office that I discovered that as well as the trilogy of His Dark Materials that there was also another book The Book of Dust  by the same author a prequel to His Dark Materials which tells the story of Lyra's journey to Jordan College as a baby when the floods had come.

Without giving too much of the story away Malcolm Polstead is an 11 year old boy who goes to school and helps his parents in their public house 'The Trout'. Alice is a 15 year old local girl who helps Malcolm's mother in the kitchen at The Trout and for the most part doesn't have much time for Malcolm. Malcolm likes nothing more than to spend time in his beloved canoe 'La Belle Sauvage' so named after a famous Inn.  He also likes to help the nuns at the local priory and this is where he finds Lyra, the daughter of Mrs Coulter and Lord Asriel. The nuns have been put in charge of Lyra's care in the absence of her parents.  It is the gyptians who forewarn Malcolm of the floods that are due but no one takes any notice of a warning from an 11 year old boy. When the floods come Malcolm with the help of Alice, go the priory to rescue Lyra and so their journey begins. 

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The Book of Dust -La Belle Sauvage is the first in a trilogy of The Book of Dust series.  The Book of Dust Vol 2 (The Secret Commonwealth) was released in October 2019 and continues Lyra's story as a twenty year old women.  The third and final book is yet to be named and a release date set as far as I can tell. 

You have to remember that essentially these books are written for young people and not a 50+ year old women but I did enjoy reading this book and I'm not sure that you would need to know anything about His Dark Materials before reading it. 

I think Philip Pullman has been very clever in writing His Dark Materials trilogy and then writing a separate trilogy of books that go back to the very beginning of Lyra's life. It means that you could read either trilogy without ever reading the second or you could start at the very beginning with this the first part of Lyra's story then His Dark Materials and then The Book of Dust Vol 2 (The Secret Commonwealth) completing her story with Volume three when it is released. 

I bought a copy of The Book of Dust -La Belle Sauvage for my DIL for Christmas. She had no idea there was a prequel to the original series of books and left happily reading it before she left.  I do like it when I feel I have made a good choice of a gift.  With young Freddie to take care of I know her reading time is limited but it just might mean that I can get her the His Dark Materials trilogy for her birthday. I do like to earn my MIL brownie points.

Mx

Foolproof sock pattern (cuff down) and other ramblings

You would of thought that Asda knew that all across the UK there are sock knitters who have been knitting furiously to get their socks finished and ready to gift this Christmas.   I had only popped in for a couple of bits and bobs as you do, the usual thoughts of spending £5 and ending up spending £20 as you find things you didn't even know you needed.  I have made several pairs of socks to gift this year including for my secret Santa for our local Knit and Knatter group. I was so excited when I spotted the bags as they are just right size to hold a pair of hand knitted socks and at just 80p they could not have been any better, in fact I am thinking I may just have to buy a few more to keep in my stash for next year. 

I have been making the same socks in various sizes and yarns for many years now but had never got around to writing up the pattern. Having watched me studiously knitting my socks some of the ladies in the knitting group have asked if I will show them how to make them.  With this in mind I decided it was definitely time to sit down and write up the pattern. It was one of those things I was going to do on a quieter day over the Christmas holidays but then one member mentioned she would like to make a pair for her daughter's birthday at the end of January.  At this point I said it may be a good idea to get her started then at our last meet up before Christmas on the 23rd.  Thinking I just had one or two interested parties I put a message out on our social media page to say what type of yarn they would need and what needles.  I still prefer to use dpn's rather than circular needles when it comes to making socks.  I think it is because the circular needles are so small and for someone who is only small in stature their-self I appear to have sausage fingers.   I was surprised to find that at least half the group wish to take up the mantle of sock knitting and so we are having a bit of a master class on Monday.  This should be an interesting evening as the first of my children will be arriving by train that same evening ready for Christmas.  I have confessed that en route home from the train station that we will have to make a slight detour to the pub whilst I see the ladies and get them started on their sock knitting experience.   I have bribed him with a pint and a packet of crisps. 

If you would like to join the many sock knitters around the world by having ago at making a pair of very basic socks then you can find the details of my Foolproof Socks (Cuff down) here.

Meanwhile the Christmas preparations are underway at home.  Well I say that. I have lists of things I need to do and lists of things I am yet to buy and of course then there is the never ending list of food for just one day of the year.  Although I have got visitors for several days so nothing will go to waste. 

It will be the last minute manic tidying session, sorting of  beds and making sure every last stitch of clothing in the wash basket has been washed, dried, ironed and put away.  The annual seek and find of the Christmas table cloth that every year I put away in that SAFE place that is obvious to me at the time and then it gets to the next Christmas and we go play hide and seek all over again. There will be much baking going on, on Sunday and whoa betide anyone who dares to eat anything before Tuesday  by which time the rest  of the family will have arrived. Its always a bit of a feast or famine in our house.  Some years we only have three for dinner and others we have the full compliment of eight.  This year there will be seven possibly eight for Christmas Eve and six of us for Christmas day. I have to admit that I do like it when all the chicks are back in the nest and of course this year we will have our little grandson with us for the holidays and at sixteen months he will still be a little unsure of the whole Christmas thing but I am so looking forward to having him visit with us this year. 

I hope your Christmas preparations are going well, if not drink gin I say, not long to go now and it will all be over for another year.

Mx

Gingerbread loaf & other Christmas ramblings

Its that time again when these little guys get to come out of hibernation. They are my favourite decoration on our tree. We've had them a number of years now and I always look forward to unwrapping them and are usually the first thing I go searching for in the box of decorations and are usually the last thing I place on the tree. 

The tree is finally up after the mega clean of the house. I've never known a house to get so dusty and cobwebs, don't get me started on those, they seem to appear from nowhere and a bit like the elves who made the shoes for the shoemaker, you never see them being made. We bought this tree when we lived in our little cottage when it used to take up a whole corner of the living room. Here at the farm house it looks a bit lost, but as its one of those posh ones you see advertised on the tele with the lights already attached that we bought in their sale many years ago I am not going to change it. It always looks better once all the presents are wrapped and under the tree.

I'm starting to feel less sick with panic that I won't be ready this year. I have purchased the baskets to make up the hampers and I've added the finishing touches to the Chutneys  with their little ribbons.  I even found time to make a second batch of the Apple & Red Onion Chutney and the Caramelised Onion Chutney  so we have some for home for those all important leftovers on Boxing Day. The supermarket shopping list is having things added to it daily but there will come a cut off when the bearded one tells me he has booked the delivery slot and that by 10pm the night before its due I need to have added any last minute requirements.

I confess I am one of those annoying people who likes to make a list of the things I am going to buy for the family and be more or less done and dusted by the 1st December. This is not because I am a control freak, okay well may be I am but more that I don't like the mad rush in December and I can't cope with a last minute panic buy of presents and ending up with something and not knowing who I am then going to gift it to. It wasn't so bad when the children were small and part of the Christmas build up was to make their list. Now they are adults they can never come up with any ideas, but then they tell me I'm just as hard to pick a gift for and if they ask me I can never think of anything especially on the hoof.  I do try and note down something I like so that when they ask me I can make suggestions but they haven't asked this year so it will all be a total surprises which is equally lovely unless of course they think I've spent too much time on the naughty step this year to warrant a gift from Santa. 

I have two pairs of snugly socks already made and ready to gift with a third pair currently on the needles. These two pairs are both made using Drops Fabel 75% wool & 25% polyamide blend. The pair to the left are made in Lavender Print (904) with the contrast colour Off White (100) and the pair to the right are made in Sea Mist Print (910) with a contrast colour of Royal Blue (108).

My New Years resolution is to finally write up this and the other sock patterns I use instead of them being lodged in my ageing brain.

I used to love the build up to Christmas, starting with the making of the Christmas cake only be told by my children when they were adults that they don't actually like it. These days instead I make my grandmothers iced tea bread and her gorgeous gingerbread loaf. Both of these just remind me of my grandmother she was a superb baker.  At this time of year and at the end of a busy day especially around Christmas there is nothing nicer than sitting down with a nice cup of tea and a slice of one of her cakes. I think it was through  my grandmother that I developed my love of most things ginger and I seem to have passed it onto at least one of my sons. 

From your Nigella cupboard under the stairs you will need:

115g (4oz) soft brown sugar
85g (3oz) butter or margarine
175g (6oz) golden syrup
225g (8oz) plain white flour
A pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsps ground ginger
1 egg beaten
150mls (1/4 pint) milk

Pre heat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark 3

• Grease or line a 2lb loaf tin
• Place the sugar, butter and golden syrup in a saucepan and heat through gently until melted and the mixture has come together. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
• Sift the flour, ground ginger and baking powder  and salt into a bowl and mix together. Now make a well in the centre.
• In a small bowl or jug mix together the egg and milk.
• Add the milk and egg to the flour mixture followed by the melted mixture
• Using a wooden spoon stir the mixture together thoroughly until smooth.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin.
• Bake for 1 - 1 hour 15 minutes or until lightly brown or when tested with a skewer it comes out completely clean. 
• Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

I have to admit that this gingerbread is just as nice warm with custard or ice cream as it is cold with a nice cup of tea or may be even something a little stronger it is Christmas after all and possibly well deserved after all your hard work of pulling off yet another festive extravaganza. Whichever way you choose should you wish to have ago I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Mx

Apple & Red Onion Chutney

Here as promised is the last of the trio of chutneys I have made for the hampers this year. This is the Apple & Red Onion version.  Once again if like me you do not have a Nigella cupboard under the stairs then you will need:-

1kg  red onions, thinly sliced
6 tbsps of light brown sugar
6 tbsps of cider vinegar
2 apples. I  have used pink ladies but you can use whatever sweet apple of your choice.
4 tbsps of olive oil

This quantity makes 800mls or 4 x 200mls jars.

• Add the olive oil to a heavy based pan and add the sliced red onions. 
• Stir in the soft brown sugar
• Let the onions gently cook for about 20 minutes on a medium heat until they start to soften.
• Meanwhile core and peel your apples. Now depending on whether you like a bit of a crunch to your chutney or not depends whether you fine dice your apples or grate them. 
• After 20 minutes of cooking add the diced apple  and cook for a further 20 minutes if you have chosen to grate your apple you will need to wait until the onions and sugar have cooked for 40 minutes before adding.
• Add the cider vinegar and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the chutney is thick & sticky.. 
• To check if the chutney is ready drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the saucepan and if it is ready it should take a few seconds to re-cover across the pan. 
• Spoon into sterilised jars, add your wax disc, allow to cool and seal with the lid.

I have so enjoyed sharing these chutney recipes with you and I know there are some that have already had ago at the Christmas Chutney recipe.  Some have asked if it is too late to make the chutneys now with just over two weeks until the big day.  It may be a little late for Christmas chutney but if you are having family and friends around for the New Year celebrations you could just sneak in with a batch this week, equally if you are making them to gift in a hamper the chances are they won't be touched until well after Christmas as we know we all over indulge on the day so even Christmas chutney would still be ok to make even at this stage. I have in the past made both the Apple & Red Onion and the Caramelised Onion chutney with just two weeks to go. In fact having made the chutneys for the hampers last week I had enough of the Christmas chutney to make a jar for home over the festivities but not of the Apple & Red Onion or the Caramelised Onion chutney so I will be making both again  this afternoon.  So yes they do mature with age but you can make these two this week and they will still be delicious whatever you put them with.  The Apple & Red Onion chutney equally goes well with those sausage baguettes, cold or hot meats and of course anything that involves cheese. 

Mx

Jar Toppers

Sterilising Jars

Caramelised Onion Chutney

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!!!

Traditionally our Christmas tree usually goes up the first weekend in December and it just so happens that the 1st December was on Sunday this year.  Did my tree go up?  No it did not.  Its amazing the things your children remember from when they were growing up that they then carry into their adulthood.  Putting the Christmas tree up the first weekend in December is one of them.  So over the weekend I received photographs of their trees all twinkly and bright but because I had been so busy making the chutneys that are to be gifted I ran out of time.  So quite sheepishly I had to confess that I hadn't actually got around to putting my tree up yet.....  I couldn't tell them why because the chutney's are to go into hampers that I am planning as part of their Christmas gifts.  And in  my defence I had been busy with our tree in the Festival of Trees.

Caramelised onion is one of my favourite chutneys to make and is so easy which is great for me.
It makes approximately 1200mls or 6 x 200ml jars.

From your Nigella cupboard or on your shopping list you will need:

1.5kg Onions, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
300g dark muscovado sugar
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
about 1 inch or 1 tsp of grated fresh ginger
200mls of res wine vinegar
3tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

• Using a heavy based saucepan heat the oil and fry the onions over a medium heat for 25, stirring occasionally until the onions have softened but not browned and should have reduced by about half. 
• Increase the heat and add 3 tbsps of sugar and cook for a further 10 minutes until the onions have started to colour. 
• Reduce the heat and add the remaining sugar and other ingredients. 
• On a medium heat, keep the saucepan uncovered, and allow the chutney to simmer on a gentle bubble for 30-40 minutes or until the chutney has reduced and thickened to a dark caramel colour. 
• Stir occasionally to make sure that the chutney is not sticking on the bottom of the saucepan. 
• To check if the chutney is ready, drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the saucepan, it should taken a few seconds for the juice to re-cover the bottom of the pan. 
• Using sterilised jars, spoon the hot chutney into the sterilised jars whilst still hot, seal with a wax disc allow to cool seal and cool. 
• The chutney will keep up to 6-12 months unopened. 
• Once opened I have kept in the fridge for up to 3 months. 

Caramelised onion chutney is delicious on sausages whether as part of a full English breakfast or on sausage sandwich, (baps, rolls or baguettes). A great addition to cold cuts, cheese scones, cheese & biscuits and as a starter alongside pate and toast. I have also been known to add a tablespoon or two to gravy. The possibilities are endless.

Mx

Jar Toppers

Sterilising Jars

A Million Dreams - Dani Atkins

Beth Brandon always dreamed of owning a florist, but today the bouquets of peonies and bright spring flowers are failing to calm her nerves. Because today, Beth has a life changing decision to share with her husband. 

Izzy Vaughan thought she and her husband would stay together forever, but sometime last year, their love began to fade. They both find such joy in their young son Noah - but is he enough to keep them together?

Eight years ago, something happened to these two women. Something that is about to bring them together in a way no one thought possible. 

WOW, WOW, WOW are the only words that I can muster for this book.  I have read every book released by Dani Atkins and  always wait with baited breath for her next novel to be released. I am yet to be disappointed in a novel written by this author and I really hope that day never comes. 

I don't want to give too much away but in A Million Dreams  the two main characters are Beth & Izzy.  Each of these women knew nothing of the others existence until fate brings them together.  Their stories are inextricably linked and  one of emotion, heartache and pain when they are beset with a moral dilemma of just what it takes to be a good mother. The plot is completely thought provoking making you think about how you would react and what you would do if you were to find yourself in their situation.  It is one of those books that even after your have read the last page your are left thinking about for days if not weeks after.

If you are looking for that extra gift for your sister, your mother, your grandmother  or even  your aunt I would highly recommend this book to you.  Its available on Kindle and in Hardback.

Mx

Christmas Chutney

Its that time of year again when we start thinking about what we can give as gifts for Christmas to our nearest and dearest.  One of my sons has always been hard to buy for and every year I ask what he would like and he never knows.  Its even harder now that they are adults as they have their own money and when they want something they buy it for themselves. Then as your children grow up, leave home and find their partners your family suddenly grows and then you have more people to try and think of what to buy for. I don't seem to have a problem thinking of things for the girls in the family but the boys oh boy do I need help with the boys...

They've had  hat & scarf sets  hand knitted by yours truly which I'm happy to say they are still wearing but yet again I find myself at a loss as to what to do for this year. Then it came to me, I could make up a Christmas hamper with some speciality cheeses and my home made chutneys.

With just three weeks until Christmas it meant getting a bit of a wriggle on.  Christmas Chutney is best made at least a month before Christmas so this weekend our kitchen has smelt of Christmas that's the only way I can describe it.

It is probably one of the easiest Chutneys I make in as much as you literally just put all the ingredients in a heavy based saucepan and let it do its thing.

Now I know we all have a store cupboard like Nigella don't we? where upon when you decide you want to make something you go to the cupboard under the stairs, where you won't find Harry Potter but a whole array of wonderful ingredients just waiting for you. No I don't have one of those either so on your shopping list you will need.

1lb of cooking apples which you will need core, peel and dice

750g of mixed dried fruit

grated zest of one orange

220mls of cider vinegar

340g light brown sugar

2 tbsps of ground allspice

Makes approximately 1200mls or 6 x 200ml jars.

• In a heavy based saucepan add the mixed fruit, diced apple and grated orange zest.
• Stir in the allspice, cider vinegar and sugar.
• Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
• Bring to the boil then simmer for approx 45 minutes.
• Stir occasionally towards the end of the cooking time as it may start to stick as the chutney thickens.
• Ladle into sterilised jars whilst the jars and the chutney are still hot
• cover with wax disc and allow to cool before adding the lid to seal.
• Store in a cool place until needed and in the refrigerator once opened for up to 3 months.
• Unopened it should last up to six months. 

Christmas chutney is great with cold buffet or leftover turkey and chips on Boxing Day , but  equally it is nice on Christmas day as an alternative to cranberry sauce with whatever choice of meat or vegetarian option you may be making this year. 

Now some folk will collect jars over the months leading up to Christmas and have a whole eclectic mix but my ordered brain tells me my jars have to be uniformed so the jars came from Hobby Craft as did the labels.  The wax discs came from The Range but are widely available on the internet. The toppers I made using Christmas fabric I had in my stash and held in place with an elastic band.  Don't they look the bees knees.  They actually remind me of when I was a child and the nativity play at school and the shepherds always seem to have a tea towel on their heads held in place with string, that and a doll my daughter had who had a mop cap as part of her outfit. 

This is the first of three chutneys I've made over the weekend so if you're interested in an Caramelised Onion or an Apple & Red Onion Chutney watch this space. 

Mx

Jar Toppers
Sterilising Jars

Festival of Trees

Earlier in the year I found and joined a local crafting group.  We are made up of a group of 12 ladies most of which all come from the same village but as I live in the back of beyond I don't. That said I have been made to feel very welcome.  We have undertaken a couple of interesting projects this year. Firstly making twiddle quilts and crocheted blankets for a local nursing home who were very appreciative of our efforts.

Secondly we decided we would have a tree in the Festival of Trees that is held in St. Mary's Church in Melton Mowbray which is one of two local towns to me.  Melton Mowbray of course is most famous as being the  home of the pork pie.

St Mary's church is a Grade I medieval church set in the centre of Melton Mowbray. There is a whole raft of information about the church here on good old wikipedia.  I have never been to this festival before but was looking forward to seeing the results of the restoration that has been taking place.

As a group we are a talented bunch with some knitters, some crocheters, some crosstitchers and some sewers and we all set about making something for our tree.

Being set in a church I felt it was only right to have a little choir boy present.

It wouldn't be Christmas of without Father Christmas.
















It couldn't be Christmas without a Christmas Tree

And finally I loved this little bear all dressed up for Christmas sitting patiently waiting for Santa to call.

The four little cross stitches came from a magazine I have had hidden away in my stash for probably the best part of twenty years. Sometimes you can find these little gems on ebay, etsy or through ABE books if wanted to try and find a copy. As you can see it was released by Cross Stitch magazine and is titled Celebrations in cross stitch and the date is February 1996. I have made a few of the charts for birthing announcements and birthday cards but I had never made any of the Christmas charts. When the group decided back in September to have a tree this year I thought it would give me plenty of time to make up four of these little cross stitches to hang on the tree. And once the festival is over they will return home with me to hang on my own Christmas tree.

Set up was on Wednesday night and here is our little tree all set up and ready for visitors to start arriving on Friday to view all the submissions for this years festival. 

The festival runs from Friday 29th November to Tuesday 3rd December. All the details are above if anyone is nearer enough to be able to pop along and the postcode for your satnav is LE13 1AE

There are some amazing trees there this year and I took far too many photographs to add them all to my blog page. I have however added them to my Lazy Days and Sundays Facebook page here  for anyone who may be interested. and is too far away to go in person.

I think Christmas is now officially well and truly on its way and is there anyone else who is slightly panicking that they will not be ready this year or would that just be me?

Mx

Friday Night Fisherman's Pie

Did anyone else belong to a generation where upon Friday night was fish supper, regardless of whether this was made at home or bought from the local fish & chip shop?  Certainly when I was growing up this was definitely the case.  If it was a fish & chip night I used to love rock salmon.  I don't even know if you can still get it, but  whatever you had was wrapped in yesterday's newspapers. That wouldn't be allowed these days and who knows whether the printing ink had any ill effects but I'm still here to tell the tale. 

I have always loved any type of fish.   I have a fond memory from child hood of my grandmothers fish pie.  In those days she used to buy cod, salmon, smoked haddock from a little man that used to come around once a week, funny enough on a Friday, in his little van.  These days you can purchase a fish pie mix from the fresh fish counter in the supermarket or in most fish mongers that is already cut in chunks and ready to make your pie.   You will need about 350-400g  fish pie mix depending on how big you want your pie to be. In addition you will want 1kg of Maris Piper potato's  or any potato you know to be good for mash 

So for your shopping list you will need:

For the mash potato topping 

1kg  potato you know to be good for mash, peeled and halved.
a splash of milk
a knob of butter
season with black pepper
a handful of grated cheese to sprinkle over once your pie is constructed
a little grated nutmeg (optional) to grate over the top before putting in the oven.


For the filling

350 - 400g of fish pie mix which should contain  cod, smoked haddock and salmon.  Some people like to add a handful of  prawns to their fish pie but I choose to make it without. 

3-4 spring onions sliced.

 white sauce  (see below)

1 tsp of chopped chives (optional)

1 tsp of Dijon or English mustard

Pulling everything together  

• I don't think I need to teach my grandmother to suck eggs when it comes to making mashed potato the only thing I would say is it only needs to be a firm mash and not like the fancy chef's like to make it so that its more or less pureed or it will sink into your pie.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan180C/Gas Mark 6
• When it comes to making the white sauce you can find the details for that here at the point before it tells you to add the flour to the butter add the sliced spring onions and let them cook for a minute or two to start and soften and then add the flour and continue to follow the steps to making a lump free sauce. Once made I add a tsp of mustard either Dijon or English mustard for a little extra flavor. 
• Take off the heat and stir in the fish mix and the chopped chives. 
• Spoon the mixture into an ovenproof dish or individual pie dishes
• Spoon the potato on top 
• sprinkle the cheese over the potato
• Finish off with a little grated nutmeg 
• Place on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 25 mins or until golden and bubbling at the edges. 

NB

If you like to batch cook this fish pie definitely lends itself to going in the freezer for another time. If you want to make to freeze don't cook until needed and let it defrost before cooking. 

These days we don't hold to the fish supper Fridays but this is most definitely one of my favourite winter warmers and is lovely served with seasonal vegetables whatever day of the week. 

I hope you get to enjoy it as much as I do. 

Mx

A spark of light - Jodi Picoult

The Center for women's reproductive health offers a last chance at hope - but nobody ends up there by choice. 

Its very existence is controversial, and to the demonstrators who barricade the building every day, the service it offers is no different from legalised murder. 

Now and life and death decisions are being made horrifyingly real; a lone protester with a gun has taken the staff, patients and visitors hostage. 

Starting at the tensest moment in the negotiations for their release, A Spark of Light unravels backwards, revealing hour by urgent hour what brought each of these people - the gunman, the negotiator , the doctors, nurses and women who have come to them for treatment - to this point.

And certainties unwind as truths and secrets are peeled away revealing the complexity of balancing the right to life with the right to choose. 

As the right up would suggest this latest novel from Jodi Picoult is written in a time line working from 5pm back across the day to the point when a gunman walked into the center and starts shooting and taking hostages. Throughout the chapters winding back the clock hour by hour you get to know about the doctors and nurses who work for the center. About the clients who use the facility and ultimately why a seemingly harmless father would walk into a center brandishing a gun. 

Jodi Picoult is one of my marmite authors.  Some of her work I absolutely love whilst others I just cannot get into.  Even moving past the content of the storyline it took me a while to get into this novel and at times there was too much explicit detail to the medical procedure that wasn't relevant to the chapter. I wouldn't of said it was a page turner for me and definitely not a case of not being able to put down and if anything left me a little disappointed. 

Having checked out the reviews on other sites it would seem that general opinion was around a 3/5 and I have to say that on this occasion I would have to agree with them. Here's hoping that the next one will be much more in keeping with her usual standard of work.

Mx

Carrot & Coriander Soup

It has been so cold and wet here in the UK over the past weeks and for some they have had to endure leaving their homes due to flooding. I hope if you have been affected by adverse weather that you are somewhere safe & warm. 

At this time of year there is nothing better than a goody heart soup to keep out the cold.  I can become a little obsessive with my soup making and have quite number of soups that I make but one of my favourites is most definitely carrot and coriander.   Nine times out of 10 I will have carrots lurking in the veg rack and natural yogurt in the fridge and there is always ground coriander in the spice rack so the only thing I usually have to pick up from the supermarket is fresh coriander but don't worry if you can't get fresh as you can just add an extra tsp of the ground coriander instead.

I make enough to feed four, I still can't manage to reduce numbers since my older children left home, but that's all right because whatever I have left I take to work for my lunch.

To have ago at making carrot and coriander soup you will need

4 tablespoons of butter

450g approximately 4-5 large carrots sliced 

1 large onion diced

1 tsp of ground coriander (2 if you haven't got fresh coriander

2  pints or 1.2 liters of vegetable stock

small pot of natural yogurt (usually around 150g)

salt & freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

2-3 tablespoons of fresh chopped coriander

a little grated fresh nutmeg (optional)

• To start with melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and allow to sweat off for a few minutes.
• As the onions start to turn translucent add the carrots 
• Cover and continue to cook until the carrots are starting to soften. 
• Add the ground coriander and cook for 1 minute. 
• Pour in the stock and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes until the carrots are soft and tender. 
• Add 2-3 tablespoons of fresh chopped coriander, you can use the stalks as well as the leaves.
• Remove from the stove and allow to cool slightly before using a blender to puree and until smooth.
• Return to the rinsed pan and  warm through but not boil
• Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt just before serving so that it doesn't split.
• Season to taste

it is at this point that you can add a little freshly ground nutmeg and a little more fresh coriander to garnish if you so choose.





All you need now is a big chunk of  freshly baked bread and if you have the time to have a go at making home made bread to go with it you can find out how to make a basic white loaf here.

Otherwise just tuck in and enjoy.

Mx

Peter Pan Child's Aran Jacket

When I wrote my post about the Traditional Hooded Baby Jacket  I had made for my little grandson I ended with saying that I was now making him an Aran jacket that I used to make for my children when they were small. Well this is it. The pattern is by Wendy and was originally made in their Peter Pan Toddler Aran. The pattern is still available on some vintage sites. You can still find a copy by putting  Wendy Peter Pan Aran Jacket pattern number P734 in your search engine.  The pattern covers the age range 1-5 years and comes in sizes 51-56cm or 20-26"  chest in old money. 

As promised this is a photograph of my boys wearing the round neck version of the pattern back in 1993 when they were 2 and 5 years old. Freddie's daddy is the little one at the top.  I first made this little Aran jacket 30 years ago and I have lost count of the amount of times I have made it since. Over the years I have made all three versions for them and for friends and family's children and it never seems to date.  Its now classed as vintage which must mean my children are vintage too, who knew. 

Fast forward to 2019 and here is my finished jacket for Freddie in the round neck version. It will be a little big on him at the moment but will keep him warm as we go into the colder months of winter and into the spring. None of mine particularly liked wearing coats and this little jacket, especially in the hooded version was  great to be able to put on if you were travelling in the car from A - B.

The wool I used is an aran weight by Woolcraft 25% pure wool and 75% premium acrylic and comes in 400g balls and produced in 38 beautiful colours.                                                                                                                     Unfortunately the colourway I had in my stash is no longer available but they produce a similar colourway 810 Denim which I have also used to make this pattern.

And the best bit is that if you are knitting for a little one there is sometimes enough wool left over to make a second garment. So of course I decided that I would make another Traditional Hooded Baby Jacket by Naturkinder

And this week I received a lovely photo from Freddie's mum to show him wearing the grey version I made for him and look it fits perfectly.

Keep warm & safe

Mx

A wet & windy afternoon

What else do you do on a wet and windy afternoon in October but snuggle up on the sofa with your knitting and one of your favourite films. 

The Calendar girls is based on the true story of a group of WI ladies from Yorkshire who take it upon themselves to create a calendar in order to raise funds to buy a new sofa for the relatives room of their local hospital.  This was not just any old WI calendar this was a very tastefully created calendar where the participants, all members of the local WI, stripped off against cancer. Annie had recently lost her husband to Leukaemia and wanted to do something to help the relatives of those supporting their loved one.  Little did they know that this small gesture would go viral, as the kids would say these days. The story of the Calendar girls is now known far and wide and is now a successful musical with music by Gary Barlow based on the book by Tim Firth and I had the great pleasure to go and see with my daughter in London two years ago. It is currently on tour and if it comes to a theatre near you  I would highly recommend you see it.   

Of course one of the famous scenes of the film is when Chris, played by Helen Mirren enters a Marks & Spencers Victoria Sponge in a local show because she says that Annie, played by Julie Walters won't have had time to bake one in between taking Yul Brynner, as she affectionately refers to Annie's husband, to his hospital appointments. 

Not only does she go on and win the May Wilkinson award but also the WI discretionary award. 

When asked her secret she say's that she follows her mothers method of baking by lining the bowl with butter, use a warm spoon and if for a special event then you go and buy one from Marks & Spencers. 

I have not bought this one from Marks & Spencers this is all my own work. And if you would like to have ago then you will need. 

200g butter

200g caster sugar

200g self raising flour

1 tsp of baking powder

a pinch of salt

and four eggs that collectively weigh approx 200g

and a raspberry jam for the filing

• pre heat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4
• grease two 20cm sandwich tins and put to one side
• cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until creamy. 
• add the eggs one at a time. I usually break them into a separate bowl and add rather than putting straight into the mixture just in case you get a bad egg. 
• add the pinch of salt and tea spoon of baking powder
• fold in the self raising flour with a metal spoon in order to keep the sponge light and airy
• divide the mixture equally between the two tins 
• bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
• Turn out onto a wire rack until cooled.
• Once cold decide which you are going to use for the top and which for the bottom. 
• Settle on a plate or cake board and add the filling of raspberry jam, usually about half a jar from a make of your choice.
• Finish off with a sprinkling of icing sugar if you so wish. 

Then there is only one other thing to do and that is to pop the kettle on for a cup of tea and cut yourself a generous slice, sit back and enjoy.

Mx

"The flowers of Yorkshire are like the women of Yorkshire. Every stage of their growth has its own beauty, but the last phase is always the most glorious. Then very quickly they all go to seed."

"Which makes it ironic my favourite flower isn't even indigenous to the British Isles, let alone Yorkshire. I don't think there's anything on this planet that more trumpets life that the sunflower. For me that's because of the reason behind its name. Not because it looks like the sun but because it follows the sun. During the course of the day, the head tracks the journey of the sun across the sky. A satellite dish for sunshine. Wherever light is, no matter how weak, these flowers will find it. And that's such an admirable thing. And such a lesson in life."

Here come the girls

At the point when I decided to take a sabbatical from blogging I had been working on these three lovely ladies.  Those of you who follow my instagram or facebook accounts may have seen them before but I thought it was about time I share them with you once more. Stitched on antique white 28 count evenweave, they were two years in the making but now hang in pride of place in my home.

Like the Greek deity, Gaia, this bountiful goddess in her arboreal setting scatters a palette of seasonal colours, plus a sprinkling of metallic threads. Planet Earth in all its glory is the domain of the Earth Goddess, scattering her bounty over field, wood and flower. The idea that the Earth is female, nurturing, mankind and all life on the planet can be linked to many cultures and rituals throughout history. Mother Earth is also closely associated with the Tree of Life, a symbolic connection between earth and heaven. Worked in shades of verdant green and warm earth tones, this Earth Goddess emerges from the lush tree canopy that surrounds her, wearing a spring-green dress garlanded with flowers. 

Morgana The Dark Sorceress is dominant and dangerous. All dark magic and flame, this powerful sorceress is caught in mid-spell as she conjures her dark magic. In a striking pose, she is draped in a magnificent cloak decorated with celestial motifs, her red hair streaming over her shoulders. She is surrounded by a border of flames that reflects the shadowy forces she is controlling. Magical powers, witchcraft  is her spell a curse or an enchantment.?

This impressive design creates a huge impact by contrasting smoldering indigoes and purples with fiery yellows and golds. Glittering metallic threads highlights the celestial imagery, the cosmic forces the sorceress is calling upon. 

Just as the earthly world has its rulers, so does the magical realm. The Fairy Queen is a powerful figure throughout mythology and has many names: in the Celtic tradition she was Queen Mab or Maeve, a warrior queen. Maeve means mead, a rich red wine that she offered to kings and rulers to signal her approval of them. She has appeared in fiction throughout the centuries, often as a less dark and dangerous character.

Represented as a sensual fairy set against a night sky filled with the light of a full moon and twinkling stars, perhaps to bring dreams to us sleeping mortals. 

Silver metallic threads and beads add texture and glitter to this stunning image of the beautiful fairy queen, 

Designed by Claire Crompton, all the charts are available individually through Claire Crompton's Etsy shop here but the charts also form part of a collaborative work in the book known as Magical Cross stitch, containing 10 charts designed by six artists details of which you can find here. 

The girls as they are affectionately known at home now hang as a triptych and I like to think that they use their magical powers to keep us safe.

Mx