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Deblyn

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Everything posted by Deblyn

  1. To each pound of dried fruit (eg currants, sultanas, raisings, or a mixture of all of these) I add: 4 oz glace cherries (natural colouring) handful of chopped mixed nuts 2 -3 tablespoons mixed spice 1 large cooking apple, peeled, cored and diced 1 packet (8oz) of vegetable suet lots of grated lemon zest ginger and lemongrass cordial large sloosh of alcohol - brandy, rum, whisky or I use home-made cider; use plenty, as it adds flavour and helps to preserve it. (Last week I used that tail end of last year's mincemeat in a pie, and it tasted very very good; the flavours had mellowed and there was the flavout of the cider with it) Other additions that could be put in: dates, almonds, mixed preserved orange and lemon peel, prunes If you don't want to put alcohol in it, then you can use fruit juice - apple would be the most obvious choice, or orange, or tropical juice might give a good flavour.
  2. The trees are supplied as "maidens" (I love that term.....). which means they are unfruited stock, usually 3 - 4ft tall. they will get planted this autumn/winter (I have it all planned, but really mustn't buy any more trees for this place...............), and should be fruiting hopefully in 3 - 4 years time. I will probably still be here in this house then, I should think, unless something spectacular happens and I move to my mountain in Scotland! I'm looking ofrward to being self-sufficient in fruit in the garden; I should have: strawberries, raspberries, apples (lots), plums, damsons. quinces, crab apples, cherries, medlars, grapes, greengages, blackcurrants, red currants, white currants, cranberries, rhubarb, blueberries, gooseberries, black berries, sloes and elderberries. I think that's the lot.....................
  3. Joan is right about the fag - it's a cigarette. I know it means something else in America, though................ As for the other one: the royal family are great fans of horse racing; it you "have a flutter', it means that you place a bet on a horse to win a race. the Queen does not carry any money, ever, so people do not know how much she spends on what, I presume. She has hoards of attendants following her who pay for everything that she wants to buy. I know that when she does go shopping, eg at Harrods, then it is after hours, so there are no other shoppers in the the building. It's a different world.......................!
  4. There's a lot to be said for home education................
  5. Being ill Isn't a thrill, Especially when you're spotty. Because having the 'pox Will make you itch in your socks, And your face looks really dotty. And so, to finish - es, As my skin diminishes, I give a sigh, rather vague. I said, "It could be worse, I could be in a hearse Having horribly died from the plague". MORAL: Weel, at least you'll never get it again. Give your little brother the 'pox too and then he'll be able to feel awful as well! It's great for cheering yourself up. (She did a brilliant illustration for this too, but I can't get it on here unfortunately!)
  6. Our Village Hall is holding a Christmas Craft Fair on Saturday next; I have taken a table to sell some stuff. I have some knitting done (children's things - hats, jumpers (sweaters), etc) I am making some cards, and will have seeds collected from the garden in home made seed packets and some jams and chutneys as well. I need to print some flyers with details of the craft services I offer - thank goodness for the home computer! I will try and remember to take the camera along and take some photos to show you.
  7. I made my mincemeat for Christmas yesterday. After 16 years of making my own, I finally ditched the recipe books and put in the ingredients to suit myself; it has turned out really well, and smells wonderful - lovely and spicy. It is moistened with cider, which gives it a good juicy fruity taste. I hope to get it into jars today, so the flavours have time to mellow a bit before i use it. Roll on Christmas!
  8. I ordered my new fruit trees yesterday (isn't the internet a wonderful thing?!). I will soon take delivery of a quince, a medlar, a greengage, a cherry and a crab apple tree. Oh, and I managed to sneak in 10 canes of yellow raspberries, which I have always wanted! Some of the trees will form part of the hedge boundary that we are planting this winter along the side of the garden; the rasps will go in their own bed. The other trees will be fitted in wherever. We found a little out of the way tree nursery at the weekend, and I managed to get a Myrobalan plum (cherry plum) tree at a really good price, so that is to go in too. When these are all in, I will have the full complement of fruit trees for the garden (probably much to the relief of Mr Lowie and his cheque book, the poor dear!)
  9. This is a book I bought from Amazon last week, and it is a mine of information if you are interested in the moon, its cycles, and the effects these have on people and the earth. It gives info on the best times to do specific jobs in forestry, the garden, laundry, health and all sorts of things. It's fascinating stuff, and I hope to test out the theories in the coming year.
  10. Good morning all. Weather is better here today than yesterday, when it was very wet. Today I have some jobs for the Village Hall committee to do; then we need to start on the calendars that Bethany and Ethan are making for Christmas. We're doing them on the computer, so that should be interesting. Parish Council meeting tonight, and in between ,I will be putting my mincemeat into jars, doing the ironing and knitting like mad for the Craft Fair on Saturday where I have taken a table (as well as organising it!). Hope everyone has a good day. And I must ask about the lights - are these Christmas lights that you are putting up, or do they go up for Thanksgiving; do they stay up until Christmas?
  11. This is a good way of using up left-over mashed potato; I sometimes cook an extra 2 or 3 to have some left over for these. Put the cold mashed potato in a bowl with a pinch of salt, and add about flour at the ratio of 1 part flour to two parts potato. Mix all together; it should hold together well, then roll out on a floured board with a floured rolling pin. Cut into squares or triangles. Cook on a hot lightly oiled hotplate or heavy frying pan. Flip over to cook other side when top is browned. Serve warm, with butter. They are also very good fried the next day with a fried egg on top.
  12. Yes, that's the back of the house. There's not a real problem with bugs in the summer - just wasps, bees and some flies. The windows are open all the time so they fly in and out as they want to! I wouldn't want a screen I don't think, anyway.
  13. Hear, hear!!!! (Must show hubby!)
  14. Deblyn

    wedensday

    Not much going on here; children better now, although still a few lingering spots. Got far too many books out of the mobile library again, but that included some of my requests I was looking forward to. Started to listen to the TV news, but have turned it off as it is depressing. Again.
  15. Deblyn

    Boo!

    This is one of the pumpkin lanterns we made for Hallowe'en. It was done from one of the Lakota squash I grew from seeds sent over by Westbrook earlier in the year as part of the exchange. Bethany made the flesh into soup which was very good, then the chickens got to peck the shells the day after. So thanks, Westbrook!
  16. Happygirl caught the plane to Snowmom's house, and when she got there, she found that Snowmom was really busy, with three things on the go at once. So Happygirl decided to help her: a] pluck the 42 chickens for the freezer b] help finsih the quilting on the new quilted wraparound jacket for the outside of the house to improve the insultaion for the winter c] finsih building her new off-road caterpillar-track burger bar
  17. Brigie, I'm about six hours or so in front of you, that's why it looked like 2am. I think it was nearer 8am when I was here. Quite late in the morning for me................
  18. Deblyn

    Door

    Well, after four weeks of having bits of back door sitting around the kitchen and suspended from the ceiling (don't ask....), the back door is finally in place. It needs finishing around the edges and the gap at the top needs to be filled, but IT IS IN. It is where it should be and I am very glad for that. I was getting really fed up with bits of painted door in my way, and trying to keep the dog from getting stuck to it, nver mind me and the weans!! It's a stable door, and it's going to be lovely in summer to be able to open just the top half, so we can keep the dog in but still get the fresh air. It is darker in the back porch than it was before; the last door was half glazed, and this one only has a small window of bull's eye glass,but it's fine. it's painted a shade of blue-lavender-darkgreyish type colour. I like it.
  19. Congratulations! I bet theya re lovely. What's next, then? (Only kidding............!)
  20. Very damp and very foggy here on our little Dorset hill this morning. I got up to find an e-mail from a friend I haven't seen in years, although I got Christmas cards from him. Sounds as though he may be threatening a visit; he's quite a character! Major drama (not really, but it is for them, poor things) - my two have chickenpox, much to their disgust. I got a very small very minor dose of shingles from somewhere a couple of weeks ago, and it may have been from that, or they may have picked it up themselves, as apparently it is doing the rounds at the moment. Bethany is so affronted by her spotty face (age thing). We had to miss both the fireworks display and the pub quiz this weekend, as Ethan was still at the infectious stage. They ar not actually ill with it, just out of sorts and with a sore throat. I know they are not that ill as they are both still eating like horses. A friend of mine has had a major upset by being thrown out of the house she shared with a friend and given two weeks notice. Nothing done wrong by my friend, but long story; si I went over there to help her pack, and bring back some garden stuff I will store for her until she gets settled again. She has somewhere to go, which will be nearer her son, who is ill. It may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. I think most of today will have to be taken up by housework as the place is messy. Again. I need to get on and do some more knitting for the craft fair I am doing in a fortnight too. oo foggy to go outside, so I won't miss that! Hope everyone is well and has a good day.
  21. Lovely photos! It was nice to see one of you too! Hmmm......... want more babies now.
  22. Thanks Joan; you're not being lazy, I'm just being dim. I didn't realise if I clicked on that it would take me straight to it. funnily enough, it's not the book I had read...........!! Thanks again.
  23. Joan, I saw this on the list in the last edition of Countryside magazine. I may have read it, or not! Could you give a very brief synopsis when you have time, then I'll be able to work out whether or not it was the one I read!! Sorry to be a pain, but thanks for your help.
  24. Sounds intriguing, might give it a go.
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