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| Woke up to this on Monday morning - blizzards, strong winds and bone-achingly cold one minute, then bright sunshine the next - what's going on? --oo0oo-- We live in Leicestershire which is hunting country. Most weekends during the winter the hunt comes through our village - causing havoc on the roads, with horses and riders, horse lorries and hunt followers blocking everyone's way, traffic building up and only being able to travel at 20 m.p.h. if you get stuck behind them |
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| Grrr! |
On the good side - sorry, there isn't one.
--oo0oo--
A Flower to Grow
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| Winter Aconites I planted these in a pot in the greenhouse as I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. Aren't they pretty. They look lovely when they naturalise under trees, so when they have completed their cycle I will plant them out under the willow tree and pray that they increase and seed themselves about. --oo0oo-- A Cake to Make |
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I really fancied a slice of fruit cake - I am not a baker by nature - I try but I am never really successful - this turned out reasonably well but was a bit soggy in the middle. I'm never quite sure what I do wrong! --oo0oo-- |
A Book To Read
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| This was one of my birthday gifts - short stories - which although I am enjoying, I find really frustrating. You just start getting into the story and it finishes. --oo0oo-- |
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This is a cute butterfly box - you fill the little yellow feeders with sugar water and place a branch inside the box for the butterfllies to cling to when they hibernate. We need to find a sunny place out of the wind when we get round to hanging it up. --oo0oo-- Frugal Food |
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| Leek and Potato Soup - my favourite |
Finally, I potted up my Dahlia tubers this afternoon and some Strawberry plantlets - I like to grow a dozen or so in pots in the greenhouse in the hope of an early crop.
That was my week - how was yours?
That was my week - how was yours?
That is quite a collection of different things, Elaine. Being topical, can I say that you have very "Catholic" tastes?
ReplyDeleteHa - nice one Mark
DeleteIt has been bitingly cold hasn't it. I really hope we get some warmth back soon. I love the look of your cake, I was only thinking this afternoon that if it continues this cold I may have to bake and eat cake!
ReplyDeleteThis time last year it was T-shirt weather as I recall.
DeleteCold also!
ReplyDeleteYes, the aconites are beautiful. I think they are tubers aren't they, rather than bulbs? They might stand a chance against our squirrels and mice.
I haven't seen a butterfly box before.
I can't remember I think maybe corms rather than tubers.
DeleteThe weather here Monday was horrendous too, but the snow didn't settle. It is very cold though, way too cold!
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking about planting Winter Aconites too, under my camellia, do they need any sun or can the thrive in complete shade? At the moment I have nothing under the camellia, but it would be nice to have something growing.
The only place I have seen them growing is woodland areas - and of course at this time of year there are no leaves but I noticed that mine only open when the sun is on them so I am not sure.
DeleteThis time of year, at least here, the snow comes fast and melts the same. Our last snow was full of lots of good moisture. Hopefully your snow is the about the same. I didn't know that the hunt was still going on England. Do they still hunt fox? I really cannot imagine such a tradition tying up traffic in the middle of the city. The cake and book look delicious.
ReplyDeleteNo Ann it is now illegal to hunt fox they now follow scented trails that are laid down as far as I know. I live in a small village not a town and the roads are very narrow that is why they cause so much disruption.
DeleteLovely photos elaine, even if it is snow.. the yellow flowers are so pretty.
ReplyDeleteYou have snow there.. Snow fell again in our northern regions again.
we are having the same weather. freezing cold. then the sun comes out, but its not warm.
I have the wood burner going .
what a traffic jam with the horses passing through.
I could eat a piece of that lovely cake..
happy week
val
Thanks Val - enjoy the rest of your week too
DeleteWe haven't had as much snow as you but it is cold.
ReplyDeleteAs for the cake describe it as moist - a moist fruit cake is far better than a dry one.
The rest of the cake was absolutely fine and moist but the centre was moisterer!
DeleteWhat is an irritation to you would be a delight to a visitor who has never had a scene like the hunt going through town! My winter aconites havent shown this year but the snow drops are blooming! I imagine your cake would be just the ticket to get through a snowy afternoon - maybe some whipped cream to hide the sogginess? MMMMmmm
ReplyDeleteThe hunt is a great photo opportunity I suppose especially when they are all galloping through the fields and jumping hedges in the fields behind our house and I almost cheer when I see riders fall - it serves them right for hunting small animals that can't defend themselves.
DeleteI'd be alongside you cheering too!
DeleteWhat is an irritation to you would be a delight to a visitor who has never seen the hunt go through Town! The cake looks lovely - just the ticket for a wintry afternoon - with some whipped cream perhaps!
ReplyDeleteBrrrrr...it looks PERISHINGLY cold there! We have similar weather here....seriously, WHERE is spring!
ReplyDeleteHunters......GRRRRRRRRR
I really love those Winter Aconites, they are such a beautiful woodland flower, I do hope yours spread.
A butterfly house, what a splendid idea, I must look out for one.xxxxx
My husband ordered the butterfly house as a surprise as he knew I would love it.He got it from www.greengardener.co.uk
DeleteThe winter aconites are beautiful; another lovely splash of colour for this time of year. Our local hunt disruption is only once a year on the first weekend of November (although I always forget until too late and I'm already stuck in the traffic). And leek and potato soup is my favourite, too, although I've just finished the last of our leeks, so won't be making any more until next year.
ReplyDeleteMy leeks are all finished too but as it almost coincides with me getting fed up of soup and looking forward to salads for lunch I don't mind too much.
DeleteThe weather has been irrational here in KY as well! Sunny and warm one day and snowy and cold the next - no consistency! I do love these pics!! I suppose we can all at least rest assured that spring is on its way...maybe :)
ReplyDeleteSlowly but surely Keith - although it is more slowly than surely at the moment.
DeleteIsn't that the truth!! I look forward to your next post :)
DeleteWhat an enjoyable post! The aconites should increase okay.
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks delicious, even with a soggy middle!
I'll be interested to see how you get on with the butterfly box. Flighty xx
I hope so Flighty - I love to see flowers en masse. The cake tasted fine I cut off the soggy bit. I'll be interested to see if the butterflies use it - not holding my breath though!
DeleteAll that traffic must be really irritating. I can never quite make my mind up about aconites, but I think you are right, they belong in grass under trees.
ReplyDeleteIt is Janet but what can you do! I think they look lovely when the sun comes out, admittedly a bit like buttercups, hoping they will naturalise eventually.
DeleteMy aconites haven't appeared yet but I'm sure there's some foliage popping up just now. I would love mine to naturalize though so far they seem to be sulking under the physocarpus. They call they babies bibs up here because of the little bit of green around the neck of the stem. We're due more snow on Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteThey are strange aren't they - the flowers have come before the leaves.
Delete