Sunday School and Onions

Gentle Reader ~~~

I am sitting in my living room, overlooking the garden, sipping a mug of warming, *spice infused almond milk, and watching the small, delicate garden birds feed from the few remaining apples that still, miraculously, cling to the trees ~~~ As ever, I am praying for snow, but all we have is rain, and now there is hail. Please, may I have a cross between the two? That would be snow, wouldn't it?

WINDY NIGHTS

BY ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

Whenever the moon and stars are set,

      Whenever the wind is high,

All night long in the dark and wet,

      A man goes riding by.

Late in the night when the fires are out,

Why does he gallop and gallop about?

Whenever the trees are crying aloud,

      And ships are tossed at sea,

By, on the highway, low and loud,

      By at the gallop goes he.

By at the gallop he goes, and then

By he comes back at the gallop again.

I wonder if, in the dead of night, a man on horseback goes riding by in the storms that pelt over us as the wind howls down the chimney making such noise that we would never hear if one did ~~~ don't you think this is quite a scary poem for children? It comes from one of those most loved books of childhood ~~~ "A Child's Garden of Verses" which most of us probably read as children ~~~

How the weather has changed, so suddenly, about ten days ago. While we previously enjoyed one of the mildest Octobers, and November began in similar vein, we are now paying the price for deliciously crisp Autumn days by enduring gale after gale after gale.

We now name our late Autumn and Winter gales and storms alphabetically, in similar nature to the hurricane system.  Oh, I do think someone in the Met Office has a dry sense of humour, for our first big blow was aptly named Abigail, which I may have mentioned I re~spelled ABigGale. After ABigGale blustered past with winds of 70 mph, we were welcoming the remnants of hurricane Kate, who was quickly followed by Barney {barney is UK slang for a fight} and last night we were battered by yet more high winds, this time from the North and bringing colder temperatures too.  so, the last ten days has been one wind storm after another. We now have a welcome break until Tuesday evening when the winds pick up again. Until then, they will be a comparatively calm 15 mph average.

I hope the garden is secure. It is as secure as I can make it, unless I have overlooked something.  It is definitely indoor weather now.

~~~~~

Do you recall that last year, one of my last gardening jobs was to plant some onions and garlic? I have never planted them so late before and wanted to see what would happen. Well, I was not impressed. I tended them well, but nothing happened. When harvesting time came, there was nothing to harvest, and the garlic was puny and not worth taking photographs. I was very disappointed.  Then, my circumstances meant I could not garden this summer and, with grace, I had to give in and accept that I could not garden and let the weeds take over.  The onions were forgotten, that is until two days ago when I was taking compost to the bin and noticed some familiar, bright green shoots sticking above the weeds as they die back. Investigation revealed that the onions that were lost are found! All are now growing!  I will leave them in peace now, until next Spring and see what happens. There may be onions yet.

As to the garlic, the cloves are many but dreadfully tiny, almost too tiny to peel, so last night I was roasting up a big pan of root vegetables and just threw in several of the miniature cloves to let them at least add some flavour. Wow! After forty minutes roasting with the veggies, the tiny cloves were perfectly cooked to the softest, sweetest, nuttiest, fragrant garlic flavoured purée I have ever tasted.  I will be roasting them up later and freezing the delicious purée for use over the Winter.

~~~~~

Recently, on a clearing trip to the attic, I found the following. Some of you may have seen these before, but I don't think I've shared them on here.   They are sheets of perforated tickets that were given to children to mark their attendance at Sunday School.  I have been trying to date them, and to find out more about them, but am not having much luck. I guess I must try to refine my search words some more.  So far, these ones seem to date from the early 1900's but were in use up until around the 1930's. I have no idea how they came to be in my attic, other than my strong family connections with the Cathedral, and the possibility of one of my forebears teaching Sunday School ~~~

This is the building where I attended Sunday School, and where these tickets would have been given to the children of the early twentieth centure too ~~~ I was a rebellious child and was expelled from Sunday School twice for being a "disruptive force" which I prefer to think of as being a

~~~ a Free Spirited, Independent Child ~~~ 

Until next time ~~~

Sincerely yours
Deborah xo

*to make a mug of spice infused milk, gently simmer 1/4 teaspoon each of cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and two cardamom pods in 8 fl. oz of milk of your choice for five minutes. Strain into a cup or mug. I used almond 'milk' today, but coconut milk is sublime, and regular cow's milk works if you like it. I don't drink cow's milk.  You can adjust the spices to include personal favourites too. Sometimes, I add a spoon of cocoa powder.  It is warming and comforting when the weather outside is less than pretty.

Tasha Tudor, Tuesday, and Yoghurt Streusel Coffee Cake

Gentle Reader ~~~ I am a follower of Tasha Tudor and for those of you who do not know of this remarkable lady, you can find out more here.  I know many of you who read my ramblings know much more about Tasha than I do and for those who want to read more, do pop over to read the web journal of the Take Joy Society which embodies Tasha's philosophy of taking joy in all the good that life has to offer.  You will enjoy it.

While I do not wish to cast a pall over the day by mentioning all the evil is happening in the world today, we cannot avoid it, and I think we need now more than ever to find the good and joy in everything we can ~~~

~~~ Tasha's philosophy, her words and actions, her respect for everything are more important today than they have ever been ~~~

I belong to a Facebook group called "Take Peace", and several of us have signed up to take part in our "Tuesday With Tasha" baking event.  Each Tuesday we take turns and pick one of Tasha's receipts, bake it, and share it on the page, and this week it was my turn in the kitchen to share the receipt I made.

It is such a lovely thing to do and spreads the JOY that we share through our love of Tasha ~~~ the act of baking brings me great joy and pleasure; the magical alchemy of bringing together a few simple ingredients to produce something that can bring so much happiness to those with whom I can share, and so very often in my kitchen that product is cake, or sometimes bread, for I love to bake ~~~ and I love to share the joy by sharing what I bake ~~~

Here are my step by step images for Tasha's Yoghurt Streusel Coffee Cake ~~~

First I must show you my favourite measuring cups and spoons, gifted to me by a very dear friend ~~~ I use them nearly every day and I have a thing for snowflakes and angels both ~~~ these are very dear to me ~~~ they bring me great JOY  and  Happiness every time I use them ~~~

Away we go ~~~

Preparing the tin ~~~ a 10" Bundt pan greased and floured ~~~ always do this first, before the baking commences, and light the oven ~~~

Making the batter ~~~ it has been so long since I measured my ingredients by cups I got a tad confused and ended up measuring two x 1/4 cups of butter instead of one 1/2 a cup ~~~ but it yields the same weight, just more work!
{now, when it says 1 teaspoon of vanilla, I often double up because I just love vanilla}

Sifting the flour and leavening ingredients together ~~~

Add to the wet ingredients ~~~

It was at this point the electrician, whom I've been waiting for days, arrived. Argh!  With the leavening already active I knew I was in trouble, but I had to let him in and leave my baking sit on the counter top and hope the mix would not spoil.  Thirty minutes later, job done, I returned to the mix ~~~oh! frustration! What else could I do but carry on and hope for the best at this point ~~~ of course, this would not happen if the cake was not for 'public display' would it?

Making the streusel mix ~~~ hmmmm, something not quite right here, it is supposed to be crumbly. This is not.  I think the sugar is too moist, I've had this problem before using this particular sugar {which is deliciously moist with molasses} ~~~

Oh, well, onwards and upwards ~~~

Assembling the layers ~~~ now I really know the streusel is wrong, but into the oven it goes, 350 degrees, or Gas Mark 4, for about 40 minutes. Mine took about 50 minutes ~~~

Baked and cooling ~~~ such a relief to see a perfectly risen cake after the near mishap, and a lovely golden colour and even bake too ~~~ but the streusel is definitely not right ~~~

Preparing the frosting {I wanted a thicker frosting than the suggested glaze, so added about half as much confectioner's sugar again as the receipt suggests}

The end result ~~~ Voila! ~~~

The cake cuts and eats beautifully ~~~ I am relieved, I am so relieved!!!

Bon Appetit!

I had to cut it while still fresh as I wanted to share the images on the Facebook page, but I do believe it will improve with keeping for a few days. The frosting is quite delicious and I will be using it in the future on other cakes for special occasions. The butter makes it softer and more richly flavoursome than a regular water icing. I will add fruit juice, or even a splash of rosewater, instead of the tablespoon of water.

I must also share with you a beautiful book I secured via the secondary market, for books by, and about, Tasha are quite hard to come by here in the United Kingdom. This is the book about her passion for doll houses and is just a wonderful and magical read ~~~ it will fill your heart, as it does mine, with

~~~JOY~~~

Sincerely yours
Deborah xoxo

November Days ~~~

Gentle Reader ~~~ I was shocked this morning when I came online to compose this entry to find I have not been here for more than a month! How quickly October flew by, blustering past in a flurry of falling leaves, tossed by the winds, and now November is already at the mid~point ~~~ we have celebrated Hallowe'en, and while I try hard to continue the celebration of Autumn that is always in my heart, the weather outside my cottage is a stern reminder that Winter cannot be far away ~~~ next week is Thanksgiving and then it will be Christmas; I find myself asking, in earnest, where has the year that we numbered two thousand and fifteen gone?

I feel a bit late to the party saying this, but ~~~

{I love the warm glow and bokeh effect of this image that was nearly dismissed, but even the most out of focus image can be used!}

We have had a mixed bag of weather, mostly quite kind, but now the Winter winds and wuthering weather descend. We are in the last throes of our first storm, Abigail, or A Big Gale as I saw fit to rename her!  As of this year, we now name all our storms in the same way as the hurricane system does, alphabetically. So, Welcome A Big Gale! Goodbye A Big Gale because the next big low, unnamed, is waiting ~~~ with another after that, and another one again ~~~ and the Jet Stream is keeping them well anchored above the British Isles ~~~

I turned another year older in October but we won't talk about that~~~but thank you all for your wishes that came in via the post {oh, I do love proper post} and also wishes on Facebook, Twitter, and by email ~~~

Here are a few photographs to remind us of the Autumn months just passed as everything winds down ~~~

The Rosemary is in full flower ~~~

It looks almost late Spring~like, don't you think?

but on the other end of the garden, the rose hips are turning orangey~red and tempting in the small birds to help themselves to a vitamin rich feast ~~~

As the Autumn sun drops lower and lower in the sky with each passing day, the evening skies offer up bejewelled magical sunsets ~~~

A surprise parcel in the post from a crafty friend ~ a talented lady ~ who made me this lovely Remembrance Day pop up Poppy Card and hand made felt Poppy pin to wear with pride as we remember the Fallen ~~~

"When you go home, tell them of us and say

For their tomorrow, we gave our today."

John Maxwell Edmonds

In the same envelope was some of my most favourite tea ~~~ and  Bigelow Tea are celebrating their 70th Anniversary and so they are foil wrapped in special commemorative envelopes, each with a vintage image from the Bigelow Tea archives ~~~

I took up a new hobby! These are the very first images of my Folk It! folk art painting projects ~~~ I really enjoy this method of creating something pretty ~~~

I won fifty pounds {£50.00} of Lakeland vouchers just by filling in an online survey from Crafts Beautiful magazine, and I'm treating myself to the Buttermere Hamper.  I have always wanted a luxury hamper for Christmas and this is just perfect.  I shall look forward to packing a delicious picnic in this hamper in the future ~~~ I do love a proper picnic, don't you?

To finish for today's little update, the December Country Living magazine is here, it has been for a few weeks now, and something to look forward to reading on a dark and dreary Autumn afternoon ~~~

Next time isn't so very far away, and there is a real treat in store for any Tasha Tudor followers coming ~~~

Sincerely yours
Deborah xoxo

October, Autumn, and a Hallowe'en Tag ~~~

Gentle Reader ~~~ Although I love this time of year and, as ever have much I would love to write about, you may have noticed my small absence, and I regret I must keep this short as I have commitments to which I must attend ~~~ finger's crossed the Editing Gremlins stay away!

First, and it is a real first, for I have never been tagged before {quite thrilled at the thought} I have been tagged by Guillaume at Vraie Fiction, a fellow Autumnophile {wonder what the proper term is? Please share in the comments if you know!}  So here are my responses to the questions, and I will tag some people at the end. However, if you want to take part, I'm sure it won't break some great universal rule if you just go ahead and do so!  Please do!

1.  Favourite Hallowe'en Song ~~~ hmm, there's quite a few I could pick from, such as the theme from Ghostbusters, or the Addams Family, maybe Monster Mash? Am I being too predictable if I say Michael Jackson's Thriller? Classic 1980's and brilliant make up and choreography that sort of set a new standard for it's time ~~~ but if I want a more sophisticated song, then it's 'Put a Spell on You' by Nina Simone ~~~

2. Witch or Vampire ~~~ definitely a good witch because I love the outfit  ~~~

3.  Favourite thing about Hallowe'en ~~~ tricky. We didn't celebrate Hallowe'en when I was growing up, it had slipped of the radar so to speak, so I didn't really come to it until I arrived in America. I just loved watching all the kiddos having so much fun in their costumes as they went door to door Trick or Treating ~~~ and we'd dress up too, to hand out the candy, so I guess that is what I miss most, for it isn't really celebrated in the village still, although it is gathering momentum.  I also loved that adults could dress up and have lots of good fun too ~~~

4.  Hallowe'en Party or Scary Movie Marathon ~~~ although I'm not really a party goer, I love a small gathering of close friends, and there is something about a Hallowe'en gathering that is just so much FUN ~~~ especially as I love baking Hallowe'en treats to share ~~~ 

5.  Skeletons or Zombies ~~~ neither. I love the fun of Hallowe'en but am not a zombie or a skeleton kind of person ~~~ maybe more of a Casper the Friendly Ghost kind of person ~~~

6.  Favourite Hallowe'en Candy ~~~ anything home made, such as truffles or marzipan, or iced cakes in traditional Hallowe'en shapes, like pumpkins, ghosties, bats, hats, and so on ~~~

7.  Favourite Hallowe'en Movie ~~~ got to be Hocus Pocus all the way, or Practical Magic ~~~ also enjoy Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas ~ only if I'm feeling really brave, that is! ~~~

8.  Favourite Hallowe'en Costume ~~~ why, a witch, of course, what else?

9.  Favourite Hallowe'en Store ~~~ well, I never found very much in the shops nearby, I either make my own things or pick things up as and when I come across something ~~~

10.  Jack o' Lanterns ~ yes or no ~~~ Would Hallowe'en be Hallowe'en without a Jack o' Lantern? Whether it be pumpkin or turnip, you got to have a Jack o' Lantern ~~~

11.  Bats or Black Cats ~~~ you mean I have to chose? 

12.  Is Hallowe'en your favourite holiday ~~~ comes a very close second to Christmas only because of Christmas cake and mince pies ~~~

13.  Pumpkin Spice Latte or Hot Chocolate ~~~ Hot Chocolate all the way for me ~~~

So now that it is done, I tag the following ~~~

April at April's Homemaking {you must go watch her video of her Hallowe'en house!}
Peg at The Scattered Journalist

~~~~~

I have not decorated much, the pumpkins and Autumn coloured chrysanthemums are yet to put in an appearance in the shops, so I have done just a little in anticipation of their imminent arrival ~~~

Soon, the green foliage plants will be replaced by 'mums ~ if they ever arrive in the shops! 

Ceramic pumpkins dotted over the book case

A small Avon glass squirrel that I bought my very first Christmas in America, 1978

Dartington crystal vase filled with woodland gathered pine cones, dried hydrangea and stipa gigantica stems from the garden

I do need to make some new buntings, so if time permits they will be made and put up appropriately, as well as the much hoped for arrival of pumpkins {though I somehow doubt the ornamental gourds are going to be stocked in local shops this year} Last year I had to put in a special order for orange and rust coloured 'mums and ended up with white and yellow ones ~~~hmmmm~~~ we will have to wait and see ~~~

Until next time ~~~

Sincerely yours
Deborah xoxo

A Magical Night for a Moondance

Gentle Reader ~~~ Did you see it? The Super Moon, Full Moon, Harvest Moon, Blood Moon last night?

Here in The Shire, it was a middle of the night experience, and I couldn't sleep a wink. I was so worried I'd drift off into the Land of Nod and miss the whole thing, because, for once in a very long time it looked as if we would not be scuppered by the omnipresent cloud cover that spoils so many cosmic events for we folk in the west.

The warm and friendly closing bars of music from Downton Abbey faded {is this really the final series?} but there were still four hours to go before this lunar spectacular commenced. Panic ye not! I set my alarm for 2:00 a.m. but I was so excited that it just kept me going ~~~ I need not have worried.

At 2:00 a.m. the alarm was duly switched off and I put on warm clothing, grabbed my camera and settled myself outside in the cold air of an early Autumn night.  Everything was so incredibly bright, almost as daylight, with long shards of silver light becoming the darkest shadows beyond objects that no longer held the familiarity of daylight ~~~

There was hardly a star in the sky! Suddenly, a barely discernible change crept across the garden, and the first nibble went from our silver hare and Man in the Moon ~~~ it was happening right here, right now ~~~



Slowly, the moon began to disappear, little by little, and as she did so the stars came out in the crisply clear sky until it was so full of millions upon millions of stars, the like of which I cannot recall seeing before.  With a great whoop of joy I could see the Milky Way, a gentle, pale, lighter slash across the dark night sky.

Shooting stars whizzed quickly by, just adding to the magic, as the moon disappeared even more ~~~ eventually turning the eagerly anticipated blood red that is a rare phenomenon indeed ~~~

I felt so peacefully alone, so connected to this wonderful, truly awesome, universe in which I live my small and insignificant life ~~~ it was just me, the moon, and the stars ~~~

I could not resist myself and kicked off my shoes and danced across the dew soaked grass of the lawn ~~~ it just seemed so much the right thing to do!

I stood for over two hours through the night to watch this unfold before my eyes. The moon remained blood red for much longer than I expected and sometime after 4:00 a.m. the first signs of the eclipse ending began. Sometime later, I came back inside, tired and incredibly happy I crawled into my bed to relive the experience in my dreams ~~~

Until next time
Sincerely yours
Deborah