Happy Birthday Em

Em is 12 years old !

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday dear Em

Happy Birthday to you

We celebrated Em's birthday at the weekend with family. My Mum knitted a beautiful jumper on her knitting machine which takes DK - Chunky yarn. The jumper has a black kitten on it which Em loves.

Em loved her birthday at school because all her friends sang Happy Birthday and many of the teachers wished her a Happy day too. Later in the week Em's friends are coming round for a DVD and meal.

A big Thankyou to Leigh at loveleighthings for her award,

I would like to spread the love to Cup cakes at home because I love reading about their life in Scotland with the animals. i'm a ginger monkey, because I admire her sewing/crafting Lucy Locket and Moogsmum for the laughter and crafting, Mushroom meadows for her beautiful drawings and crafting, Raindrops to Rainbows for just being herself and those beautiful photos of cornwall (I've never been there and now I want to visit) just another row because I love her knitting and cooking. Kaz's crafty bits because I am in awe of the cards she makes. Monkee maker for the monkey madness and laughter. Seeking saknity for the beautiful knitting and the inspiration it gives me. Marytree for sharing her adventures of life and crafting with her two beautiful girls. Little cotton rabbits for her beautiful knitted animals. Sarahs House for the music especially Avril. Thankyou to every one for the fun and laughter please spread the love.

In addition to everyone who reads my blog I love your comments even if it is just "Hello" so please leave me a comment and then you can collect an award too if you would like it, because your comments cheer me up/make me happy.

Hope you all have a good week. Jane x

Monkey fun

Earlier in the week I went to do some food shopping nothing usual in that except that we found that PG had a give away. A Monkey hat perfect for keeping little monkeys ears warm or as a sleeping bag for your PG monkey.

On Saturday I went to the bi-monthly breakfast meeting of the Women of Light, we had a talk given by Christine Noble and we celebrated the breakfast meeting's first birthday with a beautiful cake made especially by one of the ladies for the occasion.

Photo's From The Christmas Holidays

I thought that I would share some photos from the Christmas Holidays

This photo was taken on Christmas Day afternoon in Mum & Dad's village. The calves looked at Em and she looked at them, but Al took a couple of steps onto the grass and they all backed off ready to turn tail and run. Not Al's fault I hasten to add.

Em was given a cat jigsaw puzzle which she needed a bit of help with, but we managed to finish it in the afternoon after our walk. It came in the pretty little tin and she loved it.

On the Thursday we went to Stourhead National Trust House and Garden - only the Garden was open. Em was very proudly wearing her High School Musical Bag with Zac Efron's photo on it which Al gave her for Christmas.

It was cold, but we had lunch in the restaurant of soup and roll with sandwiches. Suitably refreshed we then went for a walk around the gardens.

Later in the week we went for a day out to Bath, where I took a photo of Sally Lunn's tea shop. Then it rained heavily which stopped me taking any more photos.

Last day in Dorset, the girls played Monopoly and Robert bear agreed to be the third player and he won! Hahaha clever bear.

Back To School!

Back to school on Wednesday, so its been a nice short week but quite busy.

I have started knitting a monkey after seeing this inspiration (the abominable snow monkee) on Monkey Maker's blog. - Thanks to Monkey Maker for letting me borrow her photo, my monkey is still in pieces.

A friend at school asked me to knit up her sheep kit she was given at Christmas (she got stuck) so that's my next project.

Leigh at Love leigh things has given me an award, Thank you Leigh.

It was a lovely surprise and I am very grateful. So now I'd like to give the award to: Monkey Maker, Just another row, Little house by the sea, Dances with wool, I'm a ginger monkey, Lucy Locket, Mushroom Meadows, Raindrops to Rainbows, Seeking Saknity, Skein cocaine beacuse you make my day.

This award is for sharing and there are some simple rules.
"Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times."

(If you haven't got ten people, just award to your favourite few.)

Yesterday I bought some useful books and a cone of very fine mauve & white yarn which I hope to knit up into a lacy shawl eventually.

Mittens with Much Laughter!

I have now finished my first pair of mittens. My first mitten came out large enough for Hagrid's hand and caused much laughter, when I finished the second mitten I photographed them together.

Then I pulled out/frogged the larger mitten and knitted another. The photos in electric light don't show the rich red colour but they do look lovely and are very warm to wear.

Carrot Soup and Mittens

Wednesday: Tony went back to work, I had to go food shopping and Em's friend Sam came to spend the afternoon giggling and chatting and playing on their Nintendo DS's. I started work on a pair of mittens.

Thursday: Em and I stayed in in the morning and went shopping in the afternoon. It snowed - only a few flakes though. More mitten knitting, I finished the first glove - it is too large.

Friday: I decided at long last it was time to do something with the two bags of carrots that I bought on a b.o.g o. f. so I turned them into Carrot Soup. It was delicious, my recipe should make 2 pints enough for 6 bowl sized portions.

2lb carrots, 4 sm potatoes 2 clove garlic, small lump of butter, pinch fennel seeds, 2 pint chicken or vegetable stock (I used 2 tsp Maigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillion to 2 pints of water) salt and pepper to taste.

1) Peel and slice the carrots and peel and chop the potatoes, fry off the carrots gently with the crushed clove of garlic,

2) As carrot softens add the potato but keep stirring frequently as the starch in the potato will cause it all to stick.

3) Add the stock and fennel seeds bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 20 mins.

4) Once the carrots and potatoes are soft, turn off the heat then puree either in the liquidiser or by hand in batches. Em said "you must put a wet cloth over the top of the liquidiser to stop the hot liquid escaping and causing injury." (as she learnt in Food Tech at school) I used a dry Tea towel folded up as my liquidiser has a good seal on the lid.

5) I placed the pureed soup into a large bowl and stirred to ensure even distribution of the liquid.

6) Serve hot with thick fresh bread. - delicious

Back to mitten knitting, second glove on smaller needles.