Thanks to the wonder of blogger's scheduling function, nobody (except a few friends outside of blogland) would have known that I went to Norway in April!
Which is just as well, as I haven't made a post about travel for ages!
Mum and I headed to Bergen to stay with her friends,18th-22nd April. This is the view from their house on the hillside. Isn't it stunning?
Norway has lots of breathtaking scenery and I was lucky to experience some of it!
Saturday, 18 May 2013
Friday, 17 May 2013
The Soup, Continued: Good News!
I was out all day today, but Mum was home and had friends over for lunch. She happened to tell them about the disastrous soup I made and got them both to try it.
One of them loved it so much that she's taken it all home!
Hurrah!
I'm glad somebody liked it! :D
One of them loved it so much that she's taken it all home!
Hurrah!
I'm glad somebody liked it! :D
Thursday, 16 May 2013
Disaster Day
Do you ever have days that seem to be a complete and total disaster?
I think I'm having one of them.
The first clue was just after lunch, when I was making some no-bake yummies to take with me when I go to volunteer tomorrow (because charity shops and cakes are an excellent combination).
The recipe called for the chocolate to be melted with butter (I used Stork margarine instead) which meant I had to do it on the hob in a glass bowl, over a pan of hot water.
To save time, I boiled water in the kettle first, to pour into the pan. When the kettle was boiled, I lifted it up and managed not only to clobber the top of it on the bottom of the overhead cupboard, but knocked the bowl of the scales flying too! Luckily the bowl was empty, but it made a real clang when it hit the floor!
Anyway, the 'cakes' themselves went well enough, thank goodness.
I went to make another Monstar and managed to sew the arms on the wrong way around...No picture of this, because it's a present for somebody who might read this blog!
...admittedly I rectified the mistake by sewing the legs on backwards too...
Moving on!
This afternoon we heard a loud bang from the back door and Howie (our cat), ran into the kitchen...closely followed by Alfie (another of ours). We could easily guess that Alfie tried to attack Howie through the cat flap...
...the cat flap which is now in pieces. Alfie clearly does not care (but did know he was in trouble).
I unscrewed the cat flap from the back door, as there were bits of sharp plastic hanging from the flap. Alfie didn't want to pose with it, surprisingly!
As for this evening? This evening, I decided to make soup to take with me tomorrow, too. To be precise, butternut squash and ginger soup.
I'd read online that using cashew nuts in soup can make it creamy, so I thought I'd try that out! I also had to use a different stock to the one I normally use in soup.
I prepared and boiled up the butternut squash and an onion, and tossed in a load of pre-prepared ginger, the stock, and some herbs for good measure. As the bubbled away and the squash softened, it smelt quite delicious!
When I first blended it up, it was too thick. I returned some to the pan and added water to the soup remaining in the blender, put the lid back on...and hadn't put the lid on well enough.
Basically I managed to explode soup all over the place. That soup was hot. Boiling hot. Most of what hit me landed on my clothes, but I have a burn on my wrist now. Owie!
To add insult to injury - quite literally - the soup tastes disgusting. The cashews obliterated the taste of the vegetables, and the stock is so disgustingly salty that the soup tastes of nothing more than liquified, oversalted nuts.
And I have a whole jug of the stuff. :(
(At least the cakes turned out okay...)
I think I'm having one of them.
The first clue was just after lunch, when I was making some no-bake yummies to take with me when I go to volunteer tomorrow (because charity shops and cakes are an excellent combination).
![]() |
| Yummies. |
The recipe called for the chocolate to be melted with butter (I used Stork margarine instead) which meant I had to do it on the hob in a glass bowl, over a pan of hot water.
To save time, I boiled water in the kettle first, to pour into the pan. When the kettle was boiled, I lifted it up and managed not only to clobber the top of it on the bottom of the overhead cupboard, but knocked the bowl of the scales flying too! Luckily the bowl was empty, but it made a real clang when it hit the floor!
Anyway, the 'cakes' themselves went well enough, thank goodness.
I went to make another Monstar and managed to sew the arms on the wrong way around...No picture of this, because it's a present for somebody who might read this blog!
...admittedly I rectified the mistake by sewing the legs on backwards too...
Moving on!
This afternoon we heard a loud bang from the back door and Howie (our cat), ran into the kitchen...closely followed by Alfie (another of ours). We could easily guess that Alfie tried to attack Howie through the cat flap...
![]() |
| Alfie has no bothers to give. |
I unscrewed the cat flap from the back door, as there were bits of sharp plastic hanging from the flap. Alfie didn't want to pose with it, surprisingly!
As for this evening? This evening, I decided to make soup to take with me tomorrow, too. To be precise, butternut squash and ginger soup.
I'd read online that using cashew nuts in soup can make it creamy, so I thought I'd try that out! I also had to use a different stock to the one I normally use in soup.
I prepared and boiled up the butternut squash and an onion, and tossed in a load of pre-prepared ginger, the stock, and some herbs for good measure. As the bubbled away and the squash softened, it smelt quite delicious!
When I first blended it up, it was too thick. I returned some to the pan and added water to the soup remaining in the blender, put the lid back on...and hadn't put the lid on well enough.
Basically I managed to explode soup all over the place. That soup was hot. Boiling hot. Most of what hit me landed on my clothes, but I have a burn on my wrist now. Owie!
To add insult to injury - quite literally - the soup tastes disgusting. The cashews obliterated the taste of the vegetables, and the stock is so disgustingly salty that the soup tastes of nothing more than liquified, oversalted nuts.
And I have a whole jug of the stuff. :(
(At least the cakes turned out okay...)
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Trippy Owls
One of the first boards I created on Pinterest was 'Crafts to Try'. I pinned loads of tutorials and ideas, but have barely made any of them! Today I decided that had to change. What better craft to start with than the cute felt owl tutorial from My Girlish Whims? Which I pinned a year ago.
Here are my owls:
As per usual, I used what I had to hand rather than buy new stuff to make these. Hence the owls look a little trippy!
Haven't decided which of the pinned tutes I'll try next as it depends on what I have on me. I've been procrastinating when it comes to crafting recently and going through a blogging drought with it. Thank goodness for writing up posts in advance!
Here are my owls:
As per usual, I used what I had to hand rather than buy new stuff to make these. Hence the owls look a little trippy!
Haven't decided which of the pinned tutes I'll try next as it depends on what I have on me. I've been procrastinating when it comes to crafting recently and going through a blogging drought with it. Thank goodness for writing up posts in advance!
Monday, 13 May 2013
Marvellous Monday #10
It's that time of the week again! Are you having a nice Monday?
This week's Marvellous Monday has a theme that I'm surprised I haven't yet posted: cats!
This week's Marvellous Monday has a theme that I'm surprised I haven't yet posted: cats!
Labels:
marvellous monday
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Treasures
What’s better than being out and finding the perfect
treasure?
Being in and finding the perfect treasure!
Long-forgotten treasures, packed away into a cupboard or
attic, only to be rediscovered once again.
Though old and already owned, they’re just as precious as
when they were fresh, new possessions.
A necklace from a childhood pen-friend in a far-off land...
Tiny ammonites found on a trip to the fossil beach; shining
gemstones and minerals...
Little notebooks: half-used, covered with bright oriental
fabric...
And wooden friends with happy faces--
It’s all treasure, whether it’s freshly found, or refound!
Somehow, re-finding once-forgotten treasures seems even more special than finding new treasures. Old treasures have memories attached: the friend, the holiday, the school outing or the long-gone favourite shop.
I can be a real hoarder sometimes. Before I'm tempted to buy more trinkets, I think I'll remember the treasures I already own!
Monday, 6 May 2013
Marvellous Monday #9
It's Monday once again. Are you having a good one?
This week's theme is splendid green. Lush forests, ivy-covered ruins, beautiful landscapes and more!
There is something truly relaxing about being amongst the world's flora. Plants can look so fragile but are strong enough to overcome abandoned man-made structures and reclaim the land as their own!
This week's theme is splendid green. Lush forests, ivy-covered ruins, beautiful landscapes and more!
There is something truly relaxing about being amongst the world's flora. Plants can look so fragile but are strong enough to overcome abandoned man-made structures and reclaim the land as their own!
Labels:
marvellous monday
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