Bliss & Another Garden Curiosity (for Lindsey)

Peek-a-boo!

Well, hello there!
*****

It's been bliss today. I've just spent a couple of hours in the garden having a big clean up.

I loved it!

No more brown, dead stuff on view through the kitchen window anymore.

And some tiny little green shoots poking through to prove there is Life out there.

Roll on Spring!

Speaking of which, I actually got around to changing the last remaining clocks -most of them!- to the right time. Lummy, might as well've waited another couple of months and not bothered!

Mr B is off on tour. Manchester, well, The Lowry at Salford, if you're being pernickety, and then down to Plymouth. Woohoo! Going early this year...don't know what to pack for the weather. A bit to cover all eventualities, including snow!, I think. Cats, how lucky are they? They just have the one, beautiful fur coat!

You talkin' 'bout me?

Have fun!

Z xx

The Last Vestiges...

...of the selection of homemade goodies!

It was a bit of a "designer" collection, so to speak.

First, there's Nigella's "Sweet and Salty Chocolate Bars", very yummy choccy bars with peanuts and crushed Crunchie (honeycomb) bars. Then Martha 'Jailbird' Stewart's' "Neapolitan Coconut Strips", which was like coconut ice but made with melted chocolate. (My personal favourite!).

Back to Nigella for Baklava-absolutely fab, and something I've always fancied having a go at making. It's very easy, just a bit fiddly, but totally delish! This sad looking 'thing' is the last piece of gingerbread that was supposed to be made up into a house...but we started eating it neat!

Finally, the last slice of Kirstie's' "Cheats Christmas Cake". I was pleasantly surprised how good this was; you'd never guess it wasn't made months ago and left to mature. There's a couple of Jamie's' mince pies, using the left-over filo pastry from the baklava. Mind you, I've done mince pies like this years before I saw Jamie's' TV show. And, last of all, homemade brandy butter. I put ground almonds in mine and unfortunately was a bit too heavy-handed with them this time. Too almondy for my liking, but Mr Blossom was more than happy with it.

Thank goodness I don't bake like this all the time!! But it was great not to be ill over Christmas and to be able to be creative in the kitchen. And using my new butchers' block too! Thank you, Mr B!

Nearly the weekend, so enjoy it!

Z xx

Waxwings

So That Was Christmas!

And I am still packing it all away!

Happy New Year - 2011

* Emma, put your tea down before watching this!

A big welcome to Pretty at Heart and BeautyMarked89. Thank you for following. I hope that I can entertain you during 2011!

Wishing you all a wonderful year!

Zoe and Mr Blossom

xxxx