Olivia

This is Olivia Emilys new pony a 15hh Dales mare. I have never really seen a Dales pony before but they are very handsome loving the long thick mane and tail! She has only been in her new home for just over 24 hours so is still settling in but she is a beautiful horse and I am sure she will soon realise she has landed well and truely on her feet! She was very happy to meet her new pal Drummer.

Jeanette and Emily took me out on a ride on Billy round the orchard and in the field. Billy was good as gold and we had a nice canter. Wishing I could afford a horse again and missing Phoenix loads over the bank holiday weekend.

Halloween 2008

I know this is all back to front am and posting out of date order but be thankful i am posting at all :-D This is my halloween house 2008. We did a pumpkin each this year mine is the witch they turned out ok!

This is a little china pumpkin tea light holder that i got in Florida when i was staying with Amy i have a few of these and i love them

This is my fire place my sweets are in the pumpkin bag i had a lot left over as we only had about 2 people knock

Norfolk October 2008

This is the view from the car park after the seal trip to Blakeney i cannot think now the name of the town. Anyway we had fish and chips here and i have never in my life seen a portion of fish and chips like it - two pieces of battered cod and heaps of chips. I have to say it was lovely but i could only eat one piece of the fish. Sim ate my other piece which meant he had eaten three. I was not all that suprised when he threw up later on that night.


on to the seal trip we had to wait over an hour for the tide to come in so we could get in the boat. I was so cheesed off as it was a waste of time though the seals are worth the wait but i couldnt understand as the salty sea dogs must know the tide times so i didnt get this at all. These are the gorgeous seals as seen from the boat trip on Bishops Boats from Blakeney. I never tire of seeing them they are so gorgeous and some of them look a bit like George :-)

View from boat on way to see seals

Next is Cromer and the Hotel de Paris that Stephen Fry used to work in and the tractors on the beach in the background you can see the end of the pier where the lifeboats launch. There is an excellent RNLI museum in Cromer too which i always like to visit as its such a worthwhile cause and you would have to be extremely brave to volunteer. The pier in cromer is a favourite of mine too as its so old fashioned. There are always people with their lines cast hoping to catch some Cromer Crabs!

hotel de paris

Next is a photo of Felbrigg which is a national trust property there is a nice walk from the car park to the house and i loved the house on sight. I liked the motto on the top which i cant translate and the windows. I didnt get to go in which was a shame but we had George with us. I went to the shop and got some nice xmas cards and there was a tea room too. We had a nice walk around the grounds and back to the car park

The next one is a bit cruel but funny - there were these stone lions or whatever they are at Holham Hall and George was really scared of them which i found hilarious. Poor George :-(

Anyway also at holkham these two deer came out of nowhere and charged past us. One of definately chasing the other one but i dont know why also it was odd that they were opposite colours - it was a surreal moment! The park land around Holkham Hall is gorgeous - ther eis also an ice house, obelisk and lake to see. Holkham hall is lovely from the outside i have not been inside but would very much like to. It has odd opening times and limited numbers allowed but the park is free and there is a lot to see.

Leaves at blicking

here goes with a couple of pic of the mausoleum on the walk at blicking and an autumnal pic of a chestnut!! The mausoleum walk at Blickling has taken over from Sandringham Woods as my favourite walk. There isnt one part of the walk that isnt a pleasure and its just the right length. You get a great view of the hall from the lake part of the walk and the woods are lovely then you get to the clearing with the mausoleum which i think is romantic imagine somone building you something like that. Then on the walk back you can see the folly in the distance and go through some park land it really is a lovely walk. Looking forward to doing it again sometime soon

Amys take on cottage pie

This is my pie made by your recipie and i absolutely frickin LOVE it :-) i will never eat it any other way again!!

Christmas Cake

This is my christmas cake i am upset that i didnt get a photo of it in its full glory! though i think the half eaten look at least proves it was edible?! I was also upset that the edible sparkles didnt arrive in time as that was supposed to make the royal icing glitter like snow :-) The cake recipie came from the somerfield magazine and have made it two years in a row as it seems popular. Its not as dark and dense as a lot of traditional xmas cakes it has more nuts in it and the cake bit of it is lighter too. My dad just read over my sholder and said i could say it was very nice. The icing went rock hard after a couple of weeks though but i guess thats because it was royal icing and apparently if you put gelatine in it doesnt go rock hard. The only part i didnt make myself was the marzipan i just ran out of time but might try it this year. I loved making it, feeding it with brandy and icing it and will definately do it again. I have seen a recipie in nigella for chocolate christmans cake that is tempting me

FAO Amy : The Tudors

Have you seen any of The Tudors yet? I loved this serise! Its totally inaccurate and very glamorous, full of beautiful people but thats what we want to see on t.v Who wants fat, old Henry when you can have Jonathan Rhys Meyers?!!!! A lot of it is really daft but thats why its brilliant. What is really amazing though is how this is all turned on its head in the last two episodes of serise two. They are some of the best tv i have seen in a long while and blow Other Boleyn (film) out of the water. I actually found the bits about Anne Boleyn at the end quite upsetting. Cant wait for you to see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elderberry Liqueur

This year after the jam success i decided to try some more hedgerow recipies! There were loads of elderberries where i walk george so decided to make elderberry liqueur this year. Just needed to pick the elderberries. Thought this would be easy but i was too late someone had got their first and picked all the ones within easy reash so i was left standing on gates and bashing my way through nettles! Was determind though! I picked as many as i could but still wasnt sure it was enough. Got them back to parents house and started de-stalking this was a chore so roped mum in to help. Finally got the 900g needed. The liqueur is dead easy to make its just the picking of berries that is tough! Get the 900g of berries in a bowl and mash them up a bit with a potato masher. Add 1 pint of brandy, half a cinamon stick and a big pinch of mixed spice. Stir it all up and pour into jars. Leave for at least 4 weeks somewhere warm. Then strain through muslin into bottles and ta daa!