miss marie's miscellany

August 2011

Sorry this is a bit late; busy, busy, busy! For August's photo, I've chosen this beautiful calendula flower.....I'm having a bit of a love affair with the colour orange just now, so I couldn't resist this!

In a pickle

It's been a good year for courgettes but there are only so many of them one can eat before a mountain of them start to take over the kitchen! I've been looking for some different ways to use them up and happened upon this brilliant recipe. It uses up quite a stack of courgettes and the smell is heavenly. I didn't have exactly the same spices as the recipe; I improvised and used cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black onion seeds, mustard seeds, pink peppercorns and chilli flakes.

I'm looking forward to tasting them, once they have matured a little!

June 2011

Things have been hectic for a while in these parts. You've probably noticed a slight lack of posts recently, for which I'm sorry, real life has taken over for a bit; lots of worries about money and work, which I don't want to bring here. I'm trying to keep positive and this blog is one of my escapes from the austere times in which we are living. Just so you know, if I'm a bit absent for a bit, there'll be stuff happening; but I won't be gone for long!

June has been quite a good month in the end, and I've had some good times. And lots of cake! I think the cake kept me sane..........as they say, Keep Calm and Eat Cake. The photo was taken in Belfast overlooking the river, where I stayed in a very smart apartment, complete with its own gin & tonic balcony!

 

 

In the garden yesterday

Ah, yesterday was a gorgeous sunny day, just perfect for some alfresco dining

Some tulip admiration

My cat friend who often pops by for a visit!

My new boots, oh how I love these; they rock!

Cherry tree covered in beautiful blossom, just breath-taking this year

More tulip love

And of course there was a some hooky goings-on, always very lovely to do this whilst sitting in the sun. I've just about finished this and  I'll be able to show you the finished article very soon

More of the same tomorrow, as the forecast is for a scorcher!

February

It was quite hard to choose just one photo this month; should it be something crafty, something garden-related or to do with the advent of spring. In the end I decide to pick this photo, for the colour and the oncoming season which brings us such lovely flowers.

I'll be showing you my big green blanket later this week, it's turned out very nicely and is also very spring-themed......soon :-)

 

 

 

3 good things - day 3

1) Hmm, the first batch of mince pies; the house smells wonderful with the spice and fruit scenting the air. 

2) I meet my lovely friend M for coffee and chat; with all the hustle and bustle of getting shopping and presents bought, it's good to step back and make time to sit and catch up and wish each other a happy Christmas.

3) I made a crochet Christmas tree!

I've seen people do this kind of thing with all sorts of objects,Christmas cards and old polaroids to name a few; I used various crochet shapes I made for Christmas last year (stars, snowflakes, hearts and flowers) and fixed them on the wall in a tree shape.  I am quite taken with it, in fact next year I may do this on a grander scale! 

3 good things - day 2

1) Planning the Christmas dinner with my sister; all the party this year are all vegetarians, so we have much fun drooling over recipes and deciding what to eat. I think we are veering towards Chestnut and parsnip roulade with all the roasties to accompany and to follow ginger and white chocolate cheesecake. Yum.

2) One of my piano pupils get a great result for his first exam; I am delighted, so is he (although he tries to be super-cool about it!)and  his mum is relieved and very happy :-)

3) I got fed up sliding around in the snow and ice, so I ordered these snow boots which arrived today. They are a funky gold colour, fabulous and very festive, and they keep my feet cosy, warm and dry, in fact it's the first time for a month that my feet haven't been like 2 lumps of ice. Result!

Happier

Sometimes, it's little things which can cheer you up the most

 

A visit to see friends who live by the sea

 
 

Some new arrivals in the garden

 

A new WIP

 

And if all else fails, something sweet will hit the spot (sorry this pic is a bit blurred, I must have been excited at the impending sugar rush)

 

(In case you're wondering, the lovely pudding above was rhubarb creme brulee with ginger biscuits and was to die for!)
 
  

 

January collage

The first half of January seems to have been dominated by the snowy, icy weather which was lovely to look at........sometimes! And the results of staying in the house have been much yarny goings-on. Then there was my birthday and my trip to Liverpool. So all in all, a pretty good month to reflect on.

 

Birthday

Today is my birthday :-) which I will spend at work :-(  However, not to be thwarted in the pursuit of enjoyment, I decided to start celebrating on Saturday and went for a mega-treat, Afternoon Tea at one of Glasgow's loveliest restaurants, Rogano.  Decorated in the Art Deco style, it is just beautiful, like stepping back to the 1930s. And the food?

 Sumptuous! 

It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon with friends, we all enjoyed it immensely. 

Why stop when you're having fun,  Sunday was a big family gathering and trip to Pizza Express for nice food and chat.

 

3 boys on the town in their chefs hats!

 

Birthday cake too!

 

Purple presents 

 

and cards for this purple-loving gal!

I'm having a quiet birthday tea tonight with loved ones to round off an extended birthday weekend.

So that's it, another year older, now I'm 46, an age which sounded positively geriatric to me when a teenager........now I've got here, it's just fine!