More Luck than I Deserve...?

A really lovely, relaxing Easter holiday came and went.

The troop was gathered and I have to say I really enjoyed just being home with the family.

The days were spent with good food, long walks, knitting, talking and sleeping.

 

But I wonder if I might have used up this year's allotted portion of good luck.

Just listen to this:

 

On Saturday we took the Student and the in-laws for a meal at our favourite Turkish restaurant Efes. I had booked the table for 5.45 as this was the only time they could fit us in. We were fortunate enough to get a parking space right in front of the restaurant. As we were tucking in to the meze that was appearing in front of us (soooo gooooood!) I happened to cast an eye out of the window and saw to my horror a parking attendant looking at the car! I knew I had not paid for parking as I thought it was free after 5 pm. I couldn't even manage to speak, just squeaked and bolted out the door with napkin in hand and food in my mouth. All the charm I possibly could possess was mustered and believe it or not - he let me off the hook! Parking was payable till 6.30, so I ran in again and the kind waiters were offering me coins to put on the meter.

Lucky escape no 1!

 

borrowed from the web

 

The next day we decided to walk along The Backs and through King's College to look at the lovely daffodils and tourists. Even if we live in walking distance to town, my in-laws can't manage to walk too far so we drove and parked in a nearby road to the entry to the college from the Backs. It is a fairly long road, and we were parked about mid-way. We proceeded on foot in to town and my charm came to full force again when I manage to convince the kind guardsman to let me bring all three of my guests (University employees can normally bring 2 free guests).

 

Town was packed and we enjoyed Afternoon Tea at Harriet's. Tip: the portions are so generous - we ordered for 3 (even if we were 4) and even managed to bring home a small doggy bag as we just couldn't finish it all.

 

borrowed from the web
On the way back we leisurely walked over Garret Hostel Bridge on Burrel's Walk and looked at the people punting. We had been out for about 3 hours when we entered on to the street where I had parked the car. I suddenly noticed a couple examining the parking meter and saw to my horror that parking was payable ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. It being Sunday I thought parking was free and I had not paid anything... I then saw the dreaded sight of parking attendants making their way down from the other end of the street! Without a word to my family, I started running LIKE MAD towards our car which was mid way between me and the parking attendant.... Suddenly the hours spent in the gym came into force and I sped to the car, delighted to see they had not reached our car yet and just jumped in and drove down to the family who by now realised what had happened...
Lucky escape no 2!

So, lesson from this Easter: start paying attention to parking regulations and parking meters...!

 

 

 

Even in December...

I had to make a quick trip up north to Durham on the weekend and was surprised to see that the amazing rose bushes outside our house are still blooming...

Even in December...

With the low light and the particular glow the sun has this time of year it made me think of the song "In the bleak midwinter". Here is a version sung by the Choir of Kings in Cambridge.

It is rapidly getting colder all over the country - even if there is no sign of snow neither in Durham nor in Cambridge... The cold here is a different 'kind' than I am used to from Scandinavia. It is a 'humid' cold which clings to your skin and you feel much chillier here than at even lower temperatures in a 'dry' cold.

On the plus side, I don't struggle with excessively dry, itchy skin here as I often encounter in a 'drier' cold.

It is important to see the bright side of things..!

:-)

Hope you are enjoying the advent season - the anticipation and preparations are almost the best part of Christmas, in my view!

Still Hanging in There!

 

Oh, yes, I am still here!

I have neither found the right time nor inspiration for the blog, but I hope that will return!

 

I have gone back to work, and after my summer ordeal that felt ok. Not great, but ok. I am still on a phased return but aiming to start full time again next week. I think that will be ok, too. Sometimes you have to push yourself to move forward. One good thing that has come out of my illness is that I  started working out. Since July I have been going to the gym every other day and I really LOVE it. Who would have thought.... It has become a habit and I feel so much better for it. I just hope I can keep it up when I start working full time...!

☺ 

Time flies and beautiful autumn days are here. The heating goes on regularly in the afternoons, the Cat refuses to step outside for days on end (he is getting lazier by the year) and The Professor reported frost on the ground up north in Durham where he is.

Last week was half term and Halloween and tonight is Bonfire Night. I wrote about Bonfire Night last year, so you can read about that here, if you want. Soon it will be Thanksgiving and then Christmas. It is just one form of celebration after the other!

Another thing to mention is that Our Boy has also sent off his University application for studying next year. So fingers (and toes and anything else!) crossed he is accepted to the course he wants at the University he wants! I am just finding it hard to understand that he is soon off to University... Seriously, where have the years gone???

These pictures are from Sunday when I managed to lure Our Boy (I guess I should start calling him Our Young Man ...) with me for a walk on Sunday with the promise of having lunch at a noodle bar. Their noodles in hot, steamy and  broth, like their Tom Kha Gai is just what you need on a blustery day. The soup was bursting with flavoursome broth enhanced with coconut milk, chicken, pork, seafood, mushrooms and various vegetables and vermicelli noodles. The portions are enormous so the leftovers were brought home and served as a starter for dinner.
No wonder this is a popular place with students!

So, time I had a 'wander' around Bloglandia and see what other bloggers are up to! Maybe time to start thinking of Christmas, too! That reminds me - I MUST get the amaryllis bulbs planted if I am to have any chance of it blooming for Christmas! Last year's didn't bloom until end of April...! I think I might be late already...

Have you got yours planted...?



 

Confused...

I think this plant must be confused. The bulb was bought in time for it to bloom for Christmas - I potted it and started tending to it at the end of October 2012 and

NOTHING
happened.

Christmas came and went and no sign of any growth. I thought it was dead, but decided to leave it  it in the pot and more or less forgot about it. I kept giving it a little water every now and then and about 6 weeks ago I could see some signs of growth!

 

So, now at the end of April when the temperature is reaching double digits, it is in full bloom. Given the very cold winter we have had it was perhaps not strange that it has been 'hibernating'?Unfortunately, it grew so big that one night it toppled over and the flowers broke off. Still pretty in a vase.

Anyway, THAT must be what is called a late bloomer!
 

☺

Tried and Tested: Sunflower Bread

Not much sun over here this summer...

Heard on the radio it was the wettest June since they started keeping records...

Soooo fed up with the rain!

Last night I started a dough of bread, but left it in the fridge to rise overnight and I baked it this morning before heading to work. I must admit I don't eat much bread, but there is something very satisfying with the smell of home made bread.

Besides, there are others in the house who just can't live without bread!

I used only white flower today along with sunflowerseeds and pumpkin seeds, but I normally use a random mix of flours to get a darker/healthier variety. Note that you must use minimum 1/2 l of white flour, if not,  the bread becomes too heavy. This is my tried and trusted no-work-no-kneading-recipe and I know it by heart! So easy, and so nice to pop the bread in the oven and serve fresh baked bread for breakfast. It makes two smaller breads or one large.

1 l flour

0.5 l water

2 teaspoons yeast

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

4 generous tablespoons olive oil

2 generous handfuls of sunflowerseeds

2 generous handfuls of pumpkin seeds

Mix well and let it rise on the counter for a few hours.

Pop the bowl with the dough in the fridge and let the dough continue to rise overnight.

Bake on 175 degrees for about 40 mins.

taken with my IPhone via Instagram

Seemed fitting to bake the bread in my sunflower mould as a dear and lovely friend of mine brought me gorgeous sunflowers for no other reason than to brighten my day!

♥

Now, where is that real sun....????

May I Introduce You To...

I popped outside the door to take some pictures of all the lovely flowers in full bloom. Suddenly, I lost concentration and became aware of something making a lot of noice and creeping into view through the lense...

May I introduce you to TenTen?

The neighbourhoods most talkative cat!

He is not our cat.

He kind of "belongs" to one of our neighbours.

Well, he actually belongs to some other people on a different street...

Ok, here is the story of TenTen:

One dark and blustery night (all stories start like that, don't they...) our neighbours had a knock on the door at 10 pm. There was a very concerned lady explaining that she had almost run over a cat as the silly creature was just lying in the middle of the road... Since our neighbours house was the closest she thought perhaps the cat was theirs? It wasn't their cat, but our neighbours are kind and loving people who took the cat in and the cat absolutely loved it! 

They called him TenTen since he arrived at 10 pm on the 10th day of the month...

The neighbours searched for days to find out who TenTen belonged to. Yes, he was chipped, but the owners had changed address so the vet was not able to contact them. To cut a long story short, after a lot of detective work, our neighbours found the real owners. They had several cats and were well used to Ten Ten leaving for days on end. We all think with several other cats in the house it was a bit too much for him.

So, his owners didn't mind that he more or less moved in with our neighbours who fittingly enough are called Charity. He sometimes goes back to visit his original family, but most of the time he likes it around our cul-de-sac with his 'new' family. He is the friendliest of cats and talks to everyone. If you leave your doors open, he will visit and make himself at home.

However, not in our house.

Our Cat sees to that!

They do get along nicely and sometimes TenTen comes to our garden to play with Our Cat, but Our Cat draws the line about visits to OUR house.

I think TenTen's talking is too much for Our Cat who is more of the dark, mysterious and silent type...

All in all, a happy ending to the story of TenTen.

I think the point that you don't choose a cat - the cat chooses you has been well proved!



What Makes Me Smile...

the soft sunshine in the morning through the leaves on my lilac tree

 

or the 'yellow' tree (don't remember the name) also in full bloom

The little gems in an ordinary day.

Almost summer...?
♥

Lilac Time!

Relaxing Bank Holiday!

We met with friends coming up from Paris, went to the old medieval village of Lavenham and did some gardening.

Perfect!

The lilac is now blooming in the garden even if the temperature doesn't quite tell us it is May. The rain still keeps pouring down, but I have chosen to see it as a blessing for the garden...

So since things are growing in the garden, we must be heading 'in the right direction'.
☺

I am a bit curious to see how this year's tomato plants will be. I got a new grafted variety giving two types of tomatoes on the same plant. Apparently, they grow faster and is less needy of lots of light and sunshine. If the rain we have had lately is anything to go by, it might be just as well to get some hardier tomatoes for this climate...

I only got the tomatoes this time at the garden centre. Will need to think about the chilies soon too. Perhaps I will try something new this year - cucumber, perhaps?

So, what are you growing in your garden this year?

Not Exactly Snow... and Nowruz

The trees along the garages are in full bloom covering the ground with their pretty white/pink petals. Looks like snow, but this is the type of 'snow' I prefer

♥

Lovely sunshine on a Monday is much appreciated, but WHY could it not have been shining on Sunday too???

Tomorrow is Nowruz (1391). Read here and here to learn more about the Persian New Year's celebrations. It will be a quiet celebration for us tomorrow as The Professor was home on the weekend and we had an early joint Nowruz celebration and Mother's Day celebration (yes, that was yesterday here in the UK). Got to be pragmatic when the Nowruz celebration changes time and day every year! This year it will Tuesday 20 March at 05.14 am...! And no... I will NOT be awake for that tomorrow morning!

☺

Hyacinths are among the traditional flowers for Nowruz. I got these as bulbs from a friend of mine for my birthday in November. After potting them (and forgetting them), I left them in the garage over the winter. Purely by accident, I remembered them one day I was in the garage and brought them in to the house two weeks ago. Their blooms are now perfectly timed for the celebrations!

Eid-e-Shoma Mubarak!



It Is Happening...

Spring is HERE!

We have enjoyed +18 degrees some days (not every day) and the crocuses are in full bloom along the Backs.

I didn't manage to get out and take pictures myself this weekend, so I have borrowed one from BBC, but this is what it really looks like now.

So lovely and much appreciated!

The concert on Friday with Joan Baez was even better than I had thought.

What a lady!

We were probably among the younger ones in the crowd, but the lady herself is 71 - amazing...

It was really nice to have a 'date' with The Professor!

♥

Ms Baez played many of the familiar, old time favourites, but also quite a few new ones. I particularly liked this one - 'Just the Way You Are' written by Dirk Powell who was accomanying her:

Autumn Joy and Activities

If you don't mind - another autumnal picture.

I just love these colours on the leaves!

But some things just refuse to stop blooming.

I think this is the 2nd or perhaps 3rd round of blooms on this bush this year!

Our Boy got the bike he had set his eyes when we went to London...

He is very keen and hurries home from school to manage a ride before it gets dark.

Got to support activities that get them away from the computers!

:-)

Welcoming Autumnal Beauty...

In preparation for Christmas (yes!, I know it is early) I started collecting some pine cones from the garden. I remember last year not finding any as the gardeners (we have gardeners that take care of the communal part of the garden (no arguments!)- could have used them in our private part, too...) had been to meticulous in sweeping them up, so I thought I would not be caught out this year!

I have also noticed on several blogs that using nature's own in various decorations is 'in' these days... So, instead of waiting till Christmas I filled a basket and put the cones by the entrance door as a small welcome.

We get several different types of heather-looking plants over here and this purple and white variety caught my eye at the garden centre. It now forms part of the welcome outside our door.

The wall by the entrance to our little cul-de-sac is literally 'on fire'!

I think this weather worn and dried number post is rather charming. Notice the cobwebs! I actually think even THAT is charming in the sunshine...

And if you look really closely you can see somebody else also visiting the old number post...

;-)

Tomatoes Galore and Garden Joys

The tomatoes are coming along very well this year. 

Might have something to do with the fact that I bought some special tomato fertilizer and have been rather good at watering them...?

On the weekend I picked up this hanging basket with tomatoes from the garden centre. 

I haven't tried that way of growing them before, so this will be an experiment. 

One of my chili plants mysteriously died so I got another to replace it. 

We are waiting in great anticipation to make more of Fru Tunheim's Sweet Chili Sauce which has become a favourite in our house.

The mint, basil, chives and rosemary are also thriving giving us lots of lovely herbs for our meals. 

Nothing worth freezing or drying - we are loving eating everything fresh!

I really love my tiny little garden and marvel over all the different foliage and shades of green!

A small garden does require some work, 

but there is plenty of time to sit down with a book and a glass of something nice to drink 

while enjoying the warmth from the sun, reflecting on life and

 watching the flowers grow. 

Come and Meet Ms Leila Lavender and Friends

The blog Moseplassen is running a competition on 'Ms Purple 2011'.

I didn't think I had that many purple flowers in the garden, but when I started looking - yes! there are a few...
I particularly love Ms Leilla Lavender for her simple beauty and lovely fragrant smell as you pass her by

;-)

But she has other purple friends in the garden:

Some receive a busy buzzing visitor:

and some just enjoy the morning sunshine:

Listening to the Summer Sounds...

I quickly spray painted the iron basket. I think it looks prettier in white than in the original brown.

This evening I am enjoying being thoroughly physically tired .. 

-  tired from working in the garden. 

It is that kind of satisfied tiredness knowing you have done something really useful. 

Basil, garlic chives, rosemary, mint, tomatoes and chilies are among this years crop

Our Boy went hiking (12 km) and camping with the scouts last night. After picking him up at 9.30 this morning from the camp site I decided to 'attack' the garden. Our Boy is revising for GCSE exams starting next week, so no help to be had from him, but The Best-Neighbour-In-The-World came out and gave me a hand. It is so nice to work together with somebody!

The borders were all overgrown - the &*%@ ivy had taken over big time and the hedge was blocking for the sunshine.  Our garden is very small, but we have three huge trees 

(lilac, elderflower and one with yellow flowers - can't remember the name) 

and they need pruning so we also get some sunshine... 

We filled three bins with our cuttings!

I should have had some before-and-after pictures, but these are all 'after' pictures. I nipped out to the garden centre and got some more plants and some soil. 

Just need to be good watering the new plants unless we get some much needed rain! 

The lawn is looking very unattractive as it has gone without rain for such a long time... 

Actually, I never thought I would actually wish for rain here in England. 

Normally we have more than enough!

But you make do with what there is and if the weather keeps I am hoping to paint the bench and the chair tomorrow. They have both weathered rather a lot since last year so I think it will give them a new lease of life.

Color? 

I am going 'white' this summer, of course!

;-)

Enjoying the bank holiday weekend

feels nice to get my camera out - the Iphone just isn't good enough...

We are basking in the sunshine this lovely bank holiday weekend. The royal wedding gave most people Friday off and the pragmatic British celebrate 1 May on the first Monday of the month so tomorrow is free too! I might have to pop in to the office to prepare a few things for upcoming events, but it is so lovely not to have to run after the clock. I think that is what stresses me the most - not the work itself.

On our trip to Bath last weekend I was lucky enough to travel with people who love looking for antiques and bargains as much as I do (don't tell the Professor...!;-)). Nobody therefore objected to making a few stops on the way when we were lured off the beaten track when seeing signs for car boot sales! We all found some 'treasures' and this blue pot was one of my finds. 

I admire my guests for managing to bring all their 'treasures' back to Norway...! 

Don't you think the pot looks lovely with the lilacs which are now in full bloom here in 'my corner'?

:-)

I hope you are having a happy 1 May wherever you are!

Spring

The magnolia is in full bloom in the garden and we have enjoyed a lovely spring weekend together with good friends for lunch yesterday and various minor house projects. All winter shoes/gloves/hats and scarfs are packed away for at least 6-7 months!

It is Mother's day here in the UK today and my men spoiled me with a big basket of various spa products and chocolates (think there was some self interest in that part of the gift ;-)) as well as lunch in the 'village at the end of the path'. Just lovely!

Our Boy is on his long Easter holiday while the Professor and I have to carry on working for a couple more weeks. Busy week ahead with conferences and preparations for major planning meetings after Easter, but first a dinner with The Ladies Who Dine tomorrow night!

Can't wait!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

A Lazy Weekend

After a migraine attack last evening I am feeling rather washed out today. I only get them a few times a year and they are normally triggered by strong or flashing light. I should have known it might happen as I was driving behind a rescue car with flashing lights and the thought struck me 'that doesn't feel good to look at'. I should have stopped the car and made more distance between the rescue car and me, but that is easy to say now. 

However, I am normally not too bad if I get to my medication in time, but I still feel rather rotten the day after.



yipppeee! The rhubarb has survived the winter and has started sprouting!



Fortunately, it is not a very hectic weekend ahead of us.

Some grocery shopping and a quick trip to the garden centre to get some spring flowers to cheer me up was quickly done away with this morning. I feel better already.

;-)

We have a whopping 15 degrees today (yes, plus 15!), but it is soooo windy! Feels like the entire house will take off!

I am therefore staying in, taking it easy with a cup of tea and admiring the spring flowers.

Enjoy the weekend,

wherever you are and whatever the weather you have!