Learn to Crochet Workshop

I had such an enjoyable day yesterday in the company of five lovely ladies who attended the Learn to Crochet Day Workshop that I first blogged about back in September (where has all that time gone?).

What could be better on a dull and damp Saturday than to spend the day crocheting!

I took plenty of wool...

We had coffee, flapjack and choc chip cookies...learning to crochet is such thirsty work!

I am annoyed with myself that, having remembered to take the camera, I did not take any photos of the workshop in progress...I was far too busy! The leftover homemade choc chip cookies disappeared very quickly when I returned home last night - thanks to my hubby and a teenage son who is always on the look out for food!

I made roasted root vegetable soup with homemade bread (wholemeal, granary and tomato & herb) for lunch. I had some of the leftover soup for my lunch today...mmm, yummy!

I took a selection of English cheeses (Somerset Camembert, Stilton, Cheddar & Wensleydale) with apples, bananas and grapes. We all sat down together around a large table that had been beautifully set by my dear daughter, who did all the kitcheny things, which allowed me to spend the maximum amount of time teaching the lovely ladies how to crochet. She looked after us all very well indeed.

We had tea and cakes in the afternoon - chocolate sponge, fruit cake and lemon drizzle buns!

I am so pleased with how things went, especially as it was the first time that I have organised my own workshop day, and I was delighted with the feedback I received from the five lovely ladies that attended. One of those lovely ladies was Carol, who had found out about the workshop through my blog, and you can read her very kind comments about yesterday here. It was such a pleasure to meet Carol and the other ladies, who are all keen to hear about future workshops and sessions. My mind is spinning with all the exciting possibilities....so watch this space to find out what is next!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

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Edible Delights....or not?

Last weekend, when I was staying at my parents' house, I tried Dragon Fruit for the first time. I have often admired its vibrant pink skin on the supermarket shelves and was expecting some kind of luscious pink flesh with tropical fruit flavours...

but the flesh inside is a pale greyish colour with black seeds...

and, as my niece said "it doesn't really taste of very much, does it?" Edible, but not delightful!

I came across this growing under one of the buddleias in the garden...

and it looks delicious, like it would be perfectly at home alongside a crisp rasher of bacon and a poached egg on toast for breakfast! Delightful, but is it edible?

On Wednesday it was time for my Felt, Fabric & Crochet Christmas Decorations Workshop and, as I always take homemade cakes with me, I decided that it was time for the first batch of mince pies...

...edible and delightful!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

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Lemony Cheer

I love the look of luscious lemons in a bowl...

and the taste of homemade, luscious lemon drizzle buns with a nice cup of tea!

We've all been feeling a little down in the dumps today as we should be have been in Norfolk this weekend to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday and my niece's 6th birthday, but we had to put off our visit due to my son not being well for the second time this holiday! Poor lad - terrible headache, raging temperature and generally feeling awful! My husband keeps asking if he's "craving truffles" in an attempt to make light of the possibility of it being swine flu! Needless to say, he's not impressed!

Thank heavens for lemons!

Rebecca

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Bread

Since my breadmaker stopped working a little while ago, I have been buying bread because the thought of making bread by hand just seemed all too much bother. However, the other evening I decided to get down to it and it really didn't take long at all. There was something just so satisfying about it too - all that stress-busting kneading, not to mention the lovely smell as it rose in the kitchen and baked in the oven! Here's the resulting wholemeal loaf with butter at the ready...
After Wednesday evening's storm and heavy rainfall, I had to smile at the cover of the Country Living magazine that dropped through the letterbox this morning ... "The great BRITISH SUMMER" !!


Something lovely to look at while enjoying an egg mayo sandwich (with the remains of the homemade loaf!) in the garden! I spotted Naughty Cat No.1 catching some lunchtime sunshine too!

"Oh, that's spoilt my sunbathing!"

"It's so bright out here!"

Naughty Cat No.2 is not quite such a show off! In fact, she is very shy indeed and, usually, very difficult to photograph, but I caught her..... on the garden table!

Hope the weather holds for the weekend!

Rebecca

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