Things I have learned

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Clocks

Source: beardog100.tumblr.com via Beardog on Pinterest

I love clocks. Strangely I don't wear a watch though, but I do like clocks.

Source: google.com via Kathleen on Pinterest

I like big clocks. The sort you find in uber trendy homes based on the design  of those huge train station clocks. This one is perfect in the kitchen isn't it? I love the simplicity of it and how it is so perfectly colour coordinated.

Source: mixandchic.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Clocks on the mantelpiece are classic. These are lovely clocks, although you normally only have the one. I don't have one above my fireplace either because I haven't found the perfect clock yet.

Source: roomzaar.com via Lisa on Pinterest

 But these are my favourite of all clocks and one day I hope to have one:

Source: ellaandbaba.blogspot.com via Lisa on Pinterest

until next 'time'....

Love Beardog xx

Running and Laughing

I have never felt so happy as I was this morning running into the wind and laughing like a loon. When you body is fit and strong enough to make running feel joyful, there is nothing better.

On my way to fitness and long life.

Year 2012

It is 2012, it is raining and very windy, I am out walking the dog. Christmas feels like a blip in a sea of ordinary day to day stuff. I'm back where I started but with more cleaning to do and a ton of mince pies no one wants to eat. I am thinking about spring and my garden. It has been so mild over the past few months that all the bulbs in the garden are already showing their tender green tips. There is no big freeze or snow storms predicted by the weathermen but it can and does snow even as late as March/April, so we will see. But I have great plans for the garden, all of which of course involve money. So it will be slow and hopefully  the better for the lack of haste.

By February, the new year feeling will have gone, no doubt. Time will fly by. But I have decided that this year, I will have put in place the seeds for a new way of life.

For now I will visualise my improving garden and consider  my new life adventures and finalise my plans to make it all happen.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Time to say goodbye

Whatever you think you know, you don't know and whatever you guess, is wrong or exactly right.

 But unless you are a complete idiot, you will always know when the genuine friendship you once had is gone to be replaced with a barely concealed tolerance.

 Then you know to extract yourself and be swift, be thorough and be final.

Goodbye you say, cheerio, see ya.

Make no drama, take a pledge, and closed the door, lock it and throw the key with great force into the sea.

Bye

Deck the halls....

The time has come to get out the Christmas decorations and make the house and garden look festive. This year in the spirit of austerity I have been a little less over the top and have been inspired by the current make and mend ethos.

 Here are a few inspirational photos:

Jazz up candles

Decorate with ribbon

make your own tree decorations

home made hearts 

twiggy tree for christmas cards

rusty birds

trays of candles add sparkle to the coffee table

In Santa and the spirit of Christmas

Branches from garden: add baubles

Add lights to trees outdoors

Finally a wreath on the front door

Photos from Pinterest.








Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!


xx

Elderberry Jelly

Jelly is a preserve of fruit and sugar which is clear and colourful and consists of the fruit without the attendant pulp, skins, seeds and pips. I made my jelly from the recipe in the following book:

The Right Way to Make Jams (Right Way S.): Amazon.co.uk: Cyril Grange: Books

I love free stuff especially food.

I was given a large free bag of elderberries and decided to make some jelly.

  After a wash and de-stalking ( which if I had read the recipe first I could have avoided  as de-stalking is not necessary when making jelly).

I placed the elderberries and 2 lbs of cooking apples (cut up and washed) from the garden into the preserving pan and add water and lemon juice.

Quite a good haul!

Simmer to cook and extract the juice.

Strain, allow the fruit pulp to drip through the double layer of butter muslin overnight to extract all the juice.

The next morning measure out the juice and add 1 lb of sugar for each pint of juice to the pan.

Bring the juice and sugar to the boil, and allow it to boil rapidly, stirring so sugar dissolves. Setting point should be reached within 20 - 30 minutes, the thermometer should be 104 - 105 C (200 - 221 F).

Clear the scum off the top, fill sterilized jars right to the top; pour slowly so that no bubbles are formed. Cover with waxed disc and screw lids on tight.  Label etc.

A tip for pretty jam jar covers like mine: cupcake cases, they come in lots of  pretty designs and are very cheap.

Jellies can be time consuming but for great for people who prefer jams without 'bits'. A good jelly should wobbly, be clear and have the concentrated flavour of the fruit.

Until next time,


Beardog xx