Keeping Cosy

Hello Lovelies,

I can't quite believe it's Saturday morning again already. The weather has really changed in the past few days and this morning I felt the need to light the fire for the first time this Autumn. We won't put up our Christmas decorations until next weekend  (would be later if it was my choice...I'm trying to hang onto autumn and I don't like to focus on Christmas until mid  December really😊) but I'm happy to have a few fairy lights up already to add to the cosy vibe.

This was the garden at about 9am. We had snow! I say had as it's already melted but wasn't it pretty! 

Ideal weather to get in the in the kitchen and do some baking again. There's currently a gingerbread cake  in the oven. I have some black treacle that needs using up so I've been on the look out for recipes that need some.

Today I decided to look in this book which mum passed on to me. I wonder if any of you remember the TV series this book was produced to accompany? It was a 70's series and I only have the vaguest of recollections.  

Any cake with plenty of ginger is ideal for cold weather I always think.

It certainly has been chillier here but Thursday brought my most favourite walking weather. 

Frost and sunshine.

 I dropped youngest off at work and headed to the start point of a walk not far from there. I parked on the roadside but was soon out in the countryside and the only person around. It was gorgeous.

A bit further along the path I noticed a group of men walking towards me. They seemed friendly enough as we crossed paths but struck me as a bit out of place. It didn't help when they stopped walking when I was still only a bit past them. I hurried on and was happy to spot a lone figure up ahead. He stood still (on his phone) until I passed him. He was at a folk in the path. Oh dear, that stuck me as odd too.

It was all innocent I'm sure, but on Thursday morning I suddenly felt really vulnerable. My imagination told me something horrible was about to happen and it didn't make for a happy walk. This track seemed to go on for a long time and I think I would have jumped in the hedgerow if a van had appeared.

I stuck to my original 4 mile route plan as I didn't know an alternative and I didn't want to double back. It's a long way when you are wondering what's around every corner and looking over your shoulder a lot.

 

I think the recent horribly sad cases of women loosing their lives while just being outside must be affecting me, but I don't want to live in fear. I will be avoiding this area, unless I have company, for a good while though. 

Sorry if that was a bit heavy, I just felt the need to share. I hope you don't mind. I don't want to add to anybody else's worries but I think being honest is important too. 

My cake is now out of the oven, it smells amazing.

Here is the recipe, in case you fancy making one yourselves lovelies.

As it's better after keeping for a few days I also made some simple shortbread biscuits.

HERE'S a similar recipe . I roll the dough into a sausage and cut into 5cm sections. Once they are on the baking tray I squash them with the back of a folk. It's very easy and I like the biscuit shape it creates 

I think that's a good morning's work...Lets call it that 😉, though it's really a joy to spend time baking. Especially when the temperature is 3 degrees Celsius outside and the wind is howling.

Whishing you a happy weekend lovelies, I hope life is treating you kindly and you can enjoy whatever you are doing.

Jacquie x

Simply Seasonal ..... The Beast from the East

Hello Lovelies,

 welcome to an especially chilly edition of my Simply Seasonal posts. This past week the U.K. has endured exceptionally low temperatures (for us) and high winds, which made it feel even colder. The weather people...or was it the newspapers.... labelled it The Beast from the East, as cold air was dragged in from the continent.

 I do love the changing seasons and I can honestly say I didn't moan about the cold...even when our heating packed up. It seems our  super duper, energy efficient, condensing boiler cannot cope with extreme cold...what !? That's not me moaning...just saying....again :0)

Anyway, despite all that there has been plenty to smile about.

1. Snow. I do love a bit of the white stuff. We don't get that much here in the midlands so it's always a novelty. And it does look pretty.

The cold weather started on Monday but the first day I was able to get out for a walk was Wednesday. Eldest's  College was closed, so we walked together.

I had been worrying about my Robin in the bitter cold and the sight of him looking so bedraggled was a nasty shock. All we could do was leave him lots of food and hope for the best.

2 ♥ Winter in the Park. Wednesday afternoon brought some sunshine, but don't let that fool you into thinking it had warmed up at all. I dashed about in the freezing temperatures to snap these pictures.
The water on the pond was frozen.

and the bedding plants were frozen in time

There was not much colour so the bright orange stems of the Dogwood were simply stunning with a white backdrop.

3♥ More Snow. On Thursday morning we woke to lots more snow. All the family was at home as the schools were closed and it was too cold for hubby to work outdoors.

after breakfast, when  I said I was going for a walk, suddenly I had lots of offers of company.

It was great to see the members of the family who usually avoid local walks at all costs out enjoying the freshly fallen snow.



Youngest couldn't resist running around in it. At fifteen he's still a big kid.

The churchyard looked so pretty

and we left extra rations out for Robin...though I did not get a good view of him as he was shy with all of us there.

Aahhh, my favourite church in the snow. Perfect.

The views were bleak but beautiful.

Good to see somebody is well dressed for this weather :0)

4 ♥ Baking By Thursday the house was cold so as well as baking THESE I extended my warm kitchen time by making  two of THESE.

Thank goodness we have this electric stove and a couple of other fan heaters.

 5 ♥ Seasonal Crochet I bought a couple of extra hot water bottles this week as the unheated bedrooms were feeling decidedly chilly. Not a problem for hubby and myself...but not great when you sleep alone. The cold areas of the house were somewhat nostalgic to me and I recalled crocheting a cover for my hot water bottle as a teenager. Actually I used to have two when it was really cold. I remembered a woolly cover meant waking up to a still  warm bottle instead of cold rubber next to your feet.  So far I have made one cover for the boys. What do you think?

I was totally inspired by Heather's gorgeous creations 

 I think it turned out pretty well for a first attempt. I love the double "polo neck" that Heather does so that was a must :0)

Here is the back...less time consuming but still nice I think.

6 ♥ The Thaw. Today the snow is almost gone and the snowdrops are once again visible...though they do look a little the worse for wear.

But best of all....my Robin survived the beast.....phew :0)

Now that the harsh weather has retreated and brother in Law has fixed the heating, I must admit I am looking forward to wearing a few fewer layers next week :0)

Jacquie x

Snowy Magic

Hello Lovelies,

we have been having some "proper" winter weather around here these last few days. The snow fell softly on Sunday and due to the cold temperatures it has stayed around. Tuesday morning was particularly chilly and my garden temperature gauge told me  it was minus 5.5 degrees Celsius at 9.23am.  Brrrr.

  

Still, the sun was shining and I need to get out walking as often as I can. I have to walk over 60 miles before the end of the month if I want to complete my challenge to walk 1000 outdoor "boots on" miles this year.

I wrapped up and carefully picked my way along the icy pavement and stopped when this pretty Holly caught my eye.

Today so many simple scenes were looking stunning

Snow transforms the everyday into something quiet special doesn't it.

I headed for the footpath at the top of the road.

And gazed at the white world stretched out before me.

Plenty of other folks were making the most of the beautiful morning, though most had four legged companions.

Oooh it's so cold maybe the ice on this puddle is strong enough to hold my weight? I tried it out then jumped off laughing when I heard an ominous crack.

I was one of those walks where you just feel happy and blessed.

Onwards into the next field

where the snow glistened on the ploughed earth.

and the sunlight made the few remaining Oak leaves glow.

The light was beautiful.

and the shadows were so long.

I thought maybe there would be no snow left in the woodland, but it still looked lovely.

and further along it just got better.

The snow lay thickly on branches and twigs.

and everywhere looked magical. I don't think my photos do it justice. We don't get than much snow around here so I was particularly happy to see this spectacle before it melted away.

 Back in the fields the bare trees and hedgerows looked lovely in the sunlight.

 And here a mist added mystery to the wintry landscape.

 Ahhhh, lovely sunlight on my favourite church. Beautiful.

There were lovely scenes everywhere.

 I saw lots of birds on this walk, Blackbirds, long tailed tits, chaffinches and  Robins, but I didn't manage to photograph any....except the Chicken and the crow :0)
 Back home I made sure to put some extra food out for my feathered friends.

Before I headed indoors to warm up. 

I hope you enjoyed coming on this walk lovelies. I'm happy I was able to capture a little of it's special-ness. Once again I felt blessed.

Jacquie x