Happy Easter!

Glad Easter tidings from Willowbrook Park.

Noli me tangere (Do not cling to me). Antonio Correggio, 1525.

Jesus appears to Mary. Alexander Ivanov, 1835.

Happy Easter 2015

Happy Easter from Willowbrook Park

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from Willowbrook Park.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas one and all, near and far. Well, It's almost another year of blogging over again at WBP. Thank you to everyone who has followed, commented, supported us, or just dropped in from time to time to catch up. As followers will know, it has been a year of tremendous change, with immigrating to Australia for work, and finally after many years of planning, beginning construction on WBP. Looking back I still can't believe it has all come together as well as it has.

But it will also be a very different Christmas this year. This year I won't be surrounded by my family and friends on Christmas day; I won't be attending Midnight Mass at St Peter's for the first time in 10 years; I won't be sharing 1am mince tarts and sherry with my friends afterwards; and I won't be playing my traditional "Driving home for Christmas"on my way back from work...

Instead I will be working the late shift in ED right through the festive period, and coming home to listen to "I miss you most at Christmas time"...

But all this will be worth while when we can celebrate next year, once again surrounded by all my loved ones, and at WBP for the first time. So here's wishing you all a truly happy and love-filled Christmas, [especially Peter and Willoughby!]

David.x

Happy Easter...

For some decorative Easter ideas please take a look at our previous Easter Post here.

Good Friday...

ελωι ελωι λιμα σαβαχθανει

Original works of art entitled "Eloi Eloi Lama Sabachthani 1 & 2" (My God, My God, Why hast Thou foresaken me). Taken by me at The College of The Resurrection, Mirfield, Yorkshire during Holy Week 2005.

Orta recens quam pura nites

Happy Easter!

Above: Corregio - Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalen

Above: Sinfonia from JS Bach's Easter Oratorio BWV 249

For some ideas on Easter decorating and celebration see our previous post. David.x

Surrexit Alleluia!

Ecce Agnus Dei...

Above: Detail of the Ghent Altar Tryptich by Jan van Eyck.


Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us your peace.

A short clip of the Choir of New College, Oxford, singing Samuel Barber's Agnus Dei.

Happy Easter...

Happy Easter to everyone out in the bloggosphere! Here are a few ideas to help you celebrate with your friends and family this Sunday...


Firstly, a lovely recipe from Martha, describing how to make these divine little chocolate eggs from home dyed and blown eggs (free-range, organic naturally)...

Blowing your eggs...

1. Using a pin, poke a hole in the bottom of a large raw egg. Insert the tip of a utility knife and turn to open the hole slightly. Using a rotary drill fitted with a 3/8-inch bit, carefully widen the hole to at least 1/2 inch in diameter.

2. Insert pin into the hole to pierce and “stir” the yolk. Hold the egg, hole down, over a bowl, and blow air into the hole with a rubber ear syringe (the air will displace and expel the egg). Rinse out egg. Repeat to make 12 blown eggs (you may want to make extras in case some break).

3. Sterilize eggs: Submerge them in a pot of cold water with 1 tablespoon white vinegar; bring to a boil, then simmer, skimming foam from surface, 10 minutes. Let drain on a pin board (see how-to below). If not dyeing eggs, let dry completely on pin board, 2 to 3 days (check insides for moisture).

Dying you eggs...

1. Step 1

   Pour 1 cup water into container.

2. Step 2

   Add 1 tsp. plain white vinegar to water. The ratio of 1 cup water to 1 tsp. vinegar is not exact. However, if you use substantially more water, you will need to use more vinegar.

3. Step 3

   Create purple dye by adding drops of red and blue food coloring to vinegar mixture. For best results, 3 drops red coloring should be added for every 1 drop blue coloring. Continue adding drops until the desired hue is reached.

4. Step 4

   Place hard-boiled egg into purple dye using spoon. If a section of the egg is exposed above water, rotate the egg periodically to ensure full coverage. Repeat this step for each egg you intend to dye purple.

5. Step 5

   Use the spoon to remove the egg after it is has reached the desired hue. Carefully pat down with paper towel and let dry.

Filling your eggs...

1. Using an offset serrated knife, very finely chop 3 pounds of chocolate. Reserve 1 cup chocolate. Using a bench scraper, transfer remaining chocolate to a large heatproof bowl.

2. Temper chocolate: Set bowl over a pan of simmering water. Melt chocolate, stirring occasionally, until a chocolate thermometer registers 131 degrees. (Note: Many brands of dark chocolate should not be heated to more than 118 degrees.)

Remove from heat. Stir in reserved cup chocolate until completely melted. Pour 2/3 of the melted chocolate onto a clean, smooth work surface (such as marble or stainless steel). Spread thinly with an offset spatula. Then gather together chocolate, and take temperature. Continue spreading and gathering chocolate until it cools to 82 degrees to 84 degrees.

3. Scrape chocolate back into bowl with remaining chocolate. Stir until it cools to 82 degrees to 84 degrees. Set bowl over a pan of warm water, and reheat to 88 degrees. To check consistency, dip a spoon in chocolate and remove. The chocolate should set in about 2 minutes, turning shiny and hard.

Note: This temperature must be maintained as you fill the eggs. Keep a thermometer in the chocolate, and check frequently. Rest the bowl on a heating pad wrapped in a towel, or set bowl over the pan of warm (not hot) water.

4. Place eggshells in an egg carton. Place a disposable pastry bag in a tall glass, and fold top down. Fill bag with chocolate. Cut tip to create a 1/4-inch opening.

5. Insert tip of bag into each egg, and fill with chocolate (about 1/4 cup per egg; fill a new bag with chocolate as needed). Let set completely, about 4 hours.

For table settings...

And for the front door...

Surrexit Alleluia!

Orta recens quam pura nites...