Bits Of Green Between The Winter Colours

We visited the New Forest a couple of weeks ago, to see the oldest oak in England. Or the oldest oak in the New Forest. Or the oldest oak I've ever seen. One of those will be correct.
It was a grand old growth and still alive and carefully looked after.

But the younger trees in the pic below are closer to home and were only planted at the start of the railway era (1830s). They are on a wide bridge over the old railway path from Bishop Auckland to Durham...now known as the Auckland Way and turned into a footpath and bike path.



The Bishop of the time didn't want to see the smoke or soot of the trains and ordered a bridge to be built, wide and deep enough to grow trees to hide the track below. These trees are still growing.

Further into Auckland Park, which the Bishop's carriage would cross on his way to his palace at Bishop Auckland, were ancient meadows for grazing and trees which sheltered the deer. These strange lumps on the old meadows are the remains of ancient ant hills.

These brown lumps are much more modern and show the previous night's efforts of Mr. Mole and his family!

We are now cloaked in a thin but chill layer of white as the snow settles in around us.

Hope the weather is fine where you are.

Cheers Gillian

SEAL SANDS

We went for a ride on the Transporter Bridge over the Tees and then northwards past all the industrial area of oil refineries and power stations. It is called Seal Sands and the inlets and mud flats are a nature reserve for birds and seals.
This is the first time I've seen them in England. They were sunbathing on the mud just a few metres from the road side.

I shall return in a couple of months for birthing and breeding season and hope to get pics of a few babies.
There is a great birdwatching hide at Saltholme which merits a visit too.
This area is south of Seaton Carew, which is one of our favourite hangouts so we shall now drive in from the south and get to know the tidal area of the Tees so that we can track down the wildlife.
Cheers Gillian

The Good Life 3

The buttermilk was used in the making of the cheese scones and they were eaten today with the butter for lunch.
A little of the last of the xmas cake completed the meal.

The crossword was nearly completed at one sitting, without references. That's about my best go yet! There are three clues left to research.
A round picture, a freemason's doorkeeper and a place in Surrey with the letters E_H_M.

Cheers Gillian

The Good Life 2

The double cream was poured into the food processor and whipped with the whipper until it stopped. It might have stopped because the stuff was solid or because the contact in the processor had got very hot, but I changed over to the main metal blade and carried on.

It turned into lovely pale yellow butter and I poured the buttermilk into a jar and I hope to make it into scones tomorrow.

800 ml of double cream made about 700 gm butter and 100 ml buttermilk and a lot of washing up.

If the butter keeps well I may do this again. Cheap and very cheerful, especially if the scones are better than those I usually make.

Cheers Gillian

The Good Life 1

We were spending a few days away visiting and whilst at my sister's place, my nephew came round for lunch with some bread and butter he had made himself.
We all enjoyed it!
I'm not a good bread maker and will not waste time or ingredients checking up on that, but I'm going to have a go at the butter right now. E said he just beat the cream till it turned into butter and so shall I. Well I shan't do it by hand. I shall put it in the magimix with the whipped cream attachment and just watch it happen!
Let you know soon.

I finished my first two oil paintings and they seem to look quite good this size on the blog. I took photos and then copied the photos. Nothing terribly creative but I'm getting the hang of the paints and how they handle. They are the new water soluble oils, and the brushes and palettes (and hands) can be cleaned in warm soapy water.

I'm on to a third now and am trying to be a bit more adventurous and creative. Creative to me means something like using the "wrong" colour. Sad really. I wish had some flair.

Cheers Gillian

Eating and Outing

We do concern ourselves with food and drink, probably over muchly.
The latest mission was to make a successful Quiche Lorraine. The last one was so unsuccessful that we threw it away after a few mouthfuls.
For this one, the recipe by Stephanie Alexander in her orange-coloured, Ozzie tome on food was followed carefully from homemade short pastry to how much cheese to include. And no tomatoes!


There was plenty of pastry. I was concerned with the wobbling centre after the allotted time, so gave it 5 more minutes. Next time I shall have more faith and not overdo it.
But all in all it was a great feed and has done us well for two meals and there is some left over. That last piece might remain left over.
I am rather obsessive about waste and try to use up everything, but sometimes I feel a need for a complete change and the last bit goes. I have had to make a rule about three times and it's out or we would be grimacing at one another over a bowl of quiche lorraine soup.
The glorious sunshine on Saturday saw us venture to Staithes in the campervan. Other vanners were there with their surfboards. Some had slept in them overnight in order to be up to catch these waves! It had been colder in the van than in the sea said one from Leicester. He had had three sleeping bags and was still cold.

It's a pretty village and famous for the artists who frequent it to catch the changes in colour and light.

We moved on to Saltburn where I found the "Arts Bank" (http://www.artsbank.co.uk/) full of lovely pictures and works for sale.


And then this morning, saw the Andrew Marr interview of David Hockney putting up his new exhibition at the R.A. I would love to get to that. I can't get a link working today but try http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/ and type in Hockney. Such colour.

I think I shall print this pic off and try it in lime greens, purples and stuff. I'm too staid with colour. Time for an adventure.

Cheers Gillian

PORRIDGE...THE REAL STUFF

OK. Here is the test.
I made two pots of porridge. I put lots of milk and some honey on both bowls. The one at the rear is "Tesco's Finest Rolled oats".

The one at the front is "Mornflake Medium Oatmeal". I had a yearning for the sort of porridge my granny used to make. She used to get up really early and cook it in a double boiler. My grandfather would have his with milk and a sprinkling of salt. I found the Mornflake stuff in Sainsbury's. I made the two batches at once so that we could compare them.

The outright verdict was Mornflake real porridge.

I admit I put them both on at the same time and so the rolled oats were quite well cooked and very smooth, but the other stuff was just right and it is definitely worth getting up earlier in order to cook it.

So I shall.

Cheers Gillian