some scones

A quick recipe -

4 cups self-raising flour

300ml cream

375ml can lemonade

Pre-heat oven 200 degrees. Sift flour into bowl before adding other ingredients and stir gently to combine. Pat into a circular shape on a floured surface before cutting out scones. Place on a floured tray, close together. Bake for 12- 15 mins.

How easy! They are going up to school for the Macmillan fundraiser today.

I have seen another recipe with a similar theme - use ginger beer and add 1 cup of chopped dates. MMM. Yum. Not tried yet.

chilli bucket

Thank you to Dawn for a lovely chilli plant to put inside one of my favourite fabric buckets... just a lining of plastic bag and you are all set.

The present was one of a few special things I was given for my birthday last week. And lots of food - 4 meals were enjoyed out over the last few days.

I'm half watching a Shirley Bassey drama. Keith is out. But at least I have finished a batch of (packet) cupcakes for tomorrow's Macmillan stall. Do you ever feel like you aren't really achieving anything? I have had one of those disjointed days.

And now I can't seem to retrieve the photos I wanted to add from facebook. An old pic from the file and off to bed, then. UPDATED : fabric bucket with chilli plant. yay!

reading

And just to prove how much we love Judith Kerr books here , Gus is getting in a spot of reading.

He is an absolute joy. He motors around the couch and looks out of the window. A lot.

And is so pleased with the tub of 2nd hand blocks I picked up from the NCT Nearly New Sale on Saturday. The sale happens twice a year - a mammoth but well-organised event in Harpenden. I always sell and help out. Around 500 people through the door and an amazing £16 500 taken at tills - 30% raised for NCT. Wow.

sewing!

Can you see a striped ticking theme going on here? I do love a bit of ticking.

I am making a whole pile of fabric buckets in preparation for a couple of small (but special) events. I am having a poppyart/ bumble shopping evening here at home. Bumble is a great small business which sells a variety of really lovely gifts - at fairs and online. Anna's facebook page is here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-Bumble/206939049360571

And I have finally set up my own poppyart facebook page. Go here http://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-Bumble/206939049360571#!/pages/Poppyart/156375641117081

I'm sorry, I know I need to imbed the addresses but Gus is calling for me. Squealing is probably the better word.

zippered pouch

I have found the light! Look at this fantastic tutorial (anyone... do it!) and you too will be able to whip up a zippered purse/ pouch/ makeup bag.

http://flossieteacakes.blogspot.com/2009/05/lined-zippered-pouch-make-up-bag.html

Here is mine. For a special order. I am obscenely proud of myself. You can just see the pink dotty lining, I love it.

easy chicken wings

One of the boys' favourite meals is chicken wings. Super delicious, I remember Mum making them from the Woman's Weekly Chinese Cookbook. The first time, I think was for 'Entertaining'. You know the sort of thing - they were done in a very posh way, too. All the flesh was pushed down to one end to make clean bone-handles to eat from!

These is my 'throw-it-all-together' version. Key ingredients are soy sauce, honey and garlic. In various meals, I have included any or all of these things too : fish sauce, sweet chilli sauce (this could be used alone! yum.), tomato sauce, brown sugar, grated ginger, Chinese or ordinary vinegar.

Take the wings from their tray and split into portions - I do this with my big kitchen knife and chop straight through the bones - leaving me with one mini-drum and a second boney bit. The third wing tip is just skin really so I ditch it. The kind butcher at Asda had already taken that bit away.

Put your marinade in a bowl - whatever combo you fancy. Toss in wing bits and mix well before marinading for a couple of hours or overnight. Cook for around 45 mins 175 degrees. Keep an eye on the wings and if they are burning on top, cover with foil - the sugar/ honey will colour too quickly if the oven is too hot.

Freddie's friend came over for tea... and here they are demolishing the bowl full. (You can see my sewing projects piled up at the end of the table! Ha. Waiting for that spare 20 minutes... and I don't think Harry is picking his nose??!!)

Monopoly

We took part in the giant Monopoly in St Albans yesterday. It was brilliant! A board gave us a route of around 2.5 kms to follow (a 4km one was available too) and we visited historic spots on a special trail.

What a fabulous idea! The family was able to see quite a bit of St Albans and even gain access to the jail under the courthouse in the Town Hall. We were a bit tight on time, so didn't get around everything - there were activities, too. One stop by the Cathedral featured a gentleman who had made (yes, made!) 20 or so wooden games and puzzles to encourage problem solving. We were there for AGES. Had to tear Keith away, too.

dunstable downs.

Even though the rain is pretty solid today, we have had a good week weather-wise. Gardening time and this lovely day on the downs. Beautiful.

And we entered the Village Show - me a carrot cake and fabric bucket. Freddie made a (far too delicious) tray bake and Harry the most excellent real Mr Potato Head. I'm afraid only Harry came away with a 2nd place. I tried not to be too jealous. I do love living in our village.