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| Moulton Windmill, Lincolnshire |
Sharing with Wordless Wednesday.
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♥ Chel ♥
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4 hours ago
Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Saturday, 18 May 2013
Just Go With The Flow
This week I've been watching the world go by, anxious to hear news of the birth of my niece/nephew. So, each time I've gone away from my desk my mind has been casually wondering from one face to the next, thinking about what's going on with other people's lives. I've been looking at the ever changing skies above my head and the terrific change in the colour of the fields and occupying the gardens. The sounds of bees, birds and lawnmowers, along with rain falling to the ground. It's just so nice to just disappear in my own little mind and go with the flow. A bit like a river flowing through a town, taking it all in calmly with the rise and fall of the tides.
This part of Spalding town is my favourite part. Across from this bridge is Ye Olde White Horse pub with its old thatched roof. It reminds me so much of my old Sweetbriar Cottage (whose roof was in a lot better shape!).
It was such a dark and dismal day (no bright shots for you this week), but Miss Teenager needed some new headphones so off we went off to Spalding as it was Market Day.
Not the busiest of markets today as the weather was more like autumn than spring. I did love the little tables by the burger van though with their patchwork tablecloths and flowers and the colourful bunting still blowing above our heads from the parade. It's a shame, but as you can see, the English High Streets are almost all the same, with empty shops displaying 'To Let' signs everywhere. A dying industry.
With new headphones secured from a small retailer, we set off back to the car by the river. The water was so still and tranquil. The ducks and the swans were obviously further down river following the Spalding River Boat Taxi.
Once in the car I needed to just stop off at Moulton Mill for some bread flour.
This is the tallest windmill in Britain. Its sails have only just recently been fitted once more after a storm in the 19th century.
As I took this shot against the very dark, grey sky, the sails at the back were turning and the Lincolnshire flag was wrapped up trying to keep warm in the breeze.
The mill is a prominent feature on this landscape and can be seen for miles around.
If you go on the tour, you can have a brief respite of climbing the ladders and step out onto this walkway to take in the views of the fens.
Moulton village is quite cute. It has a butchers, post office, hairdressers and church. Your typical quintessential English village with occasional horses being ridden down the road, classic cars outside the pub (not today though!) and beautiful little houses dotted around.
Of course you get the occasional 'bobby' driving through. This one though stopped off for a cup of tea in the tea shop. Well, why not in such a quiet place?
Inside there was an array of different flours from the Six Sails Mill which is in Boston (I'll take you on a trip there one day) and so many different jams. I'm not a lover of jams but this one took my eye. Cherry Conserve! This would be used later.
And now as I write this post, the smell of fresh bread fills my house. I do love poppy seeds on the crust don't you? So here we are, fresh bread, victoria sandwich (or should I say pancake, it didn't come out as I expected!) complete with cherry jam filling and Miss Teenager's cheese scones. A "go with the flow" day.
As I come to the end of this week's post, well, you've been expecting it haven't you! Some wonderful, exciting, happy, happy news! I am so pleased to announce that I am now an AUNTIE to little 'JT'. I never thought I would be an Auntie, so this news is extra special to me. All is well with little 'JT', my brother and sister in law are all home to begin their life as a family. I am travelling to see them with Mumsy and my teenagers next weekend and I can't wait for cuddles!!
Also we have a half term coming up so there will be posts on Burghley House as they are having their Living Heritage Weekend! The same as Sandringham's Craft Fair (post here) but with the most wonderful backdrop. We went there last year (post here) and it really is a magnificent stately home. I also have a little London trip planned for the half term, so busy busy times coming up with 'Val'!
Have a wonderful weekend and week. I'm off to coo over photos of my nephew!
Take care.
This week I am sharing with:
Saturday, 26 January 2013
A Bit of Blue Sky Thinking
Today we saw the first signs of a blue sky. It seemed so strange first thing in the morning looking out of the window as the sun shone on the snowy rooftops. It made me realise just how monochrome the world had been for the last couple of weeks. It had snowed again in the night leaving a lighter dusting on top of what remained of last week's pounding, but thankfully this didn't last too long.
The lanes around here are never gritted so to get to my parents, we took the long way round onto the main roads, however we did have to go past Moulton Mill as it's sails were turning. We couldn't miss that!
The fields were still white, but again the blue sky was peeping through.
After a lovely visit to my parents, we headed down to Baytree (the local garden centre). Now, one of my projects this year is to revamp my kitchen window baskets. They are bare...I mean REALLY bare! The birds last year used all my coir lining for nests and subsequently everything fell out, plants died and with the one day of summer we had, I thought better than to waste time trying to do anything with them. Don't they look awful?
So, with my order for coco fibre lining arriving I just needed some compost. Well, am I glad we went! They had a bulb sale, and not just a little bit off...a whole load off! Bags of bulbs for 40p, and £1.00!! Just look at my bargains...£4.20 for the lot!
I know that I won't see their cheery faces until next year, but I am determined to be totally prepared this year.
Also, I have a Ta Dah moment!! The baby girl pram blanket has been finished. I'm ok with it, I just think it may be a little too pink. What do you think? The brighter shots were taken outside (remember I said there was blue sky?!).
I've now put away the pink and bought some gorgeous stony toned wool to make a more 'grown up' blanket which I'll post on my progress when it really gets going.
But, I will leave you with a couple of photos I took in the garden today with my new camera (I was at last able to play a little with it). It was nice to see the snow melting, but also lovely to see the last bits of ice that had settled on the trees.
And as winter starts to turn a corner to head into spring it was beautiful to see that Mother Nature was still in control with the bulb shoots peeking out through the snow.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend and thank you so much to my new followers and lovely people that leave me comments. You all brighten my day.
Take care.
The lanes around here are never gritted so to get to my parents, we took the long way round onto the main roads, however we did have to go past Moulton Mill as it's sails were turning. We couldn't miss that!
The fields were still white, but again the blue sky was peeping through.
After a lovely visit to my parents, we headed down to Baytree (the local garden centre). Now, one of my projects this year is to revamp my kitchen window baskets. They are bare...I mean REALLY bare! The birds last year used all my coir lining for nests and subsequently everything fell out, plants died and with the one day of summer we had, I thought better than to waste time trying to do anything with them. Don't they look awful?
So, with my order for coco fibre lining arriving I just needed some compost. Well, am I glad we went! They had a bulb sale, and not just a little bit off...a whole load off! Bags of bulbs for 40p, and £1.00!! Just look at my bargains...£4.20 for the lot!
I know that I won't see their cheery faces until next year, but I am determined to be totally prepared this year.
Also, I have a Ta Dah moment!! The baby girl pram blanket has been finished. I'm ok with it, I just think it may be a little too pink. What do you think? The brighter shots were taken outside (remember I said there was blue sky?!).
But, I will leave you with a couple of photos I took in the garden today with my new camera (I was at last able to play a little with it). It was nice to see the snow melting, but also lovely to see the last bits of ice that had settled on the trees.
And as winter starts to turn a corner to head into spring it was beautiful to see that Mother Nature was still in control with the bulb shoots peeking out through the snow.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend and thank you so much to my new followers and lovely people that leave me comments. You all brighten my day.
Take care.
Today I'm linking up with:
Saturday, 29 December 2012
Wrist Warmers, a Windy Evening and a Chocolate River
After a very restless night of strong winds and rain I decided to give up and get up out of bed, put the rubbish out for the bin men, and then subsequently discuss life with the night shift workers returning home! I should explain...I live on a corner of two cul-de-sacs and there are a couple of health care and policemen that live near me. I just happened to be putting the rubbish out as they were coming home. Picture the scene, I'm usually in a suit or smart gear for work, this morning I was wearing mismatched pyjamas, slippers and 'bed hair'...oh the shame!
When I got back inside and started to feel warm again I decided that I was going to be a bit more productive with my day. I had started a new project, wrist warmers (another Attic 24 idea), and my daughter expressed a wish for black ones to be made. So, perfect excuse to go shopping in Spalding and along to the haberdashery shop. Here is my prototype that I made last night to make sure of measurements. I have seen loads on Google images and have one in mind where the cuff is turned up and buttons are put on the side. I'll keep you posted on this project.
The road to Spalding was quite treacherous and the constant worry is that the fields, which in the fens are sometimes higher than the road itself, are totally saturated.
The wind was quite terrifying. It is the one thing that Mother Nature throws at us that I am truly scared of. I can deal with snow, ice, rain, fog etc but wind can affect us even when we are in our cosy homes. The damage it produces is so scary.
I managed to take this photo of Moulton Village in the distance with the wind blowing around my ears and myself and my mum gradually sinking into the mud! You can just make out the windmill that I took a photo of yesterday.
The river that runs through Spalding is very high and so brown and murky, not the perfect picture postcard that it can be for most of the year. The murkiness is from all the mud coming through from the fields. However, it does remind me of a certain film to do with a Chocolate Factory and the chocolate river that flows through it!
The bridge that I stood on to take this photo usually has the River Boat Taxi pass underneath in the summer, however it would have some trouble at the moment.
So, now home with black wool, some shiny buttons and a design running through my head. Lunch was going to be the remainder of a delicious Risotto I made last night with left over gammon and turkey...it would have been nice but my daughter got to it before me!
If you have any leftovers and don't know what to do with them, I made an oven cooked 'Risotto' (sorry to my Italian readers) - this is a version from the Delia Smith Winter Collection Cookbook but I have added quite a bit of other stuff to the mix.
You need:
1 Onion (chopped)
2 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
1 Pepper (chopped)
Some Mushrooms (chopped)
Risotto Rice (I used 1 very large mug)
2 large mugs of boiling water with Chicken Knorr
Left over Turkey
Left over Gammon (but you could use anything that you need to use up)
Left over Cheese (anything but not too strong - the matured stilton was NOT going in)
Salt and Pepper
Put a large dish in the oven at 150oC to warm through.
Saute the Onion in some butter for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic for another minute
Add the pepper, mushrooms, and left over meats and keep this going until the mushrooms start to ooze some of their juices.
Add the Risotto Rice and stir around to coat in the different flavours.
Add the boiling water mixed with your stock cube.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once this is all bubbling and lovely, get your dish out of the oven and pour the mixture in. Mix and then put back into the oven for exactly 20 minutes (do not cover).
After 20 minutes take out of the oven, mix, add more water if necessary, and then mix your cheeses into the mixture.
Put back into the oven for another 15 minutes, or until the rice is lovely and creamy. Then it is ready to serve.
I served this with some cherry tomatoes, cooked in the oven with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar.
Give it a go and the advantage of this really delicious meal is that I now have some room in the fridge!!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone xx
When I got back inside and started to feel warm again I decided that I was going to be a bit more productive with my day. I had started a new project, wrist warmers (another Attic 24 idea), and my daughter expressed a wish for black ones to be made. So, perfect excuse to go shopping in Spalding and along to the haberdashery shop. Here is my prototype that I made last night to make sure of measurements. I have seen loads on Google images and have one in mind where the cuff is turned up and buttons are put on the side. I'll keep you posted on this project.
The road to Spalding was quite treacherous and the constant worry is that the fields, which in the fens are sometimes higher than the road itself, are totally saturated.
I managed to take this photo of Moulton Village in the distance with the wind blowing around my ears and myself and my mum gradually sinking into the mud! You can just make out the windmill that I took a photo of yesterday.
The river that runs through Spalding is very high and so brown and murky, not the perfect picture postcard that it can be for most of the year. The murkiness is from all the mud coming through from the fields. However, it does remind me of a certain film to do with a Chocolate Factory and the chocolate river that flows through it!
The bridge that I stood on to take this photo usually has the River Boat Taxi pass underneath in the summer, however it would have some trouble at the moment.
So, now home with black wool, some shiny buttons and a design running through my head. Lunch was going to be the remainder of a delicious Risotto I made last night with left over gammon and turkey...it would have been nice but my daughter got to it before me!
If you have any leftovers and don't know what to do with them, I made an oven cooked 'Risotto' (sorry to my Italian readers) - this is a version from the Delia Smith Winter Collection Cookbook but I have added quite a bit of other stuff to the mix.
You need:
1 Onion (chopped)
2 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
1 Pepper (chopped)
Some Mushrooms (chopped)
Risotto Rice (I used 1 very large mug)
2 large mugs of boiling water with Chicken Knorr
Left over Turkey
Left over Gammon (but you could use anything that you need to use up)
Left over Cheese (anything but not too strong - the matured stilton was NOT going in)
Salt and Pepper
Put a large dish in the oven at 150oC to warm through.
Saute the Onion in some butter for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic for another minute
Add the pepper, mushrooms, and left over meats and keep this going until the mushrooms start to ooze some of their juices.
Add the Risotto Rice and stir around to coat in the different flavours.
Add the boiling water mixed with your stock cube.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once this is all bubbling and lovely, get your dish out of the oven and pour the mixture in. Mix and then put back into the oven for exactly 20 minutes (do not cover).
After 20 minutes take out of the oven, mix, add more water if necessary, and then mix your cheeses into the mixture.
Put back into the oven for another 15 minutes, or until the rice is lovely and creamy. Then it is ready to serve.
I served this with some cherry tomatoes, cooked in the oven with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar.
Give it a go and the advantage of this really delicious meal is that I now have some room in the fridge!!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone xx
Friday, 28 December 2012
Post Christmas
So, how was your Christmas? I hope that everything went to plan, the turkey wasn't dry and everyone was suitably grateful for all your hard work. For us it was a quieter affair than usual which was very welcome. Christmas day itself went by in a flash of tin foil, turkey, brussel sprouts (oh I do love them but my children call them 'the devil's grapes'!) and a tonne of crinkled wrapping paper ready to be recycled. Christmas dinner always makes me proud of us 'dinner makers', the concentration, preparation, timing and being able to serve up something that our loved ones thoroughly enjoy. Also I have discovered a new addition to future Christmas dinners...disposable foil trays!! This saved the laborious scrubbing of the roasting tins. Wonderful!!
Boxing Day was pretty similar with our usual 'pick tea' which is a mega buffet of all sorts of delicious treats that we pick at during the day and evening. However, this year as it was a quieter Christmas, we continued the 'pick tea' yesterday too! I am determined to be rid of the remainder of the turkey...and this cheese!! Wow this was strong!!
I hadn't ventured outside since Monday (where had the week gone?), so decided to make my daughter get up early and drive down to my parents in the next village. I had heard that the weather was pretty bad outside and it was really dark and dismal but hadn't seen the real effects on the deeply dug ditches surrounding the Lincolnshire fens. I have never seen them so high!
The ditches (or dykes as they call them around here) are in place to stop flooding so it is always comforting to see them only half full. Today some of them have overfilled and started running onto the roads and we have some awful weather coming.
The fields are sodden with water too which is a danger as these soak into the ditches which will add to the problem.
The planes at the Fenland Airfield have been grounded as its airstrip is a grass field, so they wouldn't get too far in this mud.
It feels unusually warm for the depths of winter, which as my daughter said, 'it doesn't feel like Christmas time'. Well, the good thing about all this water is that we won't get a hose pipe ban next year!!
We took a detour to see the sails on Moulton Windmill that have finally been restored but I very much doubt they will have these turning when the wind starts to blow through later today and Saturday. I took this picture while visiting the Moulton fish and chip shop...which was closed!!
Here is a better picture taken in the Autumn (when the chip shop was open!).
I REALLY needed to taste normal food again. So we took a detour into Holbeach and found a shop open. Lovely and hot, salt and vinegar and eaten straight out of the paper. Good, honest food - how I have missed you!!
So, back home again, our mini adventure over and back to our gadgets once more. Now what shall I cook for tea??!...and what's more what hooky project shall I do next???!
I hope you have all had a good week so far. xxx
Boxing Day was pretty similar with our usual 'pick tea' which is a mega buffet of all sorts of delicious treats that we pick at during the day and evening. However, this year as it was a quieter Christmas, we continued the 'pick tea' yesterday too! I am determined to be rid of the remainder of the turkey...and this cheese!! Wow this was strong!!
I hadn't ventured outside since Monday (where had the week gone?), so decided to make my daughter get up early and drive down to my parents in the next village. I had heard that the weather was pretty bad outside and it was really dark and dismal but hadn't seen the real effects on the deeply dug ditches surrounding the Lincolnshire fens. I have never seen them so high!
The ditches (or dykes as they call them around here) are in place to stop flooding so it is always comforting to see them only half full. Today some of them have overfilled and started running onto the roads and we have some awful weather coming.
The fields are sodden with water too which is a danger as these soak into the ditches which will add to the problem.
The planes at the Fenland Airfield have been grounded as its airstrip is a grass field, so they wouldn't get too far in this mud.
It feels unusually warm for the depths of winter, which as my daughter said, 'it doesn't feel like Christmas time'. Well, the good thing about all this water is that we won't get a hose pipe ban next year!!
We took a detour to see the sails on Moulton Windmill that have finally been restored but I very much doubt they will have these turning when the wind starts to blow through later today and Saturday. I took this picture while visiting the Moulton fish and chip shop...which was closed!!
Here is a better picture taken in the Autumn (when the chip shop was open!).
I REALLY needed to taste normal food again. So we took a detour into Holbeach and found a shop open. Lovely and hot, salt and vinegar and eaten straight out of the paper. Good, honest food - how I have missed you!!
So, back home again, our mini adventure over and back to our gadgets once more. Now what shall I cook for tea??!...and what's more what hooky project shall I do next???!
I hope you have all had a good week so far. xxx
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