mosaic road

Look at this lovely light summer meal, aren't these the colours of summer eating ??

Look - how sweet are these mini books in a pile, see the red button hanging from one . I love my little collection of these !!

Look at my new piece of wall art. It is patterned metal tiles but is set together as one. I have it resting against the wall but may hang it on the wall instead - decisions, decisions !!!

Look at this fabulous side dish - Cumin Potatoes.

I Believe in the Baking Gene

I truly believe there is a baking gene and I truly believe is has come down the line to me. I bake, my daughters bake, my sister bakes, my mother bakes and my grandmother had a cake shop in the Depression so she made a living from baking. I grew up on scones and lemon delicious pudding  and my children have grown up on a healthier take of the same thing, muffins and apple crumble. It does occur to me just now though that maybe it's not the baking gene we have but the gene for love of eating baked goods. Maybe we just have Jenny Craig's raison d'etre - a plain old sweet tooth !!!

Look what we are still enjoying - Grandma's Christmas cake !! She always makes the same recipe and it involves endless chopping and fiddling. The actual cake does not really appeal to me. What does appeal to me is the marzipan that lies thickly under the royal icing. Now, I believe that marzipan could divide a nation. You are either for it or against it and I may be its biggest fan. With the Xmas cake nearing an end I will have to start the countdown  till my next fix when the Simnel Cake appears at Easter.

Look What is in my Window Box and Surviving the Heat !!

My house is old and late30's/early 40's/art deco . It has a big window box that was in grave disrepair when I moved in, like everything else I might add. I did a little bit of DIY and spray painted it which renewed its lease on life then when my finances improved a had my trusty Hire-a-Hubby patch it properly. Then the planting began and it looks very cheery. Watering is a bit of a pain but I have been religious about it and it had paid off. These candy stripe petunias look great and are doing OK in our extreme conditions of heat and drought.

Look at this, pure comfort food !!! This is a take on bread and butter pudding made from the leftover hot cross buns purchased in shock earlier in the week.

Look at my Reward
This was my reward this morning after getting cracking early with my roller and sealing the cement floor of my new garage/office. Rug will be laid tomorrow. What progress !!

The Snow Bunny Thinks Beyond the Square

It is a tradition that our family makes rocky road Xmas trees each year. The snow bunny was determined that this year would be no exception. With some difficulty she sourced ingredients from a variety of stores in Japan . Trees were out of the question so she made individual rocky roads in patty pans to give to her co workers. But chocolate and central heating don't do too well together so here in the photo you can see how she kept them cold between the double glazing of her dormitory window. Through this very same window on the fourth floor she often sees an apricot coloured stoat with bushy tail padding through the snow across the car park.