Pooches, Photos, Parties and New Year Greetings - Thursday, 1st January 2015

Puppy sitting for a family pet and clearing up of wetted papers, one can easily forget a very young puppy needs toys to play with - so very early this morning trying to hand write my draft blog in advance - I gave little Lola Bear a small satsuma to play with on the kitchen floor; already covered with sheets of newspaper and his nappy mat!  And it worked rather well!

Whizzing across the quickly paper-shredded and chewed paper, taking sips of water and amusing himself for a few seconds, I was able to get down a few of the thoughts rushing about my head, thankfully.

Of course, puppies need other things like training, regular walkies and lots of affection.  Their sharp cocktail stick like teeth will chew your fingers, your slippers (like LB was doing to mine this morning) and everything he nose comes into contact with, will suffer the same fate.  When our very young Dalmatian came to live with us he chewed my slippers to destruction, a younger sister's pet poodle toy and my mother's fur hat!

They also need lots of your time and energy, which is absolutely wonderful - ;puppies are such fun!!!

A joint Christmas and early birthday present has enabled me to buy myself a new camera and slowly I'm beginning to get the hang of my brilliant new "toy".  I've not downloaded any photos yet - they're not terribly good yet - but I'll get better very soon, phew?

We had a wonderful NYE's party last night with very dear friends and, of course, Lola Bear, had to come too and she was very definitely the star of the evening; Top (Puppy) Dog you  might say!!!

So now it's New Year's Day 2015 and Lola Bear and me are soon off out to do some stuff, take photos and have some fun, I hope.

HAPPY NEW YEAR GREETINGS dear friends from me and Lola Bear.....

Well, we're off and let's see what fun we can find to do.......

I'll return shortly.

Daisy xxx

Happy New Year xxx

Banbury, Oxfordshire - Christmas Day - 25th December, 2014

Well, the Day has arrived and families everywhere have been up  bright and cheerful for the frenzied opening of wonderful parcels so kindly left by Father Christmas or Saint Nicholas et al.

Or, for all peoples enjoying the holiday season in their own particular way.......

Screams of delight and joy ring through and about the bedrooms as excited children reach for the brightly coloured and decorated stockings looped about the bed posts...well they were in my day or at least propped up against the end of the bed or leaning against the bed side!!!

We actually had pillowcases at the end of our beds for us - our cousin Janice, my sister Sally and me.  Our elder cousin, Brian was in the next bedroom or on the sofa, if his parents came too.  We had a houseful of family members and it was all great fun.

We had the usual Chocolate Orange and pink or White sugared mice, an orange or two and perhaps some chocolate.  Tiny crackers were also there sometimes, and then our other presents - books, handkerchiefs, gloves or mittens, writing paper and envelopes or notelets for thank you letters which were an absolute must-do activity at the very earliest opportunity.  And .....   a grand opportunity for parents to get their children to be quiet for short periods, between the fun of Christmas food, games, toffees and chocolates.

As a very small child with my older sister, Christmas morning was a time of magical importance.  Our grandparents would send us to bed as early as possible on Christmas Eve and then with us safely out of sight or hearing, our home would be transformed into a Christmas Fairyland.  Pretty coloured streamers hung from every possible height, a brightly coloured Christmas tree glowingly brilliant, stood in its rightful place with balloons, paper lanterns, holly tucked behind photographs and Christmas cards strung up on string  about the house,

I cannot remember how our little front room was decorated but there must have been some added brightness gathered about the room with the furniture highly polished and gleaming and the floor-standing container for the usual Aspidistra plant.

Monday was my Grandmother's laundry day, so if Christmas should happen on that day, the boiler would have to be used for laundry before it could be used to steam or Christmas puddings.  My Grandmother's day must have begun incredibly early and remained busy all day long.

Phew! my Nan would have been so amazed by our much easier feasting season.

My Christmas Day morning found me going to bed at 5am followed by a few hours of sleep, spending the early morning hours preparing the onion flavoured milk for our bread sauce, finishing off our trifles and writing.

We were joining family for Christmas lunch and it was so odd not having more chores to undertake for the turkey feast.  Lunch was very good, the turkey was not dry and there were many well-cooked vegetables, stuffing balls, bacon-wrapped chipolatas and lashings of gravy.  Also, of course, my bread sauce and even a few Yorkshire, puddings.

Crackers too!  It was a good feast!

Well, I seem not to have published this somewhat earlier and I got up earlier today to wish all of you dear friends and readers a Happy New Year.....and I will very shortly!!!

Daisy - reporting for me Margaret Halstead here on New Year's Day 2015.....


have a great year to all and everyone xxx

Pusey, Oxfordshire - Wednesday, 24th December 2014

To wish everyone - wherever you may be this morning - whatever you're doing and with whom you are spending Christmas Day -

or, however you style today.  A peaceful day to all and everyone...




Merry Christmas greetings from me xxx.

Here's a few photos of how I spent part of my Christmas - scenes from a family church of last night's candle-lit Carol Service .....

Merry Christmas to Everyone

Daisy xxx

Deddington Oxfordshire - Saturday, 20th December 2014

Deddington's Christmas Farmer's Market....Oxfordshire  for its monthly farmer's market....

I simply adore visiting farmer’s markets for the buzz of finding home-reared food, crafted artisan’s creations and local foods, also unusual gift items.

Brilliantly fresh veggies from Anson Vegs.

For talking to producers, growers, needlecrafters and artists for the exchange of knowledge and greetings.  For meeting the stallholders selling their collection of books, antiques and crafts of all kinds.  For meeting designers of glass, wood and fabric.  The late-night enterprising folk, the early-morning-risers packing away their treasures and boxes, their table dressings, labels, money boxes and floats, all for a full day’s selling activity.

The Meat Joint for wonderful cuts and succulent faggots

The gifted folk, determined and talented, bent on displaying their precious own-made crafts and treasures.  Their passions, their life-time’s achievements created through the year, working towards the next craft fair, the next market event, the next Christmas and beyond.

Mariella Bliss for utterly delicious Christmas food - we discussed the importance of using the best flour

Personal improvement, the love of gaining more knowledge, a higher degree of craftiness, of learning a new stitch, a new method of preparation or even a whole new craft, all for the intense pleasure of proving and improving ones abilities and capabilities.

Julie at her wonderful handmade gift stall

Mary Canny - Glass Artist/Designer

So excited by the excellent craftsmanship of this stall - of Pamela Golding and Friend

And the motivation that undercuts everything we do, either for economical gain or personal gratification i.e. humanity’s need to grow and prosper, to stretch ourselves and our talents.  We all have talents, some small some great, yet the need is the same, to see them grow and improve, for with improvement we blossom and grow.  There is an intense sense of satisfaction in watching a gifted talent grow and a huge sense of attainment to be explored in the development of self.

This one didn't get away from me - it's hooked and waiting to be eaten!!!

Bibury Trout Farm of Gloucester

A personal favourite - "These are a few of my favourite things"

So meeting and chatting to stallholders at a farmer’s market brings pleasure, knowledge and new friendships.  Becoming known to the producers of our daily food, our festive delights and the purveyors of life’s other delights, is a source of great personal delight.  I glory in the abundance and freshness of food for sale, the variety of stalls and their owners, their enthusiastic and knowledgeable presence and the enthusiasm of fellow market shoppers.

The Pie Man for glorious pies and order from Chipping Norton
- we bought his steak and kidney pie - so good to eat!

Mutton for a friend to create a curried meal, pheasant, venison sausages and Game terrine from D & B Cox of Ixhill Farm




 

And a worth  cause to be assisted

Wonderful vegetables

Chris of New Farm Creation@The View From Above on YouTube

It's great to be able to buy rare apples...

We need our ancient fruit...









Merry Christmas everybody.....

Margaret Halstead xxx




PS thank you to all concerned for allowing me to photograph their stalls on a very busy Saturday!!! xxx

The need to shop is part of life’s daily routine and the various shops and Supermarkets are there at every corner to meet all our needs and desires. 

Yet farmer’s markets provide a wonderful opportunity to be involved with the food chain, which keeps us fed and healthy and, without doubt, gives our indie food producers and crafters-artisans the opportunity for development, growth and economic advancement.

Local is definitely beautiful – long live farmer’s market, everywhere.

School Choir Sing Carols at Sainsburys, Banbury, Oxfordshire - Monday, 15th December 2014

Popping into my local Sainsbury's Store this Monday morning, just imagine my delight and joy at  bursting into the all-enveloping musical Christmas Carol Choir Extravaganza performed by pupils of Blessed George Napier Catholic School and Sixthform.

The young peoples' presentation,  demeanour and obvious pleasure at singing carols for we slightly bemused but excited morning shoppers was infectious.  Their combined voices were strong and convincing and very enthusiastic.

The wonderful accompaniment of live music added immeasurably to the whole event, providing a brilliant musical shopping experience for all concerned.

Here's a few of my photo shots of the morning......

Well done to Blessed George Napier Catholic School and Sixthform and its talented pupils for their brilliant Monday morning Carol Extravaganza.

A magical moment for me as the voices of the girls and boys floated upstairs and over our Lattes - even my companion, "Mr. Bah! Humbug" was jingle-belling all the way home.

Happy Christmas everyone xxx

Margaret Halstead

The View from Here - St, Mary's Church Adderbury 5th December 2014

Our Church was all aglow with the reflected light and warmth from the encircling collection of St. Mary's Christmas Trees gloriously dressed and garlanded  for this Festival weekend and the gathered congregation chatted amicably as we waited for folks to stop looking at the Christmas trees and for the performance to begin.

Donald McCombie's story - WWI Remembered "The Story of the Dancer" is a fictitious tale based on the 1914 Christmas truce when opposing soldiers and officers broke ranks across No Mans Land, greeting each other with gifts of food and cigarettes, played a game of football and sang Christmas carols.  The 1914 truce provided a brief  respite of hostilities for the forces actively engaged in fighting in various places like Ypres, Belgium and "particularly in Saint-Yvon, known as Saint-Yvon, in Plugstreet/Ploegsteert Comines-Warneton)."

We were entertained to a wonderful evening's performance by Adderbury Village Morris Men of word, song, music and dance and we eagerly joined in with their carol singing, tremendously applauding their efforts.

It was a brilliant evening.....and here are a few photo shots of the evening....

Here is my own tribute to this 1914 Christmas Truce, published in 2009...

Christmas in the Trenches

Christmas came once to that war torn world
In Flanders' Trenches where battle held sway
And soldiers stopped fighting
Broke ranks became men
Sang favoured carols
In that mud hell on earth
Stood together shared rations
Men and Officers, theirs and ours
All ranks together
A brief respite from hostilities
Hankered after longed for pastimes
Found a football, gamely played
In teams in the mud
Fought together for a friendship
To counter that awfulness of living


Margaret Halstead


My thanks for the quotation regarding "Plugstreet/Ploegsteert" which comes from Wikipedia.

The View from Here - Adderbury, Oxfordshire

 It’s that special time of year again for the Christmas season is here once more

“Surely not!” we cry, “how the time flies, how busy we’ve been these last twelve month but, surely, it can’t be Christmas again, so soon!”

It is that time of year again, and for some the need to be busy about Christmas has been of urgent necessity since the late summer, with food establishments offering their catering services for festive dining and wining, office parties, Christmas and Boxing Day eating and seasonal accommodation for family parties who might like to celebrate the festival away from home.

We celebrate the Season with joyful happenings and events, commemorate past events in word and song and recreate the essence and spirit of Christmas in every village, town and city across the land.

Here in Adderbury, it’s the weekend for “Adderbury St. Mary’s Christmas Tree Festival, with live music, for a Christmas Tree Wonderland” of lovingly dressed and decorated trees, sponsored by local businesses, organisations and community groups.  There’s free entry with donations to St. Mary’s Church and the Children’s Society and the Festival is sponsored by Banbury Litho, Berkley Homes, Bloor Homes, Edd Frost and Daughters, Gracewell Healthcare and J&M Humphris.  Other sponsors include Kevin Behan, J & S Auctions and Cotefield Nurseries.

Live music came from the following musicians – Revd. Stephen Fletcher and Chris Holmes, Christopher Rawlins Primary School, Wheatsheaf Consort, Church Junior Choir, Jeremy, Sebastian and Harry, Ukulele Band, Katherine Chapple pupils, Bellringers, Adderbury Morris Men, Sara and Chris Homes and the Adderbury Ensemble.

For weeks, the creative spirit has been abroad everywhere with groups designing and making their own unique decorations for Thursday’s tree dressing day.  Well into the evening, for those who are captive at work during business hours, folk are beside their tree trimming, tying and adjusting their wonderful assortment of crafted decorative items.

We of Adderbury WI were there in force with members’ beautifully produced and decorated salt dough angels, doves, trees, bells etc. all glittered and beribboned.  Our tree was dressed and tied up with bows and garlanded with white lights as our collective sighs went heavenwards for the fun and pleasure derived from the time-honoured act of Christmas tree dressing.

The competitive spirit was alive and flourishing with visitors encouraged to vote for their favourite tree, over mulled wine and festive eats and treats, generously  supplied throughout the weekend by the Children's Society.

On Friday evening the Adderbury Village Morris Men performed – WWI Remembered – “The Story of the Dancer” by Donald McCombie, a “fictitious tale based around the 1914 First World War Christmas truce”.  A story to commemorate Christmas 1914 when opposing soldiers and officers broke ranks to celebrate Christmas Day, exchange gifts of food, drink and cigarettes, play a game of football and sing Christmas carols.  Theirs was a brilliant performance of Donald McCombie’s words and song, music and Morris Men dancing.

On Sunday afternoon a Victorian Carol Service will be held at 4.30pm at St. Mary’s Church.

 On Saturday morning, at the Library, Focal's Festive Morning  with free glass of punch or soft drink, craft stalls, raffle and festive refreshments.  Story book reading to a young companion was great fun.

 I also visited Adderbury for Market by the Green at The Institute for a delightful Craft Market, which I thought was another food market.   Festive refreshments were there and people were enjoying the opportunity to sit down and relax between purchases.

Tricia of Aunty Alice - hand knitted accessories & gifts

The Flower Seller - Sarah Demirtges

The stalls were all particularly pretty and very appealing, these pictured were delicious!

Tricia Lusted of Aunty Alice for her beautiful alpaca yarn "hand knitted accessories and gifts". Contact - tricialusted@gmail.com

The Flower Seller of Adderbury; Sarah Dermirtges with her "hand-tied bouquets and market fresh flower boxes". Contact details - 'phone no. 07989 383 959.

Jem's Gem Box "Lead a Charmed Life" for "European Style Charm Bead System and Fashion Jewellery & Sterling Silver Designs".  Contact details - 'phone no. 07796 85 8855 and find her on Facebook! - www.facebook.com/jemsgembox

The Coven Spa for "Exquisite Scented Candles and Spa Products" by Theresa Mayne and Anita Bal.
Contact details - "Follow us on Twitter:@thecoven2012 and www.facebook.com/thecoven2012

Market by the Green at Adderbury's Institute

Jem and her Jem's Gem Box stall

The Coven Spa

The Coven Spa