My Organic Valentine Weekend - Sunday 15th February 2015

Continuing my use of organic flour for the bread the dear SO is now constantly making,  this weekend I've made up two batches of organic biscuits - wonderful!

I still have no bad side-effects from all the organic bread I've been eating since we began using organic flour.  Its simply brilliant!  I can eat bread every day and be perfectly comfortable with my digestion.  Nothing untoward happens to upset me at all, which is great.  Of course, I still keep up my uptake of water and mugs of tea, so I do take in a good supply of liquids, plus my Arla Lactofree milk for my breakfast muesli and several pieces of fruit; so it's all good.

So here are my biscuits - My organic Choc-Chip Fork Biscuits and my Reduced Sugar Organic Choc-Chip Heart-Shaped Biscuits...

I cooked some frozen summer gooseberries into a puree to go with my Breakfast Seed and Nut Muesli. A very lightly sweetened puree, certainly for gooseberries a little sugar is necessary, is absolutely delicious for a breakfast bowl of Muesli and a great way to kick-start my day, hey!

For dinner on Saturday, I roasted the brace of pheasant I found at Deddington's Farmer's Market just before Christmas which, not being eaten then and frozen, came in very handy for my Valentine Weekend of Baking.

The pheasant were supplied by D  B Cox of Ixhill Farm and here's a photo of their stall at Deddington's Farmer's Market, just before Christmas ...

D & B Cox of Ixhill Farm for their Game and Meat for Christmas,,,, and

here's my photo of all the Christmas food we bagged along with our pheasant, Game Terrine and lovely piece of Mutton still waiting to be turned into a delicious curry..

Lovely food for a cosy weekend at home and time to relax.  Happy Valentine Day everybody

 xxx

Daisy

Designer Puppies - Monday, 5th January 2015

Designer Puppies, the Spoodle, any puppy - my aren't they just gorgeous, cute and very delightful? They have that very special puppy smell, which connects me to my childhood, for we've always had puppies!

Unfortunately, they do not remain as puppies for very long, as all babies do, they grow up, as they must do, of course and we shouldn't wish it to be any  other way.

But, whilst they're still puppies, they really are the most  adorable little bundles of furry fun and a great pleasure to one and all.

Designer puppies are just the same but with a few singular differences!


Both parents come together with particular characteristics, well rather like all babies - fact OK! However, I believe the power of those differences are much greater with DP's, leading to the necessity for a deeper understanding of those very exacting and opposing differences.

Now I fully accept I'm very new to the concept of such pets but since puppy-sitting  these last few days our little Lola Bear - my darling monster - I've noticed a couple of noteworthy particular pointers!

The Cocker Spaniel influence has given her good retrieval instincts coupled with intelligence and alertness.  From her toy Poodle parentage she has her small size and a fluffy/curly coat.  There is a small amount of  another small dog, making my darling monster rather a doggie mixture!  However, I don't think the mixture too great, for Lola Bear already shows a lively intelligence, friendliness and a good training capacity.

Her keen owner had already begun to put her pet thru' her paces, training-wise, and making sure LB has all her vaccinations, worming pills and that necessary id chip inserted.

Well, our puppy-sitting duties are over for now but...............hopefully her Mama Chloe will need her little Lola Bear looked after again soon!!!

Daisy xxx

Our darling Lola Bear - 1st January 2015

So off I went to the countryside of deepest, darkest Oxfordshire, with darling Lola Bear.  We were to spend the day with family and   their dog Ben and one was a little concerned for Ben,  who is more than several years older than Lola Bear, might be somewhat upset by the arrival of a very lively and boisterous puppy.

However, my fears were utterly groundless for Ben became Uncle Ben the moment Lola Bear tumbled out of her travelling cage.  He was the ultimate avuncular for our young pup, only once raising his bark to a higher tone when obviously resolved on correcting our young pup's behaviour when just a little "ott!"

Lola Bear sat back in amazement, on her haunches,  listening intently to her new Uncle Ben's strong, but kind, words on her unruly activity.  Following this stern reproval,  Ben and Lola Bear were on the very best of terms,  for the remaining hours spent together.

We even took a brisk walk across the fields, in a howling gale, galloping and bouncing steps over the wet coarse grass, in great excitement for Lola Bear's first such field walk.  She twirled and capered, scampering over the rough terrain, with great enthusiasm for the country life - loving every minuet of this wonderful new experience.

Falling asleep immediately we arrived home and followed by a hearty chicken supper, she slept soundly the entire home-bound journey, when after a little biscuity snack to help her thru' the night, Lola Bear fell asleep once more, virtually prone on the sofa until  gently lifted into her cage for a restorative night-time's snooze.  I'm expecting her to be fully wide awake and ready for another brilliant day tomorrow morning, Friday, 2nd January, and perfectly sure I'll not be disappointed!!!

Goodnight little puppy and sweet dreams to you and all my dear friends and followers!

Daisy xxx

Playtime for Lola Bear under the sofa.....!

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.