Friday 2 October 2020

Friday Chat Day

 Hello friends

Welcome to another FCD - my excuse for a little natter and diarising my week.

Blogger is now insisting I use the new template so if things look a bit wonky I apologise.

Hope you are all keeping well and adjusting to the cooler weather and the nights closing in. Mixed emotions with the approach of Autumn, I'm sad not to be doing jobs in my tiny garden but pleased to have the excuse to indulge in comfort foods and sit down and crochet more.

And talking of comfort foods - this week's recipe is Shortbread. I used to balk at the prospect of making shortbread fearing it would be tricky but this recipe is easy peasy, it uses semolina but you can use custard powder too.

Recipe:


200g plain flour, 200g butter,

100g sugar, 100g semolina

 Preheat oven to 180C.

Cream butter and sugar together,

I use an electric hand whisk.

Add the flour and semolina and mix with a

wooden spoon until it begins to form a dough.

Either press into a cake tin or roll and slice.

Bake for 15 minutes until very slightly golden.

(It looks uncooked as you take it out of the oven and

there is a temptation to cook it for longer – resist!)

Leave to cool in tin and it will firm. 



The printable is available here.
And if you wish to view any previous recipes they are all available on the Recipe tab here.

Garden:

This is a Bijou Clematis and I'm so thrilled it has flowered. 
Very different to traditional Clematis in that it mound-forming and perfect for containers, 
tiny leaves with these large purple flowers. 
Hoping it will establish and provide a lot more flowers next year.


Time to put in some winter colour, pansies and cyclamen.
I've also managed to take ivy cuttings so adding those to my tree containers.


Thought this would look festive, fingers crossed they stay like this. 
Photo taken on a rainy day with a full water butt, wishing I had room for more - 
something satisfying about collecting rainwater.


Crochet:

All week I've been working on the border of this blanket - Summer Harmony.
I'm nearly there, it's 17 rows and each round was taking nearly an hour. 
It has kept me nice and toasty whilst finishing it.
Today it should be complete and then I'm full steam ahead to get another
blanket done by Christmas.


This week at Elliott's flat a very important item arrived...a sofa! 
Up until now he's just had his office chair and visitors (me) sat on the floor.  
It was tricky finding one that would not only fit in the room but fit through the door.  
This one was ideal as it comes boxed and you build it (thank you Mitchell).  
Bella testing optional.


Telly:

Ghosts - all episodes available on BBC iPlayer. 


A young couple inherit a grand house with resident ghosts. 
Very light hearted and definitely raises a smile or two. 
Starring very familiar faces and co written by Matthew Baynton.

Travelers - Netflix


Hundreds of years in the future, the last surviving humans discover a way of sending consciousness back through time, directly into people in the 21st century -"travelers," who assume the lives of seemingly random people.  
Very different and intriguing, I like it.  Recommended by Mitchell and to be honest 
I would probably never find half this stuff to watch if the boys didn't mention them.

And finally...

this Sunday is Charity Kit Day, please stop by.
I've kept with the festive theme and it also complements last month's kit.
Here's a little sneak peek.



And that is another week - this weekend Mitchell and I are visiting Elliott 
and cooking a roast dinner, Elliott is learning how to cook and we thought best way 
was to use his cooker - all electric, I'm used to a gas hob but I'm sure it will be fine.

Lots of thanks for the Mum get well wishes, she has had 
 quite a few hospital appointments this week, relieved to be back home and 
hopefully now on the mend.  

Take care friends in this very surreal world we are living in now.
I admit to getting wobbly now and again when I watch the news so I limit that. 
I truly hope you are all coping ok.  

Take good care.

6 comments:

kittyedavies47@gmail.com said...

Good Morning Christine.
I am so glad to read your Mum is back home.
Thank you another lovely chat day.
You always have a busy week, lovely blanket and very pretty garden.
My grandchildren keep me up to date with netflix,
yesterday I found The unforgotten I don't know how I missed it first time around,
I see it was in 1977 who knows what I was watching then lol.
Looking forward to Sunday charity kit.
Take care stay safe and have fun Kitty.

CraftyCoffey said...

Great to hear all your news. The plants are looking good. The shortbread looks delicious & an easy recipe-might be brave enough to try that recipe.
Hope the roast cooked at Elliott’s flat goes well & lovely to hear your Mum is home .

Michele

hazel young said...

Loving the garden photos. Never heard of making shortbread with semolina, I have printed the recipe to try. Love the blanket its gorgeous you are so clever and dedicated. Enjoy your weekend at Elliotts and have a great week xx Hazel

Margie said...

Always great to hear your news and see what you've been up to. The shortbread recipe looks good and your blanket looks gorgeous. Hope your mum continues to improve and the roast goes well xxx

Littlelamb said...

Shortbread looks good. Don’t have any Semolina but do have custard powder. I assume you would use the same amount as Semolina.blanket is looking good. I actually did some of mine the other evening. Was feeling cold and it certainly warmed me up. Hope the Roast goes ok with using a different cooker. Glad your mum is feeling a bit better. Plants are looking good. Enjoy your weekend.

Jackie Durrant said...

Hi Christine and thank you for another newsy letter. That blanket looks so pretty and I'm not surprised at how long each "circuit" takes. There's certainly a lot of hours gone into it. So pleased your mum is back home and doing ok. Just a shame she won't be able to go and see Elliott's flat yet. A real improvement getting a settee, no longer looking like student digs then!! I had a look online at cyclamen plants for the front border but at the moment the geraniums are still flowering so profusely I don't won't to dig them up though I might put them into pots and in a sheltered spot as they are all cuttings from last years plants and hopefully I will be able to repeat the process. Enjoy your weekend - don't let Bella drown in the puddles!!

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