my photos

Photo Scavenger Hunt ...

Here are my entries for March - all twelve of them!

a lion

Lucky for me this one lives in my garden!

a rainbow

No real rainbow to be seen this month.

something green

Living lettuce!

an empty chair

Splash Point in Worthing.

something sentimental

One of my late Mum's gollys.

peeling paint

A fisherman's box along the beach at Worthing.

a collection

A small selection of my vintage Yellow Cornishware.

a ring

My maternal great-grandmother's wedding ring.

a fancy gate

I've always rather loved the gate in this old family photo.

a shadow

On TK Maxx in Worthing.

something as old as you

A card heralding my arrival!

a lamb

Taken in a field at Botolphs, West Sussex.

Please let me know if you are joining in, so I can list your blog on my sidebar.

I really don't want to miss anyone!

Here's the list for April:

April showers
breakfast
your camera
a set of keys
an interesting shopname
a cross
a church
eggs
something yellow
a sculpture
something to do with Shakespeare
something to mark St Georges Day

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... sunshine, and lots of it!

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my photos

banana buns ...

I baked banana buns just in time for elevenses today - using a black 'n blue banana recovered from J's rucksack.



There's always a banana to be found in our house - both of us take at least one to work with us every day.

These are about as yellow as I like them, and fossilized black ones in the main, shamefully end up on the compost.

Not this one!

Top tip - Bananas degrade quickly and provide above-average bacterial activity for your compost.



Since when did we stop selling eggs by the dozen?

Fifteen in a box, ten in a box - and in this box nine!



A dozen (!) delicious, moist banana buns, baked in my Mum's old bun tin.

Suggestion - Serve warm, drizzled in golden or maple syrup, with a big dollop of thick cream, ice-cream or custard!



These banana buns remind me of/and taste very similar to the banana cake we ate a lot of, on both our trips to Australia.

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As recently featured on Kris' blog Life at Rosemary Hill.

Baked in loaf form, we often found it served spread with sweet butter, the same thickness and texture of our Christmas brandy butter.



For the banana buns, I used and adapted the recipe for honey & banana cakes to be found in 200 Cupcakes from the Hamlyn all colour cookbook series.

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It's a neat little book costing only £2.49 at good old trusty Robert Dyas.

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I aim to try out lots of the fabulous recipes inside - and for that taste of Australia, I may well just put that frosting on the top of my buns next time!

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in black and white and glorious technicolour ...

Click on image above to re-live The Bicycle scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 1969.
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I've loved this tune forever.
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These images to follow are a bit pleasing on the eye!





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photos from the web

The Tudors ...

It may be seen as inaccurate, it may be seen as trashy ...

but I've loved every season of The Tudors.

Love the beautiful photography and imagery too.



It doesn't appear to be on this evening.

I shall miss the wonderful soundtrack, and the stunning visuals!

Medieval torture!


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If you are at all interested in history from this period, watch at your peril the two clips below.

Introduced by Natalie Dormer, who held the part of Anne Boleyn.
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Behind the Tudors - Tower of London
Behind the Tudors - Hampton Court
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It would be advantageous for you to watch.

Remember, heads may roll, and all that!

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my photos

ooh lovely, a day off ...

After a wobbly start I'm having a nice day today, just pottering and drinking cups of tea.

I've vacuumed, made a Cottage Pie, and done a shop in Asda too.

I had a few tears first thing whilst looking through a few old blog posts (as you do) and clicking on this Beatles track I posted for my Mum a month or so back.

Nobody ever says how long you are supposed to grieve do they?

I guess I'm still feeling a bit run down from not being tip top too, and now I have a sty in my eye!
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Unbelievable - when will it ever end?

Anyway, do you love Mr Pickled Onion Head by Toni Raymond Pottery as much as I do (he's been having a bit of a cry too, by the looks).

I found him in a charity shop a while or so back.



At last we have a bright day!

Twas beginning to think we'd never see the back of those damn right miserable grey days we've been having.

Lovely sunbeams have been streaming through the verticals.



The sun is also shining down on this pretty and pure white polyanthus, with it's beautiful heart-shape petals.

I've had a little stroll around the garden.

Whilst out there I took a few pics, and did the obligatory cat poo inspection.

Not even my cats!

Didn't stay out there long - don't be deceived, it's freezing in that north-easterly.



More lovely shadows being cast on the kitchen table.

A bit random - but did you know you can get three light bulbs in Robert Dyas for 50p?

Since when have they been such a bargain!



Hey, this helped to wipe away the tears.

After looking in at my comments this morning, I discovered I've been awarded a Stylish Blogger Award from The Secret Life of an Unknown Housewife.

Sarah describes my blog as quirky, quaint and clever - quirky and quaint I may be, but clever?

Thank you so much for seeing me in a light I never see myself in.

You've so cheered me up!

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my photos

rosy sponge cakes ...

I baked these rose-shaped sponge cakes using a 4oz mix, and a silicone mould.

Being somewhat influenced by the Hairy Bikers' Battenburg, I also added red dye to the mix to make them pink.

Slipped a bit, and then really wish I hadn't!

Being the first time I have ever used the silicone method, the whole procedure was a bit hit 'n miss to say the least.

I'm what you could say 'old school' and up until now I have always opted to use what I've always used, a baking tin!



Mixed reviews really.

The cakes came out of the cases well, but on tasting them the texture of the sponge was, well, reminiscent of rubber?

Not so springy to the touch, and still tempted to give preference to tin, but I guess there is room for both in my baking.

The mould came from Lidl, and being the girly-girl I am, was seduced by the pretty rose shapes!

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