Bits And Pieces

Sometimes there are follow-up comments which I mean to add to a blogpost and forget, and they are just too short to merit a whole post. Currently I have a number of such items, and decided to put them all in together.
After the recent post about ice sculptures, Mags asked about my blue drinks. I make a variation of the Swedish Martini, called Blue Moon. 

The colouring is blue curaçao syrup, which is basically colour, sugar and orange flavouring. I buy the Syrup de Monin brand [you often see their syrups in coffee shops, for people who like an added shot of hazelnut flavour or whatever] I get mine from Makro, or Beers of Europe. 

Expect to pay £5-£6 for a 70cl bottle. It lasts absolutely ages, and will colour around 60litres of drink. Ingredients for Blue Moon - combine curaçao;lime cordial; tonic water 
in the ratio 1; 8 ; 16

Next up - Pause in Advent - thank you to everyone who has signed up already, there's still time to join in

Following the recent post on collective nouns, Barbara Anne kindly emailed me from Virginia, to say that her favourite one is "an exaltation of hummingbirds" Isn't that charming?

I know that some of you have trouble posting comments- and it is kind of you to bother to email me. 

Next - this was a tweet from daughter Liz . Our granddaughter Rosie was born in St Thomas' Hospital, London, and we have much for which to be grateful to the staff there. They have just put out this appeal for 'bonding squares'

If you do feel able to knit a couple of squares and pop them in an envelope, I know they would be so grateful.
If you do not have a pattern, then you can use the one which we have been using here for our Tree Project- just keep on knitting till the side of the square is 5" not 4". Thank you [Pattern here]

In case you are wondering about the Tree Festival, it happens next week. Here is a teaser photo- Bob kneeling on the front drive cutting up a large piece of chicken wire. More will be revealed later!