Frenetically Floral Friday

Got to the church office this morning and unloaded all my stuff [and apologised to Susan, our Premises Manager for making such a mess!]

I had been out first to buy all the flowers, which I carried in my lovely Columbia Road Market Flower Carrier, which Steph got me about six years ago. It's huge, and has long, rigid handles - brilliant for carrying sheaves of flowers without damaging them.

Tomorrow is Nic and Fran's Wedding. Bob is conducting the ceremony [also playing guitar in the Music Group] and my contribution is arranging the flowers. One arrangement for the Apse Shelf, two pedestals and twenty Pew end Arrangements.

You can see Linda practising on the organ - it was lovely to have music whilst I worked!

Must get to church early tomorrow and clear all that stuff off the window sill before the guests arrive!

The pew end arrangements are really quite fiddly to prepare.

I have developed a system for doing them now, though

First, I soaked the Oasis, put it in the holders and wrapped it in cling film. [This holds it in place and protects the pews.]

Then I put the ribbons on, and hung all the arrangements along the coat hooks in the corridor.

I poked holes in the film with a meat skewer and began by inserting the greenery.

This green and red looks rather Christmassy, don't you think?

Once all the flowers were in place, the arrangements could be taken through into the chapel and hung on the end of the pews.

The red ribbon is the exact colour of the bridesmaids' dresses.

Finally the whole church was full of flowers

It took all day, but I finished at 5pm then Bob and I went to collect Steph from the station. There were one or two little hitches - like Oasis** disintegrating and scattering the whole arrangement on the floor...and realising I had cut ribbon too short and having to improvise with sellotape...and worrying the lilies will not open properly...but on the whole I was fairly pleased with the results, and hope the bride is too. Actually, I believe most brides are too busy to even notice the flowers!

This evening, after we had eaten, Steph came with me to the supermarket to buy food, as we seemed to have very little in the house. And at last I can relax. The heavy rain we had earlier seems to have passed- let us pray it is bright and sunny tomorrow!

[**N.B. Oasis in this context is the brand name for a spongy phenolic foam used for flower arranging- not the rock band from Manchester!]

Growing Old Gracefully?

There are plans for a massive expansion of the residential area to the edge of our village. Neither of us can go to tonight's meeting [as we already had other meetings arranged] So yesterday Bob called in at the Parish Hall to look at the plans. as he walked across the car park, a child, waiting outside with his mother, said "Mummy, is that a man or a councillor?" Had Bob been a councillor, I think he would have been subjected to a barrage of protests. Feelings are running quite high about this issue!

Yesterday afternoon we took a Communion Service at one of the Care Homes. In view of all the precautions re Swine Flu, Bob opted for "intincture" [that's when you dunk the wafer in the wine and give it to the communicant altogether] He figured that was safer than sharing a common cup. One lady declined- she only wanted the wine "Can't have the bread, it'll put me off my tea!"

When we got to the response "Your death we proclaim, your resurrection we celebrate, your coming we await" one lady piped up "Are we waiting for Him too? I thought it was just the Mormons, those ones who come round the door" Bob assured her that yes, we too were waiting for the Second Coming!

We watched a programme last night about a community of 300 OAPS who live in a Retirement Complex in Milton Keynes. I have decided that it is better to have lots of age groups mixing together. Being with just elderly people does not strike me as a good thing. Mind you, living in MK at any age might cause me to lose my marbles, I think. [Apologies if you love MK - it just isn't my cup of tea at all]

I am reminded of Jenny Joseph's poem about getting old...

Warning

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practise a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

 

Actually, I think my family feel I am quite eccentric already, with or without the red hat and the purple dress!

Weird and Wonderful

Katiecakes, here, has a blog giveaway of a great looking cookbook.

In order to qualify, you have to link to her blog and also supply an unusual ingredient and how you might use it.

I have pondered on this one - I was going to suggest lavender flowers [after those beautiful fragrant scones I ate last week in Heacham] But someone else has suggested them. Then I thought about Samphire, the lovely Norfolk Seaweed, which can be served as a vegetable on its own, or mixed into couscous. But that's not widely available.So I have entered something much more prosaic

Cold Mashed Potatoes - to make

Chocolate Covered Peppermint Patties
* 1 cup mashed potatoes
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons melted butter
* 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
* 8 cups icing sugar
* 8 (1 oz) squares plain chocolate
* 2 tablespoons softened butter
DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes, salt, butter, and peppermint extract. Gradually mix in icing sugar; mix in enough to make a workable dough, between 6 and 8 cups.
2. Knead slightly, and roll into cherry-size balls. Flatten balls to form patties. Arrange on sheets of wax paper, and allow to dry overnight.
3. Place chocolate and softened butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Dip patties in melted chocolate, and let cool on wax paper.

What's your weirdest ingredient? I've done the mayonnaise cake, and the red velvet beetroot cake, and the vinegar cake - and some of my treasured wartime recipe books have 'mock' stuff, like mock banana cake made with parsnips.

I guess many of these recipes evolved because people either had a glut of an ingredient to use up [eg beetroot], or because they were trying to make something without the usual crucial ingredient [often eggs in wartime] that reminds me, I probably ought to do something else with those groats I bought in the supermarket with Liz!

Holiday Reading From Dalziel To St Paul

Knowing that Liz was bringing some books to Cornerstones [part of our Lambeth Libraries Literary Prize] I didn't actually take anything to read last week. There was already one unstarted book there [which Steph donated, I think] "The Death of Dalziel"

I hadn't actually read any Dalziel and Pascoe before [I think the TV series put me off] and was surprised by how entertaining I found it.

In the book, another writer of detective fiction is mentioned - Freeman Wills Crofts. He was writing between 1920 and his death in 1957, the "Golden Age" of Detective fiction. But I admit, I hadn't read any of his stuff.

 

Then, before I finished Dalziel, I saw this vintage green Penguin going cheaply in a 2nd hand bookshop, so bought it. Haven't started it yet though, because that evening, I noticed on my friend PomPom's blog that she was reading Anne Tyler. "Ah" I thought, "I have enjoyed some of her stuff in the past" - and lo and behold, the charity shops of Norfolk seemed laden with her books!

 

First I got Patchwork Planet - which I really enjoyed. I thought the plot was interesting.

She has a good ear for dialogue and I find her characters are  believable.

Then I saw "Breathing Lessons" - for which AT won the Pulitzer Prize - for only 50p - in a Charity Shop in Dereham.

So I got that one and started straight in to it. Didn't really enjoy that one as much to be honest.

Then, this afternoon, spotted that the film of Breathing Lessons was on Channel Five, with James Garner and Joanne Woodward.

I decided to record it, not having the time to sit and watch it immediately. I thought maybe I'd feel more positive about the book if I watched the film.

One thing intrigues me...in the book, the couple, Ira and Maggie, are at a funeral and another person is trying to work out what song to sing. Ira tells her to go with Doris Day -saying something like "She's always popular and you can't go wrong with DD"

Bearing in mind DD played James Garner's wife in two films [Move Over Darling, The Thrill of It All] that is just TOO bizarre!!

My absolute favourite Doris Day film is Calamity Jane though [any excuse to include this clip]

[before you write me off as totally trivial, I should say I also read quite a bit of one of Black's New Testament Commentaries on Corinthians, which Bob found in the PDSA shop in Norwich]

Tomato Tales

Garrison Keillor, one of  my favourite writers, explains at length about the noble virtues, and superior taste, of home-grown tomatoes.

He describes his neighbour in Lake Wobegon, Mrs Luger - who "starts off with twenty little tomato plants in May... and by July she feels she has set something in motion which is getting out of hand...the pressure cooker has been running full blast for days, they are out of lids, but vegetables fill up the counter, the fridge, quarts have been canned - still more tomatoes move in...."I like to have extra just in case, and it's also nice to have some to give away" says Mrs Luger, he hair melted onto her head from an afternoon of canning. BUT EVERYONE ELSE HAS SOME TO GIVE AWAY!

That's how my mother felt too...One night she and I snuck over to the Tollefson's after lights went out and left half a bushel of tomatoes on their back step"

GK goes on to describe how people become desperate to give away their glut of tomatoes- and "bags of Christian tomatoes" are deposited in the Lutheran church on a Sunday morning, in the hopes that someone [anyone!] will take them.

Well, I am sorry to say that my first attempt to grow tomatoes here in Leicestershire has not been as productive. We got back from holiday last night and there were about a dozen [cherry sized]tomatoes ripe for picking, and four squashed, rotten ones at the base of the two plants.

However, despite my failures at this horticulture business, other people are very gifted. When we were at Cornerstones, we discovered Sunday was the Village Show. Our neighbours Barbara and David entered a number of items. Barbara's baking and preserves won various prizes, as did David's photographs - and his tomatoes. he won first prize for 'three specimens' and third prize in the 'best truss' class!

 

Just before we left yesterday, David kindly popped over with a punnet of toms for us "We've got far more than we can eat" he said!

 

 

Don't they look lovely? That'll be salad for lunch today then!

Worship and Wasps!

This morning we drove to the nearby town of Aylsham to church. John of Gaunt is pictured on the town sign, as he was Lord of the Manor here from 1372 – but it is believed he never actually visited!

We parked in the Market Place then walked round the corner and up a pretty little path to Emmanuel Church in White Hart Street, where we received a warm welcome.

The Pastor preached an interesting sermon on Jonah 2, and we chatted with him afterwards over a cuppa. We wondered if he was using the same Bible Reading notes as us – but he wasn’t – it seems as if Jonah is just the Prophet of the Moment!

We sang a real mixture of songs, old hymns, modern pieces – and even a FisherFolk song from the 1970’s!

I was very taken with a poster by the church entrance

Then we drove back towards Cornerstones [stopping to collect another bag of windfall fruit en route] before we turned off the main road into our close, Bob pointed out that the petrol gauge was on “Empty” and indicating only 5 miles worth of fuel left. It is about 4.99 miles to the petrol station!! Fortunately we got there and filled up the tank without incident.

Then we went back to Adrian and Marion’s for lunch. M had cooked a superb steak pie, followed by plum crumble. We ate the first course in the garden – then retired to the conservatory for pud, due to the wasps which we besieging us.

It was a lovely afternoon and then we came back to Cornerstones, for the last evening of our holiday.

What a brilliant and blessed fortnight we have enjoyed here!

Bread and Jam

My grandmother was fond of quoting this couplet

“Satan trembles when he sees … the weakest Christian on his knees”

Satan must be absolutely terrified by this sight therefore!

Bob was checking out his latest loaf. It looks splendid and has a great texture. Watch out Liz, your Dad is after your title as “Chief Family Breadmaker” I think!

Not to be outdone, I have made a fruit cake [usual BeRo boil&bake recipe] and some jam. I had not done anything with the blackberries I had picked, and decided they should be used up. So I got a Microwave Jam recipe from here. I had sugar in the cupboard, and a couple of lemons in the fruit bowl and ended up with 3 jars of Bramble Jam. It all seems to have worked ok, although I did have to pop across the road and scrounge a couple of empty jars from my neighbour. Barbara was busy baking too – she is entering stuff in the Village Show tomorrow.

Please note the way the cake is cooling. Nifty idea I gleaned from a recent Real Simple magazine – use an inverted muffin/cakepan as an impromptu cooling rack!

Are They Really Having a Whale of a Time?

We have been reading Jonah in our daily Bible readings, and one verse – part of Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the whale, keeps going round in my head…

Those who cling to worthless idols
       forfeit the grace that could be theirs

Sun, Sea, Sand…

After a brief stop at the Norfolk Lavender Centre, to pick up a few plants, we arrived at Hunstanton – a lovely little seaside resort on the North West Norfolk coast.

The water was rather cold at first, but I was determined to have a paddle.

After a bit of a walk on the sand, we sat and ate our picnic on the grass just beside the Promenade. There were lots of great motorbikes parked near us - that is probably why Bob suggested that particular bench.

My friend PomPom has even thoughtfully posted a picture of a motorbike today for Bob to look at.

Although today was a beautiful day, we travelled in the car [easier for transporting of plants, we thought]

Many children were really enjoying the sand and the sea and some were having pony rides. They were having such fun laughing and playing and building sand castles.

Hunstanton has a long prom, lots of sandy beaches, and plenty of facilities for holiday makers. I think Tubbies Donut Stall near the Pier Restaurant offers best value!

King Edmund arrived by boat from Germany near Hunstanton  in 854AD at the age of 14, and ruled this part of the world for 14 years. Then the Vikings beat him in battle and martyred him because he refused to renounce his Christian faith. He was canonised – and is now buried at…Bury St Edmunds.

We saw some interesting vehicles – an amphibious one

And this three-wheeler

When we got home, Bob planted the lavender at Cornerstones, and set about more breadmaking. I shall miss that when we get home from holiday!

The Norfolk Lavender Shop is very informative- we got five different English lavender plants for £10.

“Hidcote”, “ Hidcote Pink”, “Grey Hedge”, “Bowles Early” and “Devonshire Compact White”.

They should fill out the front bed beautifully.

We ate some of our Amaretto Norfolk Farmhouse Ice Cream tonight. It was absolutely splendid and I would wholeheartedly recommend it!

Mmm! Donuts!

The Pastor is enjoying his holiday!

Everything Stops For Tea!

We had a lovely time with Jean and Chris – and Chris kindly brought me some pink carnations – and thoughtfully also gave me a vase to put them in [so no need to use beer bottles this time!]

Poole-ing Our Resources!

After our very late night, stargazing, we went off to Fakenham again this morning to look at the market.

Stopped en route to pick some more windfall fruit from the grass verges – Bob suspects we may be becoming “Free-gans”!

On the market there was a wonderful stall selling quite exotic fruit, including smelly durians, a variety of peppers and other things I did not recognise at all.

We had coffee in “The Dancing Goat” bookstore-cum-coffee shop

We called in at the Parish Church ‘books and bric-a-brac’ sale. Nothing much of value – but a lovely embroidered altar frontal.

Jean and Christine are coming to tea – and we were excited to find a Poole Pottery tea set going for a song on the market. So that came home and whilst I made scones and fruit muffins,Bob carefully washed all the pieces of china.

Now everything is tidy and tea is ready for the guests [all food under clingfilm because of those pesky flies]

I shall go and relax and get ready to be hostess!

Starry, Starry Night

After a delicious meal, and great conversation at the home of our friends Bob and Freda, we walked home through the village, marvelling at the lovely evening.

Then we took mugs of tea outside and sat in the garden to watch the annual Perseids meteor shower. It was mind-blowingly beautiful. I know they are not shooting stars, they are just bits of space debris burning up –but I think this event each August is fabulous to watch. Here’s the BBC picture!

I thought about those verses in Job chapter 9

He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.

I do hope that despite all his troubles, Job got the opportunity to watch the Perseids!

It was a glorious ending to a lovely day.

Norwich is a Fine City!

A collage of pictures from our day out in Norwich. Reading clockwise from top left– some lovely Art Nouveau tiles at the entrance to the Royal Arcade [visited here especially to go to the Mustard Shop – but it was closed for the day!] The tiles, glass and lighting in here is spectacular!

Route 66, the American Diner where we stopped for a snack lunch.

An ice cream vendor – we didn’t stop and buy one!

Wonderful architecture in London Street. This is part of Jarrold’s Store

Bob in Route 66 reading his charity shop book [we were astounded by the number of charity shops in the city. There were just too many – even for die-hard bargain hunters like us]

Wonderful sign by the pub near Norwich Market [no I did not leave him!]

Statue of Amelia Opie, over a building in Opie Street [built on the site of her old home] She was a fascinating lady – writer, artist’s wife, [friend of Mary Wollstonecraft and others] and in later life, she became a Quaker [and friend of the great Gurney/Fry families] and was involved in social reform and the anti-slavery campaign.

A great display of posters in “The Perfect Pad” in Goat Lane. I resisted the urge to buy the  “Keep Calm” mug, and the matching “Waste Not, Want Not” design.

Finally, the fabric

This was from the very start of our trip – before getting on the Park’n’Ride bus, we went into The Range Homestore to buy a mirror as requested by the daughters. On Friday, in a coffee shop in Burnham Market, Liz had mentioned that she wanted to re-cover her dining chair seat pads, with ‘something like this’. That fabric was a ‘pear’ print, and it was definitely Orla Kiely–esque. This apple print was relatively inexpensive and I think will look good on her chairs. Must plan another trip to London soon!

On the way back from the P&R, we picked some hedgerow fruit, and also called in at Staples. I got ridiculously excited to find something there which would be great for a Christmas gift – but cannot tell you about it yet as the recipients read this blog!!

Then finally we stopped off at Norfolk Farmhouse Ice Cream, which is just up the road from Cornerstones, to buy a tub of deliciousness for the icebox.

And home again – for tea and a rest before we go out for the evening!