Christmas puddings and Knitting

After our lovely holiday away in Scotland it been all go since we got back. The one thing I needed to do was getting the Christmas puddings made yes its that dreaded word Christmas. The shop is getting full of Christmas decorations and I'm running out of space to store it all, but we have to get Bonfire night the beginning of November out of the way first before anything can go into the shop. ( saying that I have left an angel out its so lovely).
I mixed most of the ingredients a few days before cooking so that the alcohol can soak into the fruit. Raisins, currents, sultanas,prunes, zest and juice of oranges and lemons, cherries, grated apple, walnuts and almonds, grated carrot, black treacle, demarara sugar, breadcrumbs,beef suet, ground almonds salt, nutmeg, mixed spice, fruit peal, stout and rum. after a few days this was mixed with the self raising flour and eggs.

I have made so much I had to mix it in the jam pan then left it in the crock mixing bowl, but had to put it back in the jam pan to mix in the flour.

As is our tradition each member of the house has a stir with a wish, but there is only Robert here Fallon is away on holiday. He will now say hes made them.

I usually steam them in a crock pot but I treated myself to these plastic containers with lids so I don't have to cover them with layers of tin foil to keep out the water.

Ready to cook




The cooked pudding
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I have also been busy Knitting. When I was at home in the summer getting over my operation I knitted my great niece Hannah a cardigan and when Robert saw it he said "I remember when you used to knit for me" so when I was well I went to the local wool shop who happened to be moving to a smaller shop and were having a sale. I got enough wool for the sweater below for an incredible £4.00 and its Arron. I'm not really very good and its years since I knitted anything this big only a few scarfs. It has a 16row patton, my friend who knits a lot said the patton would have shown up better in a plain wool as it doesn't really show on the flecked wool. I think it will be warm as when I was knitting it it made me warm.

Robert modeling the finished jumper

Rotherham show

Me receiving my trophy from the deputy Lord mayor

This display titled Hanging gardens of Heligon (not sure of the spelling)and came second and was lovely and fresh.
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This India design was so very clever, there was lots of details and won first place and was entered by the Rotherham flower club.
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This is one of three displays of fruit and veg this was the winner.
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I have been a bit busy this week as I was taking part in a floral competition. The event was taking part in Rotherham at Clifton park. Its a real fun day for the locals with plenty of events. The fruit and veg competition is very competitive and I don't know how they get the veg so big. There is children competition such as photograph, dressed potato, miniature gardens, art and craft. There is a baking section, cross stitch, painting, photograph, card making, sewing and my section floristy and a section of flower arrangers and many more.I entered quite a few below are photo's of the exhibits I entered.



This was my winning brides bouquet and grooms button hole. The brief was to design a modern bouquet using autumn flowers
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My second bouquet came third with the comment that it was a bag not a bouquet but to me it was a modern design.
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This category asked for a design to be made for the chief bridesmaid. It is to be worn over the shoulder and it took the first prize. I twisted lenghts of gold wire and with a thinner gold wire attached them together, the flowers are the type that would stay fresh for the day.
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I made this wrist corsage from silver thread and pearls and added a simple Gerbra.
It was awarded 2nd place
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For the top table which we were told was round and seated ten people this design is tall enough so that when everyone is seated the flowers are above eye level. It won me a 2nd place
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The design below got me the first prize with the judges comments WOW Congratulations. It is a simple wreath ring cut in half and put end to end to give it the S shape. On a round table it would good at any angle. I used large rolled oak leaves, garden foliage and lovely bright flowers that matched the brides bouquet.

The forth entry was to design a environmental funeral tribute. They now make bio gradable wreath rings and all the flowers and foliage were from the garden. You had to say who it was for so adding the wooden garden tools I said it was for the late Geoff Hamalton a organic gardener. I achieved a 3rd place.

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This was one of my favorites and won first place. Taking two lengths of biodegradable wire I filled them with all the things I could find from the ground. I sowed up the sides and found this lovely string of berries with a natural curving shape.

I'm very pleased to achieved so much, but to be fair there was not a lot of entries like the bigger shows such as Harogate. I was entering this show but it clashed with the festival of the plough on the same Sunday and Roberts parents are coming for the weekend to go plus Robert and I love this show. I like to enter shows it makes you create things you wouldn't normally make and being with like minded people who on the whole are a friendly bunch.

Dog park

Robert and I have found a good place to walk the dogs and nearly on the door step. Clumber park. We had a lovely morning there a week ago and the heather is in flower giving a lovely mauve hue. Tom of course found the water. Scampi only got her feet wet. There were a lot of dogs there and cyclist but its a huge park with plenty of space for all and we had our lunch with the dogs having a good sniff round.

Rachel and Carls wedding

On Monday the 30th August I had great pleasure making the wedding bouquet for my friend Jenny's granddaughter Rachel. She was marrying Carl and they are both active in our church. Rachel is a teacher in the children's department and Carl is on the audio team. There could not be a nicer couple and it was one of the best weddings I have been to, a real Christian wedding. The brides party entered the church to Canon in D Pachelbel played be a string quartet and after a warm welcome from the minister David Craven we sang Be Thou my vision. The marriage followed, then a prayer by David Miller. We then had a wonderful time of worship with I've found a love, How great Thou art, In Christ alone finishing with Amazing Grace. Rebecca, Rachel's sister read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 and an address by David Craven was followed by the signing of the registers. Whilst this was happening Janine Dyer sang The One He kept for me and Rebekah Sutcliffe who also led the worship team sang the wonderful song Beautiful.
As there was so many people there who could not be invited to the reception the wedding cake was served with tea or coffee. This was a fantastic idea as it was a chance to talk to Rachel and Carl and the families as the string quartet played wonderful music. The church Christchurch of Doncaster is a beautiful building and is being renovated for these modern times, its light and feels welcoming. And the weather stayed dry, hurray.
I with a few other helpers helped Jenny with the Church flowers, Jenny made the topiary tree's that stood out side. It will be very clear in the photo's the two sister of Rachel, and the third bridesmaid's is Rachel's cousin.

Newbry Hall Gardens

After our walk round the sculpture park we had lunch on the picnic tables provided when the heavens opened. We made it back to the car and sat there until it stopped ( I had a power nap).We have been to the gardens many times and try to visit at different times in the year. The roses had gone over this time but the end off summer flowers and the start of Autumn were wonderful. The area around the house are plain mainly grass and a large pond to the front of the house, with yew hedges. But after this it is a riot of colour. Down a few steps from the lawn and pond area is a fabulous long herbaceous border full of flowers. This leads all the way down to the river and every few yards left and right there is a small grass path which and behind the yew hedges to little gardens all different. The gardens hold the national Cornus collection. The afternoon stayed dry and took us all afternoon to wander round stopping for afternoon tea in the excellent restaurant, I think we were last out--again!

As the sign explains this is a new garden in colours of soft greys, blues and mauve's.

This soft plant looks like a cosmos but is fact a Dahlia, and they had one for sale so its now in my garden I just hope it survives the winter.

Loved this delicate clematis

The Dalia's were a Lovely combinations of colours

Another delicate clematis with this pink contrasting colour flower in the front of it.

Never been here when the Laburnum has been in flower I bet its spectacular

I wish I had a garden big enough to have these trees planted, they give the garden plenty of winter interest.

This is called the white garden and again if my garden was big enough I would have a spot for just white flowers.












Two friendly black swans.