love those cupcakes

"Less artsy, more fartsy"

(Quote from Homer Simpson)

Taking great pictures is not, as no doubt you'll have already concluded, one of my strengths.  I have a compact digital camera which is always set in Auto mode.  I point, I click, I hope for the best.  Sometimes it works, other times there's just a blur.

So, along with a friend who is similarly photographically challenged,  I signed up for a one day, get-to-know-your-camera course which took place today at our local National Trust property.  All of the other participants were SLR camera owners, most of whom turned up with some very impressive camera equipment.  (I'll spare you the comments from the four women on the course about men and their obvious need to show off their, ahem, variously sized telephoto lenses).

The course was a tad disappointing in that I was expecting to be shown how to use my camera - I still have no idea what it's capable of.  Instead, it was all a bit technical (depth of field, aperture priority, f numbers, focal length and ISO settings anyone?) and in all honesty I don't know much more than I did previously.

We were eventually let loose in the grounds to practice what we'd learned (!) with instructions to concentrate on close-ups of flowers, landscape views and portrait shots, the best from each being shown at the end of the session to the whole group. 

I found I was in movie mode at one point.  I think I'm going to have to read the manual.

Back home, the Boo was still in Royal Wedding mode.

We haven't the heart to tell him it's all over.

Flying the flag

I was only half heartedly interested in The Wedding shenanigans but found myself being drawn in on the day itself.  I loved the dress, cried at the music and relished the pomp and spectacle.

Our young neighbours were keen to organise a street party and we felt obliged to contribute, hanging bunting from the trees and baking for the buffet. I wasn't sure about joining in but we've had a brilliant time, sharing food and drink and getting to know the people who live nearby.   A right royal day.

Easter tea tally

Consumed (by me):

2 handfuls of Kettle chips

4 finger sandwiches

4 cheese straws*

2 raspberry meringue nests*

1 strawberry and cream scone*

2 baby chocolate eclairs*

 

To be consumed (by me, when I've recovered):

1 Cadbury's chocolate bunny

1 Whispa egg

1 or 2 of these

 

which were inspired by a tea cosy.

*Recipes from Mary Berry's "Baking Bible"

Good Friday tradition

Last year's hot cross buns turned out like stones. 

This year's are a definite improvement.

I was up just after half six to make them, using a Good Housekeeping recipe my dad swore by.  A couple of the buns are the size of a small loaf but they taste good, with just the right amount of stickiness on top.

Meanwhile, in another room, the plant pot lurve just goes on....

....and on. 

 

In the garden

Buzz

Bea

Buddha

Boo?

Guarding the precious, of course.

Thank Crunchie it's Friday

It's been a busyish week with a work related trip to Liverpool and having stitches removed after a bit of a nose job, which wasn't for cosmetic reasons, I hasten to add, but has caused the Husband to remark "Ooh, now you've got a bump and a dip".  Charming.  So the opportunity to work at home today was most welcome, not least because I could fit in a spot of bread baking and soup making.

Meanwhile, Someone Else was clearly becoming too attached to his plant pots.

At least the TV remote control is getting a bit of a rest.

 

Sunny Sunday

The warm spell seems to have brought everyone out into the garden.  Even us.  We'd planned last year (and probably the year before) to do a lot of much needed work in the back garden but, predictably, we didn't make much progress.  Well, if I'm honest, we didn't make any progress.  So we are hoping to get on with it this year.   We've had estimates (eye watering!) for replacing some fencing, the patch of grass will be re-turfed and I have plans for a new shed to replace the existing one which we bought as a playhouse for the kids when they were little.  I don't think anyone has ventured inside it for years though I seem to remember it was carpeted and has book shelves and seating.  Then there's replanting to do to fill gaps and replace some mature shrubs we lost over the winter, plus general tidying up.

But there were signs of some old favourites coming to life as we pottered today, with the Boo in charge of plant pots.

(Periwinkle)

(Whitebeam)

(Weeping pear)

We were observed by Percy, a one time regular visitor to the garden who reappeared recently, sadly with his left eye missing. 

Of course, someone disgraced himself by falling into the pond.

At least we now know he can swim.

 

So far this week

• Spring well and truly sprung in the front garden.

• One book at bedtime (American Deep South.  1930's.  Racial hatred.  Injustice.  A highly recommended read.) finished and another started.

• New project on the needles.  A manageable baby sized one.

• Estimates sought for re-fencing part of the back garden.  (Four figures?  Really?)

• A bi-monthly check up at the hospital which gave me hope.