darkazana

While I understand the frustrations caused by large groups of cyclists, I would like to stand up and be counted for the individual who just wants to get from A to B safely. The other week Hubby had to go on a course, necessitating the use of our one and only car. It coincided with my yoga class, and though I could have caught the bus, I thought it would be nice to cycle the 4 miles, along a country lane, getting in some exercise too. I used our work Hi Viz jacket for safety and most people gave me plenty of room, slowing down, and waiting if there was something coming in the opposite direction

Still No Snow

Well we've certainly had "some degree of frost and fog" today, in fact its never lifted and the trees have been white over all day. The birds have been mobbing the feeders all day too. A pity its not still the RSPB bird count as I'm sure I've had more in today than the whole of last weekend!! I don't think improvement is on the cards for tomorrow, if the BBC is anything to go by it's going to get worse....not that we have had the snow they promised!

That is spooky, Carni. Thank goodness Poppy survived. I have only ever had spooky experiences actually in houses. I used to live in an old farm house, near Newark, which had creepy stairs, though not particularly frightening, but the hairs on the back of my neck often stood up. My brother also told me he felt uncomfortable on the stairs, and he is a very down to earth sort of person. There were sightings of an old lady in the house by my then husband and our daughters, I thought someone was outside the stables, but there was no one there. I heard footsteps over head when I was in b

You mean there was left over trifle in the first place??????

Home-made croissants

Commo, just read about your sad loss and would like to add my condolences, I can think of nothing worse than losing a child. Thoughts are with you and your family. Blessings.

Hi Carni, Hope you are keeping well. It's good to be back. Still trying to find my way around the probably not so new look site now. I was about to have a look round the site, but spookily Paul Murtons Grand Tours of Scotland's Lochs was on and he visited Loch Naver which is where our campsite was last year, just after I had finished my post about it!!!

Good Evening All, Just been doing a little lurking and thought I'd pop in and say Hi Guys I'm back Did you miss me? Oh well never mind. Couldn't check in last year as we had no wifi at Altnaharra, in fact we were lucky to have electricity Seriously we had a fantastic time. I'm sure Compo must have been there at some time and will know how lovely it is. It is also very remote, the nearest shop being 25 miles away, or 50 miles for a supermarket!! As it was so remote I kept our campers supplied with all sorts of yummy goodies, Chocolate Brownies, Lemon Drizzle Cake, Carrot Cak

Not something that I ever mastered but I do believe that in t'owd days they used to add bicarbonate of soda to greens to keep their colour which would otherwise be insipid looking with the amount of boiling they employed

Jill I was serving dinners at a primary school in West Bridgford and offered a child a banana....they asked me what a banana was!!!

Having been reading about Catfans scary diabetes episodes recently brought to mind my own blog, which has been woefully neglected recently. I am so pleased that Catfan has come off the insulin and that his BG is back to where it was 2 years ago, and I whole heartedly hope it stays there, if not even improving more. I know how scary it can all be, but I am blessed that I have been able to control my diabetes by diet and exercise. I went for my regular 6 monthly check up last week and have just learned that all is normal, "no further action necessary". Even though I work

So pleased to hear you're off the insulin Catfan. Hopefully you will stay off it. Well done

I was school cook for Notts County Council up until 2010 and am disappointed to see children are finding school dinners disgusting as long before Jamie Oliver crusaded his way through NCC were pioneers in improving the meals. I can hand on heart say that whilst I was cooking in any school (I was a mobile cook supervisor for several years) the meals were home made and tasty, from meat pies, casseroles and pasta dishes to burgers (we made our own from scratch) and local venison sausages....always popular with caramel tart still being on the menu, but by far the favourite of my children was the

Blessed Samhain to all Nostalgians, tis the time of year when the veil between our world and t'other is at it's thinnest and spooky stuff can occur. It also signifies the end of the harvest season when all is safely gathered in and we can start to prepare for the long winter months by preserving what we can in the form of chutneys, jams, jellies and cider (of course), meat would have been salted down and hung in the larder to see our forebears through the cold dark days, and little furry and prickly creatures will be settling down for their winter snooze, their own larders stocked

No apples for me this year PeverilPeril, I've had to go scrumping for wild crabapples, the last of which I got today along with rosehips for my final foraging jelly of the year.

Sorry to hear about the diabetes Catfan, as we know its a horrible insidious disease, hope the insulin helps and you will improve very soon. Stay strong.

In my thoughts Catfan, hope they can sort the problem soon. Best wishes to you and Mrs CF.

Sorry to hear you have been poorly for a while now Catfan. Hope you get well soon.

I usually leave rowan until October, the berries are best when going a bit wrinkly, too bitter at the moment. Got a few wild raspberries and a start on some blackberries. Hoping to make a Clumber Hedgerow Jelly this year using whatever I can get from the woods. Have to say the Elderflower was especially good so have high hopes for the Elderberries this year.

I use a teaspoon to "pop" the lid, by easing the edge of the lid away from the rim. Usually opens easily after that. All the talk of the packing things come in reminds me of Jack Dee (or it could have been Michael Mackintyre) and buying a pair of scissors to find you need the scissors to open the pack that they come in!!!!

They grow so quickly. We had a pied wagtail build a nest and lay 5 eggs near the fuel tank in the compound at Clumber a few weeks ago, and were looking forward to watching the eggs hatch, then suddenly one day all the eggs had disappeared and we had one very upset wagtail. Not sure if it was squirrel or magpie who had taken the eggs. Not sure if it is the same wagtail, but last week I opened up a toilet cubicle which we had closed off and a wagtail had built a nest between the window and the flyscreen (the window had been left open when the cubicle was closed off) There are now 3 eggs in the

This is an interesting piece about Beltane which is celebrated on May 1st, and mentions the connection with the maypole. www.goddessandgreenman.co.uk/Beltane

Annual diabetes check up last week and am so pleased to report that I am still technically diabetes free. Official note from doctor on blood tests was "no further action needed" I am now 18 months from being diagnosed type 2, and 12 months of being pronounce clear. I have also kept the weight off for a year now. I read the other day that apparently the longer you can keep your weight down after dieting, without the yo-yoing effect, the better chance that it will stay off in the long run. Since the last check up I have added a few treats to my diet, a cake now and again, a pud when we go out

Missed all the excitement due to lack of wifi, but lovely to see our next generation safe and well