I did it again didn't i- fell off the radar again! I'm sorry, i think (and i truly do think) i shall be back to posting regularly again now, i've had a combination of my illness being flared coupled with the fact it's absolutely blooming freezing, Christmas shopping and general lack of hours conspiring against me! But the shopping is almost done, i'm slowly getting accustomed to the bitter cold so i hope to be back everyday.
Oh and i did manage to get some baking done, i've made gluten free apricot and nut cookies (which went down very well), more raspberry and white chocolate cookies, coconut macaroons, jam thumbprints, a pear and frangipane tart and grapefruit cupcakes- those were the absolute hit, apparently they were incredibly light so i imagine i will be making those again.
Anyway, enough of the waffling, on with the show.
I.
Place/Country to visit;
Iceland.
And yes ironic as it sounds after i've just complained about the cold i've wanted to go to Iceland since i was very young. It's places like Iceland that really help me feel connected to the planet- to nature i guess, just to see the way our world grew and evolved inspires me and i'd love to be able to go and just experience being in a place like that.
travel-to-iceland.com
Recipe;
Iced Buns.
Now i've been baking a lot for my family (therapeutic for me and yummy for them) and i'm glad to say i'm getting better and trying more complex things, in fact, i'm aiming to do the Portuguese Egg Tarts next as i was so kindly linked to the recipe and can't stop thinking about them. But sometimes, sometimes it's nice to just do something simple and do it well and for me, iced buns rock! It was my treat as a child to be given an iced bun once a week and i treasured every part of it, just plain icing atop a slightly sweet bun was just perfect.
housewareslives.net
Item;
Insomnia relief!
Yep, i am insomniac and have been for the last 3 years now! In honesty you do get used to it, you do adapt fairly quickly but there is nothing more appealing than getting into a lovely soft bed and closing your eyes and opening them 8 hours later without waking up once! I've done all the horrible meds they give you, the self-hypnosis, the alternative remedies- i think i am destined to be a night owl, it's just my luck i seem to be more awake when the world goes to sleep!
negotionaisdone.wordpress.com
Saying.
"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen".
Flower.
Iris.
This must be a family thing because they were my Grandfather's favourite, they are my Mother's favourite and they are one of my all time favourites. They look so delicate and elegant yet the foliage is dense and thick and strong, and i like that that you can have a strong base but a soft heart.
motls.blogspot.com
Animal;
Ibex.
Ever heard of an Ibex? I hadn't until a little while ago, and it's not likely i will ever see one in it's true habitat but still, they are incredible creatures in my eyes.
They look like goats crossed with deer but it's how they live that is just so amazing. Imagine the rugged cliffs on the edge on the dead sea- baron and scorched, well the Ibex lives on the very top of these cliffs, they nurture their young up there as they have no predators that can reach them. Yet they of course, just like all animals, need to feed and drink and so, they abseil down what i can only refer to as the sheerest and most unstable of cliff faces ever to get to the river bed below to drink and to the trees that they climb in to graze. And if that wasn't enough the parents instill in their young from a really early age that survival for them depends on agility so when the foxes patrol the river basin the young scrabble back up to a place where no other creature could stand. And i was so thrilled when on Life on BBC a few weeks back they managed to capture all of this on film, i was just speechless to see it in action!
treknature.com.
So there we go I is done, and i promise to be here much more often in the run up to Christmas and to be commenting with you lovely people a lot more.
xxx
