We’re heading for the early Ferry to Scotland in the morning.  JP’s planning to take the laptop this year as the forecast isn’t so good and at least we can watch DVD’s on it.  

That can be read as if we have an internet connection in our tent we will be in contact, I’m sure it will be plain and clear if we have no connection too, or are much to busy enjoying our holiday and each others company to blog.

It’s been a long day of packing so if you are looking for details we are basically heading to the same area as last year, go search in the archives…….

That can be read as - I’m way too tired for this.….

Blessings………

Elaine

It’s the 12th!!  

For most of you that may well mean nothing more than it’s the day after the 11th and before the 13th but if you live in Northern Ireland it means oh so much more.

The Twelfth is celebrated in various towns and villages across the provience and also in the South of Ireland and a few demonstrations on the mainland.

More information can be found on the history of the Twelfth here.  Basically, it’s a celebration of the protestant people for the victory at the Battle of the Boyne.

The celebrations take the form of a parade of the Orange men through the towns accompanied with bands, in some of the smaller processions Lambbeg drums are also involved.

You can see some footage of the parades here.

You can see photos here.

The Twelfth has become quite a tourist attraction since the end of the troubles here in Northern Ireland.

If you’re still reading at this stage and still interested it is possible to hear JP’s favourite part of the Twelfth here.

Elaine

The Vegetable patch has started production, granted it’s mostly lettuce, spring onions and the odd strawberry at this stage.

I’m a little concerned that the blackcurrant bushes are going to be ripe for the picking during  the time period of our holiday so I’m dithering whether to go ahead and start picking now.  I’m hoping to use the advice I found online, “for jam just freeze them in a bag, it won’t matter that they turn into a big lump“!

I also want to freeze some whole “free flowing like a bag of peas” as it said on one site.  I’m hoping to pick each bunch, freeze on a tray as a bunch for an hour and then pick each individual currant off and bag and freeze.  Seemingly they are easier to pick this way!

In the meantime I spied this recipe for 24 hour salad in my friends charity recipe book.  I was glad of something a little different to help use up my lettuce.  

1 Medium lettuce - (I just used a big bunch of mixed leaves from the garden).

1 cup chopped celery.

4 hard boiled eggs - they aren’t in the picture as they were boiling at the time!

1 cup of diced pepper.  (I just used frozen mixed pepper as our fresh ones are getting as dear as the fuel)

10ozs peas

1 diced onion or 4-5 scallions

2 cups mayo

4oz grated cheese

2 tablespoons sugar.

8 slices bacon, cooked & chopped (optional)  

Layer in order.  If using bacon, layer after the onion.  Add sugar to the mayonnaise.  Cover and refridgerate for 8-48 hours.

I used bacon and scallions and this ended up being a great salad, ideal for when you are feeding more than normal and need a few extra side dishes.

What do you do to use up a glut of lettuce leaves?

This has been a great morning.  

I went along to Janus’s house and partook in my first ever trio!  

Naomi was there too, because you know if there’s one three things you need for a trio it’s three bodies

that’s 6 hands - all on the one piano.

different!

It  went quite well {surprisingly},

we played Leonard Gautier’s The Secret….

when we get the repeats all sorted it may sound good

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I came home a parcel had arrived.

It was from Rebecca,

Do you remember this?

And this?

Well it arrived in the post to-day and not only is it a cookbook but it’s an excellent resource for those of us who cook American recipes in the UK, loads of conversions and equivalent charts.

I absolutely love this Cookbook - thanks so much to Rebecca for being willing to post it way over here.  I can’t wait to get using it.  I know quite a few of the locals who would love to borrow this one

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daddymac is heading off on his annual trip tomorrow.  So to all you Met Tabbers, hope you have a blessed time.

Elaine

First year to have a yield on my Blackcurrant Bushes.

We’re not ready yet but I’m trying to be prepared.

I have no idea how many we will get but we have 3 bushes.

I’ve googled Jam, Cordial and Cake recipes.

I would love to hear of any tested and tried recipes and storage tips.

Elaine

Our recent prize night at church went very well, rather than just having a focus on the Sunday School we advertised the evening as an open night.  Everyone helped to set up a number of display boards and information tables for many of the ‘works’ our church is involved in.  Invitations were given to family and friends to attend and the Word was preached to many unbelievers who gathered in.

As usual the children of the Sunday School were rewarded for their attendance by receiving books from the Church.

The books which found their way to our house were

Wait Until Then.

This tear-jerker authored by Randy Alcron helps children understand what the Bible says about Heaven and the New Earth yet to come.  

Nathan has spina bifida and is very interested in Baseball, his Granda teaches him that there are more important things than Baseball by dwelling on the promises of God.

This book could successfully be used to open up the subjects of death and heaven to young children as well as salvation and God’s plan for our lives.  The pictures are excellent, my seven year old son was able to read it himself but also the younger kids enjoyed having it read to them.

A little Girl after God’s own Heart.

Our  5 year old daughter was presented with Elizabeth George’s book A Little Girl after God’s own heart.

This book which has many little girly pictures takes the reader through each of the Fruit of the Spirit explaining the importance of each through verse.

an example is from the page on Kindness and Goodness.

Oh, to be kind and to always do good, 

To say words that help and do what you should!

To quit being mean and making folks sad,

To be really sweet so they will be glad.

Lord, help me bring cheer to those who are down,

To kids who are troubled and wearing a frown.

Let me share comfort, show mercy, and serve,

And give more to others than they may deserve.

We could all learn a lot from this book!

This is the type of book you treasure as a keep-sake, hope your daughter learns much from and passes on to the next generation.

 

The New Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes.

 

This book was presented to our 3 year old.  A colourful little book it  boasts 382 pages, each page has the story on one side with a corresponding picture on the other.  The Bible stories are brief no more than 10 or 12 sentances with three or four probing questions to make the little ones think more.  

What I really like about this Bible story book is that it doesn’t just deal with the more popular Bible stories you normally find in a children’s book (Noah, Moses, Joseph and Christ) but also many of the stories often omitted in children’s books are included here.

 

Have you got any good kids books recently?

Elaine

 

 

Shannon is hosting a themed edition of WFMW to-day.

The theme is five Ingredients or less.

With the days of frugal cooking ever increasing this is a great chance to get some fresh ideas in the culinary department.

I’m going to link to previously posted recipes - click the links!

Poster by All Posters.com

Don’t you just love bananas!

Muffins with Banana and Cinnamon   with pictures!

Choc Chip Pudding.  Delicious!

My friend Naomi keeps telling me to make this frugal recipe for All bran loaf - I really do mean to get around to it

Don’t forget about our traditional dish - Champ, very frugal.

Or the not so healthy Ulster Fry, this recipe shows a seven piece fry but we also make the five piece leaving out the sausage and black pudding.

For loads more recipes using five ingredients or less check out Rocks in my Dryer.

I’m classed as one with a score of 8/10.

Quite impressed.

Check out if you know your heart from your brain.

Let me know what score you got?

Elaine

This Post.

I know it’s a long one, but go back check that penultimate paragraph again.

Last sentence?

He’s done it again

{I feel a list coming on}.

Elaine

As you can see the veggie patch is coming along a treat.

The square at the fore of this picture is made up off Cabbage, Sprouts and Broccoli.

Everthing seems to be doing really well this year. 

I guess our mixed weather has it’s benefits.

This is a view from the bottom of the garden, looking up to the veggies and the house.

It was a nice morning here.  We have had some really wet days recently, so it was a must for the grass to be cut this morning.

The next time I see this grass it won’t be in such good condition

To-day was the last day of school.  

First day of the holdiays!

Time to keep the kids out of the house  air our 3 bedroom holiday home

Are you having a holiday this year?  Do you take your holiday home on your back?

Happy Holidays!

Elaine