Magpie Monday - Holiday Memories

Hello Magpies.  Apologies for my absence, life just seems to be getting in the way of blogging at the moment - how rude!  I was thinking of dropping Magpie Monday posts down to once a month, I've been hosting for several years now and I think I need to reignite my spark.  Feeling like I need to post every week is taking the edge of it some what.  What do you think?

Anyhow, I do have something I wanted to share with you today.  We've just been away for a glorious weekend camping.  On a brief escape from the country farm campsite into the nearest town to go swimming and escape the rain, I nipped into an Oxfam shop (obviously).

This book, not only being so beautiful I was compelled to buy it, holds such wonderful memories of childhood holidays.  We went to the Isle of Wight many times as kids, and the magical names of Shanklin Chine; Blackgang; St Boniface Down and Freshwater still fill me with nostalgia.  The island has such an olde-worlde charm and innocence about it that you can't help but fall in love.

More recently we went together as our last real 'couple' holiday, and it was while staying in 'The Shack' at Cowes, I discovered I was expecting our baby  nearly 7 years ago. Maybe this year or next we'll take her back there to discover the place for herself.

So you see, the Isle of Wight really is a special place for me, and I'm going to enjoy a sunny afternoon in the garden pouring over the contents and pretty illustration plates in this book.

The binoculars you see were also a charity shop purchase from some time ago. Maybe not the greatest technically, they came in a beautifully battered leather case and they've been on many a trip, country walk and picnic with us. We took them this weekend too in the hope of spotting fallow deer and woodpeckers in the woods.

I love the poetic neatness of finding the book whilst on a holiday which will hopefully remain in Ruby's memory as one of her most enjoyable childhood times.

Do you have any second-hand treasures to share?  Grab the badge and link up, and do let me know what you think of holding Magpie Monday once a month.

    
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Every Witch Way - New Tween Show

Ruby has grown up with Nick Jr programs, shows like Dora the Explorer and Dinosaur Train which were firm favourites.  Now she's heading towards the grand old age of 7, her tastes have changed, and she's looking for something more grown up to get stuck into.

We were invited along to the UK premier screening of Every Witch Way, a new soap-opera style show due to launch on Nickelodeon later this month.

We were treated to glitter tattoos and hair chalk colourings in honour of central characters Emma who loves all things glitter and is nicknamed 'Glitter Queen' and Andi her tomboy BFF who sports her own very cool purple hair streak!

We were then shown a sneak peak of 2 episodes of the brand new series.  It's based on the adventures of 14-year-old Emma Alonso, as she moves to Miami and her life turns upside-down. Not only does she discover that she is a witch, she also has a crush on the boy next door, Daniel.   However, But Daniel’s ex-girlfriend Maddie, who is an ‘bad witch’ is still willing to fight for the boy she loves.   The show is light-hearted, with a wide cast and series focus on friendship, crushes, high-school drama, self-discovery, popularity and rivalry.

The series is great for those that have outgrown children's shows and cartoons, but not yet ready for adult soaps.  Catch the first episode on July 14th at 5:30 on Nickelodeon!

Thank you Nickelodeon for inviting us along.

Love your garden with Worx

We've recently been sent a new garden tool to try out.  Well, actually, the Worx  TriVac is three tools in one - it's a blower, a vacuum and a mulcher, and has therefore come in very handy for us.

Most people probably only need to rake up leaves and suchlike from their gardens in the autumn. Not us!  We have a huge tree in our back garden - I still haven't worked out exactly what type it is, but it's some form of willow which means that from spring right through to early summer it's shedding fluffy catkins all over our grass.  Some areas under the tree are really suffering from lack of light, and from being constantly covered in debris.  We also have two curly whirly willows which the pigeons in particular love to take twigs from for their nests.  They often drop more than they manage to take, so another area of our lawn is contently showered with twigs.

Now, I have to admit that before owning one, I always thought that a leaf blower was a bit of a tool for lazy people.  However, after using it over a few weekends, I can really see the benefit.  Our lawn has suffered terribly from over raking - harshly dragging the fork tines over the grass has left terrible bare patches.  I can see that using the blower or the vacuum will also be a much gentler way to clear up in the spring, when we have tender young daffodil bulbs beginning to appear.

The mulcher is also a very useful function.  We don't have a compost bin, but for those that do this really breaks down bulky garden waste and leaves so they will compost much faster in your bin.  We have a fortnightly garden waste collection with our refuse, and very often our green bags are overflowing with lawn cuttings, weeds and leaves meaning an extra trip to the tip.  However, the mulcher chops up the waste into much much smaller pieces meaning we can more effectively fill our garden waste bags and get much more in.

"Combining three tools into one very handy piece of equipment, the revolutionary Worx TriVac is a gardening essential. Theblower has a 210 mph powerful jet and 7 speed settings, while the Mulcher will reduce your garden waste 10:1. Additionally, the TriVac can switch to its Vacuumsetting and suck your leaves up in seconds."

The electric cable was generously long and the hose nozzle is helpfully shaped and angled so you can get behind sheds and under patio furniture.  However, my Other Half did say after a while it made his back ache - maybe a longer nozzle for taller people would be a good idea?

The large collection bag gathered up everything safely and securely, and the capacity was great meaning fewer stops to empty it.

We did find the tool a little noisy, although no louder than our lawnmower I guess.

Next job will be to tackle our front hedge and see how it deals with those clippings.

The Worx WG501E 3000W Trivac Blower is currently available in Homebase, reduced to £79.99

Disclosure: We were sent the tool from Worx for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own.

Picota Cherry and Black Pepper Custard Tarts

For me, the cherry spells summer.  Unlike other fruits which we now seem to have access to all year round in our supermarkets, cherries still only have a short glorious season, and when they're ripe we like to gorge on them.  Red juices running down our chins, popping them hurriedly into our mouths like sweeties, and enjoying the only time of the year when we're allowed to spit, as we shoot stones from our pursed lips and catch them in a bowl, or better still fire them across the garden hoping that one day we may have a tree of our own.

If you're reluctant to forage your own wild cherries, then look out for Picota cherries in the shops now, fresh from Spain - you should be able to pick up a punnet for £1. Sweet and juicy, these are picked only when perfectly ripe and they come away from the stalk - meaning you'll find them stalkless in the shops.

"These cherries are particularly special, because they are unique to the Jerte Valley and are protected by a Denomination of Origin (DO) certificate, which verifies that the fruit has been grown, harvested and packed under rigorous quality control procedures and has come exclusively from the Valle Del Jerte in Spain. This also means that Picotas are only available for six weeks per year and they are not ever ‘artificially’ cultivated to yield profit to the detriment of taste and quality."

If you're looking for a fresh way to eat your cherries, try this twangy pastry, perfect for picnics, pack-up and puddings.  The cracked black pepper gives a gentle punch and really balances well with the sweetness of the custard and the ripe cherries.

Ingredients:

One punnet of Picota Cherries

One pack ready-roll puff pastry

2 egg yolks

1/2 pint single cream

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 teaspoon cornflour

Vanilla pod

A few twists of black peppercorns

Makes approx 8.

Begin by making your custard.  Warm the milk with the vanilla pod in a saucepan gently, don't allow to boil. Meanwhile, separate the egg yolks and beat them together in a jug with the sugar and cornflour.  Add to the hot milk (remove the vanilla pod at this point) and whisk over a low heat until the custard thickens.  Once it's thickened, remove from heat and stand the pan in a bowl of cold water to prevent it cooking further.  Leave to cool.

Next, remove the stones from your cherries.

Following the pack instructions on the pastry, unwrap and cut into rectangles approx 5x3 inches.  With a sharp knife, score around the inside, about 1/4 inch in, to make a 'picture frame' effect.  Be careful not to cut right through. Turn up the edges and pinch the corners so you have a pocket for the custard.

Spoon in approx 2 tablespoons of cooled custard and arrange the cherries on top.

Cook at 200-220 for around 20 mins or according to the pack instructions.

Once the custard has set and browned and the pastry is cooked, remove from the oven and add a generous twist of black pepper.

Serve hot or cold.

If you enjoyed this recipe and post, I'd be really grateful if you could spare a second and vote for it.  I might win a trip for myself to the Valle del Jerte.  Thank you.

Cool Kid's Crocs

Crocs shoes seem to be something that divide adults, they're something of a Marmite fashion statement - personally I love them!  However, I don't think there's any denying that Crocs always look cute on kids.

The past couple of summers, Ruby has lived in them.  They are such a practical kid's shoe - they withstand plenty of knocks; they're wipe-clean; they are comfy to wear without socks; they are easy to put on; they don't slip like other sandals and are safer than open toed sandals; they are waterproof so great for summer play and beach fun and they let little feet breathe keeping them cool on hot days.

Crocs have recently introduced a range of new styles (including some licensed character ones and even light up shoes!) so if you thought you didn't like the traditional clog style, it's time to think again!

Ruby ADORES her new Carlisa Glitter Flats (£24.99), they're perfect for adding a bit of sparkle to the playground. They come in this colourway - carnation and neon magenta, or a purple dahlia and surf combination.  The Mary-Jane style means they're more girly than the traditional clog shape, making them perfect to wear with summer dresses and skirts.

Take a look at Crocs - they really have changed.  And if you're after the ultimate fashion jelly shoe, check out the Ladies translucent range too! There's currently 20% off your next order if you sign up to the mailing list.

Disclosure:  We were sent the pair of glitter shoes for the purposes of this review.  The clog-style shoes are our own.

Win a cheese and wine hamper from Serenata

Do you fancy a little treat for yourself, or perhaps a gift for someone special?  Well what could be nicer than finishing off a meal with a selection of delicious artisan cheeses and crackers, washed down with a bottle of Bordeaux?

This hamper from Serenata retails at £35.99 including next day delivery so it's perfect to send as a gift - maybe a thank you, a birthday treat, anniversary congratulations or even an end of term gift for teacher.

The items came very well packaged and all arrived in good order.  Included in the hamper are *:

1 pack of Moroccan Spice Crackers
1 pack of Olive Crackers
Hand waxed scrumpy and apple cheese
Hand waxed Worcestershire Gold mature Cheddar
Hand waxed blackberry, cranberry and apple cheese
1 bottle of Grangeneuve Bordeaux

* on rare occasions it may be necessary to substitute some items for alternatives

The Cheddar cheese won't disappoint. It's rich and strong and incredibly moreish.  The fruit flavoured cheeses were good too, and not something I'd generally choose when shopping so it was great to try them.

The crackers were a big hit, much more interesting than plain old cheese biscuits. The spiced crackers had a real zing which complemented the fruity flavour of the berry cheese.

You'll be amazed to hear I'm sure that I haven't actually tried the wine yet - what?  I've been away!  But I'm sure it will go down a treat too.  Overall, this is a gift I'd be very happy to receive and would probably get much more pleasure from it than a bouquet of flowers.

If you'd like to win your own cheese and wine hamper from Serenata, either for yourself or to have delivered to someone else, simply complete the rafflecopter form below, leaving a comment on this blog post.

The giveaway ends at 12 midnight on 2nd July 2014, one winner will be chosen at random.  UK entrants and over 18s only.  The promoter and supplier of the prize is SerenataHampers.com



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a hamper for the purposes of this review and the company will also be supplying a hamper as described above to one winner.

What my sight means to me

I've been thinking a lot about this question.

My sight is so integral to almost everything I do, every single day, that it's hard to express in a few words.

It's being able to do my work.

It's connecting with people both through the written word online, and face-to-face reading body language and facial expressions.

It's seeing a beautiful view or visiting a new place.

It's admiring the flowers.

It's seeing my daughter is safe.  Helping her learn to read and write and seeing her progress at swimming club.  To be able to shout proudly "YESSS" when she rushed towards me, dripping wet and bursting with excitement as she swam her first length "did you see, did you see, did you see me Mummy, didn't I do well??"

It's standing secretly at the school fence on the way to the shops, my heart missing a beat as I see her smiling and happy playing with friends on the playground.

It's seeing my other half asleep next to me when I wake in the night.

We perhaps know in this family better than some just how important sight is. Ruby is currently under a specialist eye consultant for a problem, and she was picked up as needing glasses.  It's made such a difference to her both at home and at school and we're hugely grateful she is receiving ongoing expert care.

We also have our uncle who is registered blind.  For many years he has had no sight whatsoever, having slowly lost it over the years due to a degenerative disease.  Spending time with him really reinforces how much we use our eyes to function in the world. He never complains though and spends a lot of his time visiting schools and youth clubs talking to children about what it's like to be blind, or fundraising for the Guide Dogs. Even the simplest of tasks or trips out can be difficult for him, even with the aid of his canine helper.  He has never seen his grandchildren.  He doesn't want to move out of the house he's lived all his married life because it's the only place he can still 'see' from the memories he has of it.

This is why I'm happy to support the work that SightSavers do.

Did you know that 80 per cent of all blindness could be prevented or cured. That’s over 31 million people, most of whom live in the poorest countries in the world who go blind unnecessarily. And with poverty being both a cause and effect of blindness, a cycle is created that can be hard for communities to break out of. SightSavers can break this cycle with straightforward operations costing £8-£28 or annual doses of antibiotics costing 7p-35p per person.  If you’re moved to give someone their sight please visitwww.sightsavers.org.uk/donate.

Find out more about the campaign by following @SightSavers #mysight on Twitter and head over to Baby Budgeting to see other posts linked up and find out why bloggers are supporting this campaign with their own personal stries.