Wishing you dear reader a happy and healthy 2022
x Polly x
31 December 2021
29 December 2021
23 December 2021
Christmas
🎄🎄🎄
🎄🎄🎄
🎄🎄🎄
However you're spending the Christmas season I hope you will be happy and healthy.
🎄 Be warm and well 🎄
Polly x
20 December 2021
My Great Mince Pie Survey
Hello dear reader, yes here I am again conducting my mince pie survey
for market research, and because I love mince pies!!
Marks & Spencer classic all butter £1.90 for 6
no alcohol or extras but a tasty pie
Marks & Spencer vegetarian all butter shortcrust pastry, deep filled with vine fruits,
cranberries, clementine and Cognac. £2.50 for 6. Delicious served
warm with a dollop of cream, and accompanied by a glass of mulled cider.
Marks & Spencer 9 mini pie selection. 3 topped with fruit and nut topping, 3 filled with vine fruits, cranberries, clementines and cognac and 3 filled with rich sticky toffee sauce and vine fruits, topped with a Viennese biscuit. These little beauties are gorgeous. This year's favourite.
Mr Kipling deep filled mince pies. £1.50 for 6. A basic price for a basic pie.
Just ok, a bit doughy, I didn't have a second one.
Morrison's the Best all butter pastry with brandy and cider infused mince meat
and a warming blend of spices. £2 for 6.
Not bad but I tasted more pastry rather than alcohol and spices.
Be warm and well Polly x
15 December 2021
A Good Read
The Silence of The Sea by Yrsa Sigurdardsttir
An abandoned yacht, a missing family, a chilling crime. 'Mummy dead, daddy dead, Adda dead, Bygga dead.' The child sighed and clutched her grandmother's leg. 'All dead.'
Waiting on the dock at Reykjavik harbour is an elderly couple with a small child, they are waiting for the rest of their family - their son, daughter in law and twin granddaughters. Their son was working for an insurance company detailed to ensure the safe arrival of a yacht. He thought it would be a nice treat for his wife and twin children to join him.
The luxury yacht, repossessed from its crooked wealthy owner arrives and crashes into the harbour. There is nobody on board, the vessel is empty. What has happened to the crew, and to the family who were on board when it left Lisbon?
The police investigate but are baffled and unable to provide answers. The elderly couple are looking after their youngest granddaughter and are worried about her future. They hire Thora Gudmundsor to investigate the disappearance, and to collect on the large life insurance policy, the money to be put aside for the child. They hope that because Thora isn't police she will have easier access to information.
Thora is soon drawn into the mystery. What should she make of the rumours saying that the vessel was cursed, especially given that when she boarded the yacht she thought she saw one of the missing twins? Where is Karitas, the glamorous young wife of the yacht's former owner? And is the body that washed up further along the shore connected to the yacht?
A well written, very absorbing story, alternately narrated by Thora as she investigates, and the story of those that started out on the yacht. Clues abound, discoveries made and eventually the truth is revealed.
∼ Happy Reading ∼
Polly x
9 December 2021
Christmas Tree Festival
A neighbouring village has hosted a Christmas tree festival in their church for a number of years now. They didn't have one last year but it was back again this year, and very well attended. As well as all the lovely imaginative entries they also had a raffle (didn't win this one) and refreshments - tea and cake.
Join me as we wander around and marvel at all the lovely trees.
Cat - tas- tro - tree. Cats in all manner of poses.
Made out of pipe cleaners, wool and felt. One of my favourites.
That note at the bottom says "Can you spot the intruder?"
I think it was this mouse
How adorable is this tiny Mad Hatter Tea Party tree. Another favourite
It looked better than the photo, the lighting was difficult
also I think my phone camera has seen better days
The Land of Sweets
The Tree of Sisterhood celebrating some inspirational British women
All Things Bright And Beautiful
Pom Pom tree
This was lovely
The village church needs a new roof, work has begun
the builders are making good progress
My WI group's entry, The Lockdown tree, photographs showing what we did during lockdown
arts and crafts, gardening, dog walking, dolls house work, quilting, dressmaking,
reading, baking and drinking gin! not all of us, I don't like gin!
Upcycled tree
A cheery snowman made with bottle tops
This Father Christmas was another favourite
Embroidered Scrap Fabric tree
A Christmas Carol by the garden and allotment society
Faces by the Portrait Group. I've done some sitting for them,
one of the photos is a painting of me that one of the ladies did.
Beaver Tree by the Beaver Scouts
how cute are these little beavers
Another small and beautiful one. The Knowman snows your library
How gorgeous is this, it was my overall favourite.
Barrow Farm Riding school for the disabled
Forest Tree was really lovely, much better than the photo shows
This was part of the church decoration.
It was so good to have the tree festival back, and to see it so well attended.
∼ Be warm and well ∼
Polly x
6 December 2021
I Won 1st Prize!!
When I wrote about the Christmas market I went to on Saturday I hadn't had a telephone call from the Cathedral people so I assumed I hadn't won anything in the raffle. Then yesterday midday I received a call telling me I had won first prize!
Six bottles of wine!! How good is that. I'm not a serious wine drinker, I enjoy an occasional glass of red when I go out for a meal, or at home, I also like rosé, and the only white wine I drink regularly is Asti Spumante.
I'm sure I will like the reds and the rose, and my son-in-law will enjoy the white ones. If not I will donate some of them to our forthcoming Burns Night celebration in the village hall next year.
Bottoms up 🍷
∼ Be warm and well ∼
Polly x
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