Bob Marley

 "Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life."

Bob Marley

MrsL's honey fudge

Lots of people seem to be having a problem with the recipe for this in River Cottage Everyday cook book, so I thought I'd have a go at concocting my own recipe. Made this today, it really is very good, well worth a go.
Feel free to share the recipe if you like :))

1 tin condensed milk
1 lb demerara sugar
4oz butter
2 tablespoons honey
whole milk

Place the honey in a saucepan or ovenproof jug and put on a low heat until liquid; make up to 1/4 pint with milk. Place all ingredients in a large saucepan and place over a low to medium heat until butter melted and sugar dissolved. Put pan on high heat and bring to a good boil, and boil until soft ball stage is reached. Remove from heat and leave for ten minutes or so, then beat steadily until the fudge becomes grainy. Turn into prepared tin and leave to cool, then mark into small squares. Enjoy.

Not that I desperately NEED them...........

........ but sme of them were so pretty I couldn't resist lol A nice mix of French, Italian and Kilner jars, 9 in total, plus most of the lids/rings - what isn't there I can make up from the stock I hold of such things.
£2 for the lot.

I couldn't resist the little hydrangea - suffice to say it didn't look like this last night when I brought it home. The poor thing is potbound in a tiny wee basket, was drooping, on its way out; I gave it a thorough soak overnight and it's perked right up, a beautiful shade of blue. I shall repot it, and when it's sturdier and settled in, I'll find a spot out in the garden for it, where it'll be allowed to find its feet and grow how nature intended.

The kindness of sort of strangers

Just when things really annoy you (see post below lol), something inevitably turns up to make you smile again. a lovely internet friend read about my search for non-baked biscuits and sent me down this lovley wee booklet from Shetland,  filled with the most delicious and decadent and CHOCOLATEY biscuits imaginable....................
I'm going to have a really good time trying some (ok, all lol) of these out!
As if such a wonderful thing wasn't enough, she included an exquisitely worked crochet bookmark to go with it.
Thankyou H, you made my day :))
x

Blimey...........

Don't some people have big mouths?!

Sorry, but I'm spitting feathers here.................

First things first.............

The cabin is all cleaned out, swept and dusted, ready to go. First thing is to fit the insualtion. I did quite a bit of reading on the net - seeing what was available, how easy it is to install, etc. I decided against the rigid types as I felt the squashy 'woolly' type ones will be easier for me to deal with. Part of all this is doing as much of the work myself as I can, so it has to be do-able by me. I'm willing to have a go at anything! Another criteria is that it should be as 'green' (for want of a better expression) as possible.
One consideration was sheeps' wool, either bought in or made myself.
I ended up having a look in the local B&Q depot, where I spotted this HUGE roll of loft insulation, 100% recycled from plastic bottles, for £12.98 - result!
I now need to have a look on the net for some hints and tips on getting it in place, but research and note taking is half the fun for me, so I'm fine with that. When it's up, it's time for lining and painting. Ever the optimist, I came home with some paint charts as well lol
The other things I came home with are the components for making my off-grid fridge. Watch out for the next post when you'll get a look at that!

Dungeness

A friend mentioned Dungeness in a conversation last night, and it rekindled a long-held desire of mine to go there. I need to go there to see if the place is how I imagine it to be - how it looks, how it feels, what its place is like in the universe. I think my interest was piqued a while back when I came across Derek Jarman and Prospect Cottage, and saw the garden he and his friends had made there. It's one of the gardens I feel would be a privelege to visit, to stay a while in, to absorb and to remember. I don't why this should be the case over and above many other gardens I have visited/want to visit, but so be it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/feb/17/gardens


Imagine living there..................

I think it's a place for reflection and thinking, remembering and wondering, perhaps alone or with a close friend; for solitary being, for time out, for retrospection.
I know I will be there one day, and will come back and tell you if I was right after all.

Roses

Christina Rosetti

Found a very beautfiul book of her poetry at the tip this morning. Dating from 1908, it has the beauty of handcut pages, all riffled along the edges, and the inscription 'To my dear wife, xmas 1908'. This is the portrait in the frontispiece:

For the princely sum of only 50p, and for that I got a good piece of grill for making my smoker, and a big pot of viola labridoricus, complete with an as yet unidentified sapling in the middle as well!