tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22348321368697923382024-02-06T18:38:57.332-08:00Square SparrowFreelance writer Square Sparrow lives on a rambling smallholding in rural Scotland with her husband (HunterGatherer) and, now and then, their three offspring. Other smallholding incumbents include one overly indulged feline called FatCat, a similarly rotund Highland pony called FatHorse, plus a flock of rather attractive Shetland sheep – known affectionately as the Chocolate Sheep because of their rich assortment of wool colours (and because of Square Sparrow’s passion for chocolate).Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-17320137034310510862015-10-23T15:25:00.003-07:002015-10-23T15:25:52.525-07:00Square Sparrow blog flies to a new nest...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ItgiLefkKPm8-Dm6nNxQfDxy61i8z5migzRkKQX17zG-XnyXSM0eztfg6GQZX3bi2sSXQDS2ZFS4ZLbky_8zTDFSX0anJarUNTtjwrVUEAi3HEE-mSZxHjOixGYLKTzXrV0LwyEaD7c/s1600/square-sparrow-CGE.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ItgiLefkKPm8-Dm6nNxQfDxy61i8z5migzRkKQX17zG-XnyXSM0eztfg6GQZX3bi2sSXQDS2ZFS4ZLbky_8zTDFSX0anJarUNTtjwrVUEAi3HEE-mSZxHjOixGYLKTzXrV0LwyEaD7c/s320/square-sparrow-CGE.png" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A little bird is here to tell you that the Square Sparrow blog has now flown to its rather lovely new "nest" over on WordPress. Here's the address of our new website, where you'll find more anecdotes about the life of a writer living in the middle of rural Scotland with a polytunnel, a Highland pony and a flock of chocolate sheep. Oh, and husband HunterGatherer, of course! Plus there are foodie snippets, along with the occasional recipe and restaurant review. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://square-sparrow.com/</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thanks for following and look forward to seeing you there!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PS: We'd love to know what you think about the new site, so please leave a comment there :-)</span>Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-45268081397030223572015-03-02T06:43:00.003-08:002015-03-02T06:43:43.946-08:00Celebrating 25 years not out! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vRaaEgjXVxSFXLP4VYUPBgyiIrMnYPyl4gok7mll8lZDpwjXi9lknvCkg5zSDHPjlQeiRYgpwb_OzrVjutY9RFT4mra2DxxVEn5pB5UR6PY7P-O4cXVIx0VmalFygzSvVF3m_5XR5K8/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-asparagus-parma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vRaaEgjXVxSFXLP4VYUPBgyiIrMnYPyl4gok7mll8lZDpwjXi9lknvCkg5zSDHPjlQeiRYgpwb_OzrVjutY9RFT4mra2DxxVEn5pB5UR6PY7P-O4cXVIx0VmalFygzSvVF3m_5XR5K8/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-asparagus-parma.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Another canapé? Don't mind if I do...</span></span></td></tr>
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HunterGatherer and I rounded off our 25th anniversary celebrations in gastronomic heaven on Saturday evening when our lovely bridesmaid G. cooked a fabulous dinner for us and a small group of close friends.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dauvLk5yaWLB-KiB0yQfZ8CeUM7VgOHX43icPQsSpn30qBmCACtDjXQZh3o4U-AgWdjioF8qkeO5lyLCjvR23c7K18GJbxQGGH4SEPLVM8D0jSayp24GKywbEkX5qiXXCikVgOalGF8/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-salmon-creme-fraiche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dauvLk5yaWLB-KiB0yQfZ8CeUM7VgOHX43icPQsSpn30qBmCACtDjXQZh3o4U-AgWdjioF8qkeO5lyLCjvR23c7K18GJbxQGGH4SEPLVM8D0jSayp24GKywbEkX5qiXXCikVgOalGF8/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-salmon-creme-fraiche.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And there were more! This time smoked salmon and <br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">cr<span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.2000007629395px; text-align: left;">ème fraîche blinis</span></span></td></tr>
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From asparagus and parma ham canapés to a molten goat's cheese starter to sumptuous beef bourguignon stew to delicate orange and mascarpone ice cream (served with chocolate torte) or lemon mousse, each dish set our taste buds tingling anew. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIiqUNtisWvzE_LgdpZ0bW7zns2AgVG97vSc6fFK5S69dQ2A6aILtQcxg3AwQtv6ysiWm-c-oy-ZU0PEKlbx1NFffJjhF5D9UwvJAAyhSwM0xX4WtbYNpMqlXLasEdHSsIO1-OC7lkMc/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-goats-cheese-starter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIiqUNtisWvzE_LgdpZ0bW7zns2AgVG97vSc6fFK5S69dQ2A6aILtQcxg3AwQtv6ysiWm-c-oy-ZU0PEKlbx1NFffJjhF5D9UwvJAAyhSwM0xX4WtbYNpMqlXLasEdHSsIO1-OC7lkMc/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-goats-cheese-starter.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfectly cooked goat's cheese for starters</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9m0J7WxtWmD6khM0b-udlQK78VaH7W4qnTJOnOmboIRwtq2SDwrjaFzNrCDJFIChlpN0oPNrrIn43K5GQQbfLS_oSK82HoKpPsNGWQio9z9g8S0PImnMJUuuxroacxCOwYNcjIv4NU1c/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-beef-bourg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9m0J7WxtWmD6khM0b-udlQK78VaH7W4qnTJOnOmboIRwtq2SDwrjaFzNrCDJFIChlpN0oPNrrIn43K5GQQbfLS_oSK82HoKpPsNGWQio9z9g8S0PImnMJUuuxroacxCOwYNcjIv4NU1c/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-beef-bourg.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HunterGatherer doesn't feel he's had a proper meal<br />
unless he's eaten some beef (which was no bad thing,<br />
as a member of the <a href="http://www.qmscotland.co.uk/">Quality Meat Scotland </a><br />
team was in attendance!!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCGSpHjepdtoe8duezip7y7bchi2smp-YtMikxO83CimYltLMqHcUub0Nu9NqCQP0BjLAQGj_uQcq0rqB4UazEW-t8b_m7s9LVmkEAbJnxR1k2efn7qRm9iq9VZ5lOJlUgyZtcjMKDcs/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-choc-pud-icecream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCGSpHjepdtoe8duezip7y7bchi2smp-YtMikxO83CimYltLMqHcUub0Nu9NqCQP0BjLAQGj_uQcq0rqB4UazEW-t8b_m7s9LVmkEAbJnxR1k2efn7qRm9iq9VZ5lOJlUgyZtcjMKDcs/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-choc-pud-icecream.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first ever taste of orange and mascarpone ice cream. <br />
The verdict? Yum!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tPBAvsLA7wkXA6_HDCbWArLUiep7jrc136-3RhGCwXpMppcSIq_PmWHyMaVvw9f3R1sKUstwgXKQJgYLXk8Q8p5boElTSS47geSQ_jkyTqIGqwtREOTKU5ARpJ4QYMAF-DLbJe72Z8c/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-lemon-mousse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7tPBAvsLA7wkXA6_HDCbWArLUiep7jrc136-3RhGCwXpMppcSIq_PmWHyMaVvw9f3R1sKUstwgXKQJgYLXk8Q8p5boElTSS47geSQ_jkyTqIGqwtREOTKU5ARpJ4QYMAF-DLbJe72Z8c/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-lemon-mousse.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lemon mousse as well? Rude not to... (though the pedant in<br />
me is reaching out to move that errant raspberry!)</td></tr>
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And after all that there was still an appetising cheese platter followed by divine, melt-in-the-mouth tablet (the latter courtesy of our other bridesmaid's kind mum) to come. Suffice to say, we both remained fairly replete for most of Sunday (though we did manage to squeeze in another couple of pieces of leftover tablet!!)...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYz3ep6OPPiQ6p_LFVJPmIf-9NAhtEbKTlM6kQgFgb_P_9hD70FtqaYxJ2VsZitKsXpasCvYVfHFIN1lealWOTHW9ciTA31j8Cy8RBqGPqctmoppJbGrwp6wVtdZUfd1-BxENVaEWKz0/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuYz3ep6OPPiQ6p_LFVJPmIf-9NAhtEbKTlM6kQgFgb_P_9hD70FtqaYxJ2VsZitKsXpasCvYVfHFIN1lealWOTHW9ciTA31j8Cy8RBqGPqctmoppJbGrwp6wVtdZUfd1-BxENVaEWKz0/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-cheese.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was even some <a href="http://www.isleofmullcheese.co.uk/">Isle of Mull Cheddar</a> on the plate<br />
(reference to the fact that we originally met on the Isle of Mull)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRer6y479b46B_EQkG3PkpqkV3w8EAZsfHV4jzWWvjRjadTj_yfvTOZZ-Ps7rmLeqqoCHtycNE6UC3h8-n4I9jlJabiue_Vt6kgjiEM3Kl1HGc2hfDnkOyccd59lw0kh4o-BQp-cQdGNY/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-tablet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRer6y479b46B_EQkG3PkpqkV3w8EAZsfHV4jzWWvjRjadTj_yfvTOZZ-Ps7rmLeqqoCHtycNE6UC3h8-n4I9jlJabiue_Vt6kgjiEM3Kl1HGc2hfDnkOyccd59lw0kh4o-BQp-cQdGNY/s1600/25th-anniversary-dinner-tablet.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tablet didn't last long ;-)</td></tr>
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It was a happy, hilarious, harmonious evening <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">– and </span>one we'll certainly treasure for a long time to come. As American designer Zac Posen puts it: "Food, friends, family. These are the most important things in life." Add to that good health, and you won't go far wrong.<br />
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<br />Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-49299560039096384752015-01-30T13:18:00.001-08:002015-01-30T13:18:32.610-08:00Mini-photomontage: The Tracks on our Track in Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaewioYGHd6Oo1jq6kQz7WyjMPkUwjnqrcpNGWe-rqnNCgcNGXEHxKKgYpUwOPro9MiSgW8QNJr1FTl6DkxWoct9bVrUQNLyHF2Tic8N6aYSCVKmOwWuu_GNi1KTf8Ip0Ctfnw8lURIps/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-bird-tracks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaewioYGHd6Oo1jq6kQz7WyjMPkUwjnqrcpNGWe-rqnNCgcNGXEHxKKgYpUwOPro9MiSgW8QNJr1FTl6DkxWoct9bVrUQNLyHF2Tic8N6aYSCVKmOwWuu_GNi1KTf8Ip0Ctfnw8lURIps/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-bird-tracks.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">A bird has scuttled across the track here - possibly a pheasant</td></tr>
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Provided I am well wrapped up, I adore winter, and even though our part of Kinross-shire hasn't been troubled by too much snow (yet...), even the faintest skiff of the white stuff is sufficient to transform our lovely rural surroundings into a winter wonderland characterised by sparkling hills, alpine trees and the distant silver loch.<br />
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One aspect of there being snow on the ground that particularly appeals to Yours Truly (in addition to skiing, building igloos and other such pursuits!) is that it's suddenly possible to find out about a whole world of activity that normally goes on unnoticed, namely the movements of myriad animals. So this morning I was out and about (any excuse to avoid work!), photographing the evidence...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_E5aWIimOzLlp3MFqgPVnflN33sIn-tcx_GgxjZF_vqlBqSZxBOFOehAkZKcSyZP4U7bnRG124lsC2wBaj164-SBdr1fO-CKhMTUieB92RUjNMCRLXlsT9ougZTd2L1BPOPqztPE_lw/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-pawprints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX_E5aWIimOzLlp3MFqgPVnflN33sIn-tcx_GgxjZF_vqlBqSZxBOFOehAkZKcSyZP4U7bnRG124lsC2wBaj164-SBdr1fO-CKhMTUieB92RUjNMCRLXlsT9ougZTd2L1BPOPqztPE_lw/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-pawprints.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FatCat has evidently been on the prowl</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHjIKaNvBfSXQ-MqS2RPfyMXp3x32fQiSrNAKoQIOU3jehXN0LhZok81R__fXqxMbvBUtxoaecuQM8Wm6W9FtsG1RFFLUXmk4vPw1bMQQOMvPTfErKOL2zOqQ9UNdXYvi7mnZ_DhxD38/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-human-tracks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOHjIKaNvBfSXQ-MqS2RPfyMXp3x32fQiSrNAKoQIOU3jehXN0LhZok81R__fXqxMbvBUtxoaecuQM8Wm6W9FtsG1RFFLUXmk4vPw1bMQQOMvPTfErKOL2zOqQ9UNdXYvi7mnZ_DhxD38/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-human-tracks.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ever not known whether you were coming or going?!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8aVLfudcl0z7ramgk90dtErkSV8tYzkRyiD2TXjGM79t6ejVSldSy7HFo6PFvLjzbUFwFsCaAEBaNHPqTSsCWZdSkTtJdG3DC9ENuyBcUnSDwUXlGq22IEYEnhaP6MGZMj2nrQRVp3Ak/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-dog-man-prints.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8aVLfudcl0z7ramgk90dtErkSV8tYzkRyiD2TXjGM79t6ejVSldSy7HFo6PFvLjzbUFwFsCaAEBaNHPqTSsCWZdSkTtJdG3DC9ENuyBcUnSDwUXlGq22IEYEnhaP6MGZMj2nrQRVp3Ak/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-dog-man-prints.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One man and his dog appear to have been walking here</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI79wRyXauMACjR-aeubZr3Mpr-leSImHKJeOTkX3wf6XHKiOgBEvI_9mWF0kaIfUNmAwcgFlgA4QPEdZ89g9IB2rti3cjtPsYUqlDfsP_Q_wVzvb4Bmt83B8YkeLaNTy7PY_v6pQxDLw/s1600/COLUMBINE-2015-jan-wk4-pawing-ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI79wRyXauMACjR-aeubZr3Mpr-leSImHKJeOTkX3wf6XHKiOgBEvI_9mWF0kaIfUNmAwcgFlgA4QPEdZ89g9IB2rti3cjtPsYUqlDfsP_Q_wVzvb4Bmt83B8YkeLaNTy7PY_v6pQxDLw/s1600/COLUMBINE-2015-jan-wk4-pawing-ground.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Someone was too busy pawing the ground to let me<br />
photograph<span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"> her hoof prints: "Where's my breakfast?!"</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlxg3esglyxNNimmtfCwecq9f-cl_OQSoITfPBTxoehBcQ2Z1z8iywip5GqwqOHZugBZRKE_4lYwzRY7OkrEAnM3JDRyYAw2hFQWrzlkYgeCXq4H3INB6a739M_YuC70YN_nQU2LTpRo/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-wellie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlxg3esglyxNNimmtfCwecq9f-cl_OQSoITfPBTxoehBcQ2Z1z8iywip5GqwqOHZugBZRKE_4lYwzRY7OkrEAnM3JDRyYAw2hFQWrzlkYgeCXq4H3INB6a739M_YuC70YN_nQU2LTpRo/s1600/NATURE-2015-jan-snow-wellie.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, finally, I couldn't resist stomping on this mini-snowdrift!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<br />Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-61266140583103870322014-12-17T13:15:00.001-08:002014-12-17T13:16:14.970-08:00Festive greetings from The Sparrowholding...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Merry Christmas to one and all!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;">Dear All, </span></div>
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Tonight, just as I was pondering how to encapsulate the
Sparrowholding exploits of 2014, I happened to encounter a former teacher of
all three offspring, who asked after their well-being with the immortal words:
“So how are the grafter, the mercurial one and the talented-but-alternative one?”
Yours Truly is still trying to work out which descriptor was intended for which
child, but in the meantime…<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrztRS3q3Irtex6fCB-dQq_UN_xms72PwjKO5uYv02HwyVD2jjo9O-8Vrd904vGI5jubU8LDuSOko9oZiJuBziNrRhDPgab736eTUEZ2hUC-B7GqDVUeC1Nl7py77hV7UbCnO_sQZNKk/s1600/GRAD-sept-2014-morag-standing2-ceremony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrztRS3q3Irtex6fCB-dQq_UN_xms72PwjKO5uYv02HwyVD2jjo9O-8Vrd904vGI5jubU8LDuSOko9oZiJuBziNrRhDPgab736eTUEZ2hUC-B7GqDVUeC1Nl7py77hV7UbCnO_sQZNKk/s1600/GRAD-sept-2014-morag-standing2-ceremony.jpg" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin: 0px;">
A historic moment in a historic building -</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
the Sheldonian Theatre opened its doors in 1669</div>
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In June, after three years of burying her head in the
Bodleian library and one year of intensive pâtisserie research in Paris, DD1 graduated
from the city of the dreamy spires with a B.A. in French – or, as her mother
irreverently refers to it, “fusty French” because of all the medieval
literature involved. Far more importantly (in her father’s eyes!), and despite
being consigned to crutches 10 weeks prior to the hotly contested women’s rugby
Varsity match, she also emerged from her final season with a ‘full blue’– a term presumably inspired by
the ubiquitous bruises sustained by participants during the 80 punishing
minutes of play... By something akin to a miracle, all five of us managed to
converge in one Ordnance Survey square of the UK map for 24 hours on graduation
day to celebrate the culmination of DD1’s studies. Or, to be more precise, the
temporary culmination… for no sooner had the avid academic rid herself of the purgatory
of relentless exam stress than she signed herself up for yet another 18 months
of cerebral torture (this time of the legal rather than the linguistic
persuasion). Consequently, late 2014 finds her slogging her way through a law
conversion course in London while holding down three part-time jobs – her
father and I often wonder what she does in her copious spare time.<br />
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQTFNuCOxbwoJEeV7-m0qgqACV-MRMKnWO7fd-i2G4ceq-4FiXWhEIkIU1WDLAcyoh80RsxFmH5aR37ThH8Jm1DGc4Ifb9nXAct0wWJ8C_RgoZ1f8JRI_6bNRHvOzQInRwaid7oN7YS8/s1600/OXFORD-varsity-running-play.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnQTFNuCOxbwoJEeV7-m0qgqACV-MRMKnWO7fd-i2G4ceq-4FiXWhEIkIU1WDLAcyoh80RsxFmH5aR37ThH8Jm1DGc4Ifb9nXAct0wWJ8C_RgoZ1f8JRI_6bNRHvOzQInRwaid7oN7YS8/s1600/OXFORD-varsity-running-play.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark blue through and through - and that's just the bruises!</td></tr>
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DD2 turned 21 in February, and to mark this milestone (or possibly
in a desperate attempt to avoid another 21 years of her company!) a group of
her friends from Edinburgh Uni gifted her a bungee jump. Unluckily for them, “Tigger”
– ironically one of her childhood nicknames – bounced back, and at time of
writing is busy composing a soundtrack to accompany a short, black-and-white, silent
film of Alice in Wonderland as part of her final coursework. With a bit of luck and providing the Queen of
Hearts comes up trumps, DD2 should complete her music degree next May. When not
rearranging quavers and crotchets, she is to be found hauling her Spotify
speakers (almost certainly heavier than she is!) to parties throughout the
‘Burgh – this being one of her onerous duties as a rep for the eponymous music company
– or brandishing her trusty weapon of war on the city’s hockey pitches and exchanging
occasional “pleasantries” with the umpires… In her spare time, she managed to
enrage one of the militant New Town Clean Streets’ campaigners by unwittingly
(being new to the area) placing a bag of rubbish in the wrong place on collection
day. Her rubbish bag was evidently meticulously rifled to find documentation
bearing her address, and she duly received a letter by post (from a lady living
two doors away) advising her of the error of her ways, pointing out that her
rubbish bag had (shock, horror!) contained an item that could have been
recycled and offering to give her training in what she should recycle in
future… If you live in the New Town, beware: Big Brother is evidently watching
you.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjwVBh2Kcnj1atN5XgIAR0ip9EwtfaZbUXLDf26_aZ9vGGyzMvfFvUFIQ3DWQ_Ora-lazIHde2zMhlc0Pk8GUZorPs3g8S9NOX46Ajnyd0oysPmRGNZL9NTd01N3qflVZcaqNZdc0TVM/s1600/CIARA-hockey-goalmouth-striding-Oct14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjwVBh2Kcnj1atN5XgIAR0ip9EwtfaZbUXLDf26_aZ9vGGyzMvfFvUFIQ3DWQ_Ora-lazIHde2zMhlc0Pk8GUZorPs3g8S9NOX46Ajnyd0oysPmRGNZL9NTd01N3qflVZcaqNZdc0TVM/s1600/CIARA-hockey-goalmouth-striding-Oct14.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the new astro boots!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_L4TPPbs1xX38pHdDTSN-D3F546FSxxGg-l-mO1YW9jNeP-ChyhxhLspdFCdrhid9AgSEpaWVopDqi6jY1-MsnOB6moONhudPXcpwPd0w80PvpnT4ktLBmGFnNo-lE_e0n3Y9IMhD1-c/s1600/CIARA-2014-July-Edinburgh-cumberlandstreet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_L4TPPbs1xX38pHdDTSN-D3F546FSxxGg-l-mO1YW9jNeP-ChyhxhLspdFCdrhid9AgSEpaWVopDqi6jY1-MsnOB6moONhudPXcpwPd0w80PvpnT4ktLBmGFnNo-lE_e0n3Y9IMhD1-c/s1600/CIARA-2014-July-Edinburgh-cumberlandstreet.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Brother (or sister...) is watching you in the New Town</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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All of which brings us neatly to the girls’ <i>little</i> brother (note perfect “link
sentence”, cunningly inserted as practice for Yours Truly’s English tutees in
the run-up to the prelims…). Son and heir has by now almost certainly
skateboarded every street and alleyway in Edinburgh, with only one trip to
Edinburgh A&E to show for his efforts. Always a bit of a culture vulture,
he now hosts a mini art gallery on his upper arm, including a partly completed
diagram of an origami frog. Apparently, the idea is that further lines will be
added as he completes further phases of his life (we wait with bated breath to
see if the frog will actually fold itself when his skin eventually starts to
sag with age…). Half-way through 2014, our bohemian boy traded in the owl-like
hours of the cocktail king for the lark-like hours of the latte artist. In
addition to testing out his barista expertise on the unsuspecting residents of
Bruntsfield, the family’s culinary dark horse has also been utilising his cooking
skills (none of them learnt from his mother!) in the café kitchen to whip up gastronomic
delights with which to enthral the taste buds of his lucky customers.</div>
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</div>
Supergran, never one to let her advancing years get in the
way of her active lifestyle, set out powerwalking in her wellies one day and
ended up with a magnificent embroidery on her knee, courtesy of the duty Accident
& Emergency doctor at PRI (who may well also have been a closet member of
the WRI, given the neatness of the stitching). Later in the year, no doubt in
an attempt to keep up with her similarly maladroit younger granddaughter,
Supergran dropped her mobile phone down the toilet, thereby neatly disproving
the theory that with age comes experience and wisdom. Thank goodness Farmpa is
there to keep her on the straight and narrow – in between his skyward forays in
the bucket of the farm forklift, that is…<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iYfWKTecxCtqGWI6Dryz3Ooipcy03O3I3VLHhguLbHIdb7KF7D-pPjQ3aSUR2By0QepW4YukqS45r9yxm_Ou2tsKnvIjFRrjFz1MizBVcoJja2N5GjlJeiEWnVINbEZn6wuXQ_XdBSY/s1600/GRANNY-2014-sept-cut-knee-bandaged.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iYfWKTecxCtqGWI6Dryz3Ooipcy03O3I3VLHhguLbHIdb7KF7D-pPjQ3aSUR2By0QepW4YukqS45r9yxm_Ou2tsKnvIjFRrjFz1MizBVcoJja2N5GjlJeiEWnVINbEZn6wuXQ_XdBSY/s1600/GRANNY-2014-sept-cut-knee-bandaged.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Underneath this bandage is some quality stitching..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKp0jceD3ankByszh3HIBaAHBuTZLqQANIDzrUhakwB4sYJp97nhLtdrbkmI7jGkC5HNsnG4Rhf-uOtkUow_qrLnCvuJ_WcUbtbsM2xaz1ZRk2EJCRRoiVLIv56F8R0_ArSoYeVJG1mPA/s1600/GRANDPA-2014-July-cementing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKp0jceD3ankByszh3HIBaAHBuTZLqQANIDzrUhakwB4sYJp97nhLtdrbkmI7jGkC5HNsnG4Rhf-uOtkUow_qrLnCvuJ_WcUbtbsM2xaz1ZRk2EJCRRoiVLIv56F8R0_ArSoYeVJG1mPA/s1600/GRANDPA-2014-July-cementing.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farmpa donned a wasp-proof suit while cementing<br />
his roof from the forklift bucket...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When HunterGatherer is not otherwise engaged whispering
sweet nothings into the ears of recalcitrant fertiliser spreaders to persuade
them to dispense the correct proportions of NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and
Potassium for any non-chemist/non-farmer readers), he is to be found either tending the chocolate sheep or propping
up the goalposts at the local hockey pitch, waiting (im)patiently for an
opportunity to poach the odd goal or two. Having scored a hat trick during a recent
game, he has (much as we are loath to admit it) rather trumped the rest of the
family.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCso_zzEfejIB9HrD03bBLM4u4-X0JxHsumsCa4I3uH8ELJcUgA0SV2A1n1pK_nwSH2GrS30nIH2RRRa_hqGtHRJlSyai1-h3373NHBf319XgxqCjlGCfUVW-2p8WgjTaY2Ugpbzu7Qxk/s1600/Sq-Spar-2014Jan-week3-highviz-sheep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCso_zzEfejIB9HrD03bBLM4u4-X0JxHsumsCa4I3uH8ELJcUgA0SV2A1n1pK_nwSH2GrS30nIH2RRRa_hqGtHRJlSyai1-h3373NHBf319XgxqCjlGCfUVW-2p8WgjTaY2Ugpbzu7Qxk/s1600/Sq-Spar-2014Jan-week3-highviz-sheep.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HunterGatherer was worried the sheep might not see him...</td></tr>
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Somewhat frustratingly, my own hockey exploits this year
have been curtailed by a variety of muscle tears and a “fizzy heel” (or, as
medical professionals are wont to call it “tarsal tunnel syndrome”), a
condition which has the interesting effect of making my left heel feel as if
it’s permanently wired up to a TENS machine. On a lighter note, after being
plagued with hearing problems since mid-August, I was eventually advised by the
local nurse to inhale some crystal meth – or at least that’s what I thought I
heard her say (my hearing is going, remember!) When I shared this news with my
rather startled older daughter, she very quickly twigged that what the nurse
had actually prescribed was a tub of menthol crystals, which are – according to
street-savvy DD2 – quite a different substance from crystal meth. Personally, I
suspect that my version of the prescription might have been far more effective –
if for no other reason than that lack of hearing would have been the least of my
problems…<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3aHa_-1CiEBeUEX2IkuBNpOR3ho7Q1IrO8-9udO1sFEBeVSV_7No2h6hAPyxQ7g7C1Q2HAHSAvycmMppC4p8nUiMTmUBQVk6bYxdi57eE4oODz8jtlET7c1El0y-n07TwZh0apLBHMQ/s1600/KAREN-hockey-dundee-tournamentMay14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE3aHa_-1CiEBeUEX2IkuBNpOR3ho7Q1IrO8-9udO1sFEBeVSV_7No2h6hAPyxQ7g7C1Q2HAHSAvycmMppC4p8nUiMTmUBQVk6bYxdi57eE4oODz8jtlET7c1El0y-n07TwZh0apLBHMQ/s1600/KAREN-hockey-dundee-tournamentMay14.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing like a wee tournament to finish off the season</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And so, with a gist of everyone’s 2014 news having been duly
dispensed in the time-honoured manner, all that remains is for me to wish my
family, friends and fellow bloggers the very best of health and much happiness
in the year ahead. Here’s to a great year for all in 2015!<br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-_GcmkSCR7ZQ%2FVJHwpPBFUQI%2FAAAAAAAACos%2FUV4bWue7joY%2Fs1600%2FGARDEN-2014-dec-holly-bush.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqV9jMj3NweP2P_c3XVBr1-NNmy1sJZfi_FjigX-JkjF8-nrpAE5w81qxGVa34gs4csMc9BUuayEveHglIb9tQoFFtFPla9OoU4YnkqOKafZKwLsrlRMNLlYj3gVWbqErctmpgNcvYmWo/s1600/GARDEN-2014-dec-holly-bush.jpg" -->Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-50363675310071238922014-12-10T18:12:00.000-08:002014-12-11T06:00:03.278-08:00Romance is in the air at the Sparrowholding...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbukysFmBD6Qt8Iz7FWiyoeZZ6qTpvcKD77YqmO9Jw9bExRm9aoEjA2Vnkc81v3E-5eFUWj7TMpvd1mcYyLZ9QQ_6S1kNIvjsVgE2qjR6uHYFFmSK2fGuX985tQQ0FtXLo3LE2wN6tYM/s1600/SHEEP-Mungo-portrait.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbukysFmBD6Qt8Iz7FWiyoeZZ6qTpvcKD77YqmO9Jw9bExRm9aoEjA2Vnkc81v3E-5eFUWj7TMpvd1mcYyLZ9QQ_6S1kNIvjsVgE2qjR6uHYFFmSK2fGuX985tQQ0FtXLo3LE2wN6tYM/s1600/SHEEP-Mungo-portrait.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mungo the Magnificent - ready for action</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">November may be
a dull, grey, tedious month for most of us, but if you’re a tup (the Scottish
word for a daddy sheep), it’s the best month of the year, as it’s the time you
are unleashed on those lovely woolly ladies you’ve been ogling through the
fence for the past 10 months!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif;">So it was that
on the 15<sup>th</sup> November, our amorous ram was shown an open gate and let loose in the hill paddock. At first he didn’t notice his wannabe wives
perched on the horizon. But it didn’t take him long, and soon he was galloping
uphill – no doubt all the while trying to remember the chat-up lines that had
worked best for him last year...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWkO3SYWgmqQzIgndlac7sEim36PUI1g_GYELYPaIreqCrAo1El5RvL2JTm9YS-PsmriXMdSxDKAjhDo7D3Y_vkH9e4zqGcWMApwzkZc4L139TALrXc-5ZbwzN6nhDmnMY8JjNt3qoPc/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Nov-Mungo-ewes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWkO3SYWgmqQzIgndlac7sEim36PUI1g_GYELYPaIreqCrAo1El5RvL2JTm9YS-PsmriXMdSxDKAjhDo7D3Y_vkH9e4zqGcWMApwzkZc4L139TALrXc-5ZbwzN6nhDmnMY8JjNt3qoPc/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Nov-Mungo-ewes.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Romeo running towards his Juliets</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, this
year’s lambs were being gathered together and issued with ear tags (the form of ID
which the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food insists on to ensure full
traceability of all livestock – Fathorse even has her own passport, believe it
or not!). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A kind
neighbour, who was attending the Michaelmas Lamb Sale at Caledonian Market in
Stirling, stopped en passant to pick our lambs up and they were off. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EiFhS9yQwcg3Opj320MxyqXbkNQU-Kbkw2P1uuZbWGco2ZDU9H2UdlZ5RXkixJBrcPEgYJYj6Sba7lIIx4RXhTPE035geukgkadg-Qxy5u3bOIHAiPX2hBYb3J8Kz52OyNYu0BChSpI/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Dec1-lambs-going.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4EiFhS9yQwcg3Opj320MxyqXbkNQU-Kbkw2P1uuZbWGco2ZDU9H2UdlZ5RXkixJBrcPEgYJYj6Sba7lIIx4RXhTPE035geukgkadg-Qxy5u3bOIHAiPX2hBYb3J8Kz52OyNYu0BChSpI/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Dec1-lambs-going.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loading in progress</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7i6lLnNW_oLuY_Xenk9pzk4MiUtVI4Fx9jxj1sEjAHI10ijiAglS3i0yh_Too9LXo2Iwjgi2WZFbH6Wsew09fVSyIqhmF6ANjikB-Pd1d89Q_6z6WANL10m0Hie1O9ORm8yhMdCDM-w0/s1600/SHEEP-2014-nov-sheep-walk-AJ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7i6lLnNW_oLuY_Xenk9pzk4MiUtVI4Fx9jxj1sEjAHI10ijiAglS3i0yh_Too9LXo2Iwjgi2WZFbH6Wsew09fVSyIqhmF6ANjikB-Pd1d89Q_6z6WANL10m0Hie1O9ORm8yhMdCDM-w0/s1600/SHEEP-2014-nov-sheep-walk-AJ.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And suddenly the lamb paddock was almost empty...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">However, three of this year's lambs stayed put – the ones we'd chosen to be our replacement ewe lambs. They’re a gorgeous wee trio, and we’ve named them Pipsqueak (daughter of Socks), Lily (daughter of Tiger Lily) and Snowdrop (daughter of Snowy).</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5G4ZxaTOzIxfL5_AfGHs95c-G_jY-IyZ1islOvYlbZSf7eG4GnC4TOXwkGHrR5xqCjRALRJSBa7S64RYLSrjyJy0jDgYM57Q03peKr2onGW1ElNUsWEvUkRmizmaggL6B_Ln7hyphenhyphenbHYk/s1600/SHEEP-2014-dec-3-ewe-lambs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM5G4ZxaTOzIxfL5_AfGHs95c-G_jY-IyZ1islOvYlbZSf7eG4GnC4TOXwkGHrR5xqCjRALRJSBa7S64RYLSrjyJy0jDgYM57Q03peKr2onGW1ElNUsWEvUkRmizmaggL6B_Ln7hyphenhyphenbHYk/s1600/SHEEP-2014-dec-3-ewe-lambs.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowdrop (left); Lily (centre);Pipsqueak (right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhdHuFmup1ffL4BtaTDRp57qy9uln5OCG-oQylPz3KClNjFxx5qgiDo5qKy1hlm_ZdxE5nUoKDIzHRxx3f-qM4sfi8EgxLIms1cDbei1VuVQM6KfmNCpDVc99H1_efHUgsG7IqJZvGh4/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Dec-garden-paddoch-close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhdHuFmup1ffL4BtaTDRp57qy9uln5OCG-oQylPz3KClNjFxx5qgiDo5qKy1hlm_ZdxE5nUoKDIzHRxx3f-qM4sfi8EgxLIms1cDbei1VuVQM6KfmNCpDVc99H1_efHUgsG7IqJZvGh4/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Dec-garden-paddoch-close.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pop-up paddock in the garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We like our
sheep to be easily handled and used to human contact, so HunterGatherer has
fenced off a corner of the garden at the moment and they’re happily grazing
round the apple and plum trees as we come and go during the day. They’re also getting
some pellets or the occasional block of dried grass to get them used to coming
to the trough (a handy habit to establish when you want to catch them easily
when they’re older!).</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzeQdFoi2rUkgfxFxg2JQJG2NIQAnGuWw8Udyeh9Vcb6gogRtzcJspgCyt-I7C46nUly4rFuCq63HvB53bvsTOWaGsw_DApmuxZXF9c1zGwBqVs6LE3DjBrD-tw2xIWqq0-T7FNQv5j4/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Nov-Sox-portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzeQdFoi2rUkgfxFxg2JQJG2NIQAnGuWw8Udyeh9Vcb6gogRtzcJspgCyt-I7C46nUly4rFuCq63HvB53bvsTOWaGsw_DApmuxZXF9c1zGwBqVs6LE3DjBrD-tw2xIWqq0-T7FNQv5j4/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Nov-Sox-portrait.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Er, where's my snack? Socks is not<br />
impressed that the lambs are being <br />
given special treatment!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDrfzYmAA88JeGRmHshG90lG_5yI1n5i1f_Tj0_pB8u48cf8MkutzmAAUcfNxgKmniI7_sbNkb8koy_uMGTJTg_mAeiaJHvvfInBZ8dDDn4WHew2Ug3P8SBcellHIoxIg7jUHsEE-lYk/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Dec-wk1-sheep-expectant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDrfzYmAA88JeGRmHshG90lG_5yI1n5i1f_Tj0_pB8u48cf8MkutzmAAUcfNxgKmniI7_sbNkb8koy_uMGTJTg_mAeiaJHvvfInBZ8dDDn4WHew2Ug3P8SBcellHIoxIg7jUHsEE-lYk/s1600/SHEEP-2014-Dec-wk1-sheep-expectant.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And neither are the other ewes!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Now that our
Christmas outside lights are installed on the tree adjacent to their temporary paddock,
the three lambs look rather festive in the evenings, silhouetted in turn against
blue, white, red and yellow lights. Yes, they’re really entering into the Christmas
spirit – no baaaa humbug here…. [sorry!]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IUFehlcw3eYwdC4V2rcTbQ2Iv6CAj-iQakgdlEbaAmO50-JkVrA_6EYM2wWM28WsXb60ouEkHNGoT9S3j1PS3z25uICRX0J75jdIoJ5Q8G1zdX-TGAs6zN8pWUxUKozaBih6ikl0kCc/s1600/XMAS-outside-tree-lights-Dec-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IUFehlcw3eYwdC4V2rcTbQ2Iv6CAj-iQakgdlEbaAmO50-JkVrA_6EYM2wWM28WsXb60ouEkHNGoT9S3j1PS3z25uICRX0J75jdIoJ5Q8G1zdX-TGAs6zN8pWUxUKozaBih6ikl0kCc/s1600/XMAS-outside-tree-lights-Dec-2013.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sparrowholding "Illuminations"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-64158435200047787522014-11-27T19:17:00.001-08:002014-11-27T19:17:27.749-08:00Full steam ahead at the Miele Calorie Neutral lunch<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYUPowKHB1E7Io9lpWHHBTGfGaZXk8ZMdvq1YC3pr_Lv1MJHwmrM3ixnvlGXQoorl4ojUQOj12gYqcBBjJhCSMyQKC8RhVcPWLrFgy8BvJ4x42vUCCRqyuhT_7FAZmOYWbP79ZZIkxvQ/s1600/STEAM-nov14-Jak-portrait.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYUPowKHB1E7Io9lpWHHBTGfGaZXk8ZMdvq1YC3pr_Lv1MJHwmrM3ixnvlGXQoorl4ojUQOj12gYqcBBjJhCSMyQKC8RhVcPWLrFgy8BvJ4x42vUCCRqyuhT_7FAZmOYWbP79ZZIkxvQ/s1600/STEAM-nov14-Jak-portrait.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef for the <a href="http://www.miele.co.uk/steam-ovens/">Miele Steam!</a> event in Edinburgh<br />was the lovely Jacqueline O'Donnell</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can honestly say that Miele’s recent “Steam!” lunch, held
at the Mark Greenaway restaurant on North Castle Street in Edinburgh was a unique
and fabulous occasion, which will linger on in my memory long after other luncheons
have faded from mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“So what was so special about it?” I hear you ask. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Where should I begin? Possibly at the very
beginning would be a propitious starting point, as Maria from the Sound of
Music once very sensibly opined. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
luncheon had been billed on Twitter as a calorie neutral event, an attribute
which immediately caught my attention. According to the email invitation sent
out by Miele, prior to eating, guests would participate in a Bodybalance</span></span><span style="line-height: 17.1200008392334px;">™</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"> class. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYyjL2MGv3rp-10tBX0yhnkwriMZScRbEcpwMPUyuM5eBc6w-cTKglo7rnkAth1EZ3L0jQmhbIrsv9U9O0WC5kV4Ch89PQbqlSjvFuex86UYyRJmWzEpm1K-msKixF8LNT_LrG5TH4sQ/s1600/STEAM-nov14-exercise-lying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnYyjL2MGv3rp-10tBX0yhnkwriMZScRbEcpwMPUyuM5eBc6w-cTKglo7rnkAth1EZ3L0jQmhbIrsv9U9O0WC5kV4Ch89PQbqlSjvFuex86UYyRJmWzEpm1K-msKixF8LNT_LrG5TH4sQ/s1600/STEAM-nov14-exercise-lying.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You wouldn't believe how hard we worked.... </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Having played a couple of hours of hockey the previous day,
Yours Truly was slightly concerned that her ability to undertake any sort of
physical challenge might have been seriously compromised. However, fortunately
our personal trainer – the gentle Jonathon from <a href="http://www.totalhealth.uk.com/about-us/team/">Total Health </a>in Edinburgh – did
not demand too much of the nine slightly unlikely members of his pre-prandial
fitness session. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He led us patiently through
a series of stretching and “full body” exercises that we all did our utmost
to implement. And when one of the floor exercises placed the skirt-clad member of
our group of gastronomes in a slightly delicate position, the chivalrous Jonathon
immediately offered her his jacket to protect her knees' modesty.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXRt66xWLKLgTVCCjhXo89EkYa_8cIiX1FTpQcntiGKTpHY29lvj9BXkXDwtrkmopxJmzlf9bF5BrQbDmnrGKpzVsv4nuxKTM39OcbeBKkuh2QUZcPA1JbkzORZjZtOKmH6o31Y_Ac3Y/s1600/STEAM-nov14-jonathon-trainer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXRt66xWLKLgTVCCjhXo89EkYa_8cIiX1FTpQcntiGKTpHY29lvj9BXkXDwtrkmopxJmzlf9bF5BrQbDmnrGKpzVsv4nuxKTM39OcbeBKkuh2QUZcPA1JbkzORZjZtOKmH6o31Y_Ac3Y/s1600/STEAM-nov14-jonathon-trainer.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ever-patient Jonathon from Total Health</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twenty minutes later, our class was complete, and the
relevant number of calories had been duly burned. Next it was time for a cup
of restorative green tea – which, we were informed, has the felicitous effect of encouraging
fat burning (whereupon Yours Truly made an immediate note to buy some on her next foray to the local supermarket).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sitting around the table sipping said tea provided a perfect
opportunity to find out a bit about some of my fellow diners, who proved to be excellent company. On my right was a mature lady who, along with her husband, had recently retired to Highland
Perthshire and who had become (just one week previously) the proud owner of a steam oven, but had not yet given it a "test drive". The <i>Steam!</i> lunch was a perfect chance for her to see it being put through its
paces.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On my left were a fellow writer </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">– </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the food editor of <a href="http://www.artmag.co.uk/">Art Mag Edinburgh</a> (always a pleasure to meet
other freelance foodies, and we even discovered we'd attended the same school</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">!) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">– </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">plus two younger and, as it transpired, highly intriguing table-mates. One was a young lady with a
degree in biological science and management from Edinburgh University who is currently training to be a joiner because she's found she loves working with wood; the other was a young man
with the most spectacular moustache that I believe I have</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> ever seen at close
quarters. He is currently the model fronting the PR campaign for <a href="http://www.dickwinters.co.uk/">Dick Winters men's underwear</a>. As you might imagine, conversation at our side of the table was certainly anything but dull...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being a gregarious person by nature, I have to confess that I was
in my element all afternoon, and meeting such fascinating
people added significantly to my enjoyment of the whole event!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soon our hostesses began to talk us through the first of the
five courses that awaited our avid foodie attentions. Our chef for the day was
internationally acclaimed <a href="http://jacquelineodonnell.co.uk/">Jacqueline O’Donnell</a>, one of the dynamic sororial duo
behind The Sisters Restaurant in Glasgow. Jak’s able assistant for the day was
Alex from Miele – the company whose steam ovens had the weighty responsibility of
cooking our calorie neutral meal!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eagerly, we devoured the paper menu on the table with our
eyes, and we liked what we saw…</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tf5_3KLL2n3FWHORh6mrXcrQ9KVsefLedeKFO-jFqg1FKnDtdrmexc2v03-VKDVjuqbRFY_1Y6FLH5BQ4TVMjbRgRjSNRbIexb-jzS_vfOgkdKwKsqdRaZqp4Ta6taTyCAbyPKvWwWw/s1600/STEAM-nov14-menu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tf5_3KLL2n3FWHORh6mrXcrQ9KVsefLedeKFO-jFqg1FKnDtdrmexc2v03-VKDVjuqbRFY_1Y6FLH5BQ4TVMjbRgRjSNRbIexb-jzS_vfOgkdKwKsqdRaZqp4Ta6taTyCAbyPKvWwWw/s1600/STEAM-nov14-menu.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Our luncheon menu</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Could it really be possible that we could tuck into such an
apparently indulgent menu and still leave the table with impunity, safe in the
knowledge that our initial Bodybalance</span><span style="line-height: 17.1200008392334px;">™</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> session and green tea had accounted for every
single calorie we were about to ingest? If having most of the impending meal steamed
meant that we could, we were certainly game to try!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To say that the entire meal served to us at the
Edinburgh <i>Steam!</i> event was utterly
superb would scarcely be to do it full justice. The broccoli was impeccably
steamed to ensure a perfect 'bite’ and remained the same deep emerald green
as it no doubt was when first plucked from a local farmer’s field. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQXBKnH7hRFaCK_sb9th4ADqc17cawCVcJ2X-2PDEk2yNGhYoxRkn74BQaA7JkUXuzj9Su2QGzhGNx_stPU-6JWWxaZ-qG3caOVaesmJL4IAjD5iJUaRPiDW_PV6jR6WkoMg-iEP9d5s/s1600/STEAM-nov14-broccoli-best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJQXBKnH7hRFaCK_sb9th4ADqc17cawCVcJ2X-2PDEk2yNGhYoxRkn74BQaA7JkUXuzj9Su2QGzhGNx_stPU-6JWWxaZ-qG3caOVaesmJL4IAjD5iJUaRPiDW_PV6jR6WkoMg-iEP9d5s/s1600/STEAM-nov14-broccoli-best.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Steamed purple broccoli with cured salmon and almonds</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sprinkled on top was a scattering of small, seductive chunks
of cured salmon (which Jak explained she had wrapped in a mixture of sea salt,
sugar, dill and lemon zest and left overnight in the fridge); meanwhile, the
accompanying dressing (comprising white wine vinegar, rapeseed oil and micro cress,
if my memory serves me well) complemented both broccoli and salmon to
perfection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next on the menu was a dish involving one of my favourite
veggies: the humble red beetroot. Steamed in the futuristic, tardis-like oven and
served with broad beans and puy lentils, this course totalled a mere 80
calories. Sweet music to a gourmand’s ears...<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHauQ1aV80EKONhQ5CACv5NGjx33gwb8lEHHWA3TzuZI5Yljy0V3G3Yy07rAxETqLhHsOCYlzV-_If9xDbFF5wn0NtimTzUnQzCgbhinhyphenhyphenBbpUFj-fw4ZVY39sJ9FrKAtQoZtagMi5rM/s1600/STEAM-nov14-beetroot-dish2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHauQ1aV80EKONhQ5CACv5NGjx33gwb8lEHHWA3TzuZI5Yljy0V3G3Yy07rAxETqLhHsOCYlzV-_If9xDbFF5wn0NtimTzUnQzCgbhinhyphenhyphenBbpUFj-fw4ZVY39sJ9FrKAtQoZtagMi5rM/s1600/STEAM-nov14-beetroot-dish2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Steamed beetroot with broad beans and puy lentils</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two dishes down, and it was time for our fish and meat courses, both of which raised the already high standard set by the previous
courses. I can’t remember to my shame exactly how Jak said she made the
stuffing for the lemon sole, but two things I do know: it contained prawns; and it reminded me why I should eat fish more often. Anyone
who thinks that steamed meat and fish has to be bland should think again. The flavour of this fish was sublime.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSQWNMzHPH7J9F1qus_3ZyOrqeoL930uEGaeBZUT0pZkbe9isK9uY8syqSg1vE0oW27ZWineiJNixWufpgVhBBpnJ2XV39MmQVOLlcRWiddn2e1rqYT5o727y4-Dutd2etc-cTAgzaME/s1600/STEAM-nov14-lemon-sole2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMSQWNMzHPH7J9F1qus_3ZyOrqeoL930uEGaeBZUT0pZkbe9isK9uY8syqSg1vE0oW27ZWineiJNixWufpgVhBBpnJ2XV39MmQVOLlcRWiddn2e1rqYT5o727y4-Dutd2etc-cTAgzaME/s1600/STEAM-nov14-lemon-sole2.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Prawn-stuffed lemon sole with herb butter sauce</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a huge fan of venison, I was delighted to hear Jak
announce that whereas an 8oz fillet steak contains – on average – 26 g of fat,
a similar amount of venison contains a mere 3g. The only slight downside, she
added, of cooking meat in a steam oven can be the colour – but, of course,
there are ways round this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She showed us how to drop a smidgen of rapeseed oil (from a
special ‘dropper’ container that prevented too much oil escaping at once!) on
to each steamed venison fillet, rub it into the surface of the meat and then
sear the meat, briefly, in a frying pan – just long enough to give it the
colour and crispness that so enhances both appearance and flavour.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fillets were swiftly removed from the pan, their place
being taken by a blend of Scottish Brambles with a dash of balsamic vinegar and a smidgen of sugar. This mixture was cooked rapidly before being spooned over the meat. Re-sult!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vDiOR58WNct8TmUgWzLtCy8iq6hK2cFoE3C2hUO7yeFXwDEcfLrLFWlMfjQ_ElCEHEqSQHuMv48c1CBh8sBSoRaAKF62Koh08dBBzGWWrdTV_2rLGxvWF3SDXT3tDaj5MlBcrJhbq-g/s1600/STEAM-nov14-venison-ks-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vDiOR58WNct8TmUgWzLtCy8iq6hK2cFoE3C2hUO7yeFXwDEcfLrLFWlMfjQ_ElCEHEqSQHuMv48c1CBh8sBSoRaAKF62Koh08dBBzGWWrdTV_2rLGxvWF3SDXT3tDaj5MlBcrJhbq-g/s1600/STEAM-nov14-venison-ks-photo.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Wild Highland venison loin with Scotch brambles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unbelievably, we had by now worked our way through four of
our allotted five courses, watching attentively as each was prepared and cooked </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">– or rather steamed </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">– </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">before our very eyes, while hearing from Alex and Jak about the myriad dishes that
can successfully be cooked in Miele’s innovative steam ovens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dessert proved to be yet another delight for our taste buds – belying its
apparent simplicity. The combo of steamed rhubarb and pineapple might have appeared an unlikely pairing, but it worked an absolute treat (perhaps the dash of rum helped!).
Serving it with a scoop of coconut ice cream was also an inspired notion. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcuTTCddaYCh3kFouZdeEqq8Lt146MGfWPmYFu4-Yg6Lg4FimINTWy-iTtrWcIMu6EkGecghKg1p67yZvYLBaegSWGYwprLxdHaQhF6zd0w5pZN1q_pyUJ1TKEjoVawAwy9BrUs5DrNg/s1600/STEAM-nov14-pudding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcuTTCddaYCh3kFouZdeEqq8Lt146MGfWPmYFu4-Yg6Lg4FimINTWy-iTtrWcIMu6EkGecghKg1p67yZvYLBaegSWGYwprLxdHaQhF6zd0w5pZN1q_pyUJ1TKEjoVawAwy9BrUs5DrNg/s1600/STEAM-nov14-pudding.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Steamed rhubarb and pineapple with coconut ice cream</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This truly was rhubarb as you’ve never tasted it before: devoid of
its customary sugar-steeped ‘bath’ yet still extremely pleasant on the palate. The
flavours of the two fruits melded into one glorious burst of lusciousness, and by the time the last drop of fruit-infused coconut cream had been scraped
from the plate, we were all perfectly replete.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is no exaggeration to say that this was one of the finest meals that I’ve ever had the privilege of being served in a restaurant. Moreover, the pleasure of watching it take shape
before my very eyes enhanced the experience significantly. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The day’s only disappointment
was that a steam oven’s price puts it slightly (all right, more than
slightly…) out of my league for the moment. However, if I ever win the lottery, all that will change. And if you'd like a chance to win one of the ovens, tweet your favourite meal cooked with a Miele steamer using the hashtag #mielesteam. Good luck!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN-SwCU1mOuuqRMWd0zloSQx5PK0y9Ce0FwZP_scKWWDaaSIvzJpitM5IYeSApjYo34AqD7yc2k19qDmC0LK_26-OHul2ubloBUGzSnH6jROKq87LZxwlToHQx4B4YmbcLbsiZHwWc2o/s1600/STEAM-nov14-markgreenaway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVN-SwCU1mOuuqRMWd0zloSQx5PK0y9Ce0FwZP_scKWWDaaSIvzJpitM5IYeSApjYo34AqD7yc2k19qDmC0LK_26-OHul2ubloBUGzSnH6jROKq87LZxwlToHQx4B4YmbcLbsiZHwWc2o/s1600/STEAM-nov14-markgreenaway.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Restaurant owner Mark Greenaaway was behind the scenes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaK3Ipn8M-Oxq5yIQ-p2SsO59kF1OraL62a-epB7Fa1mVEXtRukcAJ5jJpNbyC9zBd_05cPJmt90F2p0WdGh9KB_JpneduJgX12axNv6Ecgd-XaumyGyy0uC8FFhy-kvD5nAAQ5C6aRc/s1600/STEAM-nov14-free-bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpaK3Ipn8M-Oxq5yIQ-p2SsO59kF1OraL62a-epB7Fa1mVEXtRukcAJ5jJpNbyC9zBd_05cPJmt90F2p0WdGh9KB_JpneduJgX12axNv6Ecgd-XaumyGyy0uC8FFhy-kvD5nAAQ5C6aRc/s1600/STEAM-nov14-free-bag.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As we left, Jak handed us this lovely souvenir of the occasion</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-18343418975237441512014-11-21T16:48:00.000-08:002014-11-21T16:48:34.715-08:00The Miele steam train is coming to town…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3NDPpP2T-i9iXxLjyonyRodpRV2FkMo23m8wRixwoyfUeYthBPxEZ_3PqkwXdH9jJA45HIXffLwv61bdhH4YiZG1GAhb40uwnWERQQP-cAz68BpqFCgcRqS19B5OTbrFEMNfrYz75dM/s1600/KAREN-2014-Aug-new-hockey-boots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3NDPpP2T-i9iXxLjyonyRodpRV2FkMo23m8wRixwoyfUeYthBPxEZ_3PqkwXdH9jJA45HIXffLwv61bdhH4YiZG1GAhb40uwnWERQQP-cAz68BpqFCgcRqS19B5OTbrFEMNfrYz75dM/s1600/KAREN-2014-Aug-new-hockey-boots.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trainers at the ready...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s not often that you find yourself emailing your host to
ask if you need to bring trainers to a luncheon engagement, but that’s what I
found myself doing earlier this week when a reminder arrived in my inbox that I
have an invite for what bodes to be a rather intriguing culinary event in
Edinburgh this Monday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ll write in more detail about this unusual lunchtime
engagement “after the event”. However, for now, here’s the email that spills
the beans (note food pun!) on what to expect…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Guests,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We look forward
to seeing you at the Miele Calorie Neutral Restaurant on Monday 24<sup>th</sup> November
at 12.30pm. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please arrive a few
minutes before to get seated… <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>FORMAT OF THE DAY</u><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You will be welcomed
with a Green Tea before taking part in a light Bodybalance™ class with Total
Health instructor, Craig Ali. (Please note that this class is not an
extreme fitness workout, and you will not be required to change your clothes.)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You will then be
treated to a delicious, healthy tasting menu cooked with steam. The food will
be made with Miele steam appliances and you will have the opportunity to talk
to Jacqueline O’Donnell and a Miele Home Economist about the appliances and the
dishes. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions throughout
the event.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We look forward
to seeing you next week!</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Miele Events
Team<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite being a keen athletic type (if still playing hockey
aged 51 qualifies me as such!), I have to confess to never having participated
in a Bodybalance™ class before, so I thought I’d better check what footwear was
appropriate – hence my email enquiring about the need for trainers. Hmm, perhaps
I should run from Kinross to Edinburgh on Monday, just to build up my appetite….
or perhaps not!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD_1BLUZUYmwaFxJNsrAopxgzkqbC7PEJZocBVQXIwdb6PNUxbPvEhI5asrX7U22fAsANUBrhqnW52kuVPy9QFDMSD-mNTqidS-cvzJol3yV3DSikVoc-m0G_EC7pjzLv6tNO_iv1do4/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-edinburgh-caltonhill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMD_1BLUZUYmwaFxJNsrAopxgzkqbC7PEJZocBVQXIwdb6PNUxbPvEhI5asrX7U22fAsANUBrhqnW52kuVPy9QFDMSD-mNTqidS-cvzJol3yV3DSikVoc-m0G_EC7pjzLv6tNO_iv1do4/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-edinburgh-caltonhill.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Any excuse to visit Edinburgh is welcome!</td></tr>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-71782785408369359112014-11-15T14:12:00.002-08:002014-11-15T14:12:34.671-08:00Winter warmer: Sparrowholding parsnip and apple soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being an unashamed soup fanatic, I love turning the fresh produce we grow here at The Sparrowholding into various seasonal soups. Last week it was the turn of a handful of our newly harvested parsnips plus some of October's apple crop to be committed to the tureen... </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just as they fell... windblown apples</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhix92KPx5xF1TaBr4JF88AEkbg0b_FLtlEM_4z3ZgTulLfEsKbsoFYVJldoPRutCV_o8dW6ttSHi9mE02PXwliGrRn-B49_xoL0fZSTHZSFjAsOnoQ5XgTmT75pCKbnYzhZuj3toPqu_c/s1600/GARDEN-2014-oct-apples-basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhix92KPx5xF1TaBr4JF88AEkbg0b_FLtlEM_4z3ZgTulLfEsKbsoFYVJldoPRutCV_o8dW6ttSHi9mE02PXwliGrRn-B49_xoL0fZSTHZSFjAsOnoQ5XgTmT75pCKbnYzhZuj3toPqu_c/s1600/GARDEN-2014-oct-apples-basket.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still life apples</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGUTszV5y935Yly2IomKMa4-fdXVzjsJhl9RR60letZa1qAT2nEEXoWwfGK4RPfVQIFoyHox9n0byFbw6peNI8K_EoI2qQAHXRvyy1dYJD7Cx3YzPdYzuirf337CgxQr3iKv0hO_tH9w/s1600/GARDEN-2014-oct-parsnips-basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGUTszV5y935Yly2IomKMa4-fdXVzjsJhl9RR60letZa1qAT2nEEXoWwfGK4RPfVQIFoyHox9n0byFbw6peNI8K_EoI2qQAHXRvyy1dYJD7Cx3YzPdYzuirf337CgxQr3iKv0hO_tH9w/s1600/GARDEN-2014-oct-parsnips-basket.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parsnips aplenty...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh7cpy5V4lf2_vgF878muT2qM9HxVEOMxHtrO1RduVkJRCjoLufjHYPP43GLLMZO8l7Wp8xXcaxawLPdBQ2R_fN0FXg444Hz4a3wWCBc0AHVPZPt-4-KIaZYVQTve_ZJs81Y4DUXwEaM/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh7cpy5V4lf2_vgF878muT2qM9HxVEOMxHtrO1RduVkJRCjoLufjHYPP43GLLMZO8l7Wp8xXcaxawLPdBQ2R_fN0FXg444Hz4a3wWCBc0AHVPZPt-4-KIaZYVQTve_ZJs81Y4DUXwEaM/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-1.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apples almost ready for action...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi509HPJCqyluqY6IJbKaOLhUylKdAE4cbDSbVAcyEGz5TON7WUeVLYoi_mhHZJ_m0EH1-B3N46jmVVkTbTmaIvNlSJFTH6fEo74DYKptCBfyi0ULndIUrA_9EcTLmghUXDV0DPyyZ96cY/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi509HPJCqyluqY6IJbKaOLhUylKdAE4cbDSbVAcyEGz5TON7WUeVLYoi_mhHZJ_m0EH1-B3N46jmVVkTbTmaIvNlSJFTH6fEo74DYKptCBfyi0ULndIUrA_9EcTLmghUXDV0DPyyZ96cY/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-2.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parsnips: peel'em, slic'em, parboil'em for 5 mins then roast'em <br />till cooked - <a href="http://www.summerharvestoils.co.uk/">Summer Harvest rapeseed oil</a> is ideal!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhro1FR2PljUUTNZJpjm70-cXwN5ThV9Eisf5Z6yuaNKwOhuXpLa68RaEnC2kuZhhJMdAOmXEZd4fqtio-hRfI0Lmhxj5QGPID2S67TL1x4Q8qVtuXwJ_hcAzybN7IaRGwBBZmMdna498U/s1600/RECIPES-parsnip-apple-soup-3B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhro1FR2PljUUTNZJpjm70-cXwN5ThV9Eisf5Z6yuaNKwOhuXpLa68RaEnC2kuZhhJMdAOmXEZd4fqtio-hRfI0Lmhxj5QGPID2S67TL1x4Q8qVtuXwJ_hcAzybN7IaRGwBBZmMdna498U/s1600/RECIPES-parsnip-apple-soup-3B.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't forget to peel and chop the onions...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaVeWwZK8o8hHmXJx1rJ8OchZzAN-QXQUBjuVDcjta4Lpd-_BjO11H0vc5yTrA2p0jKIEf8Twr22IchhXK6NZvJQU76Xui4Jwap4WTVMJCNnu30RWuAMtIHWrDrBY8MGtYR4rNQjnEzk/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitaVeWwZK8o8hHmXJx1rJ8OchZzAN-QXQUBjuVDcjta4Lpd-_BjO11H0vc5yTrA2p0jKIEf8Twr22IchhXK6NZvJQU76Xui4Jwap4WTVMJCNnu30RWuAMtIHWrDrBY8MGtYR4rNQjnEzk/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-3.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown the onions in rapeseed oil, then<br />add the peeled/cored/sliced apples for a few minutes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0z1cSUZNKub8aINr9gNKJJUXjypZnoqfaQyC1-nr8J-C2h0zOPXIts0q-NIv7vTO79SFd58X9uBzLpvfjMSZYrPyvI-Eu-nMre-C6zxmshiPXcYkCoHsJqF_7NVCz3e7_lud8sTqw04/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-3A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ0z1cSUZNKub8aINr9gNKJJUXjypZnoqfaQyC1-nr8J-C2h0zOPXIts0q-NIv7vTO79SFd58X9uBzLpvfjMSZYrPyvI-Eu-nMre-C6zxmshiPXcYkCoHsJqF_7NVCz3e7_lud8sTqw04/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-3A.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Make up around 2 pints of boiling water, in which<br />you can dissolve two chicken stock cubes and one <br />vegetable stock cube plus Knorr Touch of Taste stock<br />to taste (but you could use three veggie cubes).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mgKOShQg721wSiPOPjKN-j4h5ml3vtcHyaAZHcuoVpGO3QkhYmVKaWtBhscWUsWlsKCmshcGVgUKs9VFRW0jiE12xQBh_h9U-NzCSeO6bXl2v4VHIz20YKUIyBkI6rO0pAyUdKTQhug/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mgKOShQg721wSiPOPjKN-j4h5ml3vtcHyaAZHcuoVpGO3QkhYmVKaWtBhscWUsWlsKCmshcGVgUKs9VFRW0jiE12xQBh_h9U-NzCSeO6bXl2v4VHIz20YKUIyBkI6rO0pAyUdKTQhug/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-4.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add most of the stock and the roast parsnips to the fried onion <br />and apple mix then top with a sprinkling of black pepper. <br />Cook steadily until the parsnips etc. are totally soft, topping up <br />with boiling water if necessary. Once soft, blend to the desired<br />consistency using a potato masher or electric blender.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lrUb93hLXBcGl5kpSvDTadfdadreUv7v9uXQdECOH4P8LzCiw-UsPoUU8iEE0x9KNTtrY9RmHEvM5bg7OjKkgYYPejEG_YNj3Z7zBKy7OwYuUJPUhsmJ4oV17o2wZYXtVPvVAUQ8v20/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lrUb93hLXBcGl5kpSvDTadfdadreUv7v9uXQdECOH4P8LzCiw-UsPoUU8iEE0x9KNTtrY9RmHEvM5bg7OjKkgYYPejEG_YNj3Z7zBKy7OwYuUJPUhsmJ4oV17o2wZYXtVPvVAUQ8v20/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-5.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmm, perfectly parsnip-py with an apple-ish tang:-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFVZz4Bwzc1uFcf9-sUmZ9a9KfhJhzagbC7KTkv3EvGa4Vi2t1EoODmhU0ZNzJW7D4y4X6M-9ElGLxKMkE3O-AuGajd5KlGTPBdo8KA-fYPQcx00R3HixX23FfFl83HbpAaQYqb483C8/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFVZz4Bwzc1uFcf9-sUmZ9a9KfhJhzagbC7KTkv3EvGa4Vi2t1EoODmhU0ZNzJW7D4y4X6M-9ElGLxKMkE3O-AuGajd5KlGTPBdo8KA-fYPQcx00R3HixX23FfFl83HbpAaQYqb483C8/s1600/RECIPES-Parsnip-apple-soup-6.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoy! No matter how cold and gloomy it is outside in<br />November, this will be sure to cheer you up :-)</td></tr>
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Our parsnips were quite small (but we wanted to harvest them before they became woody) - if you use larger ones, I'd reckon five or six generously sized parsnips would probably equate to the myriad smaller ones that I used here. The apples, too, were quite small - two or three normal-sized eating apples would suffice. Served with crusty bread (wholemeal if you're feeling virtuous!) and a chunk of cheese (not quite so virtuous!), this soup makes a hearty lunch. </div>
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<br />Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-71602480756015480882014-10-18T11:30:00.000-07:002014-10-18T11:30:19.225-07:00Gung-ho granny comes a cropper and corn dollies explained<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgCq7jww5QQDcDZLnnWEFIBxFh-AVLcaKVfPE0uYyy1kcRPwx4Yo0Exnde-Fi1Ou1qc0kbb2jtKauefmPPvO8YPkFvDBLSHeZN1QujtV6RKPkK_Vuba_jYJmz2JbwVkBeGWZVKx_mjA4/s1600/FOOD-2014-oct-turnip-apple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKgCq7jww5QQDcDZLnnWEFIBxFh-AVLcaKVfPE0uYyy1kcRPwx4Yo0Exnde-Fi1Ou1qc0kbb2jtKauefmPPvO8YPkFvDBLSHeZN1QujtV6RKPkK_Vuba_jYJmz2JbwVkBeGWZVKx_mjA4/s1600/FOOD-2014-oct-turnip-apple.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supergran's monster turnip - or at least half of it!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I popped in to visit Supergran and Farmpa earlier this month and spotted this monstrous turnip in their kitchen. Bear in mind, as you behold the above photo, that this is only half of the original specimen, which must truly have been a giant among brassicas... My reason for calling was to see how Supergran was recovering from a fall that she had sustained the week previously while on a power walking mission <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">–</span> in her wellies <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">–</span> to cut a few barley heads from a nearby field (for reasons that will later become apparent).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unsurprisingly, the collision between her fragile septuagenarian knee and the unforgiving tarmac of the farm road saw the aspiring harvester end up in our local in A&E department. Ten stitches and numerous Steristrips later, she was discharged from hospital, bruised and still shocked. One might have expected, therefore, that she would then take things a little easier in the days that followed </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> at least until her stitches were removed. However, that was perhaps a rather fond hope, given the unpredictable forces that prevail when you live on a farm...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The latest in designer leggings <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">–</span> not...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I arrived in the pitch dark, having driven through torrential rain, it was to find the parental pair (aged 77 and 81 respectively) readying themselves to head out into the soggy blackness in pursuit of some escapee sheep.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A phone call from Farmerbruv had alerted them to the fact that some of the ewes which had arrived at the farm for overwintering the day before had decided that the lure of their own hillside was too strong, and a renegade group of them had sniffed out a weak spot in the fencing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I ventured to suggest that perhaps chasing sheep in the dead of night, by torchlight, wasn't a wise pursuit for two elderly folk, especially when one of them has 10 stitches in their leg, Supergran's answer did nothing to reassure me: "Oh, but it was fine last night when we were out chasing the other lot that escaped, as I just carried the torch in one hand and held a stick to stop me falling over in the other."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For some strange reason, her words </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> apparently intended to put me at my ease </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">– </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">did not have the desired effect...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But back to the reason for my intrepid mother's original failed mission to the field, which had been to source a few heads of barley in order to observe an ancient country custom: making a "corn dolly". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Apparently, this pagan custom (and no, Supergran isn't a pagan </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> she just enjoys country traditions!) goes back gazillions of years, and the basic idea was that when the corn field was being harvested, this process drove the corn spirits who lived there out of their home. So to appease them, the farmer would save some heads of corn from the last field to be cut during each harvest and keep them safe until the following spring. During the intervening months, the corn spirits lived in the farmer's home, presumably in the corn dolly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After winter, the "dolly" was then ploughed into the first furrow of earth to be turned on the farm in the new growing season, allowing the corn spirits to return to their home. Evidently, the said corn spirits weren't feeling too charitable the day they stood by and watched Supergran sprawled on the road, as they didn't have the good grace to help her up again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She's since been along to the field and cut a few stalks of corn, which she then popped in a vase as an impromptu floral arrangement </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and that is as near to a corn dolly as the blessed spirits are going to get this year!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAt4ObMM3wyWA-qMkvCFc5Tdq8xs8DrtXC2IDewB271TvJjV5a4mjEFKI1UfjxZdNS3qr8CGI6nszIjZSXP9m5m_jxpUWFBdf3nvMpHbKNdQI2DOTDeGJI5Wp_9WVdTWt1Gd2aEeeXBQ/s1600/CASSOCHIE-2014-oct-corn-maiden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSAt4ObMM3wyWA-qMkvCFc5Tdq8xs8DrtXC2IDewB271TvJjV5a4mjEFKI1UfjxZdNS3qr8CGI6nszIjZSXP9m5m_jxpUWFBdf3nvMpHbKNdQI2DOTDeGJI5Wp_9WVdTWt1Gd2aEeeXBQ/s1600/CASSOCHIE-2014-oct-corn-maiden.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Less 'dolly' and more 'dunked</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the real die-hard corn dolly creators do some amazingly impressive things with their handful of barley heads. Just have a look at the fantastic corn dollies in the pictures below and you'll see what I mean!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuPBFOsGEkyxNa-52xCZGngZ5fwpaQRL7t32cjE8_ALWM9LAlepPtgREHYZBJkS8PcDOxfgnm6lYA5uxhmvEdCK_Y36DWo_UIG5SEWf-bxbZkii3peXlcgxRrn74ynCBoQyaI4b9peLU/s1600/CORN-dolly-doll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuPBFOsGEkyxNa-52xCZGngZ5fwpaQRL7t32cjE8_ALWM9LAlepPtgREHYZBJkS8PcDOxfgnm6lYA5uxhmvEdCK_Y36DWo_UIG5SEWf-bxbZkii3peXlcgxRrn74ynCBoQyaI4b9peLU/s1600/CORN-dolly-doll.jpg" height="320" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now this is how it should be done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLMk4f2l_JndtbD3JLJX7YXmVs2LFrOXjzPmZZiNz0ttZMiscwRe0DGe403kfZwRgoDIALuaJdJmfA7-urFwYza9XLopCWNrAOxkWA4ZvwGhkZ3ssW1VQnHAA9Cr8I02FvJur_cydItY/s1600/corn-dolly-loops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivLMk4f2l_JndtbD3JLJX7YXmVs2LFrOXjzPmZZiNz0ttZMiscwRe0DGe403kfZwRgoDIALuaJdJmfA7-urFwYza9XLopCWNrAOxkWA4ZvwGhkZ3ssW1VQnHAA9Cr8I02FvJur_cydItY/s1600/corn-dolly-loops.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or this...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here on the Sparrowholding, the sheep are evidently just as wayward as at the ones back at Home Farm. This week, Yours Truly had to corner the two black sheep (how ironic!) in the photo below and encourage them back through a tiny hole in the fence </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a process which involved the rather unfit shepherdess expending vast quantities of both nervous and physical energy. I'm rather hoping that none of the neighbours were out in their gardens listening at the time...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnUfqmXXWBdrkwHP8WFrV7e4u22zLtbFWDNiwAYRmSLgTLkhMEL2TgVW8P-AXI_aIS2p-7_9ePXDqrCBZcAN7zlRagA0VY2XYjNpoGkINU85U5h7wdyg9Me2BH9wDm5AWlggezD-jvyg/s1600/SHEEP-2014-oct-wk3-blacksheep-escaped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnUfqmXXWBdrkwHP8WFrV7e4u22zLtbFWDNiwAYRmSLgTLkhMEL2TgVW8P-AXI_aIS2p-7_9ePXDqrCBZcAN7zlRagA0VY2XYjNpoGkINU85U5h7wdyg9Me2BH9wDm5AWlggezD-jvyg/s1600/SHEEP-2014-oct-wk3-blacksheep-escaped.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black sheep misbehaving</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlduRus9cnRjpjfrZfLP3Mpgntps3iJcj9CYDRD3OcHp85xuECo3la6EA6blqMR6pErOUDWgKFHigsEssnBSL5Se9sHZ39bMBo4auN6-ruSx99Tc73N0ZdTbuiqqJJfbXwCf3N_WYBYlM/s1600/SHEEP-2014-oct-wk3-fence-hole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlduRus9cnRjpjfrZfLP3Mpgntps3iJcj9CYDRD3OcHp85xuECo3la6EA6blqMR6pErOUDWgKFHigsEssnBSL5Se9sHZ39bMBo4auN6-ruSx99Tc73N0ZdTbuiqqJJfbXwCf3N_WYBYlM/s1600/SHEEP-2014-oct-wk3-fence-hole.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The escape tunnel under the fence <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> just a few inches<br />
of space. Once they've got their little heads through, <br />
escape is a piece of cake!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since I last blogged, we've harvested our remaining grapes and, as I mentioned in the <a href="http://square-sparrow.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/its-great-scottish-bake-off-as-dd1.html">previous post</a>, we rue the day we opted for whatever breed of vine Vinnie happens to be. Most of the grapes he produces are tiny, and each of them contains one or two pips, which makes eating them frustrating and time-consuming in equal measure.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDN9yKezHalkfnDuZJ98P2zR1QVdXEAtSPS84XJN0M75DBQmix_7V08JXa8PRzx3dgUCSvpfzZYhAKLEwZuJ11KjS90zbidl6A9cYAgBfDQO4B3Z_4CmIwD1PyTl8DW7ji2PydbAxQxU0/s1600/sq-spar-sept13-week4-grapebunch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDN9yKezHalkfnDuZJ98P2zR1QVdXEAtSPS84XJN0M75DBQmix_7V08JXa8PRzx3dgUCSvpfzZYhAKLEwZuJ11KjS90zbidl6A9cYAgBfDQO4B3Z_4CmIwD1PyTl8DW7ji2PydbAxQxU0/s1600/sq-spar-sept13-week4-grapebunch.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The grapes of my wrath</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mark you, all the hard work does pay off if you turn them into a luscious fruity dessert... Just place the de-seeded, halved grapes in an overproof dish, add a tablespoon of sherry and leave for a few hours. Then top the grapes with whipped cream and demerara sugar, place under the grill for a few minutes till the sugar forms a crust and serve immediately. Recipe for a simple but yummy pud!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, autumn continues to paint the nearby hedgerows a rainbow of orange, gold, red and yellow. Here's a quick photographic overview of the beauty of our surroundings at this time of year.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpdZJNu2Erqqx5Om9oj8ayBGUMJpZxKrf8Z56kDs3YWmNsSTlDzg-bG6s8YKT82UoXyfQEfV6iVFAzYRHI65mikvcN9kPX75tg93-WNk9H17uPEZ2QjEBeWGP3FjlQUQ8WNMr4ONy3NE/s1600/nature-2014-autumn-golden-canopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpdZJNu2Erqqx5Om9oj8ayBGUMJpZxKrf8Z56kDs3YWmNsSTlDzg-bG6s8YKT82UoXyfQEfV6iVFAzYRHI65mikvcN9kPX75tg93-WNk9H17uPEZ2QjEBeWGP3FjlQUQ8WNMr4ONy3NE/s1600/nature-2014-autumn-golden-canopy.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A leafy canopy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgjm-8f5MgxRf8Msvk078TLDPJhYD6iAEvaoiOYJxlFayBVX7PffghDqi3rW0f-0Z6xfmc7uPtU2zZ9snNtONLs0fyO7K2OL58UjWXMU8CxOWwwTeW0ag_kV4s1BAglLXOVdyJGkvkNQ/s1600/NATURE-2014-autumn-dandelion-clocks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzgjm-8f5MgxRf8Msvk078TLDPJhYD6iAEvaoiOYJxlFayBVX7PffghDqi3rW0f-0Z6xfmc7uPtU2zZ9snNtONLs0fyO7K2OL58UjWXMU8CxOWwwTeW0ag_kV4s1BAglLXOVdyJGkvkNQ/s1600/NATURE-2014-autumn-dandelion-clocks.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dandelion clocks <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> one puff and they're away!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReJK_k3ievJs1vXWaMfNNZ4l7UvGnOBin8cri5xmXKTKHI8NXUmUuc61Lkvv1usbbDRowTfWZNAKk8eRkvMCdfzxpGKOPxjGh2X5_bG4vZGxuEoPL5xRdns_fwjsm6GvL43pz8znNuzQ/s1600/nature-2014-autumn-brown-leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReJK_k3ievJs1vXWaMfNNZ4l7UvGnOBin8cri5xmXKTKHI8NXUmUuc61Lkvv1usbbDRowTfWZNAKk8eRkvMCdfzxpGKOPxjGh2X5_bG4vZGxuEoPL5xRdns_fwjsm6GvL43pz8znNuzQ/s1600/nature-2014-autumn-brown-leaves.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB1DVhiMWzWWmbvZ_r95-rlA_72p3ZcEwiu7W_e-iVu_KqVCoSzbW2UFQEoUsDRGG5A_exCKINDx0UOdKSNQxD9WaqDw2dHnGEizy0LDtSSmxupBCSU7nAFClbAoLGzu9e1BpQjmae5Q/s1600/NATURE-2014-autumn-red-berries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUB1DVhiMWzWWmbvZ_r95-rlA_72p3ZcEwiu7W_e-iVu_KqVCoSzbW2UFQEoUsDRGG5A_exCKINDx0UOdKSNQxD9WaqDw2dHnGEizy0LDtSSmxupBCSU7nAFClbAoLGzu9e1BpQjmae5Q/s1600/NATURE-2014-autumn-red-berries.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The indigenous bird population is well provided for!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklllmSuH5tJ11Tkf-yNtkeMDT3tCABtPEVs6xCqLg44crpu2wKoCOUNMQ4AbKgXap-5LwlxyWCaSTRI_T9wg17QqKmnDRSxZaYrlUQhr-AP8w_y5W-VdCDVf7xzzJxTMtn-LxL73fUsg/s1600/NATURE-2014-oct-conkers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklllmSuH5tJ11Tkf-yNtkeMDT3tCABtPEVs6xCqLg44crpu2wKoCOUNMQ4AbKgXap-5LwlxyWCaSTRI_T9wg17QqKmnDRSxZaYrlUQhr-AP8w_y5W-VdCDVf7xzzJxTMtn-LxL73fUsg/s1600/NATURE-2014-oct-conkers.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anyone for a game of conkers?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAeuv5x4rLPPnrN-UjnOWAgo4aIZIWx_B7mOjGCix_7nMs3pKk8ldrvvg40G8_a8pdt29cxhce6gaNx4vPkNczSK4NJmGA8knKzhNt6ieRHWTd2pKDntjMkyE36gowpeXLhysbQ84UNg/s1600/burnems-2014-oct-leaf-mosaic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBAeuv5x4rLPPnrN-UjnOWAgo4aIZIWx_B7mOjGCix_7nMs3pKk8ldrvvg40G8_a8pdt29cxhce6gaNx4vPkNczSK4NJmGA8knKzhNt6ieRHWTd2pKDntjMkyE36gowpeXLhysbQ84UNg/s1600/burnems-2014-oct-leaf-mosaic.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaf mosaic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4Yw-LDHLcVnxihTMQSfAGLxeELuG6O1jlbQNLbX4p0jExZFjCLXofzLxNVGihJq9lJpxLbdpvWHlSCkSc6_U3C-O1JnnAyquRr7Rv5214ujMpOV9HRXvynqFmillKLe-btBAlnTGAD4/s1600/GARDEN-2014-oct-hazelnuts-noflash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4Yw-LDHLcVnxihTMQSfAGLxeELuG6O1jlbQNLbX4p0jExZFjCLXofzLxNVGihJq9lJpxLbdpvWHlSCkSc6_U3C-O1JnnAyquRr7Rv5214ujMpOV9HRXvynqFmillKLe-btBAlnTGAD4/s1600/GARDEN-2014-oct-hazelnuts-noflash.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's been a good year for hazelnuts!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-22914941472402971192014-09-16T20:46:00.003-07:002014-09-16T20:48:36.026-07:00It's the Great Scottish Bake Off as DD1 returns to The Sparrowholding<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0Hfu0aRF93Jec4bBKrfL6BBlX-Wc_H3OAuuhBoQvO4cwCJPdCE-j7FqayBwwHHAyKrfMb91sWeURtIpWxuYxsLpnj-HFr4fuInaHRGip9E-8sKvaBn9zd0qvOkDm0DkL1i0FN5jXef4/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-choc-banana-cheesecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0Hfu0aRF93Jec4bBKrfL6BBlX-Wc_H3OAuuhBoQvO4cwCJPdCE-j7FqayBwwHHAyKrfMb91sWeURtIpWxuYxsLpnj-HFr4fuInaHRGip9E-8sKvaBn9zd0qvOkDm0DkL1i0FN5jXef4/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-choc-banana-cheesecake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked banana-choc cheesecake: just one of the three puddings <br />
on offer chez Sparrow recently...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I seem to remember writing a </span><a href="http://square-sparrow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/not-all-f-words-are-bad.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">blog post two years ago</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> in which, while expressing my sorrow that DD1 was heading back south to resume her studies at St Something's, I proclaimed myself almost relieved about her departure owing to the fact that I'd no longer be confronted by the daily temptation of her irresistible cooking creations!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year has been no different. Since daughter dearest's return from her summer job in the deep south, the kitchen has been filled with a succession of glorious baking smells, and Yours Truly has experienced the rare treat of a scrumptious savoury brunch of smoked salmon with poached egg presented to her on a plate. I could get certainly used to this...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7rlbq5jnjWQ4d4YGJcQT-VP8u7v2LV0WiMsXKdiDbcPJSrSxBhz8wfT6dSaF83ByXMIwk0HM9hf8SVCAQSaMSq_q9XLfVUzUdEqSqMDewbiDtRKJcNLhZdyqhQq9BW0R9_Iyumd6SGQ/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-wk2-poached-egg-salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ7rlbq5jnjWQ4d4YGJcQT-VP8u7v2LV0WiMsXKdiDbcPJSrSxBhz8wfT6dSaF83ByXMIwk0HM9hf8SVCAQSaMSq_q9XLfVUzUdEqSqMDewbiDtRKJcNLhZdyqhQq9BW0R9_Iyumd6SGQ/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-wk2-poached-egg-salmon.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect way to start the working day - especially when<br />
you don't have to cook it yourself ;-)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Consequently, any fond notions I had of shedding the odd pound (or even the odd stone!) before the said offspring's graduation from St Something's in a mere two days' time are fading into oblivion. Indeed, it looks as though the only option left to me will be to don a generously proportioned hessian bag for the big event. Hmm, wonder which shoes I have that would be suitable to go with that?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the plus side, keen to take advantage of DD1's culinary zeal, I invited a few friends for dinner - unfortunately, what I hadn't realised when choosing the date of the dinner party was that DD1 would be in Aberdeen with boyfriend T. at an oil company ball that very night. Upon first discovering this tragic date clash, I have to confess that a deep gloom descended upon me as I began to contemplate ways of presenting baked beans (my culinary skills are limited) in a "dinner party" fashion... </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis08JqIwZJyQd9Di7zLpLjc9bi2-12Uyn3V_y5IAnEY8IRdCz_azlRDGYIY4NSO2m7MJpROvrRLy8Aypg1P_WKIhDaISL0PeZWZKgRRKDd6gZqkFLEoW-hG-vJBIkaKyznXuy6yiARO4/s1600/MORAG-2014-shell-ball-hair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjis08JqIwZJyQd9Di7zLpLjc9bi2-12Uyn3V_y5IAnEY8IRdCz_azlRDGYIY4NSO2m7MJpROvrRLy8Aypg1P_WKIhDaISL0PeZWZKgRRKDd6gZqkFLEoW-hG-vJBIkaKyznXuy6yiARO4/s1600/MORAG-2014-shell-ball-hair.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DD1 had her hair put up - before heading for <br />
the ball to let her hair down!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF6pQQem3TU-xAQBMpL65DQ7zUp_BMR22PLZSeGD9QXVgWNmiv6LVvL-3lNG9sxR5Q4McH1hKQQ_IMGUsWzTOtA03MeiUBTm06YeAc2iF3AqvKSj3xCL2bQSmQY7q8_zLea49GgZmFqc/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-canapes-roulade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoF6pQQem3TU-xAQBMpL65DQ7zUp_BMR22PLZSeGD9QXVgWNmiv6LVvL-3lNG9sxR5Q4McH1hKQQ_IMGUsWzTOtA03MeiUBTm06YeAc2iF3AqvKSj3xCL2bQSmQY7q8_zLea49GgZmFqc/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-canapes-roulade.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The canapes were the only thing DD1 trusted<br />
Yours Truly to execute properly...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnFHp4R_FNf1YNPzLvHBGJ0poaANdYN_E8bEViuWylc_2HnO6l3FPSk3I7K8zaKx2B6ofeAUN2P8yZN_JinL1Bl7gvLGwtz9P1Hl-Q6eSG7IlZ1dL1snw86-uaJSL6uLRXI9ZQCKyqJA/s1600/food-2014-sept-dinner-spinach-goo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUnFHp4R_FNf1YNPzLvHBGJ0poaANdYN_E8bEViuWylc_2HnO6l3FPSk3I7K8zaKx2B6ofeAUN2P8yZN_JinL1Bl7gvLGwtz9P1Hl-Q6eSG7IlZ1dL1snw86-uaJSL6uLRXI9ZQCKyqJA/s1600/food-2014-sept-dinner-spinach-goo.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just look at the colour of that spinach! This <br />
Lorraine Pascale recipe looks promising...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Sparrowholding's very own Delia, however, was not about to pass up the chance to try out some new recipes. Consequently, during the 24 hours before her departure for Aberdeen (complete with 1920s hair-do in keeping with the theme of the ball), DD1 whipped herself up into a gastronomic frenzy and produced a spinach roulade starter, hearty beef bourguignon main course plus a choice of three puddings (yes, my required hessian bag size escalated to XL overnight...).</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_DXCGnCU3bIlmcBOgnxrG7CGxOh6V7SpaqOVGWwcquo_EgdZpsvtQxvRxWfvJXferPz7t8aWTQBvzZiIk7tmIR1rbkl18v2_8h6KSh0mFvRCgEdcIFE8TMbuvj-FuNpAd41XYmaQ2QA/s1600/FOOD-roulade-spinach-filling-rocket-too.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_DXCGnCU3bIlmcBOgnxrG7CGxOh6V7SpaqOVGWwcquo_EgdZpsvtQxvRxWfvJXferPz7t8aWTQBvzZiIk7tmIR1rbkl18v2_8h6KSh0mFvRCgEdcIFE8TMbuvj-FuNpAd41XYmaQ2QA/s1600/FOOD-roulade-spinach-filling-rocket-too.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More greenery - rocket this time. This starter seems to be<br />
extremely eco-friendly :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rZQPGc8nZgsXYLMwwy8QiSg_IzEp2pomuNjcmnvQ7SqUw-ZR3AmxSOApU-UyUvtUXPuH6oNTTqaJGd9pq3Jp0xC-HTNZc0M-zbEsp7wcu2DqZppYI9IvS_vwS62llGLX3s0iNagO7P0/s1600/FOOD-roulade-finished-on-tray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2rZQPGc8nZgsXYLMwwy8QiSg_IzEp2pomuNjcmnvQ7SqUw-ZR3AmxSOApU-UyUvtUXPuH6oNTTqaJGd9pq3Jp0xC-HTNZc0M-zbEsp7wcu2DqZppYI9IvS_vwS62llGLX3s0iNagO7P0/s1600/FOOD-roulade-finished-on-tray.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta-dah! One spinach roulade stuffed with rocket, cream cheese,<br />
sun-dried tomatoes and roasted pine nuts. Yummy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh-S4IoCFke35qs2V7wSp6WtKbvxywm8TxdKJvM5B4ATS740bM2uI9adO3J1rsvN0gI-1UJQ4NB8505gficCFUp104mocIqGX-KtPYz6pFso-wL5B7tk-KoDmCssv1rehb1XE5eZvvOI/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-instructions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqh-S4IoCFke35qs2V7wSp6WtKbvxywm8TxdKJvM5B4ATS740bM2uI9adO3J1rsvN0gI-1UJQ4NB8505gficCFUp104mocIqGX-KtPYz6pFso-wL5B7tk-KoDmCssv1rehb1XE5eZvvOI/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-instructions.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And just in case I mucked up the presentation, the chef left<br />
a detailed drawing of how to serve the starter...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So while the cook was dancing the night away in the Grey Granite City in the company of a "platform" (surely that must be the collective noun...?) of oil and gas engineers, the results of her hard work were being duly appreciated by our guests. Better still, Yours Truly was able to give the resident tin opener a night off.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiMQLRe5sm7OAiLSeh551jij8ai-cOH6aN4UVfGDB0yycKSN2UK5MDL5wY0QJcCpw9FMSTQWPwH-mrFz-3fPFGikeTSuXv8cbu_8i56EGAzsX-nfrTv2Q507LqcEUqR7RQ-xVRTn7Khs/s1600/FOOD-bourgignon-cooking-herbs-in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipiMQLRe5sm7OAiLSeh551jij8ai-cOH6aN4UVfGDB0yycKSN2UK5MDL5wY0QJcCpw9FMSTQWPwH-mrFz-3fPFGikeTSuXv8cbu_8i56EGAzsX-nfrTv2Q507LqcEUqR7RQ-xVRTn7Khs/s1600/FOOD-bourgignon-cooking-herbs-in.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous tender rump steak from Singing Butcher<br />
<a href="http://www.huntersofkinross.co.uk/">Ian Hunter in Kinross</a> - perfect for beef bourguignon :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQvp3wOLiZLuk1r-_aX3jA9FCrlxYdK7WWWoZBr6wCyCxCMt0BVc5Et-xZJS-QIV7onM6ith75z1fr7tDZdiRP4QkXkYZyF4qLu53zD3V1mT5kf5ZyeQFzV9dpjjHUkEJ3oz_Zg6mRp0/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-main-course-served.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQvp3wOLiZLuk1r-_aX3jA9FCrlxYdK7WWWoZBr6wCyCxCMt0BVc5Et-xZJS-QIV7onM6ith75z1fr7tDZdiRP4QkXkYZyF4qLu53zD3V1mT5kf5ZyeQFzV9dpjjHUkEJ3oz_Zg6mRp0/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-main-course-served.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Served with roast veggies and mashed potatoes<br />
(courgettes, carrots, garlic and potatoes all homegrown)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjtMPnzuwS2SoiNagNzQd5LLlTMvZ95I9_ZsPur39cwFfRdUmlC9HOQlx0u2G8ZgFlu0NcY6GsP138TtlTMaFQZeeVQDYAFYT024hMP8AXqIoWcsknUnec68jEN1qlj4Ha4u0mt3cww8/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-choc-squidgy-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjtMPnzuwS2SoiNagNzQd5LLlTMvZ95I9_ZsPur39cwFfRdUmlC9HOQlx0u2G8ZgFlu0NcY6GsP138TtlTMaFQZeeVQDYAFYT024hMP8AXqIoWcsknUnec68jEN1qlj4Ha4u0mt3cww8/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-choc-squidgy-cake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squidgy chocolate cake... say no more!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJD0HzFgvmnPNZz2Jey8nz_iH-c_VZv1bfLkrNjaFiiAPNnrYo_e6wna9kZRfH2sOmhdgmpe5ublIOXqnFip5bcF02DqQk1EXBr5ox6oA456WinkIXG1D3z_NEBRIMPBzuKwB2-OWhow/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-choc-pud-rasps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLJD0HzFgvmnPNZz2Jey8nz_iH-c_VZv1bfLkrNjaFiiAPNnrYo_e6wna9kZRfH2sOmhdgmpe5ublIOXqnFip5bcF02DqQk1EXBr5ox6oA456WinkIXG1D3z_NEBRIMPBzuKwB2-OWhow/s1600/FOOD-2014-sept-dinner-choc-pud-rasps.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just serve with fresh rasps and cream...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-l7L5udazCtmqw6eK77BVM_XDoAdjsORMzHjJxfpRrps4hZFUXCuaJEOfu4r4KhdMStWiYBJt-2CFRFipDUIORhrCTPpjI5BVnkcCqVXmdyZapAdg0LYNJ-EFqOozPuxNkkI5H7fyl4/s1600/food-2014-sept-dinner-gelatine-jelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-l7L5udazCtmqw6eK77BVM_XDoAdjsORMzHjJxfpRrps4hZFUXCuaJEOfu4r4KhdMStWiYBJt-2CFRFipDUIORhrCTPpjI5BVnkcCqVXmdyZapAdg0LYNJ-EFqOozPuxNkkI5H7fyl4/s1600/food-2014-sept-dinner-gelatine-jelly.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new experience - these gelatine sheets were great fun!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwYywB8wzODz93jMNZFNZDx8wAHBl9GevLU8zWC8Y5FkFgpObzxk32mB5m5VzSpimMDtflLkPJYF7dRxmZW0VaCvWOIXH3iCVDANvY-sIqEOUAPAcADu8sne1dV7QdE_WW1PJfl6erOQ/s1600/food-2014-sept-dinner-prosecco-clementine-jelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwYywB8wzODz93jMNZFNZDx8wAHBl9GevLU8zWC8Y5FkFgpObzxk32mB5m5VzSpimMDtflLkPJYF7dRxmZW0VaCvWOIXH3iCVDANvY-sIqEOUAPAcADu8sne1dV7QdE_WW1PJfl6erOQ/s1600/food-2014-sept-dinner-prosecco-clementine-jelly.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prosecco and clementine jellies -<br />
a low-cal pud option (under 100 cals!)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Outside the kitchen, autumn seems to have come suddenly to The Sparrowholding, and the surrounding hedgerows are laden with berries in every possible shade of red or purple. HunterGatherer (who is a huge fan of snow, despite its impracticality for those of us who don't have a 4X4 vehicle) is hopeful that this heralds a hard winter ahead. He is basing his hibernal predictions on an old wives' tale which suggests a direct correlation between the number of berries appearing in the autumn and inches of white stuff appearing in the subsequent winter months. Time alone will tell!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HP_KmsBNRiRvcH94nEHtagDoHNzT5ZdauC6PtXJTiWnGobynvpy9H1QN8NlrHaA3UFazsCaAgh9zzU3H4RePz8ACRVVi6bKwNuOVwYK0qmhHY68uShYiPQZTVRnIc-SeYF2dvAiurug/s1600/GARDEN-2014-sept-wk2-late-strawbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HP_KmsBNRiRvcH94nEHtagDoHNzT5ZdauC6PtXJTiWnGobynvpy9H1QN8NlrHaA3UFazsCaAgh9zzU3H4RePz8ACRVVi6bKwNuOVwYK0qmhHY68uShYiPQZTVRnIc-SeYF2dvAiurug/s1600/GARDEN-2014-sept-wk2-late-strawbs.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last three strawbs of 2014 - harvested in September...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN490ovs9H-IcYeqAcSvTbfoB6PKrA-HXsWMkB6Bjc1YEH7gvpeVK8pMluk__XglKoSzDUw07790WCZj8mjqKJI9MYxVu4FhWq_R6qVCW-ZYZJEuk1fr7W7xyTivjGPZWXBPBUeINWR4A/s1600/garden-2014-sept-wk3-ripening-apples.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN490ovs9H-IcYeqAcSvTbfoB6PKrA-HXsWMkB6Bjc1YEH7gvpeVK8pMluk__XglKoSzDUw07790WCZj8mjqKJI9MYxVu4FhWq_R6qVCW-ZYZJEuk1fr7W7xyTivjGPZWXBPBUeINWR4A/s1600/garden-2014-sept-wk3-ripening-apples.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annie the apple tree is looking good :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSnpCgYMaFdoY4UodqnXyVd9aPVDBxym8YpL2why9SigqmekDId8ks0VZKRZxjAs9zFz4-lnudRP5YhIR5gs0yF6tyBi1YoAh82EFSzSCTUxeTc6s6vZkzYOgL5g56REHb54SphLF7PM/s1600/garden-2014-sept-wk2-glistening-grapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjSnpCgYMaFdoY4UodqnXyVd9aPVDBxym8YpL2why9SigqmekDId8ks0VZKRZxjAs9zFz4-lnudRP5YhIR5gs0yF6tyBi1YoAh82EFSzSCTUxeTc6s6vZkzYOgL5g56REHb54SphLF7PM/s1600/garden-2014-sept-wk2-glistening-grapes.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vinnie the Vine has had a much better year - shame the grapes <br />
have pips, as eating them is a tad time-consuming!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fortunately, if the snow does end up lying deep and crisp and even, we have a variety of produce to keep us going. Despite worries about a touch of erwinia carotovera var atroseptica (a potato disease otherwise known by the somewhat piratical name of "Blackleg"), our Rooster potatoes produced a great yield and are now safely stored in Dobbies' rather attractive patterned hessian bags - the only pity, of course, is that these bags don't come in a size big enough for Yours Truly...</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRQa4dPUlgI1bJZf8FZSZkU7ZEnnzltgo2J5H935Mn5Z4G4Tg6XIiDC0LBciDuXDfjSpYTfR0vAMaS_6zvYJe_5NVgRa_hySBA5WHvD4sEQpF1fkv2XOaMtWPpJFHOEEGTvUM8s9aDSA/s1600/GARDEN-2014-aug-wk4-potatoes-close.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRQa4dPUlgI1bJZf8FZSZkU7ZEnnzltgo2J5H935Mn5Z4G4Tg6XIiDC0LBciDuXDfjSpYTfR0vAMaS_6zvYJe_5NVgRa_hySBA5WHvD4sEQpF1fkv2XOaMtWPpJFHOEEGTvUM8s9aDSA/s1600/GARDEN-2014-aug-wk4-potatoes-close.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HunterGatherer is a great fan of Rooster potatoes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdIRIiXbCs2PltzfFbljnSxmhjus_6u5cvZn_-hbKB8v6_hP_Np0AAgou3Mbc4c4bFDtQ5K2OVCAVI3zpzqHNHyoUmjbwdml8w3QRdf18565-bwx0LZQcQT75RHc4nmOLytWrJW7VHCw/s1600/GARDEN-2014-sept-wk2-first-carrots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzdIRIiXbCs2PltzfFbljnSxmhjus_6u5cvZn_-hbKB8v6_hP_Np0AAgou3Mbc4c4bFDtQ5K2OVCAVI3zpzqHNHyoUmjbwdml8w3QRdf18565-bwx0LZQcQT75RHc4nmOLytWrJW7VHCw/s1600/GARDEN-2014-sept-wk2-first-carrots.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carrots for the soup dragon!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlfKbJ1SQU-5roQsZZ3o7Lc5mcM02_cUMYRmmbSbp0wT8fst29bQDrecO5j2HviX4rcqJ35fSccbWH_w7maDJZP98mMZeNO-YInI3dYouFdTRvC-1cBsfc3xlvlrvDCZFXoeRCIPU7x4/s1600/Garden-2014-sept-wk2-4-large-courgettes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlfKbJ1SQU-5roQsZZ3o7Lc5mcM02_cUMYRmmbSbp0wT8fst29bQDrecO5j2HviX4rcqJ35fSccbWH_w7maDJZP98mMZeNO-YInI3dYouFdTRvC-1cBsfc3xlvlrvDCZFXoeRCIPU7x4/s1600/Garden-2014-sept-wk2-4-large-courgettes.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courgette jenga...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-46360115818042744862014-08-14T17:59:00.002-07:002014-08-15T17:51:50.050-07:00Piggy birthday cakes, the Commonwealth Games and green potatoes<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S-TOoi5Umdac9RbRzHwRt-52-mfDdTAQnmMOtEYPM9Xm0fRSUy4BFLQpEDW8X_jY9YBa0BX7ugQGoytdJmH2fZRxalOj_Rb-cjYcnqEsexbtNIDrPSvpBR02I6h2nkO7SJ_AEETenLc/s1600/KAREN-Percy-pig-birthday-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S-TOoi5Umdac9RbRzHwRt-52-mfDdTAQnmMOtEYPM9Xm0fRSUy4BFLQpEDW8X_jY9YBa0BX7ugQGoytdJmH2fZRxalOj_Rb-cjYcnqEsexbtNIDrPSvpBR02I6h2nkO7SJ_AEETenLc/s1600/KAREN-Percy-pig-birthday-cake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Globetrotting Percy Pig birthday cake - <br />
celebrating my 51 years in style!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wooosh! No sooner did we hit the middle of July than
suddenly it was the middle of August… Where does the time go?! I recall hearing
my mother ask a similar question 30 plus years ago, so I fear that this
perceived temporal acceleration may be proportionately linked to the ever-increasing number of
years I've spent on Planet Earth (currently standing at 51 years plus one week
following last week’s birthday).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what’s all happened in that vanished summer month? Well, for starters, we enjoyed a visit to the
Commonwealth Games over in the West of Scotland. And – marvel of marvels – we
even managed to get all five of us there at the same hour, in the same city, in
the same row of seats at Glasgow Green, to watch a couple of men’s hockey
matches. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This feat of family engineering required two parents to get
themselves through to Glasgow the night before (big adventure for
HunterGatherer to see the city lights), one offspring to catch a late-night
train from her current summer job in Cambridge, and the two remaining offspring
to get a ridiculously early train from Edinburgh through to Glasgow. It felt as
if we’d run a family marathon before we even sat down!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXfPqW_kLfdiWbi4JQQ4wGM7OekWtMo7wk9kdg_4r5De6qs-ocPxatIe51KFZn6NLz8daemesqAdKuGBqz7Ip9rtMqH3xBeTi9Jbh-BHDDLsXTDcoeGYQAXGLPGnH2qtItLrXLYM4508/s1600/COMMONWEALTH-2014-menshox-scot-wales-play.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXfPqW_kLfdiWbi4JQQ4wGM7OekWtMo7wk9kdg_4r5De6qs-ocPxatIe51KFZn6NLz8daemesqAdKuGBqz7Ip9rtMqH3xBeTi9Jbh-BHDDLsXTDcoeGYQAXGLPGnH2qtItLrXLYM4508/s1600/COMMONWEALTH-2014-menshox-scot-wales-play.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scotland vs Wales - a pretty close-run match, <br />
but Scotland triumphed eventually</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three of our entourage (</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">joined by Farmerbruv and my teenage niece) </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">also managed to take in a session of
rugby 7s at Ibrox, where the chilly, damp weather was more than compensated for by the slick and entertaining continuity announcer and the fast and furious rugby – wide-ranging in standard, but played in a
great spirit of sportsmanship, win or lose.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HsjmfF0pM0trV6s600nSGAtvt_PVHpe92yTJKjqGvj69fRRxrhlwc0Yrl06sLqzyqvFjVKV6lN-spzhyphenhyphenTTk9NH1VNiiVsfW3T3TD86uaK1ufE3Qf1Gref3xkyDBBzl6GkPsXNXvnJTM/s1600/COMMONWEALTH-2014-malaysian-rugby-wave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HsjmfF0pM0trV6s600nSGAtvt_PVHpe92yTJKjqGvj69fRRxrhlwc0Yrl06sLqzyqvFjVKV6lN-spzhyphenhyphenTTk9NH1VNiiVsfW3T3TD86uaK1ufE3Qf1Gref3xkyDBBzl6GkPsXNXvnJTM/s1600/COMMONWEALTH-2014-malaysian-rugby-wave.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malaysian rugby players: happy to be part of <br />
the Commonwealth Games - regardless of the result</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Personally, one of my highlights of the day was when the Malaysian team,
who had been soundly beaten (or, as we say up here, “gubbed”) in every match, walked
slowly round the perimeter of the entire pitch before exiting the stadium. The
players carried a Saltire and a Malaysian flag aloft, side by side, as they
went, and shook hands with as many of the crowd as they could reach, evidently
savouring every last second of their Scottish experience. That, for me,
epitomised “the Games”.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-dj5mkxIGO2bshAztFP0428gNyhqbDR-BGsKR9CtyvefBNE1VZSqmD3g-Yjv5OSPylAZ6A0kpY5wkrCM0mFzj99qbyqF9X8Z4FSxGDOiYu1iJqiNlyPwT5BehBxdCCVxU6QyHUohvHs/s1600/COMMONWEALTH-2014-bagpipe-buskers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-dj5mkxIGO2bshAztFP0428gNyhqbDR-BGsKR9CtyvefBNE1VZSqmD3g-Yjv5OSPylAZ6A0kpY5wkrCM0mFzj99qbyqF9X8Z4FSxGDOiYu1iJqiNlyPwT5BehBxdCCVxU6QyHUohvHs/s1600/COMMONWEALTH-2014-bagpipe-buskers.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also entering into the spirit of the games were these<br />
kilted buskers outside Ibrox underground station. Who<br />
knew Glasgow even had an Underground?!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back at The Sparrowholding, with the exception of the plethora of soft fruits during July, the “performance” of our plant life in the garden has been distinctly less auspicious than that of the athletes in Glasgow.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAswOM4-PSwRkEx152KVgjWRmji-S0xavT4oqWhDbCLlHW0MX7duCI_IPSE1YnVFhEogbATkS5HN4wW6IiglCnrOB1KhNtEtu75OtxJQTHLNhiitenRd_hZecpJ95rPUu_zJjYITb9-2w/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-loveheart-tayberry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAswOM4-PSwRkEx152KVgjWRmji-S0xavT4oqWhDbCLlHW0MX7duCI_IPSE1YnVFhEogbATkS5HN4wW6IiglCnrOB1KhNtEtu75OtxJQTHLNhiitenRd_hZecpJ95rPUu_zJjYITb9-2w/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-loveheart-tayberry.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks as if this Tayberry must be in love...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPVvLpAqEVzQ5vH8j9iQ52dxOClGVfIj4_XJBlzQkc7vEAtOhPVylPQ1kOEeut_V6kHWbqnDD-i3nLlUJ53Y1NQ_ybEvCZsCeT7BnnFr_rKIALp-yoyI2AtaGlzo4-C2CtTfPjtNaXYg/s1600/GARDEN-2014-july-raspberries-closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOPVvLpAqEVzQ5vH8j9iQ52dxOClGVfIj4_XJBlzQkc7vEAtOhPVylPQ1kOEeut_V6kHWbqnDD-i3nLlUJ53Y1NQ_ybEvCZsCeT7BnnFr_rKIALp-yoyI2AtaGlzo4-C2CtTfPjtNaXYg/s1600/GARDEN-2014-july-raspberries-closeup.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our soft fruits were particularly prolific this year - loved<br />
this vibrant photo so much that I've made it the cover <br />
photo on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Square-Sparrow/172287292978782">Square Sparrow Facebook</a> page</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEFZDyuzU5GiozD1CXeVWmpwso0O-1z40OcOAsUcKL78rt6snEikD7gIAqU4dri9yG1yZfB9VuBtUY0gFNOLjlqEyYdt94J_h1oTMayzekDJNESD7HFps03beNqXnEBOJp3ahszCAp9A/s1600/GARDEN-2014-july-blackcurrants-best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEFZDyuzU5GiozD1CXeVWmpwso0O-1z40OcOAsUcKL78rt6snEikD7gIAqU4dri9yG1yZfB9VuBtUY0gFNOLjlqEyYdt94J_h1oTMayzekDJNESD7HFps03beNqXnEBOJp3ahszCAp9A/s1600/GARDEN-2014-july-blackcurrants-best.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackcurrants were in abundance again... Couldn't bear the<br />
waste, so I tried out a blackcurrant cordial recipe</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHUYucRqlMotFSHivdB10ue8lLp0jWnsgGgUtcJaUtvGtwB684fkfIz8C1zZGmPsax6JQLoAig9TTor_2mShsfKMOTQRvhdr-OPy-GjZnTpmOJTsV8gV_QpU1X8isWKhgEpqwaPHQBOw/s1600/FOOD-2014-blackcurrant-cordial-seive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHUYucRqlMotFSHivdB10ue8lLp0jWnsgGgUtcJaUtvGtwB684fkfIz8C1zZGmPsax6JQLoAig9TTor_2mShsfKMOTQRvhdr-OPy-GjZnTpmOJTsV8gV_QpU1X8isWKhgEpqwaPHQBOw/s1600/FOOD-2014-blackcurrant-cordial-seive.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the cordial had run through, I started to mash the residue in the<br />
sieve and made some blackcurrant coulis, too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEher9w2uZsih1X45acXrMkGKjsnDq_3ecIeJxWJM3pYhVYzgCrVkfh_IA-pQfimmBwsDoJl9QHloZhj_yb1nh5lTCexIt_5qTghp_UJX0aBMfvhKOcE23XIeyM-E0-qn5STXjzS2PP6h6Q/s1600/FOOD-2014-blackcurrant-cordial-jar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEher9w2uZsih1X45acXrMkGKjsnDq_3ecIeJxWJM3pYhVYzgCrVkfh_IA-pQfimmBwsDoJl9QHloZhj_yb1nh5lTCexIt_5qTghp_UJX0aBMfvhKOcE23XIeyM-E0-qn5STXjzS2PP6h6Q/s1600/FOOD-2014-blackcurrant-cordial-jar.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Didn't have any sealing bottles for the cordial, so my purple elixir<br />
had to go in a Kilner jam jar instead.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Bi1KboEAbUyR0fMp_L9jNpnIhMYWAHFzRfWh7ELqJ6ne2VX1AbBErMa7s6eVx0vrVGNHJuYr9-YvB-g6MeSB-xINnppMuXcUVJXYh58EfNFHqXyWs87irP3-uwAG7nfUv9ESlUr42-Q/s1600/FOOD-2014-July-jam-in-pot-best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Bi1KboEAbUyR0fMp_L9jNpnIhMYWAHFzRfWh7ELqJ6ne2VX1AbBErMa7s6eVx0vrVGNHJuYr9-YvB-g6MeSB-xINnppMuXcUVJXYh58EfNFHqXyWs87irP3-uwAG7nfUv9ESlUr42-Q/s1600/FOOD-2014-July-jam-in-pot-best.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last of the strawberries, raspberries and Tayberries<br />
went to make fabulously red fridge jam</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We’re not sure if we’ve just been incredibly unlucky or whether chickweed has been particularly virulent everywhere this season, but since early June it has been insidious, stealthily strangling
just about every little plant that has dared to venture a shoot above the
ground.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part of the problem is that we simply don’t have time to
weed during the working week, and weekends just aren’t enough. So, much as I
hate using chemicals in any shape or form in the garden, I suspect that next
year we’re going to have to plant later, having blitzed the polytunnel with Roundup
earlier in the season – or, to be specific, the parts of the polytunnel that
don’t have resident asparagus, herbs and strawberries. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgemkZyZ1t4qe6Q3NuqNwM_WISTYVEibitIylXXOPkqEhVKc26mPMH3GaHRT3fhtfhCGKVAkt7vFoxdtX1ziYII_VCOGKxQVkVlQlUJPUzmoUtJ0_UUUmsqhkxdM-hutAR0eoOXed_q0/s1600/GARDEN-2014-aug-grapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRgemkZyZ1t4qe6Q3NuqNwM_WISTYVEibitIylXXOPkqEhVKc26mPMH3GaHRT3fhtfhCGKVAkt7vFoxdtX1ziYII_VCOGKxQVkVlQlUJPUzmoUtJ0_UUUmsqhkxdM-hutAR0eoOXed_q0/s1600/GARDEN-2014-aug-grapes.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our babygrapes - currently looking like a 3D scientific model!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of course, Vinnie the Vine will not be treated. In fact, he’s
surpassed himself this year after last year’s paltry single bunch of grapes. Nellie the nectarine bush, on the other hand,
is getting a bit above herself. She’s muscling in on the space in the
polytunnel and has only produced three (small, feeble and non-ripening) fruit
in the six or so years we’ve had her. As retribution, we’re contemplating
digging her up in the autumn and letting her take her chances in a sheltered
part of the garden.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW81oXoJOt9P-tenvxNPLRT46b3Glkg-_7sqVBpgkP9IUgPOvdYNqjUKQVs9VYZQF-vvT9PGDho5nH7i-DWtgsfSWRFHIS1u9eb65VFZPYAKtLEXEwsSvIee1-dut-CXovSLKJvTob67A/s1600/FOOD-2014-Aug-courgette-gratin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW81oXoJOt9P-tenvxNPLRT46b3Glkg-_7sqVBpgkP9IUgPOvdYNqjUKQVs9VYZQF-vvT9PGDho5nH7i-DWtgsfSWRFHIS1u9eb65VFZPYAKtLEXEwsSvIee1-dut-CXovSLKJvTob67A/s1600/FOOD-2014-Aug-courgette-gratin.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home-grown courgette and tomato gratin - mmm...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thankfully, our asparagus was ready early enough in the
season to avoid death by Triffid, and we planted quite mature courgette plants,
so they’ve fortunately done OK, too. However, the cauliflowers, broccoli,
carrots and parsnips have been almost entirely snuffed out. Thankfully,
HunterGatherer also planted some carrots and parsnips outdoors, so we will have
some root veggies to boil and roast come winter-time.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TBnjNTArm7M1tH9QOI8Ypjqo2HzZNs77Jr5nf6Osx9f4Ns861UWxIcVCH3MhjYd68-rEbU0jzx8V2AKHmGBuvYPLmnwtzyu1LpzJ6u1j3AKloFUNHcYuf3daComgIQHkiCYdChyojBY/s1600/GARDEN-2014-aug-hessian-bag-full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6TBnjNTArm7M1tH9QOI8Ypjqo2HzZNs77Jr5nf6Osx9f4Ns861UWxIcVCH3MhjYd68-rEbU0jzx8V2AKHmGBuvYPLmnwtzyu1LpzJ6u1j3AKloFUNHcYuf3daComgIQHkiCYdChyojBY/s1600/GARDEN-2014-aug-hessian-bag-full.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hessian bags - perfect potato storage</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Talking of underground veggies, our potatoes have reached
maturity. This week HunterGatherer cut off and removed all the shaws (leaves) to
reduce the chances of blackleg spreading and to stop the tubers getting any
larger, and we harvested any that were close to the surface. My modest
investment last year in three smallish hessian bags from Dobbies has proved a
good move. They’re perfect for storing potatoes in a dark cupboard so they don’t
sweat and don’t turn green.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, being a passionate potato fanatic (having worked in the
seed potato industry for several years during my youth), I have a “thing” about
green potatoes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As some of you may be aware, they are not at all good for
you – so be sure to discard any potatoes that you buy/grow which have green
patches on them. And sadly, it’s not enough just to cut off the offending green
part, as the solanine toxin may already have spread to the whole tuber. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUUsVRk9mYeVmIIU9bqNzRPUh-DqEhYjmEp99-nPF5SSt34GO0mmcV6EMWMGCPvy0MT0S8TzH5hAJa985CIy-Y2VDfhgWqGqs8JUru6-6ejONMbVnjumCxXlWR1lh5jIcozB-tRiJ18k/s1600/FOOD-2014-July-Mccains-wedges-green.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqUUsVRk9mYeVmIIU9bqNzRPUh-DqEhYjmEp99-nPF5SSt34GO0mmcV6EMWMGCPvy0MT0S8TzH5hAJa985CIy-Y2VDfhgWqGqs8JUru6-6ejONMbVnjumCxXlWR1lh5jIcozB-tRiJ18k/s1600/FOOD-2014-July-Mccains-wedges-green.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the green wedges - shame on you <a href="https://www.facebook.com/McCainUK?fref=ts">McCain</a> !</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My offspring have regularly had to restrain me from throwing
green potatoes off supermarket shelves when I spot them offered for sale to
unsuspecting shoppers. I did once “slip” their arm lock and demand to speak to
the store’s fruit and veg manager, who seemed genuinely ignorant of the possible
perils of eating green spuds. You’d think they’d teach them basics like this at
any self-respecting fruit’n veg induction course, wouldn't you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyway! Rant over – at least now perhaps a few more of the general public will be aware of this apparently little-known potato factoid thanks to this blog post. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, by next week there may well be reports of shoppers throwing potatoes off shelves in supermarkets all over the UK. Perhaps potato hurling might even make it on to the list of athletics events in The Gold Coast City in 2018…I think I may even make it on to the podium!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PS: To conclude, I thought you'd appreciate the fabulous wrapping paper that HunterGatherer procured for my birthday pressie...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLrTqMxJIn3SPDetZosS3UdVYjxPJmYbwufAn6eCFt0jmI1EH-la6NLOoWR5P177Y5hdomsmS_Jdtaaj0CKi_r5YHNrvCfhmIPpQaGw2dALumcuMOrK4XFSE7LiVbk6d6_733Vc4pauU/s1600/KAREN-2014-aug-birthday-crisp-pack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlLrTqMxJIn3SPDetZosS3UdVYjxPJmYbwufAn6eCFt0jmI1EH-la6NLOoWR5P177Y5hdomsmS_Jdtaaj0CKi_r5YHNrvCfhmIPpQaGw2dALumcuMOrK4XFSE7LiVbk6d6_733Vc4pauU/s1600/KAREN-2014-aug-birthday-crisp-pack.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, your eyes do not deceive you, reader:<br />
he's wrapped it in an empty Cheddars packet...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcAspu3C6eQPwe1QgficJx_hGr5qpp-mmEjbpX3QuhaCX7xyxiGL-QPou36zbk5-ZXnMl9niOz5tQZ1mEU5M3DSZLY1omXWs_jUinZ-NQyNJ3yZIXl8yryWAhM2cHjvSmaA8w0zrWv8M/s1600/karen-2014-aug-birthday-perfume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcAspu3C6eQPwe1QgficJx_hGr5qpp-mmEjbpX3QuhaCX7xyxiGL-QPou36zbk5-ZXnMl9niOz5tQZ1mEU5M3DSZLY1omXWs_jUinZ-NQyNJ3yZIXl8yryWAhM2cHjvSmaA8w0zrWv8M/s1600/karen-2014-aug-birthday-perfume.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But to my delight, the gift wasn't actually a packet of <br />
cheese'n onion cheddars... (much as I like them!)</td></tr>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-81597339279802757202014-07-13T16:30:00.002-07:002014-07-18T07:08:18.506-07:00A for apple, B for broccoli, C for cauliflower...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
July is generally a prolific month here in the Sparrowholding garden, with crops gradually growing, ripening and being eaten. Quite by whom they are being eaten is another matter. Suffice to say, it's not always by us! In fact, at times I feel as if we're engaged in a battle of wills with the weeds and other "guests" who arrive uninvited and gorge themselves on our produce before we even get a taste of it. </div>
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So here's a whistlestop photographic tour of the things that have made it <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> and a few of the things that didn't <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> in all their fresh, graphic glory!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7rZA-l_HYU-ZLBikLgs-mnksall4-yHc1MUAt3cCdAMXChixmz5itNDz8sSWJiMJ0p7XocXQjpGVkx_4PT3ubKuUlDR9J-ELcD3sI_6t2fZowCwIHwmZbgGOzhXP3uIEYqpE3t6eMk4/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-apples-closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7rZA-l_HYU-ZLBikLgs-mnksall4-yHc1MUAt3cCdAMXChixmz5itNDz8sSWJiMJ0p7XocXQjpGVkx_4PT3ubKuUlDR9J-ELcD3sI_6t2fZowCwIHwmZbgGOzhXP3uIEYqpE3t6eMk4/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-apples-closeup.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An abundance of apples (till the wind blows!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivfoXeFsjGHLd8U1FZv0Liz3S3jfLPCC_P9uCTpkEtVC2EcV2BcoYOyIdbTgghCsDFbD5THdIm6hc3eu2J0UBcnQUpAYPgPQMBwxjKXJHs3vWEo2X3FLqbIDD_2IesLiCsLJwnaPsJTo/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-beetroot-shoots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivfoXeFsjGHLd8U1FZv0Liz3S3jfLPCC_P9uCTpkEtVC2EcV2BcoYOyIdbTgghCsDFbD5THdIm6hc3eu2J0UBcnQUpAYPgPQMBwxjKXJHs3vWEo2X3FLqbIDD_2IesLiCsLJwnaPsJTo/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-beetroot-shoots.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby beetroot plants <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> just peeping through</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4ab2-DIhLVwbvjDttkD6Mma2OJEuO7evh23vP4Ffo3Vj-kYNVmLVw3CgJbTjJ3fFT7ZaqS8vXoavluuCKIDzmn77e1D7t4patR-lnp4cw9ig298A_vNDxoGOv8DjVfRFcR89f6nDt9E/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-blackcurrants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4ab2-DIhLVwbvjDttkD6Mma2OJEuO7evh23vP4Ffo3Vj-kYNVmLVw3CgJbTjJ3fFT7ZaqS8vXoavluuCKIDzmn77e1D7t4patR-lnp4cw9ig298A_vNDxoGOv8DjVfRFcR89f6nDt9E/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-blackcurrants.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackcurrants galore, as usual <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> shame we don't like them!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgae-I7TSiMa3Y49Di24wIXlG6jCF05At3hEJ6n1rGY8uNTl74SjThbR6TQbwAGV5IH9vNX07w1TQyZR3-4GV_SGmtKVIuT1GGeoiPf3ikaL5WvdqpHnySHXd-gEVk582sCUV42yVbI1aU/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-blueberry-plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgae-I7TSiMa3Y49Di24wIXlG6jCF05At3hEJ6n1rGY8uNTl74SjThbR6TQbwAGV5IH9vNX07w1TQyZR3-4GV_SGmtKVIuT1GGeoiPf3ikaL5WvdqpHnySHXd-gEVk582sCUV42yVbI1aU/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-blueberry-plant.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Burgeoning blueberries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHeFv-dvpy1KRp0u2A6P6GQgYJyMwW-PlcXrioK0HUgMAJepYGZFkJ2K5nJdJbtM2oIrB_uSWC-S0WPUhAxNpFnZ4Es6_4-cmAuDgS-URprEfBjLHwAaj78ekTVH5cp7qy9EdxBJD7dE/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-broccoli-polytunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHeFv-dvpy1KRp0u2A6P6GQgYJyMwW-PlcXrioK0HUgMAJepYGZFkJ2K5nJdJbtM2oIrB_uSWC-S0WPUhAxNpFnZ4Es6_4-cmAuDgS-URprEfBjLHwAaj78ekTVH5cp7qy9EdxBJD7dE/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-broccoli-polytunnel.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broccoli's a bit sparse hereabouts <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">– </span> we love it, but sadly it <br />
doesn't seem to do very well in our garden!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuCx12dy3p7tKeGbwdMKhft-TK9qfan7GU0BsewVrzhLDknxA3ZBRsCSs1UCV5CT4v7Xopguyn5CTUOYWaPE9OghqC1BbUVykHuN8AJ1-HYa3VkM0kl1Mv3XSO7eS0E5BMtigpX8Iun0/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-butternut-squash-baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxuCx12dy3p7tKeGbwdMKhft-TK9qfan7GU0BsewVrzhLDknxA3ZBRsCSs1UCV5CT4v7Xopguyn5CTUOYWaPE9OghqC1BbUVykHuN8AJ1-HYa3VkM0kl1Mv3XSO7eS0E5BMtigpX8Iun0/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-butternut-squash-baby.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the baby butternut squash. Or at least Dobbies sold it as<br />
a butternut squash - it looks like a courgette plant to me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvW9QUqr4IFMehjaBWQOF08pKFpZoL8qavT2OiqVbmAOc1MqzQZyoI46z6wurb6UPcfWPNWwWso1Y7dN9Rt9CuwFyqyAqN7EXZVLJpkhvsOFWE8HvY3du9626COEedMOJb0vvBMVq9LM/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-cauliflower-polytunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvW9QUqr4IFMehjaBWQOF08pKFpZoL8qavT2OiqVbmAOc1MqzQZyoI46z6wurb6UPcfWPNWwWso1Y7dN9Rt9CuwFyqyAqN7EXZVLJpkhvsOFWE8HvY3du9626COEedMOJb0vvBMVq9LM/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-cauliflower-polytunnel.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our three cauliflowers <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> the slugs have<br />
slurped up the others :-(</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLGrKfh5m3TCykZMhSsWOGCpRPq20L0m7cGgcMeXarBQY83MixLLevT-PXhzzC5uvDwgW3HZJK9kCJjR0KxCo0Nxb-1QdMvasVS1tVPxDzISK0PZ2BQsE9aW5mAGp3WpNvtzSNtUZ1JY/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-cherries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbLGrKfh5m3TCykZMhSsWOGCpRPq20L0m7cGgcMeXarBQY83MixLLevT-PXhzzC5uvDwgW3HZJK9kCJjR0KxCo0Nxb-1QdMvasVS1tVPxDzISK0PZ2BQsE9aW5mAGp3WpNvtzSNtUZ1JY/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-cherries.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We have nothing to do with the wild cherries - the tree<br />
does everything itself :-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhkvM85L5JCpcdxVhGKJqboCmh4K_OgiblOms3Kv8bJL5uamIti2hB1xwRn_67wGQgCWtl4zRXecrXgObSokjIq9RqR-ELXrsur87MYMmW5krnaSebWbpr5Hou9dvpy360_SIXxDzmkY/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-courgette-polytunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhkvM85L5JCpcdxVhGKJqboCmh4K_OgiblOms3Kv8bJL5uamIti2hB1xwRn_67wGQgCWtl4zRXecrXgObSokjIq9RqR-ELXrsur87MYMmW5krnaSebWbpr5Hou9dvpy360_SIXxDzmkY/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-courgette-polytunnel.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One courgette on the way <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> and hopefully<br />
a few more to follow eventually...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUI_InmMa-be6Bp6W8fBXwEvoo4WFN04okuG7Nt3IhM3T8VBNXa3Wt7hHSxr3YkDhvZ0k63KnueZlRkqpz1eStPIgPx9wWB4s_tIr6AZifjEpQJlplThFH9cCo4W6D7xYqQ7-kh3w4I4/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-gooseberries-stripped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaUI_InmMa-be6Bp6W8fBXwEvoo4WFN04okuG7Nt3IhM3T8VBNXa3Wt7hHSxr3YkDhvZ0k63KnueZlRkqpz1eStPIgPx9wWB4s_tIr6AZifjEpQJlplThFH9cCo4W6D7xYqQ7-kh3w4I4/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-gooseberries-stripped.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gooseberries that never were... A greedy garden<br />
pest has decimated many of the branches of our goosegog<br />
bushes. HG thinks sawflies are the nasty nibblers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pX8OxCkwdve22snO8yaxBhRXwBAYuP4F-adzUYmlcN5VXsoOjH7N0GogpRu9TjBgQ_vpVk7PdEFzMDLjWneKgxCLs4lu9u0SOM2L41tkF3H427Z_wkzpYxiNJMbjRMKo_Sqg5T0-iRg/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-minigrapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8pX8OxCkwdve22snO8yaxBhRXwBAYuP4F-adzUYmlcN5VXsoOjH7N0GogpRu9TjBgQ_vpVk7PdEFzMDLjWneKgxCLs4lu9u0SOM2L41tkF3H427Z_wkzpYxiNJMbjRMKo_Sqg5T0-iRg/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-minigrapes.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby grapes just forming, courtesy of polytunnel resident<br />
Vinnie the Vine. We have to keep plastic "doors" shut, though,<br />
or the cheeky birds nip in and help themselves!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiDcKVkNlN0ytL9YBNfKMY5fkGmH7dJ6UBcKtKL-7DzERXUwoPXI4MyPXha0yiK2QaHR6X3MKs_4ag6Xf35Fu-7l9wNORLDcDj2xC_y3kGAklSfIl5K1T4rXOnwhyGg3ZZEJPj4mr5Oc/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-lettuce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiDcKVkNlN0ytL9YBNfKMY5fkGmH7dJ6UBcKtKL-7DzERXUwoPXI4MyPXha0yiK2QaHR6X3MKs_4ag6Xf35Fu-7l9wNORLDcDj2xC_y3kGAklSfIl5K1T4rXOnwhyGg3ZZEJPj4mr5Oc/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-lettuce.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely mixed lettuce leaves <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> slug free so far...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOEuCXJovL4ThlwG1VbzXuuQ2jQP89hZ2LbzKENL09PZxV06fhgVOqStwesQTdJ6iC2sR5I2Zvb-SYWIP6TIFCtq-zoaZXIMIgOUm6Mys7fn89aQFvCZ3gSut-KNDq5T-QpNRT7qqERU/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-parsnips-fleeces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnOEuCXJovL4ThlwG1VbzXuuQ2jQP89hZ2LbzKENL09PZxV06fhgVOqStwesQTdJ6iC2sR5I2Zvb-SYWIP6TIFCtq-zoaZXIMIgOUm6Mys7fn89aQFvCZ3gSut-KNDq5T-QpNRT7qqERU/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-parsnips-fleeces.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The parsnips look as if they're at a ceilidh and waiting ready<br />
for an Orcadian Strip the Willow dance to start!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6aTCdMNiPnOmaW09Elegurhr80cOrB68cwH-AKOK86OzOANCQaWPb77olA_jK8F7ZML0V8Rwqer5JTBdJoDm4ciBhiDLcCt6kpJTTxWO-5ItIzn9AqyDGCPLyscjbJTUzWSzqejqZHU/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-parsnips-after-hens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6aTCdMNiPnOmaW09Elegurhr80cOrB68cwH-AKOK86OzOANCQaWPb77olA_jK8F7ZML0V8Rwqer5JTBdJoDm4ciBhiDLcCt6kpJTTxWO-5ItIzn9AqyDGCPLyscjbJTUzWSzqejqZHU/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-parsnips-after-hens.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Though the row that our neighbours' hens decided<br />
to turn into a dust bath doesn't look quite as good...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBI05TxlAPhjpOWGE3T68Gj_ysz04HfGvpxDzenm8Pd4oGqnLGZH-7Cic7VrC0gxKUpzvq-Yk1caONYUnWWXHZnSbqnx35JDtutBlVO_rHKWMtJfi7XiDVhOS3WrqGRgS8u2TSTn0gxt0/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-peas-growing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBI05TxlAPhjpOWGE3T68Gj_ysz04HfGvpxDzenm8Pd4oGqnLGZH-7Cic7VrC0gxKUpzvq-Yk1caONYUnWWXHZnSbqnx35JDtutBlVO_rHKWMtJfi7XiDVhOS3WrqGRgS8u2TSTn0gxt0/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-peas-growing.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peas on the vine...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekIou5fm-ZJqfemwng-Q0yXW1hydsWfkYwqy81HM42S8-LQOrBroFthePRyaspadEXewD23rN6dLcoonVTT27J6l5ToITxfyXuGqLH6sF392NdsuG3chPgM8TXkxnDwvobwveBjQgq2c/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-peas-in-a-pod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiekIou5fm-ZJqfemwng-Q0yXW1hydsWfkYwqy81HM42S8-LQOrBroFthePRyaspadEXewD23rN6dLcoonVTT27J6l5ToITxfyXuGqLH6sF392NdsuG3chPgM8TXkxnDwvobwveBjQgq2c/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-peas-in-a-pod.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and peas in the pod</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHfcqFy3zH9A3ywTlebjDgQlW-pGUpw6lsmA4P01vDrllSoPjqSbyB6tTm-C82WSbo1RZqzhjAlvO-Da0s71XppOGFv3PvylwQJvoA5D-OGF2hb6wLfLx6bet0ImHZ-O5tEaGzshqyGA/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-rooster-crop-potatoes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirHfcqFy3zH9A3ywTlebjDgQlW-pGUpw6lsmA4P01vDrllSoPjqSbyB6tTm-C82WSbo1RZqzhjAlvO-Da0s71XppOGFv3PvylwQJvoA5D-OGF2hb6wLfLx6bet0ImHZ-O5tEaGzshqyGA/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-rooster-crop-potatoes.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Rooster potatoes are looking nice and healthy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKcYt8uDT-q5kaUD0-NZqveOqUeO0qYa4krlHn9y41Lf2dang3EQcMAVToWBJc49SL-BXotTyNw9PONGMKMICkH_zrbtKvBN6zWsD6MUI8Yz-6vJrLaoOkiqKzSuNE4s2bRtT-_-4wVQ/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-rooster-flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKcYt8uDT-q5kaUD0-NZqveOqUeO0qYa4krlHn9y41Lf2dang3EQcMAVToWBJc49SL-BXotTyNw9PONGMKMICkH_zrbtKvBN6zWsD6MUI8Yz-6vJrLaoOkiqKzSuNE4s2bRtT-_-4wVQ/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-rooster-flower.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In fact, you could say they're blooming!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhLxZFqF32gNquENtCjfrrFQwa0zxNGaHIZLnDoefUxWQVYa4R_5sf7TxzBKUE17E-c_m2tvDkpv6oN4nYpR4m03P29Cr4CSbCfyoe0n6x7M7Pd4ccsZd6w0fl5RRD85AhcBmSDlFk5A/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-rasps-unripe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhLxZFqF32gNquENtCjfrrFQwa0zxNGaHIZLnDoefUxWQVYa4R_5sf7TxzBKUE17E-c_m2tvDkpv6oN4nYpR4m03P29Cr4CSbCfyoe0n6x7M7Pd4ccsZd6w0fl5RRD85AhcBmSDlFk5A/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-rasps-unripe.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HunterGatherer has put nets over the rasps and soft fruit <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span><br />
to try and keep the beady-eyed birds at bay!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2i3B0jBamimYOo9yt522InaiBa-WkJiP1K0qxqsl-sVrKASSSFyh02J_jNTuVmCv0zbrrgjePFJ66PAQ9LC9UzayCUGeBgRlSpRh-IaB34kxROASIqydEfjD4zyTSMtR8JnRGZXod40/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-eaten-rasp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm2i3B0jBamimYOo9yt522InaiBa-WkJiP1K0qxqsl-sVrKASSSFyh02J_jNTuVmCv0zbrrgjePFJ66PAQ9LC9UzayCUGeBgRlSpRh-IaB34kxROASIqydEfjD4zyTSMtR8JnRGZXod40/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-eaten-rasp.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But one bird still managed to snatch a raspberry... grrrr!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xw8Gr-LxtDTl-Fveg3dIz2pv9gnBYF4HsKI6QNwexOSqZ7ciMjwU4PVhCREQdvwdDILlUoP2w4WH_AeUdFi-NTBzK1baGAFiV6pcPrhhDnyvSbaT_g-_MTKLMNM8AnDYotJ4fYxqRs0/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-strawbs-slug-eaten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4xw8Gr-LxtDTl-Fveg3dIz2pv9gnBYF4HsKI6QNwexOSqZ7ciMjwU4PVhCREQdvwdDILlUoP2w4WH_AeUdFi-NTBzK1baGAFiV6pcPrhhDnyvSbaT_g-_MTKLMNM8AnDYotJ4fYxqRs0/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-strawbs-slug-eaten.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Between next door's marauding chickens and the resident<br />
slug population, our strawbs are taking a bit of a pounding.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9y5ny93wSN22YI5OtVoCHMlGrNl1MAASCG1fV7yKMtP41e40_2516YnrUMITUiN9OCVZESwTUcxTSahQTibNB_StpR1cnz_qf8qdrGeSJb_vsLORSJJHzFYtm_gtFfXNVYNLAS774s1c/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-strawbs-ripening.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9y5ny93wSN22YI5OtVoCHMlGrNl1MAASCG1fV7yKMtP41e40_2516YnrUMITUiN9OCVZESwTUcxTSahQTibNB_StpR1cnz_qf8qdrGeSJb_vsLORSJJHzFYtm_gtFfXNVYNLAS774s1c/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-strawbs-ripening.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To avoid the birdy beaks above and the slippery slugs <br />
below, I've had to pick strawberries unripe and ripen them <br />
indoors, but then the berries are just not as sweet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyCU_s9dgqvYG9IV-echtPcxC6g56Ea1cDb-MZv2a58HhZdLrwml8Xm0_ORdDlm4Vmty8vCK9QbubqxOltZ-u0-WlLzeZIzWlXTm3o6YIsciaGIsZrxHgoUYc4u5xQejaMCAZSzpuu0U/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-tayberries-ripe-best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyCU_s9dgqvYG9IV-echtPcxC6g56Ea1cDb-MZv2a58HhZdLrwml8Xm0_ORdDlm4Vmty8vCK9QbubqxOltZ-u0-WlLzeZIzWlXTm3o6YIsciaGIsZrxHgoUYc4u5xQejaMCAZSzpuu0U/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-tayberries-ripe-best.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tayberries are a cross between red rasps and blackberries<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">– t</span>hey're a bit bigger and very tasty, too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8x0pt7H7HSkxcrR7KC-LKJb7uCVcUzuXlVxyKD7DV-Y8R9_xrrIW9SJtaaTmIsuO3dZuQ2AnE5eD6eF8_F1Zf4rtrWxd8wj14zbTsZl1PUL24amgDLZe0UoshkwdiVbD2IszxR47b0A/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-tomatoes-polytunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8x0pt7H7HSkxcrR7KC-LKJb7uCVcUzuXlVxyKD7DV-Y8R9_xrrIW9SJtaaTmIsuO3dZuQ2AnE5eD6eF8_F1Zf4rtrWxd8wj14zbTsZl1PUL24amgDLZe0UoshkwdiVbD2IszxR47b0A/s1600/GARDEN-2014-July-tomatoes-polytunnel.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing like as many tomatoes as last year, simply <br />
because HG and I were both really busy with work during <br />
that crucial period when the dreaded chickweed<br />
decided to engulf the polytunnel. It smothered a few<br />
of the tomato plants, but at least a couple <br />
survived. No chutney this year, I fear...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-70982746631356433612014-07-05T18:04:00.000-07:002014-07-05T18:04:46.955-07:00The power of parental attachment in the bird world<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwL0fMSq6lcn7Nfl_w8v0sMiZIDyzwMLO9jS2340qJJFelVT9dn3Wl9MFYFKB6Ji8NF48fyqdXt1qV7Z2E6fn5hZ1zN2SUmzZhtCA1DY9sq5f3i1EJ-BXNNCE9p7xPD6a6q1Am8l_3cuU/s1600/ALISTER-2014-July-babybirdonly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwL0fMSq6lcn7Nfl_w8v0sMiZIDyzwMLO9jS2340qJJFelVT9dn3Wl9MFYFKB6Ji8NF48fyqdXt1qV7Z2E6fn5hZ1zN2SUmzZhtCA1DY9sq5f3i1EJ-BXNNCE9p7xPD6a6q1Am8l_3cuU/s1600/ALISTER-2014-July-babybirdonly.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucky to be alive - the thrush fledgling</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you ever get the feeling, when you're busy speaking to someone, that they're not quite focusing on what you're saying? Well, I had that distinct feeling yesterday evening when I was speaking to HunterGatherer upon his return from another long day at work in the farm workshop. As I prattled on, HG was gazing intently out the sitting-room window at the sheep paddock and then, before you could say "woolly jumpers", he was out the patio doors over the fence, flapping his arms and running through the long grass after something.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first instinct was that he'd completely lost the plot; </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">however, when I saw him then stoop down and scoop up a bird in his hands, I realised that there had indeed been method in his madness. His eagle eye <span style="line-height: 107%;">–</span> well honed from years of employment as a deer stalker on estates in the west coast of Scotland <span style="line-height: 107%;">–</span> had spotted a big black crow carrying off a baby thrush in its talons.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkefcZd5-cUJjyDFQGk9g1xwUvA2-zeHZ1ExCDpeaofoAPzPyJTSK5bz97bRC6OCSlQnu1xFoa5fG7BarnMUj4Q_Odt09JgITXXlGv3fdpgz8UhVlgIpm_SchYapyde1PKXIl1vefvAk/s1600/ALISTER-2014-July-babybird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEkefcZd5-cUJjyDFQGk9g1xwUvA2-zeHZ1ExCDpeaofoAPzPyJTSK5bz97bRC6OCSlQnu1xFoa5fG7BarnMUj4Q_Odt09JgITXXlGv3fdpgz8UhVlgIpm_SchYapyde1PKXIl1vefvAk/s1600/ALISTER-2014-July-babybird.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bird-catcher</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He'd been alerted to the incident because he'd seen Mummy and Daddy Thrush frantically pursuing the crow (which was easily twice their size) to and fro across the paddock, and then spotted that the crow was not empty-clawed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Miraculously, the fledgling bird survived its ordeal. HG placed it in a clump of grass in the garden, from where it cheeped pathetically to its parents <span style="line-height: 107%;">– who were still flying bravely at the, by now, extremely hacked-off crow, to deter it from returning for its intended Saturday evening supper. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.1200008392334px;">The hunter-turned-bird-protector waited until he saw his new feathered friend flutter off back into the bushes and then returned to the sitting-room in search of his own Saturday night supper: steak and new potatoes served with home-grown broccoli and cauliflower from the Sparrowholding polytunnel. I suspect he fared rather better than his adversary, the crow...</span></span>Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-56185427229651633702014-06-28T19:06:00.000-07:002014-06-29T06:54:22.784-07:00Boats, butterflies and goodbyes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegFb0w2XoSIbdwBdZHILlYSEMGI4rz_6vUxGEl9vVO-35QUi-S_OQMykjA0ut-bbw9SAJiLHw4RAw9JRLNsyreZf4Ou8Z_i49k1Mv_3gTPTbs0p54nj8gFIcvCEc2c_Xn3Ul62zHxB94/s1600/Oxford-June14-blenheim-black-butterfly-flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegFb0w2XoSIbdwBdZHILlYSEMGI4rz_6vUxGEl9vVO-35QUi-S_OQMykjA0ut-bbw9SAJiLHw4RAw9JRLNsyreZf4Ou8Z_i49k1Mv_3gTPTbs0p54nj8gFIcvCEc2c_Xn3Ul62zHxB94/s1600/Oxford-June14-blenheim-black-butterfly-flower.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #330000; font-family: georgia, 'bookman old style', 'palatino linotype', 'book antiqua', palatino, 'trebuchet ms', helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, 'avante garde', 'century gothic', 'comic sans ms', times, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-left;">"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must <br />have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." <br />~Hans Christian Andersen</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">An email from Amazon Kindle dropped into my inbox this week, reminding me – politely but firmly – that it has been over 30 days (shock, horror…) since I put virtual pen to paper and penned an update from the Sparrowholding. Knuckles duly rapped, I rapidly tried to remember what has been happening in our lives during the past six weeks, which was no mean feat</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> given the daily depleting capacity of Yours Truly's middle-aged grey cells.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">However, a quick flick through the photos on my ubiquitous Blackberry proved to be a propitious starting point…. First there was a metaphorical feast of photos charting my annual pilgrimage with fellow foodie L. to <a href="http://crailfoodfest.co.uk/">Crail Food Festival</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Once we'd crossed "The Kingdom" and arrived on the outskirts of Crail, we left our car in the requisite car park (aka field) and strolled along the quaint, winding streets of this charming East Neuk fishing village, dropping in at various venues to admire the panoply of local produce.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5cD8H106FE1LBMJTECoawF1W_4YJCzKkkiF35RgkvxAvrwwC0yhFnMUG1MfdJGRSVBgXR1vFufgu_M4PHBWzKHBDlAEGhjOybqfusVtyhEyQXbiwsPnSyGAmOZpCqfWzDiOVG_ncICc/s1600/Food-crail-2014-comm-hall-breadstall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5cD8H106FE1LBMJTECoawF1W_4YJCzKkkiF35RgkvxAvrwwC0yhFnMUG1MfdJGRSVBgXR1vFufgu_M4PHBWzKHBDlAEGhjOybqfusVtyhEyQXbiwsPnSyGAmOZpCqfWzDiOVG_ncICc/s1600/Food-crail-2014-comm-hall-breadstall.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loaves aplenty - from award-winning Barnett's Bakery</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMZyGYKu5Rq1Kri5jW7GaC4JjLum3EKmmhc19R3ychUnPjr5fxpvILFIrgrZ6Tbjn8BY44N_hZ1xYDI9oJGegzzrNB4nsq5wuRqBWrxhtncnE-QsX10f_3vOaDaXHrjGBa2Bwl_2PFqA/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-ardross-meringue-bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMZyGYKu5Rq1Kri5jW7GaC4JjLum3EKmmhc19R3ychUnPjr5fxpvILFIrgrZ6Tbjn8BY44N_hZ1xYDI9oJGegzzrNB4nsq5wuRqBWrxhtncnE-QsX10f_3vOaDaXHrjGBa2Bwl_2PFqA/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-ardross-meringue-bowl.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bowl of big meringues - sweet!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As ever, there were tempting goodies on offer wherever we went: giant, squidgy </span><a href="http://www.tipsymallows.co.uk/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">TipsyMallows</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> (or perhaps I should say "Mmmmmallows"); aromatic artisanal bread from </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barnetts-Bakery/246881608658707" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Barnett’s Bakery</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">; massive, melt-in-the-mouth meringues from </span><a href="http://www.ardrossfarm.co.uk/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ardross Farm Shop</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">; giant scones from </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Balgove-Larder-Farm-Shop-and-Cafe/387285391309433" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Balgove Farm Shop</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">; delicious dipping sauces from </span><a href="http://www.trottersindependent.co.uk/Condiments/Home.html" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Trotter’s Independent Condiments</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">; and dinky bottles of fruity vinegar from </span><a href="http://thelittleherbfarm.co.uk/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Little Herb Farm</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7o-Xz0VcF-wxvpImDkPq5TNh56MpEj100FgY4XjMSIVfTiFX6qad6EX3HQVtKfcb9Mftafj7yERrJid8smRUgyHanXk0Ik0UYGyLZFOshelP68mALqK1nHdYfncWfmoFA8w_Vqcl51U/s1600/FOOD-crail-2014-tipsy-mallows-glasses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN7o-Xz0VcF-wxvpImDkPq5TNh56MpEj100FgY4XjMSIVfTiFX6qad6EX3HQVtKfcb9Mftafj7yERrJid8smRUgyHanXk0Ik0UYGyLZFOshelP68mALqK1nHdYfncWfmoFA8w_Vqcl51U/s1600/FOOD-crail-2014-tipsy-mallows-glasses.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tipsy Mallows come in a range of different flavours<br />
and colours - the raspberry ones were fab!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1hG5MTcH2fNTEtg87Miavmd9cqJiDJzwmez22Nt9TdHBiQEnFFTs0bk7xJXVlBW9V8tN5tFb7xwzFHRFxIZz39_ut8PQLZPLLi6OoNrFuLpapDFUDvtnkX5LnocehDZNhvjYzq3D0xM/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-balgove-scones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW1hG5MTcH2fNTEtg87Miavmd9cqJiDJzwmez22Nt9TdHBiQEnFFTs0bk7xJXVlBW9V8tN5tFb7xwzFHRFxIZz39_ut8PQLZPLLi6OoNrFuLpapDFUDvtnkX5LnocehDZNhvjYzq3D0xM/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-balgove-scones.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scones as far as the eye can see :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTEO8E1BQeOpZY0dHPQNZs-aK3tmSuboN5TzeUK0CmuXhCA3U4KW6cfnruc6HfCCeQxnYwBo28fNDdcV5ONRx81bfZ8tJzdjkyDgf55tWWY2k46dXq8x-jWUyCmjGsLSD6WgBULNQCFk/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-Trotters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdTEO8E1BQeOpZY0dHPQNZs-aK3tmSuboN5TzeUK0CmuXhCA3U4KW6cfnruc6HfCCeQxnYwBo28fNDdcV5ONRx81bfZ8tJzdjkyDgf55tWWY2k46dXq8x-jWUyCmjGsLSD6WgBULNQCFk/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-Trotters.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spice up your life - with Trotter's Condiments</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8YJ0-am7sAPphhD8N-lGGL6pD1sftThZFuQCvy-WZY0QSjt3UQj7tdFlHLUoz-z89B2qnhXPIpyGwEpqrkB_6RaCfSbgt9zBzxizyksu7dVLF29y7wa9s2mpsUWDoj-5gRwacucd3UE/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-vinegars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8YJ0-am7sAPphhD8N-lGGL6pD1sftThZFuQCvy-WZY0QSjt3UQj7tdFlHLUoz-z89B2qnhXPIpyGwEpqrkB_6RaCfSbgt9zBzxizyksu7dVLF29y7wa9s2mpsUWDoj-5gRwacucd3UE/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-vinegars.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vinegars infused with flavours of fruit and herbs</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Another local treat awaited us in the form of the fresh crab rolls for sale down at the harbour. We sat happily on a bench that overlooked the bobbing fishing boats, munching our rolls and chatting about everything and nothing. Idyllic. Or rather it was until the sight of a toddler tottering unfettered towards the edge of the precipitous harbour wall sent our maternal adrenaline levels into instant overdrive!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We rose, as one, to shout “stop him” and moved instinctively towards the wee toot, scared to sprint at him in case he panicked and overbalanced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, his mother – who had apparently been engrossed in a particularly juicy exchange of gossip with some local pals – looked at us as if we were two middle-aged madwomen and ambled nonchalantly towards her offspring, who was still hovering precariously at the edge of the sheer drop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">At that point, L. and I had to leave the scene or we might well have said what was on our minds and become embroiled in a “parenting rage” argument. All we can hope is that she realises how close her wee boy came to a potentially fatal fall and invests soon in a set of toddler reins.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDT8jYHGlwjNIRBxt4k14OWjUdLN4IzTxbOOpRVhsSXk8Hs6_bem2_yG0McAE17za5MhvBjHOHgsg8Zc2oRyRG8-8q8hk0KAxpk9RAudIdsXogZXkMaTyoUe0E6XDLcqt89I-Y1MY6Ws/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-boats-harbour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDT8jYHGlwjNIRBxt4k14OWjUdLN4IzTxbOOpRVhsSXk8Hs6_bem2_yG0McAE17za5MhvBjHOHgsg8Zc2oRyRG8-8q8hk0KAxpk9RAudIdsXogZXkMaTyoUe0E6XDLcqt89I-Y1MY6Ws/s1600/FOOD-CRAIL-2014-boats-harbour.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kylie and Eck - the perfect couple... Note height from the<br />
unprotected edge of the wall down to the waiting water...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsAyCA4xKnYH0q7w4Fu7oRfagaq-1AH9SgYddpGggQNwYalu-uGeGmrSKxk2wh0sHOWFfyzxSlMsLezs7WQ4imezsSgv9pS6x9_ERkwPVsRO8hyQq6UYQgp16mjAiasTSpth6R3WrgnY/s1600/food-crail-crabroll-closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsAyCA4xKnYH0q7w4Fu7oRfagaq-1AH9SgYddpGggQNwYalu-uGeGmrSKxk2wh0sHOWFfyzxSlMsLezs7WQ4imezsSgv9pS6x9_ERkwPVsRO8hyQq6UYQgp16mjAiasTSpth6R3WrgnY/s1600/food-crail-crabroll-closeup.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing to beat fresh crab in a fresh roll</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The next event of note recorded by my trusty mobile phone was our flying visit to Oxford, in mid-June, to help our exhausted elder daughter celebrate the end of her finals. The past four years have flown by unbelievably fast, and it was somehow rather sad to think of her bidding a fond farewell to St Something’s College, where she has forged such great friendships while relishing (if that's the right word!) the long hours of academic rigour. </span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgReX8RRH4HCsjiXbprJm1h02rkHezh6OJDS5O_7JIKhcvW5AIUJxYdRmH8nVxe-Cu8oCunGrsqLxXRV58kuh2ULfScstuAjC3pJVWvhyphenhyphencJOm34DqBRDLgpwae4KSuslrGM7jne-Dsx0O8/s1600/OXFORD-2014-March-examschools.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgReX8RRH4HCsjiXbprJm1h02rkHezh6OJDS5O_7JIKhcvW5AIUJxYdRmH8nVxe-Cu8oCunGrsqLxXRV58kuh2ULfScstuAjC3pJVWvhyphenhyphencJOm34DqBRDLgpwae4KSuslrGM7jne-Dsx0O8/s1600/OXFORD-2014-March-examschools.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The dreaded "Examination Schools" in Oxford</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">However, daughter dear's studies are not yet over, for in September she hopes to begin a law conversion course at a new seat of learning in London, i.e. the exam stress looks set to continue for the foreseeable future...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">True to the nature of the beast, DD1 had planned the parental micro-break down to the n</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> detail. Day 1 saw us punting on the River Cherwell (naturally, HunterGatherer was duly handed the unwieldy pole and told to get punting!) then later we tucked into an excellent supper at </span><a href="http://www.thetroutoxford.co.uk/home/" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The Trout</a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> in nearby Wolvercote.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8X7eCqZrVYyzrTshitsON6eedXi1ev1bYDr7tAEXJn51hIFqFzMnNvwoAhzg942SCY1aBp6T44xCCz_Xc62Pjb_GzQzahxAWubA3WAjrbUlcXcixHcQQXNNbcm0SwyGFKbOKkZbH2EM/s1600/OXFORD-June14-alister-punting-action.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8X7eCqZrVYyzrTshitsON6eedXi1ev1bYDr7tAEXJn51hIFqFzMnNvwoAhzg942SCY1aBp6T44xCCz_Xc62Pjb_GzQzahxAWubA3WAjrbUlcXcixHcQQXNNbcm0SwyGFKbOKkZbH2EM/s1600/OXFORD-June14-alister-punting-action.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">HunterGatherer getting to grips with being a punter...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVs7HVAxM6E3nJQIm5OG6vluJaOeAmmzSSHxb1PdyRQT3p3CVuWwo63xDRsn0Bc-LERZ2DQddFUgMnJFTb2N27lE8yP6ltIbkqPBsa3XC4qaj4FaTZhBH8cYRtrw9K2uZFC2nS_z5sOU/s1600/FOOD-the-trout-oxford-puds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVs7HVAxM6E3nJQIm5OG6vluJaOeAmmzSSHxb1PdyRQT3p3CVuWwo63xDRsn0Bc-LERZ2DQddFUgMnJFTb2N27lE8yP6ltIbkqPBsa3XC4qaj4FaTZhBH8cYRtrw9K2uZFC2nS_z5sOU/s1600/FOOD-the-trout-oxford-puds.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pudding platter at The Trout: wowsers!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Much of Day 2 was devoted to <a href="http://www.blenheimpalace.com/">Blenheim Palace</a>, a local must-see which DD1 had been keen to visit for ages. The entrance fee of £60 for the car plus the three of us did rather make us gulp; however, in fairness, there was an abundance to see and do on the estate. We could probably have spent another full afternoon there and still not exhausted everything on offer, so the price wasn’t unreasonable as it transpired.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Blenheim's extensive grounds are immaculately maintained, and the palace itself is packed to the gunnels with curios and artifacts – indeed in some of the public rooms, it’s hard to see the wallpaper there are so many fabulous paintings or exhibits on show.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2te3pEHj1kXxia1QUX36pWd6Zn0d-GOG2nC5vcyaGIJleIr-mRSSZITJe7XVHygVqxU2SQ0L40ksK8ivyp2Q8T2ubJ_dtI5egG8rwfs3kJG5p4llopslGE7D3b-TYgAH_RVGlyC6kTU/s1600/Oxford-June14-blenheim-farmtools.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2te3pEHj1kXxia1QUX36pWd6Zn0d-GOG2nC5vcyaGIJleIr-mRSSZITJe7XVHygVqxU2SQ0L40ksK8ivyp2Q8T2ubJ_dtI5egG8rwfs3kJG5p4llopslGE7D3b-TYgAH_RVGlyC6kTU/s1600/Oxford-June14-blenheim-farmtools.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Sickles and scythes and much much more!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Together with DD1’s Uni friend G, we first boarded the charming little train that trundles its way across to the aptly named Pleasure Gardens. Having devoured our pre-purchased M&S sandwiches at one of the family picnic tables there, next we perused the display of antique farming tools and implements (taking plenty of photos for Farmpa!) before being seriously wowed by the incredibly attractive incumbents of the Butterfly Enclosure. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohhP5j6jM41kzhhowsofItVcIieNuSydeCq9v9e4MBmlthB84BFrhCtfDMFKyyMcHP7SWkUL1IKf-YxpRVSF6SLyqlOxH4TmVDvlJj9oMim21cnjOScwQyl3E5YLo3nyIHbAbWBdY2G8/s1600/oxford-june14-blenheim-AJ-puff-butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohhP5j6jM41kzhhowsofItVcIieNuSydeCq9v9e4MBmlthB84BFrhCtfDMFKyyMcHP7SWkUL1IKf-YxpRVSF6SLyqlOxH4TmVDvlJj9oMim21cnjOScwQyl3E5YLo3nyIHbAbWBdY2G8/s1600/oxford-june14-blenheim-AJ-puff-butterfly.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With a little gentle encouragement, this bold <br />
butterfly was soon on his way</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipV713kUop71HZ_DH4rP1iQEJQQF3KUgOHUk24mO9fS-uQ5iHuDFw2ROcPn_2bIKoe8oHMkjicuJfg25k9ObBOT6r6j-HU_zEzJGtjsmdYdCAtYMraf-tsX_TGY__9rnQzYtXqvRGTtE8/s1600/Oxford-june14-blenheim-flower-butterfly-yellow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipV713kUop71HZ_DH4rP1iQEJQQF3KUgOHUk24mO9fS-uQ5iHuDFw2ROcPn_2bIKoe8oHMkjicuJfg25k9ObBOT6r6j-HU_zEzJGtjsmdYdCAtYMraf-tsX_TGY__9rnQzYtXqvRGTtE8/s1600/Oxford-june14-blenheim-flower-butterfly-yellow.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The camouflage of this butterfly is amazing...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I spent the entire visit to the Butterfly House dreading that we’d tread on one of these delicate insects, as they were wont to land on the ground at one’s feet, having no respect even for HunterGatherer’s tackety boots!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Our subsequent tour of the Palace was fascinating – it transpires Winston Churchill was born in one of the Palace bedrooms, so a whole display was dedicated to his life and association with the Marlborough family home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For me, personally, the most moving exhibits were letters written by Churchill to his father from school and from Sandhurst. It was obvious that the young Churchill was desperate for his dear ol' dad to come and see him, and that these much-longed-for visits didn’t happen very often.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MiGi_IUjii1CVAHSDb4IsPpByKX4bbswS9iXA5GsL_ALgmPkT3qdssPOUVFE5FrI0EDo_JpmeyL1a-SHe2rdOJtRFEpL6GpNEare82gfpPzHePsPWfhC3FDo0QH1mG9Rzoic2ilusVg/s1600/Oxford-june14-blenheim-bed-churchill-born.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MiGi_IUjii1CVAHSDb4IsPpByKX4bbswS9iXA5GsL_ALgmPkT3qdssPOUVFE5FrI0EDo_JpmeyL1a-SHe2rdOJtRFEpL6GpNEare82gfpPzHePsPWfhC3FDo0QH1mG9Rzoic2ilusVg/s1600/Oxford-june14-blenheim-bed-churchill-born.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bedroom where Winston Churchill was born</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxzwPxn5VSlSbHDHqZJNTAcapuZRZAtRHFhYy3MrnCD7YBrnZ9Vrt8DatqnX_tMQiWvEK6GR2n8wfNwVHmv86bHY-i34rxcMJKLe_Fyt6ZdGt17prjnBJa7Mpv6FcwHlV5hlXt_RFd4g/s1600/Oxford-june14-blenheim-facade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxzwPxn5VSlSbHDHqZJNTAcapuZRZAtRHFhYy3MrnCD7YBrnZ9Vrt8DatqnX_tMQiWvEK6GR2n8wfNwVHmv86bHY-i34rxcMJKLe_Fyt6ZdGt17prjnBJa7Mpv6FcwHlV5hlXt_RFd4g/s1600/Oxford-june14-blenheim-facade.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The approach to Blenheim Palace</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-fpXp5N4-W1RJCIsD_S4NbTvTVs8pT7C8oaxAjR_qGuiBL4aFqTciFAxzOErDUXnEpvcXnU5LsdgfSm8lhDCz0mTCnfyDAy43kr5F02dpsbQgM412fzeyUB3h8kWk7ztW52q2tmaL7I/s1600/Oxford-june14-blenheim-fountain-facade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-fpXp5N4-W1RJCIsD_S4NbTvTVs8pT7C8oaxAjR_qGuiBL4aFqTciFAxzOErDUXnEpvcXnU5LsdgfSm8lhDCz0mTCnfyDAy43kr5F02dpsbQgM412fzeyUB3h8kWk7ztW52q2tmaL7I/s1600/Oxford-june14-blenheim-fountain-facade.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Think of how long it would take to trim these hedges!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the
evening, we returned to the scene of our punting exploits, this time to enjoy a
delicious supper at <a href="http://www.cherwellboathouse.co.uk/">Cherwell Boat House</a>. Sadly this lovely meal marked the end of our break in the sunny south </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">– </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">it was time to exchange the beautifully manicured grounds and
greenhouses of Blenheim for the unkempt lawn and predominantly weed-populated polytunnel here at
The Sparrowholding. <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Still, I suppose it gives HunterGatherer something to aspire to… ;-)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">PS: Just noticed that this is the 100th Square Sparrow blogpost, so many thanks to all followers of the blog for taking the time to read my ramblings. I'm currently contemplating moving the blog across to Wordpress for logistical reasons, but will let you know when the big move takes place!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDW9u099iYGrBhyphenhyphenLsQO9aTTWaD-btGul6cD9uRmc25S_8ec49KBsM0uv4ZV6WHkKTKev1-sprfnmy1RU5JgS3baAFHVmNF5HBtMF3qgiBVl2Pm7dkftOVnxbpe3WFA_yhSD5ABbbMqwY/s1600/FOOD-2014-June-Boathouse-asparagus-quails-eggs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDW9u099iYGrBhyphenhyphenLsQO9aTTWaD-btGul6cD9uRmc25S_8ec49KBsM0uv4ZV6WHkKTKev1-sprfnmy1RU5JgS3baAFHVmNF5HBtMF3qgiBVl2Pm7dkftOVnxbpe3WFA_yhSD5ABbbMqwY/s1600/FOOD-2014-June-Boathouse-asparagus-quails-eggs.jpg" height="240" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Dream starter at Cherwell Boathouse: asparagus<br />
with quails eggs and pea'n mint mousse</td></tr>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-46806872783371034862014-05-10T10:37:00.000-07:002014-05-10T10:37:12.600-07:00Let the food times roll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_ITSPpZGUCD9hqzSnmDZ8lzJVUsV0zfCIthwzgBx0P9moXq1alF0nD-PoWcYLOMlA061RCrB4E6Wu1Zg1bZ_OEssB1TSiH7HYiPX8U0_CHZHwSbVXSPrfa8ozWkc9DiTMKLP45mN8so/s1600/FOOD-fish-pie-smoky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_ITSPpZGUCD9hqzSnmDZ8lzJVUsV0zfCIthwzgBx0P9moXq1alF0nD-PoWcYLOMlA061RCrB4E6Wu1Zg1bZ_OEssB1TSiH7HYiPX8U0_CHZHwSbVXSPrfa8ozWkc9DiTMKLP45mN8so/s1600/FOOD-fish-pie-smoky.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Living near Kinross positions us at a first-class culinary crossroads, with ready access to fresh produce from Perthshire, Kinross-shire and Fife. Foodie events offer a perfect opportunity to sample the local delights and <a href="http://crailfoodfest.co.uk/">Crail Food Festival</a> on 14th/15th June is a veritable celebration of all that's wonderful about East Coast fresh produce.<br />
<br />
Last year, my brief was to write about <a href="http://crailfoodfest.co.uk/2013/03/29/seriously-good-venison-tops-the-menu/">Seriously Good Venison </a>and the <a href="http://crailfoodfest.co.uk/2013/04/11/ive-bean-to-paradise-at-pittenweem-church-hall/">Pittenweem Chocolate Company</a>. This year, my remit was to muse about smoked fish, so I put together a rather tasty (without wanting to "angle" for compliments) recipe for a <a href="http://crailfoodfest.co.uk/2014/05/09/a-fishy-tale-from-crail/">Seriously Smoky Fish Pie</a>. Enjoy!<br />
<br />Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-71557727220160954122014-05-03T16:08:00.001-07:002014-05-04T06:23:17.375-07:00It's that time of year again: the lambs are pronking...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate Brownie and her twins</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So that's it over for another year then. Our Shetland ewes have now lambed, and the paddock is resounding to the patter of tiny cloven hooves as fourteen happy lambs pronk (see the explanatory blog post from </span><a href="http://square-sparrow.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/singing-and-pronking.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 2012</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">) and prance from dawn till dusk. The final set of twins were born at around midnight on Friday after we'd spent a long day watching and waiting while the ewe prowled up and down the drystane dyke for hours, having refused her feed in the morning (and thus alerted us to the fact that she was thinking about "the deed"). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Penning her in for closer supervision later in the day proved a tad problematic, and at one point she almost flew past HunterGatherer's right ear, though the fact that she managed to get airborne at all </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">despite her vast girth is nothing short of a miracle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a fifteenth lamb, but sadly the poor wee soul is not up to pronking, as when she was born first thing on Saturday morning, her legs had no strength at all - a physiotherapist friend suspects she sustained a spinal trauma during the birth. The only part of her body she could move was her head, so we sat her propped up on one of HunterGatherer's boiler suits for the first 24 hours and tube fed her colostrum (the rich milk that ewes produce just after birth) to give her a fighting chance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then to keep her out of the chilling rain last night, we cleared a space next to Vinnie the Vine in the polytunnel and popped mum and bambino in there for the night. This morning, she has managed to get up on to her feet and is even taking a few hesitant steps, but we're not sure she has the balance required to suckle her mum yet, so we're keeping a close eye on her. Her chances, to be honest, don't look great at the moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've posted photos of all the other lambs on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Square-Sparrow/172287292978782">Square Sparrow Facebook page</a> each day as they arrived, so here are the final four to complete the set: Orangina (our second "orange" ewe, aptly named after my favourite soft drink by our lovely new neighbour, S.) had twins </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a boy and a girl </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> while one of our young ewes, SplitEar, had a single baby girl (the one trying to find her feet in the photo below). Lulu, the "limp" lamb, is in the 3rd to 6th photos.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRrqr7VFJfyevYRl7nderkK3fVom42o1P1uclDWk-RYX2hU5CdwCXNavz9pgGbcrac5PlIuilTrh3G7H0iyO3Qgn49Lcshxe_lGN0eR6NQByVwOslDuJxrqqbB41UEww1PQowN67pqnY/s1600/LAMBS14-orangina-twins-boy-girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRrqr7VFJfyevYRl7nderkK3fVom42o1P1uclDWk-RYX2hU5CdwCXNavz9pgGbcrac5PlIuilTrh3G7H0iyO3Qgn49Lcshxe_lGN0eR6NQByVwOslDuJxrqqbB41UEww1PQowN67pqnY/s1600/LAMBS14-orangina-twins-boy-girl.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud mum Orangina with the midnight arrivals...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgij0We8OWPD0A5BVWO9V2oeNgWhAJTrl9EwBcTw44KLGFbH2MhyphenhyphenJYkCSWlOA5IB9wmgpih-lJ9TyCJK3YyKHlnMcBZjb05USJf3Csg6sTHQZ_SXEBK_0q8Q4Lp3phEpIHCaCBVD6Z7UiY/s1600/LAMBS14-splitear-ewelamb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgij0We8OWPD0A5BVWO9V2oeNgWhAJTrl9EwBcTw44KLGFbH2MhyphenhyphenJYkCSWlOA5IB9wmgpih-lJ9TyCJK3YyKHlnMcBZjb05USJf3Csg6sTHQZ_SXEBK_0q8Q4Lp3phEpIHCaCBVD6Z7UiY/s1600/LAMBS14-splitear-ewelamb.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steady she goes! New lamb Juliet takes to her feet.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwteIakA3L8iXCzG9qILfInf8s-_77473tsXRPyAOdA0veJC50boajMIKvtqQ6XvQ4piWaH8zLMSlrdliQdG1LdOrOjM0C3KBT-d7wPw-5udPEAZu3UdVN_FbC5Qp40JeiydV8-W8FfY/s1600/lambs14-weak-legged-lamb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwteIakA3L8iXCzG9qILfInf8s-_77473tsXRPyAOdA0veJC50boajMIKvtqQ6XvQ4piWaH8zLMSlrdliQdG1LdOrOjM0C3KBT-d7wPw-5udPEAZu3UdVN_FbC5Qp40JeiydV8-W8FfY/s1600/lambs14-weak-legged-lamb.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 1: All Lulu can lift so far is her head</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNckhQHuI_gAxg6SsRZfAphXTgh8DucZxpvIJ0pMM2F3ute8IzrMSjvYqjSQ0HByyyX7-VcL8NDbLNPjs500jacecu0IBDvMJaddoSVL2Qg1TI4XRAYRik8hMCCyZI9B-EDctEOAJmLU/s1600/LAMBS14-lulu-polytunnel-sitting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKNckhQHuI_gAxg6SsRZfAphXTgh8DucZxpvIJ0pMM2F3ute8IzrMSjvYqjSQ0HByyyX7-VcL8NDbLNPjs500jacecu0IBDvMJaddoSVL2Qg1TI4XRAYRik8hMCCyZI9B-EDctEOAJmLU/s1600/LAMBS14-lulu-polytunnel-sitting.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning 2: After a night in the polytunnel, a bit more upright</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_padySgdyXdXsOI7CzBQscwOV4iTTKvZHrLOJnp6LJJGwc3qeUHHWAz5InEK8ogO9HS8MSKbRKQZ4NgsrhDMX2ER9EB1Z89K3RKbiD7fJ-Qn5TzlPMX4gL7jl0ZZwvr9DF-BfKafkBuY/s1600/LAMBS14-lulu-peeking-mum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_padySgdyXdXsOI7CzBQscwOV4iTTKvZHrLOJnp6LJJGwc3qeUHHWAz5InEK8ogO9HS8MSKbRKQZ4NgsrhDMX2ER9EB1Z89K3RKbiD7fJ-Qn5TzlPMX4gL7jl0ZZwvr9DF-BfKafkBuY/s1600/LAMBS14-lulu-peeking-mum.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afternoon 2: Now able to stand on all fours</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_OdP39x2ux1ePvJW1CHu1HlpiYqBnWgifzoL35M-cnG0b4pu5iAWZ8DxiW-mK0bxP9uVpi8_scLr6xfAqSkNyBLmcmyfJ8KTCv9HnDN-A4pjrWP5hUhuRAn-ZwrWGW-VD1ikaj9aZzE/s1600/LAMBS14-lulu-walking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE_OdP39x2ux1ePvJW1CHu1HlpiYqBnWgifzoL35M-cnG0b4pu5iAWZ8DxiW-mK0bxP9uVpi8_scLr6xfAqSkNyBLmcmyfJ8KTCv9HnDN-A4pjrWP5hUhuRAn-ZwrWGW-VD1ikaj9aZzE/s1600/LAMBS14-lulu-walking.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lulu: Not quite ready for a 100m sprint, but able to toddle...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's also great to see welcome signs of plant life and growth in the garden once again. The only problem with that, of course, is that the weed life is also springing into life even faster! I made my first rhubarb crumble of the season last night, and HunterGatherer and I polished off a portion topped with some </span><a href="http://www.porrelli.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Porrelli</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> tablet ice cream. A winning combo... I use Delia's crumble recipe, and have done since I can remember (rub tog. 8oz of plain flour and 3 oz butter till crumb-like then add 4 oz of sugar). My own little "twist" is that I also sprinkle demerara sugar over the top of the crumble before cooking, to give it extra zing!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKxVQW0fVkWMUd_IkofPKTD9tGfhx2BRu_yyxNdYtT9uRzWY9n5GZpYuEl28xOUa3E5o6HX8QqpgHbby4k71CLaWS4v1l0tYQGPngcLIir8pKKjreXqeNyRvBG101FJDxIi4EjqJaVqk/s1600/GARDEN-rhubarb-plant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKxVQW0fVkWMUd_IkofPKTD9tGfhx2BRu_yyxNdYtT9uRzWY9n5GZpYuEl28xOUa3E5o6HX8QqpgHbby4k71CLaWS4v1l0tYQGPngcLIir8pKKjreXqeNyRvBG101FJDxIi4EjqJaVqk/s1600/GARDEN-rhubarb-plant.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby the rhubarb plant seems a bit small and stunted this year</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBkpz-BA7Cg5GBY7z3Dr9HWnooo3D9ykDSBA_wMVNS0JKoKwWuKPq583sq_cFIqcsS8aw4O-impMuyQ4d55w4S7v1lU8ifbem1b3P9hsERoZM7dgrN_EjhntCGymcKwbr5NePPBw8BKw/s1600/GARDEN-rhubarb-stalks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBkpz-BA7Cg5GBY7z3Dr9HWnooo3D9ykDSBA_wMVNS0JKoKwWuKPq583sq_cFIqcsS8aw4O-impMuyQ4d55w4S7v1lU8ifbem1b3P9hsERoZM7dgrN_EjhntCGymcKwbr5NePPBw8BKw/s1600/GARDEN-rhubarb-stalks.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">However, we've still had a few nice stalks of rhubarb :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WGMHsmiLOEVOlCKlX0MzwG3YwnR8Y4dwoIbQhyyibQjmZu6AW4lBHP2lFgEr6qF1-R7GAeQVwruPfI83lXzpcVXmAoQ21qy_5wXGr6o5KLdRyNfIq28GTbWVN9P3sqcWxUvc6niSvAs/s1600/FOOD-rhubarb-sugar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WGMHsmiLOEVOlCKlX0MzwG3YwnR8Y4dwoIbQhyyibQjmZu6AW4lBHP2lFgEr6qF1-R7GAeQVwruPfI83lXzpcVXmAoQ21qy_5wXGr6o5KLdRyNfIq28GTbWVN9P3sqcWxUvc6niSvAs/s1600/FOOD-rhubarb-sugar.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sprinkle over some soft brown sugar...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcr3KVoKQFZNa0NggGW6KpqqzAoZE6Xfgq0vAJwGo08Ks_MYoq_23FonXyN4Nxl62nEP8bAEZGVzDaaeLf0JeXQmrvb1-IsIOif-qh_-UpNIB0NNPJgccegPaDFSFoyjRMKed-v0A5H_4/s1600/FOOD-rhubarb-stewed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcr3KVoKQFZNa0NggGW6KpqqzAoZE6Xfgq0vAJwGo08Ks_MYoq_23FonXyN4Nxl62nEP8bAEZGVzDaaeLf0JeXQmrvb1-IsIOif-qh_-UpNIB0NNPJgccegPaDFSFoyjRMKed-v0A5H_4/s1600/FOOD-rhubarb-stewed.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and stew for five minutes in the microwave.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWmIx8KJSeo6N0QUPcHCDyJsAwkHFnKkCOGOmdRAXwnDBqsYlozaegtuYAsH8cyOGgGmBpu5xLMNh5KHdRSQnoao3NSfkJQYe_rYaHYCjjbDs-1wt7V7ZdcdFfxOcsUo47ZRJlUNHBLE/s1600/FOOD-rhubarb-crumble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwWmIx8KJSeo6N0QUPcHCDyJsAwkHFnKkCOGOmdRAXwnDBqsYlozaegtuYAsH8cyOGgGmBpu5xLMNh5KHdRSQnoao3NSfkJQYe_rYaHYCjjbDs-1wt7V7ZdcdFfxOcsUo47ZRJlUNHBLE/s1600/FOOD-rhubarb-crumble.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then pop your crumble mixture on top and cook till golden. Yum!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Meanwhile in the milder climes of the polytunnel, the asparagus is growing nicely. It's best steamed </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> if you have a steamer </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> but also delicious boiled. Just watch not to boil for too long, though, or it loses some of its unique fresh-from-the-garden flavour. On this occasion, we steamed the tips then dipped them in HunterGatherer's special Marie Rose dip, which he makes himself. And very tasty it was, too!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA35Vh7FVt69Q0PWAYrXWm0BEw4Nd73RWU_UCYv8xNXhi9uJyRvh0GSMnEvkPEh7WYII3ai3ksiHvBTNWX2a3qoVHqKdTEI0h-UWFLLupIv_ppcE6teMSTJYMyQ_ro5uK4LLUvWE0F4FE/s1600/sq-spar-april13-week4-asparagus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA35Vh7FVt69Q0PWAYrXWm0BEw4Nd73RWU_UCYv8xNXhi9uJyRvh0GSMnEvkPEh7WYII3ai3ksiHvBTNWX2a3qoVHqKdTEI0h-UWFLLupIv_ppcE6teMSTJYMyQ_ro5uK4LLUvWE0F4FE/s1600/sq-spar-april13-week4-asparagus.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing to beat asparagus fresh from the polytunnel.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySjtqmhc6opktymVt_gnfsqNYQL4XkkizztLhvm7wXmY-oosD6CcKA0FAdmOh2auBjX2wtHhH1mygNutgt_lNmFjMVK5ExrAJpdkaTDRt2-KiTWT4QUMQT7tJpepTWiQq-EEpWoLWW2s/s1600/FOOD-asparagus-marierosedip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjySjtqmhc6opktymVt_gnfsqNYQL4XkkizztLhvm7wXmY-oosD6CcKA0FAdmOh2auBjX2wtHhH1mygNutgt_lNmFjMVK5ExrAJpdkaTDRt2-KiTWT4QUMQT7tJpepTWiQq-EEpWoLWW2s/s1600/FOOD-asparagus-marierosedip.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And into the dip it goes!</td></tr>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-17978575839005204032014-04-22T11:08:00.000-07:002014-04-22T11:32:09.750-07:00Miniature Woolly JumpersOn Good Friday, our first bouncing lamb of the season arrived: a ewe lamb, who was promptly christened Pipsqueak. Luckily for her, she was born into a gloriously sunny world. We've taken a photo each day to show her growing <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">–</span> in size and in confidence!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49XOQ1GUo0AVH-rGlfEKOmhvJpb9agpgBDT88YiOKcPj9TJ_M89yzmU-FoVpuAd1iglITfWV8jplq18m3oRR76dMbmJeX1xx-rwTFlnKhI-CRCpJBmid42n_OqnVkuVI7aiNpTKnDGZA/s1600/Lambs14-newborn-legs-splayed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49XOQ1GUo0AVH-rGlfEKOmhvJpb9agpgBDT88YiOKcPj9TJ_M89yzmU-FoVpuAd1iglITfWV8jplq18m3oRR76dMbmJeX1xx-rwTFlnKhI-CRCpJBmid42n_OqnVkuVI7aiNpTKnDGZA/s1600/Lambs14-newborn-legs-splayed.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day1: What is this strange place <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">–</span><br />
and how did I get here?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKt08nAA5tkR-Jd6PkJiFYlOdzAFc5QiMl5Q4DbmtEH9tehPdG12oybXw09qjsLefqh-2JBbfSK1cHhpInEHhkrPdn98dkqdp3KH0K7QlElLJ2Inb_Z0IhJ4D-GIyCztKiM5rz2IDXpQQ/s1600/lambs-newborn-dont-embarrass-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKt08nAA5tkR-Jd6PkJiFYlOdzAFc5QiMl5Q4DbmtEH9tehPdG12oybXw09qjsLefqh-2JBbfSK1cHhpInEHhkrPdn98dkqdp3KH0K7QlElLJ2Inb_Z0IhJ4D-GIyCztKiM5rz2IDXpQQ/s1600/lambs-newborn-dont-embarrass-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five minutes later: Woah, steady she goes...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjha-YOTREx7CcpFxMqyruV74-wt3jmTF6rzhfjzFb_Gzs7iGq_39d5SGAjL0aYkIsb1XCwMt49tV9Efu0ukJxUGG0EV_91AOjbWpMdqJteUZF9AfSTuuTulVfGrG8CQ4HFeEqEdY3_R9o/s1600/lambs14-1stnewborn-2daysold-arms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjha-YOTREx7CcpFxMqyruV74-wt3jmTF6rzhfjzFb_Gzs7iGq_39d5SGAjL0aYkIsb1XCwMt49tV9Efu0ukJxUGG0EV_91AOjbWpMdqJteUZF9AfSTuuTulVfGrG8CQ4HFeEqEdY3_R9o/s1600/lambs14-1stnewborn-2daysold-arms.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 2: The natives seem friendly enough</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARJTp1WH86tKiYsPbp65iBKhVic6s2XN5LTKTR8H_re35qQuu3lb-8-arC-aHSfu9STZcG4IyoUhaqxkuR96ToJs4werkyL4mlr_yz5wSwy0djtI2oRkOPJPXE-m6mOsyPjm5HTzTu38/s1600/Lambs-Pipsqueak-sitting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARJTp1WH86tKiYsPbp65iBKhVic6s2XN5LTKTR8H_re35qQuu3lb-8-arC-aHSfu9STZcG4IyoUhaqxkuR96ToJs4werkyL4mlr_yz5wSwy0djtI2oRkOPJPXE-m6mOsyPjm5HTzTu38/s1600/Lambs-Pipsqueak-sitting.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 3: Are my facial markings symmetrical, mum?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01Gqw_8_Lxn7vlYoqAdyZm-1ngF7-Ap9P3sCu6Hw977Fdu-eyXOQupYZcbray6CwSLyIEkPB7UM3NXp8YjzSd0JcRg1-4gT2pYLnhsh8RH7IPOvy5jrMiZ61Ykee0CdFb4VnWcE8ZdHQ/s1600/lambs14-1stnewborn-3daysold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh01Gqw_8_Lxn7vlYoqAdyZm-1ngF7-Ap9P3sCu6Hw977Fdu-eyXOQupYZcbray6CwSLyIEkPB7UM3NXp8YjzSd0JcRg1-4gT2pYLnhsh8RH7IPOvy5jrMiZ61Ykee0CdFb4VnWcE8ZdHQ/s1600/lambs14-1stnewborn-3daysold.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day 4: Getting braver and bolder by the day...</td></tr>
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All went quiet on the western front for a few days, then last night the weather turned. Often mother animals prefer to give birth when it's damp, so we peered expectantly into the lambing paddock this morning to find... not one, but two sets of twins! Our orange-faced ewed (we didn't paint her <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">–</span> that's the colour she is naturally) had twin boys (below) - both black.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisByAS_VZKbkQzsI44QbuPKoOsRr29rAKDNeMcei0opdk4w1aBFcWwcNzo41JwGEtJszOjo__a9QfsdVcRDhWhQWDpDaRIQihcdjnft-DhRsO4qCd3PGN6pfdnxgqVfGeqQO2Y92p09MM/s1600/LAMBS14-orange-black-twins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisByAS_VZKbkQzsI44QbuPKoOsRr29rAKDNeMcei0opdk4w1aBFcWwcNzo41JwGEtJszOjo__a9QfsdVcRDhWhQWDpDaRIQihcdjnft-DhRsO4qCd3PGN6pfdnxgqVfGeqQO2Y92p09MM/s1600/LAMBS14-orange-black-twins.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's raining lambs...</td></tr>
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Meanwhile, the tiger-faced ewe had a boy and a girl <span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">–</span> both are a gorgeous merle grey colour. Shetland sheep come in over 30 different colourways and I'm determined that one day I will try to learn all the names on the "colour chart". For now, I'll just enjoy looking at the colours in real life :-)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6f6gurTiFQmtl3RrTI3xlIoqFFPuqhp2amoRlvjJe7s9uB5p4_h0GQIz9I7yXrfGq4EInbIaPniRE8buKxUmYJE6PgPeoDkkXgZUwhvAkUoQvkdPDzztoyVRrpLI9wR1rTFZhh8Fatwc/s1600/LAMBS14-tigerface-greytwins-good.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6f6gurTiFQmtl3RrTI3xlIoqFFPuqhp2amoRlvjJe7s9uB5p4_h0GQIz9I7yXrfGq4EInbIaPniRE8buKxUmYJE6PgPeoDkkXgZUwhvAkUoQvkdPDzztoyVRrpLI9wR1rTFZhh8Fatwc/s1600/LAMBS14-tigerface-greytwins-good.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite sure how to describe the colour of these ones!</td></tr>
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<br />Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-54294464423145443262014-03-31T17:41:00.004-07:002014-04-02T07:37:35.148-07:00Trugs, 21st Toasts, Tries and Waddling Woollies<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_iP7jXIai9XpwxTKXYM8LzJwnkK0kmNyDD1EFqor0s2p91QqRPj5MoiaL-7UDEUrdogzwpIIi5-7YWSdyW5J4dk9fC5x6h3jHVC_cdW3MkubN1deS9EXYpEGY0iNgiXCOMvYguFFklM/s1600/sq-spar-2014-March-wk4-trugs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_iP7jXIai9XpwxTKXYM8LzJwnkK0kmNyDD1EFqor0s2p91QqRPj5MoiaL-7UDEUrdogzwpIIi5-7YWSdyW5J4dk9fC5x6h3jHVC_cdW3MkubN1deS9EXYpEGY0iNgiXCOMvYguFFklM/s1600/sq-spar-2014-March-wk4-trugs.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our two trusty trugs</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">The recent
spate of spring-like weather (interspersed, it has to be said, with weather
more reminiscent of mid-November) has inspired us to rummage around in the
garden shed and unearth (metaphorically speaking, of course – eccentric we may
be, but we don’t keep earth in our sheds…) various horticultural accoutrements
in anticipation of getting the garden “sorted out”. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Obviously, we are kidding ourselves here, as the weeds that inhabit our garden are generally more than a match for HunterGatherer and his shining hoe, but he likes to consider himself a valiant slayer of chickweed.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElnw-DH0nrOPl7pgeJRHNVpu2CzK8AZMujjZg2WbLAT3rkF_x1Ud91FNmsuRCm8XCX_5ClVFwjZNihLJ8_gYQHUfG5PneSQaHSknumpXFktwhF-TpkYqykqNICKqvM6j0qPhSJXJs5Mg/s1600/sq-spar-2014-March-wk4-seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElnw-DH0nrOPl7pgeJRHNVpu2CzK8AZMujjZg2WbLAT3rkF_x1Ud91FNmsuRCm8XCX_5ClVFwjZNihLJ8_gYQHUfG5PneSQaHSknumpXFktwhF-TpkYqykqNICKqvM6j0qPhSJXJs5Mg/s1600/sq-spar-2014-March-wk4-seeds.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seeds of hope</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKAHAGidh92CoCwtJrW7vetgd_cmO46C9zOL0f46QSoN-g8wbThG73JEuPYyugguu6do1ZtNkAhkddOOI6wSNzwkUd8Z2jgWSoH1Vljp_jDWi16lR6UXhhaRT8G-icNipijU6KjsPQoI/s1600/sq-spar-2014-March-wk4-polytunnel1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUKAHAGidh92CoCwtJrW7vetgd_cmO46C9zOL0f46QSoN-g8wbThG73JEuPYyugguu6do1ZtNkAhkddOOI6wSNzwkUd8Z2jgWSoH1Vljp_jDWi16lR6UXhhaRT8G-icNipijU6KjsPQoI/s1600/sq-spar-2014-March-wk4-polytunnel1.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At least the spinach is growing well!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT7FGbYXZNvbgpAo8xgNRD9vbnjd6smofCCIgIvBLADeCSBv9uEJcoxbyg8rMQEcjsMFZeLO9P67ytV_R-bzEvqpOdkDJOfG5EMA50Szkt8dlXVzEc30zYGIDhai5Zqv9Tf-AMcaR7t0/s1600/sq-spar-2014-March-wk4-nectarine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZT7FGbYXZNvbgpAo8xgNRD9vbnjd6smofCCIgIvBLADeCSBv9uEJcoxbyg8rMQEcjsMFZeLO9P67ytV_R-bzEvqpOdkDJOfG5EMA50Szkt8dlXVzEc30zYGIDhai5Zqv9Tf-AMcaR7t0/s1600/sq-spar-2014-March-wk4-nectarine.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nectarine bush in full bloom - Vinnie the vine looking dead!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">One of my personal favourites when it
comes to garden equipment is our duo of wooden trugs. Now here I have a
confession to make. When we received these trusty trugs as a wedding gift (24
years ago, as you may remember if you read last month’s blog post), I wasn’t
exactly smitten by them. Granted, I am very fond of wood, so I liked the feel
and look of them well enough. However, in those days, I didn’t ever envisage actually
using them. How wrong I was! Ironically, since we took up residence at The
Sparrowholding nearly 17 years ago, they have turned out to be one of our most-used
wedding gifts, regularly transporting homegrown produce from polytunnel or veggie patch to kitchen.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBme8nCKNUj2PCojnmd9oI4AFstjAhmG_BXvp_sPdEDqu2vAHSXpXNt4S1gornY5GVv9HI0wBGO5iyCaNFOefwf_5ceqnpM5g9yLLpNpugpkZ_pfHiZigxBlFCVl5hrjudAtoPi2z1HM/s1600/FOOD-juicer-in-action.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBme8nCKNUj2PCojnmd9oI4AFstjAhmG_BXvp_sPdEDqu2vAHSXpXNt4S1gornY5GVv9HI0wBGO5iyCaNFOefwf_5ceqnpM5g9yLLpNpugpkZ_pfHiZigxBlFCVl5hrjudAtoPi2z1HM/s1600/FOOD-juicer-in-action.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite kitchen appliance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Another
wedding gift which is still in active service nearly quarter of a century down
the line is the electric orange squeezer that we received from the (then) Free
Church Minister on the Isle of Mull and his lovely wife. It’s a simple wee
device, but it’s so much quicker than doing the job manually. I’m a massive fan
of fresh orange juice, so every time I pour the glistening orange nectar into
my glass, I silently toast the donors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Talking of
toasts, we had occasion to raise a glass to DD2 a couple of weeks ago, when she
popped back to the Sparrowholding during a whistle-stop visit to Scotland. I
suspect that she was secretly counting the minutes till she could get on the
plane back to <a href="http://www.univ-amu.fr/">Aix-en-Provence</a>, where she has been spending a pleasantly warm and
dry (meteorologically speaking at least…) ERASMUS exchange year.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwNgENd-0iftoZf_QMBSbp7sSkrFXPKyabgvhIU4dQvmWP7uXtUcHqJjDjFIIfVi2Mr5BqofOdLHTav9wM_jSP3ikOIKPVtrlKWUI0k0uSVfOFtuiAyo5JDpwOkigts6bXN_VvzTU6cw/s1600/GROUSE-CLARET-bar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwNgENd-0iftoZf_QMBSbp7sSkrFXPKyabgvhIU4dQvmWP7uXtUcHqJjDjFIIfVi2Mr5BqofOdLHTav9wM_jSP3ikOIKPVtrlKWUI0k0uSVfOFtuiAyo5JDpwOkigts6bXN_VvzTU6cw/s1600/GROUSE-CLARET-bar.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cosy bar at The Grouse and Claret</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We seized the
opportunity of her presence in the “hameland” to stage a belated celebration of
her 21</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> in the form of a meal for twelve at the relaxed, cosy
setting of the <a href="http://www.grouseandclaret.com/">Grouse and Claret </a>near Kinross. A lovely, laughter-filled
evening ensued, during which we were looked after impeccably by Vicki and David
Futong and their team. As we chatted in the comfortable lounge over a Cava aperitif,
we were treated to a fabulous array of canapés, before heading through to the
dining room for a splendid repast. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Our
feast was finished off with an appropriately Alpine-themed cake, topped by an
icing model of the birthday girl complete with skis, which was created by
<a href="http://www.celebrationstations.co.uk/">Celebration Station in Perth</a>. Another slight setback for the diet, of course,
but it was worth it…</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1y9vG8ItdP1iokGnXj-Xb8vUK4_QVbgKluDFo_EZVRa672gNjUzdMFd7iIqNFQ3dNUmje0ZlzhiaasE1zV2s4OUIg64caTkLl_HmyJ6G-E5_CAC4UnI53gdB0OmRxQvaJfFbkZzal_I/s1600/GROUSE-CLARET-canapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1y9vG8ItdP1iokGnXj-Xb8vUK4_QVbgKluDFo_EZVRa672gNjUzdMFd7iIqNFQ3dNUmje0ZlzhiaasE1zV2s4OUIg64caTkLl_HmyJ6G-E5_CAC4UnI53gdB0OmRxQvaJfFbkZzal_I/s1600/GROUSE-CLARET-canapes.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Canapés</span></span> in abundance... Don't mind if we do!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-nH34k65kOIGzT8Gi4Pa2yM9mdp4M0BwTbvH29ShoMhlGNhZ9HqO4k8IExW8PcE3RMkUiX13Gwf1EZJeODtDTE-BQC0cj-n3J6iUDv19991bP4oVXo1M6yqIUd-YMvQkKa6qMoWnyGA/s1600/CIARA-21st-Birthday-Cake9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB-nH34k65kOIGzT8Gi4Pa2yM9mdp4M0BwTbvH29ShoMhlGNhZ9HqO4k8IExW8PcE3RMkUiX13Gwf1EZJeODtDTE-BQC0cj-n3J6iUDv19991bP4oVXo1M6yqIUd-YMvQkKa6qMoWnyGA/s1600/CIARA-21st-Birthday-Cake9.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mountain of cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Just days
later, DD2 shed her thermals and fled back to France where temperatures were in
the mid-20s …. Meanwhile, DD1 was warming up in a slightly different fashion –
for the much-anticipated clash of the Titans that is the annual Oxford vs
Cambridge <a href="http://www.ouwrfc.org.uk/">Women’s Rugby</a> Blues Varsity match. HunterGatherer and I, plus my dentist
sister-in-law and teenage nephew, headed down to Oxford for a weekend to watch
the match (and were first treated to a very thorough and enlightening tour of
the dreamy-spired city by DD1’s ever patient boyfriend). The match was a tense
affair, and parental nerves were fairly frayed; however, it proved to be the
dark blues’ day in the end, with the Oxford girls triumphing 17–12 (even if
three of them – including ours! – were sporting black eyes).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyc9iHKxTxSDAQ7CXaqqUbfBSewpPocfD9GpTCZYxHxyTnMd6TaIwIiOq3rNVjDGHbcWlgWTTiUAvdxqNYSNkaffsX3bTLtjpAkp1GaPCr85rcqC2U7t3IWHzP-KxkcOVWsGwC1-E6Iv4/s1600/OXFORD-varsity-running-play.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyc9iHKxTxSDAQ7CXaqqUbfBSewpPocfD9GpTCZYxHxyTnMd6TaIwIiOq3rNVjDGHbcWlgWTTiUAvdxqNYSNkaffsX3bTLtjpAkp1GaPCr85rcqC2U7t3IWHzP-KxkcOVWsGwC1-E6Iv4/s1600/OXFORD-varsity-running-play.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dark blues on the advance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JWjxSwpyJoQN-pAWnuGCcYNk9DE3YGqlkH92rCluB1-XxVrt9rTYkcKaFsoyzI0uXnpl3nfRK501Ql8tpiPgdannn2KuEA9DqNLlEVoOS53L4IFs-WxwOflEdjRLPFNBZJxv8u4vDz8/s1600/Oxford-varsity-group-score.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JWjxSwpyJoQN-pAWnuGCcYNk9DE3YGqlkH92rCluB1-XxVrt9rTYkcKaFsoyzI0uXnpl3nfRK501Ql8tpiPgdannn2KuEA9DqNLlEVoOS53L4IFs-WxwOflEdjRLPFNBZJxv8u4vDz8/s1600/Oxford-varsity-group-score.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tired but happy :-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A further exciting
trip awaits later this month, as ever-thoughtful Supergran’s Xmas present to
Yours Truly was a return flight to Marseilles for a long weekend, allowing me
to soak up a few rays of southern French sunshine with DD2. OK, so three days
won’t exactly see me bronzed and beautiful (not much chance of either, even if
I stayed for three years, the truth be told…), but the prospect of not being
rained upon keeps me perky on precipitation-filled days – of which there are
many hereabouts…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Fortunately,
I am also cheered up, even on the dreichest mornings, by the visitors to the bird
feeders outside the office window. My spirits are quickly uplifted by the
antics of the feathery five thousand whom we seem to be feeding on a daily
basis currently. There is a strict pecking order as to who gets to eat when.
The sparrows seem to rule the roost, with blue tits, coal tits, great tits,
robins and yellow hammers snatching seeds slyly as soon as the sparrows’ backs
are turned. With such a continuous flurry of activity, it’s a miracle I get any
writing done at all!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">When I’m not
being distracted by things avian, the 11 things ovine in the adjacent paddock
also contrive to prise my gaze away from the screen. Our Shetland breeding ewes
certainly share one thing in common with Yours Truly at present, i.e. their
girths are increasing with every passing day. There is, however, one major
difference: hopefully most of them are carrying lambs –
whereas my last “lamb” will be 19 years old next month... I do feel rather
sorry for the poor girls: their pace has slowed down considerably in the past
couple of weeks, and there is a lot of cumbersome waddling going on. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">If
HunterGatherer has calculated correctly (five months from the date he unleashed our tup/ram, Mungo, on the woolly harem) then lambing should
start around the middle of April, so perhaps by the time I write my next post
there may be a few additions to the (ovine branch of the) family. Will keep you
posted!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMhRrKOhm05pf76BLcJ60XZnfu1AgkF-NzIv1BLe8RcLXB0X9UHTy_0FBX61iX2iemrZKtnYk6dWQn1KpJGL9MDdEgQjGv_3ccArOZGM2Mh3o2eICIKKCGxcZbPklW-wAMAXVkPYXa68/s1600/Sq-spar-2014-march-wk4-lubricant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGMhRrKOhm05pf76BLcJ60XZnfu1AgkF-NzIv1BLe8RcLXB0X9UHTy_0FBX61iX2iemrZKtnYk6dWQn1KpJGL9MDdEgQjGv_3ccArOZGM2Mh3o2eICIKKCGxcZbPklW-wAMAXVkPYXa68/s1600/Sq-spar-2014-march-wk4-lubricant.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for some lambing action</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-47834819676386726502014-02-23T15:31:00.002-08:002014-02-24T07:19:57.962-08:00Birds, birthdays and cat burglars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2234832136869792338" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T-sNKQCUUCiHVrBrTlTgRZlG0JSiWGe4q5KZ2XTKzYW5Sz452Q9IwLMuerq_ivCNcbnAFuf_zr74au8qJQWPJoHtL9NtuJDbw4S9PD2gLT8gxgBPW3XmyygT1xpKyJjHtl4uaoO4Rlo/s1600/Sq-spar-2014Jan-week3-lipstick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T-sNKQCUUCiHVrBrTlTgRZlG0JSiWGe4q5KZ2XTKzYW5Sz452Q9IwLMuerq_ivCNcbnAFuf_zr74au8qJQWPJoHtL9NtuJDbw4S9PD2gLT8gxgBPW3XmyygT1xpKyJjHtl4uaoO4Rlo/s1600/Sq-spar-2014Jan-week3-lipstick.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antiquities...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Of course, I
blame my mother (aka SuperGran) for my obsessive hoarding. At the bungalow
where FarmerBruv and I spent our entire childhood, the rafters used to creak (and
still do!) under the weight of all the sentimental essentials stashed away in
her attic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And guess
what? Here at the Sparrowholding, the attic is no less stuffed. Indeed I often
wonder if we were both squirrels in a previous life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Perhaps the
seriousness of my hoarding compulsion will become evident if I confess that the
picture above is of the lipstick and powder that I wore when HunterGatherer and
I got married 24 years ago today, on a blustery but dry February afternoon in
1990. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I very, very
rarely wear make-up, which probably explains why the lipstick and powder are
still not finished! However, a friend did send me into a slight panic lately by
pointing out that the chemical constituents have probably long since become
toxic and that I’m no doubt risking some nasty skin complaint by wearing them,
albeit occasionally!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So, by the
time I write my next blog post, I resolve that I will have dispatched my
antique pampering products to that celestial make-up counter in the sky. Or at
least I might have – alternatively, they’ll have travelled marginally less far
in a heavenwards direction and joined one of the burgeoning boxes of baby
mementos, student memorabilia, photo
albums, books, music, etc. in our attic…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">After 24
years of marriage, I suppose that I shouldn’t be surprised that HunterGatherer
has recently started observing other birds… How liberal of me to be so
understanding, I hear you cry. Perhaps I should explain that these birds are of the feathered
variety. A few weeks ago we took the radical decision to move our bird feeders
round the back of the house – and what a difference the new location has made
to the number of avian species who pop in for an all-day breakfast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6lUMFJVUCkyKX5LWekC1lzlOeRb9rLGNqFRcw0cYKCrckmdCtJImNQ0aPukgJUXYpvb0dpea3lRmPH3Kc5POWiwIWBJCvqA3nkgKL_k1jh72KJLKn5ka1COdaihhqChyphenhyphen9eX-HJ7Q6kE/s1600/NATURE-2014-Birds5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6lUMFJVUCkyKX5LWekC1lzlOeRb9rLGNqFRcw0cYKCrckmdCtJImNQ0aPukgJUXYpvb0dpea3lRmPH3Kc5POWiwIWBJCvqA3nkgKL_k1jh72KJLKn5ka1COdaihhqChyphenhyphen9eX-HJ7Q6kE/s1600/NATURE-2014-Birds5.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Feeding time!</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy9xXJXocmiiod12fgny78ssMA00bg7RRZKJ1iWomn7x5LAG64ZNOaAyarE53D7lpDNiJu_v5_rQOKfpA8S6WGWV30rxcg4EIxCb13Z8eSOh9Coka0zF2nKCuZPHhi1D7dk2r1ehBAkg/s1600/NATURE-2014-Feb-GreatTit-Closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiy9xXJXocmiiod12fgny78ssMA00bg7RRZKJ1iWomn7x5LAG64ZNOaAyarE53D7lpDNiJu_v5_rQOKfpA8S6WGWV30rxcg4EIxCb13Z8eSOh9Coka0zF2nKCuZPHhi1D7dk2r1ehBAkg/s1600/NATURE-2014-Feb-GreatTit-Closeup.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Excuse me - where's the snack bar?</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">HunterGatherer
is transfixed by our chirpy wee visitors and, on the rare occasions when he’s
home during daylight hours, is now to be found standing at the window, his gaze
alternating between the merry band of breakfasters and his “Fool’s Guide to
Birdwatching”. He is not the only person to be entranced – FatCat is mesmerised
by the “breakfast” whirligig…</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lWByV4oUgmo9_yBS5Cg2XpKjv3Ub8Y34Lz7yLI1TpRwMDOVX09Nh2lMXTpbXHFs_uajoWk6_Ep3YS0B6FOQim-rTlcKajnYL1_Sk-5mlDaqE4sH-XAffQa4664Uj-SfDBcxuY9mhs5A/s1600/CHUCK-Birdwatching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lWByV4oUgmo9_yBS5Cg2XpKjv3Ub8Y34Lz7yLI1TpRwMDOVX09Nh2lMXTpbXHFs_uajoWk6_Ep3YS0B6FOQim-rTlcKajnYL1_Sk-5mlDaqE4sH-XAffQa4664Uj-SfDBcxuY9mhs5A/s1600/CHUCK-Birdwatching.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FatCat enjoys birdwatching too...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Still on the subject of auspicious days, tomorrow is another family landmark: DD2’s 21</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> birthday. It’s hard to believe that a whole year has passed since her inauspicious 20</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> birthday, several hours of which were spoiled by a rather unpleasant </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/">CrossCountry</a> train guard. I’m pleased to report that on that occasion, the outcome was a happy one, as the customer complaints department was quick to respond and sent her complimentary travel vouchers to compensate – hats off to them!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjueQE12EHTYTP1qCFahXt2MTXpJvbS35Dx1OxgLfdsI8j3WtBAFnFdBA5n0OWDegT1aymSgbpcIL4UGyjNKS39DFj0_Dw3iN3BqSe54aZu_VyOaIG__AAJspIqcIWWEU12_0tSEvwxmM/s1600/CIARA-basket-baby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjueQE12EHTYTP1qCFahXt2MTXpJvbS35Dx1OxgLfdsI8j3WtBAFnFdBA5n0OWDegT1aymSgbpcIL4UGyjNKS39DFj0_Dw3iN3BqSe54aZu_VyOaIG__AAJspIqcIWWEU12_0tSEvwxmM/s1600/CIARA-basket-baby.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She was quite cute back then ;-)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Sadly, the
unfortunate incident that has marred DD2’s 21</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> birthday
celebrations is not likely to be so easily remedied… In the (less than) five
minutes that it took her to pop from her room at <a href="http://www.crous-aix-marseille.fr/logement/cites-et-residences-universitaires/aix-en-provence/cite-u-cuques">Aix University student residence</a>
to the kitchen (she was there and back in under five minutes), someone forced
their way into her bedroom and stole not only her laptop but also her precious
iPhone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Perhaps the
worst aspect of the theft was that it was carried out so slickly that it almost
had to be an inside job – especially since someone had propped the door of the
fire escape open to allow the thief to escape quickly. As you might imagine,
this leaves DD2 feeling less than comfortable as she surveys the other
occupants of the corridor… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Still, before we all feel too sorry for her (say “AAAHHH!"), I should point out that the
upside of being a student in France at the time of her 21<sup>st</sup> is that she is going to be
skiing on her actual birthday. Our family celebrations will have to wait for
early March, when she abandons clement Mediterranean climes and returns for 10
days in not-quite-so-balmy Edinburgh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, here at the Sparrowholding, there are definite signs that winter is winding up and that spring might come eventually…</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-xif5ZbADqyYCy8GveVyzNCVMIAUfnafj5kaPTvThn4m9mw2mvY1SnBFQ8A9EmzIp4OeXn0UWubRblf64-A12f_R4Dsm5SLKyjBnT1INjLkgpcKVfzTxDByoteJA0JGtXsTBJheQ4j0/s1600/sq-spar-2014-Feb-wk2-polytunnel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-xif5ZbADqyYCy8GveVyzNCVMIAUfnafj5kaPTvThn4m9mw2mvY1SnBFQ8A9EmzIp4OeXn0UWubRblf64-A12f_R4Dsm5SLKyjBnT1INjLkgpcKVfzTxDByoteJA0JGtXsTBJheQ4j0/s1600/sq-spar-2014-Feb-wk2-polytunnel.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The polytunnel is like a canvas awaiting paint...<br />
(or rather plants!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yeknr9_o90ygWf8DjmjntpTeHJjTalkvpujE0jyt62KYGvrAHAVOixivuVrOhG9Iw6d3EaH7Pc7g0d6dBCFG-_mR66hOrhLJZcyRBQXfW7dphEDBXQydiwxZdEvbAPwtV05dFolEGJE/s1600/sq-spar-2014-Feb-wk3-layersofcountryside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yeknr9_o90ygWf8DjmjntpTeHJjTalkvpujE0jyt62KYGvrAHAVOixivuVrOhG9Iw6d3EaH7Pc7g0d6dBCFG-_mR66hOrhLJZcyRBQXfW7dphEDBXQydiwxZdEvbAPwtV05dFolEGJE/s1600/sq-spar-2014-Feb-wk3-layersofcountryside.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ewes are due to lamb in 6 weeks so <br />
are lying down more often</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRltwWoO3SQf5NpAVWdZKYGeD9kulM5bELXirnY1ZqV5hBngRs5z8BneIYUC3368-hdcWlBs-rk84fHks2w2gDEZg8cBa62NhXCOohumEeBBpMPU2wOcTlIUJDImn8kPbBwwmUEfSLFSY/s1600/NATURE-2014-Feb-snowdrops-good.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRltwWoO3SQf5NpAVWdZKYGeD9kulM5bELXirnY1ZqV5hBngRs5z8BneIYUC3368-hdcWlBs-rk84fHks2w2gDEZg8cBa62NhXCOohumEeBBpMPU2wOcTlIUJDImn8kPbBwwmUEfSLFSY/s1600/NATURE-2014-Feb-snowdrops-good.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our snowdrops are in full bloom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAmAVyEXwt9NgdDnly_8YzAKjSjD3lgD6QRK2A_2dH2eD0EijiB3456RKInfjxKBeCL3rjlfZPZcSDOkwGBozFNBge_S_DDG_s7l5jtw7FJl6gAVVL02nmo3ioTxaTo9_k9Mu-YK4Q0g/s1600/NATURE-2014-Feb-yellowcrocuses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAmAVyEXwt9NgdDnly_8YzAKjSjD3lgD6QRK2A_2dH2eD0EijiB3456RKInfjxKBeCL3rjlfZPZcSDOkwGBozFNBge_S_DDG_s7l5jtw7FJl6gAVVL02nmo3ioTxaTo9_k9Mu-YK4Q0g/s1600/NATURE-2014-Feb-yellowcrocuses.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crocuses (or croci!) aren't far behind</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjS2JIBJ_HZ9SjyWVz7ojXCHsVy93ehkFwcYLsAapvWiZIF3487Rz282b0LoAVuHj1Zw9RSremb-EP2zILM7xGCqtN_QUnQje0Ke1sE-wz4j7NnEzvY6-GZCxSzLh-IVfejygc_7qO7U/s1600/NATURE-2014-Feb-daffodil-buds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjS2JIBJ_HZ9SjyWVz7ojXCHsVy93ehkFwcYLsAapvWiZIF3487Rz282b0LoAVuHj1Zw9RSremb-EP2zILM7xGCqtN_QUnQje0Ke1sE-wz4j7NnEzvY6-GZCxSzLh-IVfejygc_7qO7U/s1600/NATURE-2014-Feb-daffodil-buds.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the daffodils are sallying forth</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Finally, in other news, Yours Truly is seriously chuffed to have been asked back as one of the guest bloggers for this year’s <a href="http://crailfoodfest.co.uk/2013/03/29/seriously-good-venison-tops-the-menu/?fb_source=pubv1">Crail Food Festival</a>. As you may remember, last year’s assignments took me to two very different (but equally wonderful) local food producers, <a href="https://www.seriouslygoodvenison.co.uk/">Seriously Good Venison</a> and <a href="http://www.pittenweemchocolate.co.uk/">Pittenweem Chocolate Company</a>. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Needless to say, this eager foodie is on the edge of her seat waiting to see where she’ll be assigned in 2014. Bring it on!</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBfX_vRIXOpH6T2d8RP8p5d33jp6QwmW60VqHHLz4d-YYWRIU8VVLfqYKdgLWtj9kFmrAOH76A3-jtuZMlTurkU-cSWfUIrqQahnoaHWPh14JmCOV6Evpw6r2m25PwIb7lE4fkwG1vTc/s1600/Crail-FF-workshop-truffles-incases.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBfX_vRIXOpH6T2d8RP8p5d33jp6QwmW60VqHHLz4d-YYWRIU8VVLfqYKdgLWtj9kFmrAOH76A3-jtuZMlTurkU-cSWfUIrqQahnoaHWPh14JmCOV6Evpw6r2m25PwIb7lE4fkwG1vTc/s1600/Crail-FF-workshop-truffles-incases.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fruits of my labours at the Chocolate Workshop...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iwUGxoWbZu4b4IaRxhb5hxf9I4dkhCKOM7_TLqfwgSqVUB8OsjHZ0JUprP9wuyN5tmVlCZilix-7NnxPf3A7xue5TJQ3wxXJQf6XTikOtSpFXGHIJJ_3J30Mq-zRJkr-8xW-f8h2PSw/s1600/Crail-FF-13-antlers-horns.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1iwUGxoWbZu4b4IaRxhb5hxf9I4dkhCKOM7_TLqfwgSqVUB8OsjHZ0JUprP9wuyN5tmVlCZilix-7NnxPf3A7xue5TJQ3wxXJQf6XTikOtSpFXGHIJJ_3J30Mq-zRJkr-8xW-f8h2PSw/s1600/Crail-FF-13-antlers-horns.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Appropriate decoration in the Seriously <br />
Good Venison office</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-69269083470098456392014-01-24T19:11:00.000-08:002014-01-24T19:19:49.077-08:00Chocolate cake, lots of cheese and...er... more chocolate cake!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCANzCpXWR0nZvTGLWFQoWxvGgZaZjyTJ-a2sczjN9Hxwi3RUEsLHJh7ZYYIdFVclxjJxvN_VlzGy1K6lzQugwt9efRMOZ09tuUAg3NmUzX3v7BxRXKVBEelWppGNaJwm8FtU_PdynLM/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-fruit-basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCANzCpXWR0nZvTGLWFQoWxvGgZaZjyTJ-a2sczjN9Hxwi3RUEsLHJh7ZYYIdFVclxjJxvN_VlzGy1K6lzQugwt9efRMOZ09tuUAg3NmUzX3v7BxRXKVBEelWppGNaJwm8FtU_PdynLM/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-fruit-basket.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">My New Year's resolution was to eat more fruit <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> surely<br />
raspberry chocolate counts as a fruit?!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">And we're off </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> racing headlong into another year... In fact to my horror, I realised tonight that we’re
almost at the end of the first month of said year and not a single post has graced this blog.
The following will, therefore, be a shamefully quick synopsis of the past few weeks in and around
the Sparrowholding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Of course, I
should love to report that Yours Truly has been existing, since the New Year dawned, on a diet consisting
solely of limp lettuce leaves and ultra-ultra-low-fat salad dressing. That would,
however, be a blatant lie, as the photos below will testify. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">OK, so I know January
is supposed to be a month of complete culinary abstinence after the excesses of
the Christmas period, and I genuinely had such good intentions… However, they
have been soundly thwarted this month by invitations to two 50<sup>th</sup>
birthday parties, an evening of Indian indulgence with my bridesmaids (thanks
to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chatni-Methven/100229110040728?ref=ts&fref=ts">Chatni in Methven</a>!), plus a Scottish-themed girls’ supper in the nearby town. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So, in short,
I lay full responsibility for my failure to fast firmly at the door of my
lovely friends </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">– </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">possibly aided and abetted by the lack of exercise caused by my dodgy heel, which has seen me
out of “proper” sporting action (i.e. hockey) for months. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Needless to say, I’ll be making a huge
effort on the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">healthy</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">eating front for the whole of February (which will be
less of an ordeal, because there are three days fewer on which to
be good – a cunning plan, n’est-ce pas?).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But for now,
here’s a snapshot record of the eclectic comestibles that have come my way
during January… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bxB8cACGiXIAyGCizq3hnMknGOsBo_mMe6flLS-_1aQ404DGYX2P7MRg9db1Z-VL8cYcUnoSF2b-g_q5oqoOkS8SlpYr3ITVVpdJJd422zs1wchaEhk5Dhdo725yaa3ZDG0M2e79dys/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-raclette-burner-table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0bxB8cACGiXIAyGCizq3hnMknGOsBo_mMe6flLS-_1aQ404DGYX2P7MRg9db1Z-VL8cYcUnoSF2b-g_q5oqoOkS8SlpYr3ITVVpdJJd422zs1wchaEhk5Dhdo725yaa3ZDG0M2e79dys/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-raclette-burner-table.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our best wedding presents, nearly 24 years ago, was <br />
an electric raclette grill from a kind German friend. A <br />
brilliant way to enjoy cheese with family and friends :-) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zDtSmqByI_4HeXiEQg-vQm-0yvuA0D9xejA_50kfAtFAlkrnx-cTHPDvCTU6LMWTqxfqXLdHKZaEGDmCERhuvOOHtToG-cztNq4FOGUtU7hAJzxNgKUMXJca0YtxiHv2zey5YYqDfzI/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-raclette-burner-focus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zDtSmqByI_4HeXiEQg-vQm-0yvuA0D9xejA_50kfAtFAlkrnx-cTHPDvCTU6LMWTqxfqXLdHKZaEGDmCERhuvOOHtToG-cztNq4FOGUtU7hAJzxNgKUMXJca0YtxiHv2zey5YYqDfzI/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-raclette-burner-focus.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Swiss way: just melt the raclette cheese (ours came<br />
from <a href="http://lochlevenslarder.com/">Loch Leven's Larder </a>near Kinross) and serve with<br />
baked potatoes, gherkins, pickled onions and salad. We<br />
also had home-made chutney (see below for photos<br />
of the making of said savoury delight!).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2xPIW5fAlc3VzsxIJmFFRM7ciikBljybz_88rjPgk4i232EbxnBDPZJX_-rN0QbYm6LbSnPKIow7YetAwtKAdi5JH37iSKuAX2epb6fBPKlMpgoBvMUzMMWVCnZGY8yOTWAsRSzfOMg/s1600/FOOD-French-gateau-des-rois.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS2xPIW5fAlc3VzsxIJmFFRM7ciikBljybz_88rjPgk4i232EbxnBDPZJX_-rN0QbYm6LbSnPKIow7YetAwtKAdi5JH37iSKuAX2epb6fBPKlMpgoBvMUzMMWVCnZGY8yOTWAsRSzfOMg/s1600/FOOD-French-gateau-des-rois.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeping up the continental theme... This lovely French cake<br />
arrived in the post after Christmas <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> an edible New Year's<br />
greeting from friends in France. Most welcome :-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBmBKz4VRXJNpAV6hby7iGcPKSGfAs3qv30P3f4ArGReob90xfmtXalQGZxC4VQoPPaMfWPhf6TzAGphQ4j48D5aei3XZbtCqvfsGPTL9WlYqKRvvgKMdv-ulogzbtj4QaiYbiuddlVc/s1600/RUTH-50-Dec13-puds-cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBmBKz4VRXJNpAV6hby7iGcPKSGfAs3qv30P3f4ArGReob90xfmtXalQGZxC4VQoPPaMfWPhf6TzAGphQ4j48D5aei3XZbtCqvfsGPTL9WlYqKRvvgKMdv-ulogzbtj4QaiYbiuddlVc/s1600/RUTH-50-Dec13-puds-cheese.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As the old year closed, I had the privilege of attending an old <br />
schoolfriend's 50th birthday supper, prepared and served <br />
by her four children. After a delicious stew, our choice was<br />
banoffee pie, lemon posset or a platter of cheese. Wow!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qsF9aJNtQ6wySIx7qtTe09vArTY15dMLGm-IIBhdjFHMbjZT7s9aDqA3e1tgw4LfZNDKjeSOuj49ErJeF5n5tA8lX92xagtMhQNuKoo7Ssz8vhoi8ZwiB9HpbQII53QJaiKiUgNi-1g/s1600/RUTH-50-Dec13-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qsF9aJNtQ6wySIx7qtTe09vArTY15dMLGm-IIBhdjFHMbjZT7s9aDqA3e1tgw4LfZNDKjeSOuj49ErJeF5n5tA8lX92xagtMhQNuKoo7Ssz8vhoi8ZwiB9HpbQII53QJaiKiUgNi-1g/s1600/RUTH-50-Dec13-cake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And of course, there was birthday cake - better still, a<br />
chocolate birthday cake. The sponge was as light as a<br />
feather (so it was definitely safe to have two pieces!).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Within a week, yet another good friend turned 50, so undaunted I set out in the dark for the 90-minute drive to Montrose, to meet up with the rest of the party-goers at a restaurant I'd never frequented before: "<a href="http://www.roosleap.com/">Roo's Leap</a>". As the name suggests, the "tucker" was essentially Australian - though there were also oriental, European and South American influences. The food was great, though even this very hungry horse struggled a tad at the size of the portions!</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif29QbkKGb2A8l5YSZ6j21O8N5yUGmRtmFSEminTirFyBPvhewMqAxfddbtvIyzDTdwAytuRvOMEK8tz7eipnjmJMYIfgsszDQpfW6B9vnPQaJ__uaJ_DivhPxBKN-z6ENZb75its2UJM/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-roos-leap-nachos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif29QbkKGb2A8l5YSZ6j21O8N5yUGmRtmFSEminTirFyBPvhewMqAxfddbtvIyzDTdwAytuRvOMEK8tz7eipnjmJMYIfgsszDQpfW6B9vnPQaJ__uaJ_DivhPxBKN-z6ENZb75its2UJM/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-roos-leap-nachos.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roo's Leap certainly believes in kicking off the way they mean<br />
mean to go on: this giant plate of nachos was just for starters!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn674ryApEi8Jj3KUAeJtsdjFTHEOlGLRyBCD6VPd8FlldeaGE_87c4KDPZogdm0-Hzyhc5VBQOmiXv_VwngVbEsKGBVEjjb_b9Zd-pZrikezUcQE3S20McEPs4_fOXtB6zIDxygDiDrQ/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-roos-leap-chicken-satay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn674ryApEi8Jj3KUAeJtsdjFTHEOlGLRyBCD6VPd8FlldeaGE_87c4KDPZogdm0-Hzyhc5VBQOmiXv_VwngVbEsKGBVEjjb_b9Zd-pZrikezUcQE3S20McEPs4_fOXtB6zIDxygDiDrQ/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-roos-leap-chicken-satay.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken satay for main? Don't mind if I do...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic35WoisfclqJXOQ5Y0aH2f1_ZXkhBQ0YA4VUh3Ce_huSK_-SciOWPbNZHRiUEedCtpnsHKZqyklT1JuFL2M6mKSPeV1KMXRcwcw5YxjbKEML3QWmnG1IkZcgEPnRx5V4MobD_CFxVzs4/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-roos-leap-hot-fudge-sundae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic35WoisfclqJXOQ5Y0aH2f1_ZXkhBQ0YA4VUh3Ce_huSK_-SciOWPbNZHRiUEedCtpnsHKZqyklT1JuFL2M6mKSPeV1KMXRcwcw5YxjbKEML3QWmnG1IkZcgEPnRx5V4MobD_CFxVzs4/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-roos-leap-hot-fudge-sundae.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And of course no meal is complete<br />
without a hot fudge sundae...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOh5tCvCeaQCH4TZ-xJOBxeQqM1l_C6xM2nmbXHxs50pV_Ob5tbom_r9TsmHQZlTnamIVpon7nqIB-Y-XHTwmRX7vPH2TozTwB2QMIGris62acoHVsBRJI00SS-lbbRgI8Qv8urvoffI/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-roos-leap-choc-50th-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOh5tCvCeaQCH4TZ-xJOBxeQqM1l_C6xM2nmbXHxs50pV_Ob5tbom_r9TsmHQZlTnamIVpon7nqIB-Y-XHTwmRX7vPH2TozTwB2QMIGris62acoHVsBRJI00SS-lbbRgI8Qv8urvoffI/s1600/FOOD-2014-Jan-roos-leap-choc-50th-cake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oops! Mustn't forget the gorgeous <br />
birthday cake (rude not to try a piece...)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5t7pxgjdfpGuV6-VT4cY0iy7vm1QVGg1wONVovD7MA88nyMVJzLlCQdtCNKbCiKGacUVQH48aTg3XgQx-KHYC5QMi-2RiAX_kRClGZK5g7UQjZUea0Y_wWiIfoWgrTE9b36PM6L1EnI/s1600/FOOD-2014-chocolate-heart-bday-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5t7pxgjdfpGuV6-VT4cY0iy7vm1QVGg1wONVovD7MA88nyMVJzLlCQdtCNKbCiKGacUVQH48aTg3XgQx-KHYC5QMi-2RiAX_kRClGZK5g7UQjZUea0Y_wWiIfoWgrTE9b36PM6L1EnI/s1600/FOOD-2014-chocolate-heart-bday-cake.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">And talking of chocolate cake, DD1 made this one for<br />
one of her best friends at Uni this week. Just as well they're<br />
safely down in the deep south, or I'd have been tempted!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Continuing the theme of delicious dining in January (which will conclude next Friday night with the local Church Burns Supper, just to round things off nicely!), I was lucky enough to be invited to a local friend's house for a girly supper just two nights ago. Fortunately for the seven guests in attendance, our hostess is blessed with the culinary equivalent of green fingers (floury fingers?!). The meal was absolutely superb </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and the dining-room looked pretty darned good, too...</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUjpw-TerEhjU88Be8Mm2BHPY78FBEoIBYxgmFsQMAoH45Ozy5ahyvAYkVtj542CQmEucD6A7BP1q5E_errw-7NBvPDaMDovak76Lrg8Abd5Uwtz66hGFTItfA0fUrlXcStTBqMblGrQ/s1600/FOOD-Moiras-table-Jan14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggUjpw-TerEhjU88Be8Mm2BHPY78FBEoIBYxgmFsQMAoH45Ozy5ahyvAYkVtj542CQmEucD6A7BP1q5E_errw-7NBvPDaMDovak76Lrg8Abd5Uwtz66hGFTItfA0fUrlXcStTBqMblGrQ/s1600/FOOD-Moiras-table-Jan14.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No table I have ever set looked as lovely as this: the centre-<br />
piece was comprised of twigs decorated with white flowers <br />
and tiny tartan bows. What a hostess!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvoH7VCjznVY_yNSc6Q8M0VXWAzYddDHY8KNcEcQbN-iMDwn-iyV6_Hcz9yYRGTJhVek2KYAKBvP4pxwTFIIVa9RPoNCHWbWtYz6_t1s4G3rnZ4lTwXqeR6oh9D9CtlzAPd-bs32p0fPE/s1600/FOOD-Moiras-quail-Jan14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvoH7VCjznVY_yNSc6Q8M0VXWAzYddDHY8KNcEcQbN-iMDwn-iyV6_Hcz9yYRGTJhVek2KYAKBvP4pxwTFIIVa9RPoNCHWbWtYz6_t1s4G3rnZ4lTwXqeR6oh9D9CtlzAPd-bs32p0fPE/s1600/FOOD-Moiras-quail-Jan14.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After sampling Arbroath smokie on oatcakes for starters, I<br />
tasted quail for the first time in my life: it was served in a port<br />
jus, with chestnuts and skirlie. Fiddly to eat, but delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lSZQGoZueJ8gWgkcsRX0O0jtZ_LjaD34CO1142aJ1fpFN9HQBSxJ-P4Hq3oD9YAOsTRE-tvcVbKjmk-WQJpf-tI5n-ObCnSaoon87YJN_SbApd57Rs9wkDjQpZN0ss2kSEWPmzcZ37s/s1600/FOOD-moiras-trifle-Jan14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7lSZQGoZueJ8gWgkcsRX0O0jtZ_LjaD34CO1142aJ1fpFN9HQBSxJ-P4Hq3oD9YAOsTRE-tvcVbKjmk-WQJpf-tI5n-ObCnSaoon87YJN_SbApd57Rs9wkDjQpZN0ss2kSEWPmzcZ37s/s1600/FOOD-moiras-trifle-Jan14.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This orange and fig trifle was simply one of the best deserts I've<br />
ever tasted. Fabulously fruity (large chunks of fresh orange), <br />
with the cream nicely complemented by the slight tartness of<br />
the pomegranate seeds on top. Pudding heaven on earth...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzkWQ7q1pYfnbqTDGeCKgDtXH3EtoRVrQXsluzKTeVObsu9xMWOXJeHU5gOLxyvNzZCOO0smSN2Ihj41GZXfkjB_C1hIQ2XFjFl3B9e6YXP1AZHbZNzJCsWgHQRy4ypr9xiRn9evnBLc/s1600/FOOD-2013-Dec-chutney-chopped-veg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzkWQ7q1pYfnbqTDGeCKgDtXH3EtoRVrQXsluzKTeVObsu9xMWOXJeHU5gOLxyvNzZCOO0smSN2Ihj41GZXfkjB_C1hIQ2XFjFl3B9e6YXP1AZHbZNzJCsWgHQRy4ypr9xiRn9evnBLc/s1600/FOOD-2013-Dec-chutney-chopped-veg.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You may remember I mentioned serving home-made chutney<br />
with our raclette supper. We'd had a glut of green tomatoes<br />
from the polytunnel, so it seemed criminal to waste them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghTLF18PfPpkEkMyB2RPv6U2jY6Z8tMchvb_ojD9OPjKs4G1EOLLu3uDxFfggYJ-QXv5oTTv2ThOWnzURPlnEROev99ofoKeoOAjCXrMVR4oEB81yCWLydI1Q-OS_CcOajRLT-LFCjdDk/s1600/FOOD-2013-Dec-chutney-raisins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghTLF18PfPpkEkMyB2RPv6U2jY6Z8tMchvb_ojD9OPjKs4G1EOLLu3uDxFfggYJ-QXv5oTTv2ThOWnzURPlnEROev99ofoKeoOAjCXrMVR4oEB81yCWLydI1Q-OS_CcOajRLT-LFCjdDk/s1600/FOOD-2013-Dec-chutney-raisins.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And in go the raisins...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbki8hoWjr1tqr3nSEz35BvaYeMPwv0eFqey3YYPmBJW88xVpkXdfTizvi0VyfX1NqqXhWOz341IhYEeT26UALArGD5y9wLQx7HKeCZ-AeaDASiD8yRAJid5suX45lM4GW9A-81iZa81c/s1600/FOOD-2013-Dec-chutney-jar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbki8hoWjr1tqr3nSEz35BvaYeMPwv0eFqey3YYPmBJW88xVpkXdfTizvi0VyfX1NqqXhWOz341IhYEeT26UALArGD5y9wLQx7HKeCZ-AeaDASiD8yRAJid5suX45lM4GW9A-81iZa81c/s1600/FOOD-2013-Dec-chutney-jar.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the finished result <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">–</span> it doesn't look anything special,<br />
but (to my incredulity!) it tastes pretty good!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Last but not least, here’s a brief summary of what the furry, hairy and woolly critters hereabouts have been up to of late…</span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRmDdpOLOlbsWRV7pFDzdGPfr0nlW6gsEGdyMJnInxqevDKuRCbO1YaITfR030JyprnSAiaI_OhvdOL0TxrfTVy-3d9kcc-fSGP5icKHKtmzKQir-QALS4cie9BneDzJ0NcgmRmDR1Zs/s1600/CHUCK-Horace-Jan14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPRmDdpOLOlbsWRV7pFDzdGPfr0nlW6gsEGdyMJnInxqevDKuRCbO1YaITfR030JyprnSAiaI_OhvdOL0TxrfTVy-3d9kcc-fSGP5icKHKtmzKQir-QALS4cie9BneDzJ0NcgmRmDR1Zs/s1600/CHUCK-Horace-Jan14.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a wuss of a puss! FatCat slunk away, tail between his<br />
legs when new cat on the block Horace arrived "in town".</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rWL8PRlK-Y5NXIEDXuHsuwPSXUy9cEF2M-f6oYgjyCINT747m6D-UVJ3_L1vF6PO-iS7W82vVj8K2kKpiee_sI6XV_OJ3VKLpRQTTUpyHJkBJVLW-n_4YLzt4v8kXqqr9i1Tqg9FJ8c/s1600/halleys-2014-Jan-columbine-at-speed-sun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6rWL8PRlK-Y5NXIEDXuHsuwPSXUy9cEF2M-f6oYgjyCINT747m6D-UVJ3_L1vF6PO-iS7W82vVj8K2kKpiee_sI6XV_OJ3VKLpRQTTUpyHJkBJVLW-n_4YLzt4v8kXqqr9i1Tqg9FJ8c/s1600/halleys-2014-Jan-columbine-at-speed-sun.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FatHorse and the chocolate sheep enjoyed a little winter<br />
sun on their backs - their paddock is a mud-bath most<br />
of the time at the moment, thanks to relentless rain.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtTsVgNFLFEX4mcCMftMlLXPnYGfECv-cTDgUKnHB50OjdSqQ9oq9gPhET3HJ98JN1o0kxjjbw7BbXsxX8LfJlySE9KdjfLSOog9DjJdYXBmlNSEr4YG0zBYA9TYPz3keaSdE1IPlee8/s1600/SHEEP-three-heads-trough-Jan14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVtTsVgNFLFEX4mcCMftMlLXPnYGfECv-cTDgUKnHB50OjdSqQ9oq9gPhET3HJ98JN1o0kxjjbw7BbXsxX8LfJlySE9KdjfLSOog9DjJdYXBmlNSEr4YG0zBYA9TYPz3keaSdE1IPlee8/s1600/SHEEP-three-heads-trough-Jan14.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast's been served up, so it's heads down at the trough!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbFrxlg7kZtjbliR2OIXrOK-34u_TXAsEzhiMFbFcQHLB54PoO8-Xv-U9ymM2w_LY9cvVJaPl1nZ9XcjiVBCcd9oRmvbEJVZkif1mWohixFM6YGfI_MGJrW17-t6uQx1NF-j-khIjguE/s1600/SHEEP-Mungo-frontview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnbFrxlg7kZtjbliR2OIXrOK-34u_TXAsEzhiMFbFcQHLB54PoO8-Xv-U9ymM2w_LY9cvVJaPl1nZ9XcjiVBCcd9oRmvbEJVZkif1mWohixFM6YGfI_MGJrW17-t6uQx1NF-j-khIjguE/s1600/SHEEP-Mungo-frontview.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To our amusement, the new kids next door (owners of <br />
Horace!) have nicknamed Mungo the tup (ram) "No go" <br />
because of his fearsome horns. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWm3NPOU33G_nu5ksvk8lvtgCGFKVE1OjuFJxUq27MchpnuMKVEXTdJlSADm3zlKNuKfsY56TNJa2h71GWMljbhO6YHY7oQJ8UVLEI7eWQSxU-gAgvtdRy0tlDh_qt3XXJuuGPWkhPME/s1600/HALLEYs-2014-columbine-impatient.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWm3NPOU33G_nu5ksvk8lvtgCGFKVE1OjuFJxUq27MchpnuMKVEXTdJlSADm3zlKNuKfsY56TNJa2h71GWMljbhO6YHY7oQJ8UVLEI7eWQSxU-gAgvtdRy0tlDh_qt3XXJuuGPWkhPME/s1600/HALLEYs-2014-columbine-impatient.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You just can't get the staff these days," <br />
reckons FatHorse each breakfast time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span id="goog_1373022995"></span><span id="goog_1373022996"></span><br /></div>
</div>
Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-55768395163293218652013-12-27T18:34:00.000-08:002013-12-27T18:51:06.705-08:00Smoked Salmon Roulade - an easy-peasy starter<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This simple starter would be ideal for New Year's day lunch with family and friends. DD1 made it for our starter on Christmas Day this year, and it went down a treat with all three generations present round the table.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All you need is: around 450g of smoked salmon slices; lemon juice (and lemon slices to garnish); a large pack of Philly cheese (the deep container); greaseproof paper and clingfilm.</span></div>
</td></tr>
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</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYfPWcm9g-L6mqipntlpLHCdjQnO1jdRY8l9nJLnYqFIECcZdDqh1eByz1wqv_z3DIJcnff_RxgcXRot2gO_Nr6K2iDBsaAOs5-MTJklrH_wIXlvS9mtDQ4OBclWF-q-JNLydiHw4kC4/s1600/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYfPWcm9g-L6mqipntlpLHCdjQnO1jdRY8l9nJLnYqFIECcZdDqh1eByz1wqv_z3DIJcnff_RxgcXRot2gO_Nr6K2iDBsaAOs5-MTJklrH_wIXlvS9mtDQ4OBclWF-q-JNLydiHw4kC4/s320/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spread about three-quarters of a 300g pack of salmon<br />out flat over a sheet of greaseproof paper.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBitSE-Hp4FXandk34q0Gz0hIkEW2vGLbTp2NyL2wPOZM2NxnajLkk-2kVQCKsDlR84PxxSsjbSkKvv0ZX-w6G-AXxBI6RXfETg6PiZm3A-y2g-baoilrnGtPqwM3Y4bi0_c4SG97RE5k/s1600/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBitSE-Hp4FXandk34q0Gz0hIkEW2vGLbTp2NyL2wPOZM2NxnajLkk-2kVQCKsDlR84PxxSsjbSkKvv0ZX-w6G-AXxBI6RXfETg6PiZm3A-y2g-baoilrnGtPqwM3Y4bi0_c4SG97RE5k/s320/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In a food processor, blend a large pack of Philadelphia </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cheese (plain)with several teaspoons of lemon juice (to taste) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and 150g smoked salmon. Place the mixture in a large </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oblong shape on the carpet of salmon (see above).</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-T3CeHix6hQ-ZDuwXD2v3bXTOneL-oLaUn6iciMfn8Nb0KXc-QfYp0XOeqVakEomxcXd-KcpswvHnZuwyP5OFbtEb086mft-_ehyA5vY8JpMTVjtmz-xo3oBNVJ-hrDhay_rezNgb7c/s1600/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-T3CeHix6hQ-ZDuwXD2v3bXTOneL-oLaUn6iciMfn8Nb0KXc-QfYp0XOeqVakEomxcXd-KcpswvHnZuwyP5OFbtEb086mft-_ehyA5vY8JpMTVjtmz-xo3oBNVJ-hrDhay_rezNgb7c/s320/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-3.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carefully use the greaseproof paper to lift the salmon<br />carpet up and roll it over in the same way as you'd <br />assemble a Swiss roll, with the Philly in the middle.</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KMqePXtuNg65NNIkStWeB2GLVU8fn_r-qXeQG87ejwHCShNo81qXTCECM8TJ2NvxUMfWOH201YkhpxOJsSQK9bbDcoeSkpg17VWjw9HoqG9rrcgCxL1lj_9xRdkxkC_REfSFHtb08tE/s1600/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KMqePXtuNg65NNIkStWeB2GLVU8fn_r-qXeQG87ejwHCShNo81qXTCECM8TJ2NvxUMfWOH201YkhpxOJsSQK9bbDcoeSkpg17VWjw9HoqG9rrcgCxL1lj_9xRdkxkC_REfSFHtb08tE/s320/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-4.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep rolling until a long sausage shape is formed (see </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">photos above and below).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZabZqM2Q-imkC55pJ6vvSrA7f4NhZtCO7UqucUb6lNStze2s_sfUM8sQzHZI4NoLIL3N7aU-aZzXjKQywCLjRX9PGy0S5hnEqoEftUmKQIbTSChllYvBS69FIyjjaoGq-omdqf_pND3k/s1600/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZabZqM2Q-imkC55pJ6vvSrA7f4NhZtCO7UqucUb6lNStze2s_sfUM8sQzHZI4NoLIL3N7aU-aZzXjKQywCLjRX9PGy0S5hnEqoEftUmKQIbTSChllYvBS69FIyjjaoGq-omdqf_pND3k/s320/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-5.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcvGsIRlEPYc3P6KAyBQdUtkLhhsPgc6frXSVCWBUEDcz2AhTPBaNE8f-1OrJLBMvs5Vi7Dc_zmLoxnjY4lSh0DlpSsHapG6y7K_FlqONcU41uUGepxY_gQRr7Jsj6JCluGkPrbIxhqg/s1600/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcvGsIRlEPYc3P6KAyBQdUtkLhhsPgc6frXSVCWBUEDcz2AhTPBaNE8f-1OrJLBMvs5Vi7Dc_zmLoxnjY4lSh0DlpSsHapG6y7K_FlqONcU41uUGepxY_gQRr7Jsj6JCluGkPrbIxhqg/s320/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-6.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roll the completed salmon roulade up in the greaseproof<br />sheet and then wrap the resultant parcel in clingfilm. Place <br />in the fridge for an hour to allow to chill.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88lR1F3_cpcEvqURMY9HXY3YFUPdzKkIz8CfK4dpbO8OZ9CV7_DKNKnOEbkrlYFlD-Wgs5qiEhk7Qhay1OoD5wq6yvi8uvHPGXyaDswcnG-YgeU9xI2abFQX-RGvxsamJPBrkvUWtz0k/s1600/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-1A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh88lR1F3_cpcEvqURMY9HXY3YFUPdzKkIz8CfK4dpbO8OZ9CV7_DKNKnOEbkrlYFlD-Wgs5qiEhk7Qhay1OoD5wq6yvi8uvHPGXyaDswcnG-YgeU9xI2abFQX-RGvxsamJPBrkvUWtz0k/s320/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-1A.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remove the clingfilm and unwrap the salmon roulade from<br /> the greaseproof paper and slice as shown below. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktxUHZoCk_BVhwJXrNDsIsE0BW0BXaxIOohizold5gj6Y8qSBKCwYADo84HeUXoaT3y8DDDEDKWmWDjG1yMKNSDq_QbG3l1k9g5YwraKxlZf3D08xm4yqkI-xC3yvyo6Bj5ocsRPZxkc/s1600/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-1B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktxUHZoCk_BVhwJXrNDsIsE0BW0BXaxIOohizold5gj6Y8qSBKCwYADo84HeUXoaT3y8DDDEDKWmWDjG1yMKNSDq_QbG3l1k9g5YwraKxlZf3D08xm4yqkI-xC3yvyo6Bj5ocsRPZxkc/s320/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-1B.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slice the salmon roulade - Be very gentle, as<br />otherwise you'll end up flattening the roulade!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA-iJCsWmA7ppP436kthv6Qx1Y2opwp-Xisvo9vsSV-iT-_dMA9CaNuTawMoZcOeyQgw9x7AwZarN1SjN5hEbGGzoTEJ-2Y43tRGZU-1ulxy1xjipmGRmgeXX1wEvbBgPS-tDK1Cb2u0/s1600/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-1C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA-iJCsWmA7ppP436kthv6Qx1Y2opwp-Xisvo9vsSV-iT-_dMA9CaNuTawMoZcOeyQgw9x7AwZarN1SjN5hEbGGzoTEJ-2Y43tRGZU-1ulxy1xjipmGRmgeXX1wEvbBgPS-tDK1Cb2u0/s320/RECIPES-smoked-salmon-mousse-1C.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Serve two slices of roulade per person, with a half moon of <br />cucumber slices and a scattering of salad leaves. Garnish <br />with a small slice of lemon.</span></td></tr>
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<br />Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-53899894599534430872013-12-20T18:11:00.002-08:002013-12-20T18:23:28.134-08:00Square Sparrow 2013 - the Antidote to Round Robins<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvU_PGoyK93o8LkvLVyIEY_aKSqlcKW_oA60eKtnP2Atjltko1Ok8cu-h1_t0Xjt875dVDb5mAXVULvDePUDkNgOanTn-CLFxPXj8uYnLl4Q_jelq6ahzWg1JyXU8X3H4eCB6fnpj_Ic/s1600/Xmas-holly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMvU_PGoyK93o8LkvLVyIEY_aKSqlcKW_oA60eKtnP2Atjltko1Ok8cu-h1_t0Xjt875dVDb5mAXVULvDePUDkNgOanTn-CLFxPXj8uYnLl4Q_jelq6ahzWg1JyXU8X3H4eCB6fnpj_Ic/s320/Xmas-holly.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We wish you a berry Christmas!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Since
the first Christmas catalogue of 2013 ricocheted off the doormat in early
August (and was promptly consigned to the recycling bin), Yours Truly has been trying
assiduously to avoid even the faintest mention of the festive season.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">However,
November is already but a distant memory, and December seems to be galloping past
at high speed – giving even Rudolph, Donner, Blitzen & Co. a pretty good
run for their money. Alas, it would seem that Yours Truly can prevaricate, procrastinate
and postpone no longer: the time has finally come to pen the annual epistle...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">DD1
(now 22) spent the first half of the year continuing her <s>pâtisserie</s>
language studies in Paris, but at the end of June – much to her “grand chagrin”
– her stint in the fabulous French capital came to an end. After a patience-testing month minding dozens
of recalcitrant foreign students at a Cambridge language school, she spent
August completing a three-week internship with a commercial law firm in London,
which was followed by a week in their Brussels office. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Evidently
they didn’t try hard enough to put her off their profession, and the upshot of
her summer brush with the law was a training contract with the said firm. This
means that once she finishes the French degree, she’ll fly off to a “coven for law
converts” in London, which will no doubt entail wearing more black gowns and poring
over yet more weighty tomes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
first things first: after a swift 10-day respite at home, our aspiring legal
eagle had to psych herself for her return to Oxford’s dreamy spires (though she
claims “perspiring dreams” more accurately describes the experience of the dreaded
final year at St Something’s). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She began the term training with the Blues ladies’
rugby squad, but her chances of Varsity were kicked into touch when a
(considerably larger) opponent landed on her ankle during a match, leaving it
distinctly mangled. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
only benefit of having to drop out of rugby for a while is that she has had
more time to devote to her customary marathon-length reading list, which
comprises around 100 impenetrable titles (none of which appeared even remotely tempting
to her cultural philistine of a mother!). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
lure of France is, it would seem, strong among Sparrowholding incumbents,
because while the start of summer 2013 saw the return from Gallic shores of DD1,
the end of the summer saw 20-year-old DD2 depart for an ERASMUS year at
Aix-Marseilles University in the south of France. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Until May 2014, she will be based
in the picturesque town of Aix-en-Provence – rather alarmingly the third most
expensive place to live in France after Paris and San Tropez. This explains why
she, too, was obliged to spend most of her summer at a language school in
Cambridge, managing a house full of edgy teenage English students “with
attitude”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Recent
perusals of her blog – the appropriately titled “An (Academic) Year in Provence”
– suggest that she is rapidly acquiring <s>a Mediterranean sun tan</s> the
French phrases essential to any self-respecting music student, including “Do
you know any sympathetic accompanists?” and “Where’s the nearest pub?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Hockey
is never too far from DD2’s thoughts, so she quickly sought out a local mixed
club, where (she claims) playing against men is “toughening up her game”. However,
anyone who has previously witnessed her physicality on the pitch in Scotland has
to feel a soupçon of sympathy for the poor unsuspecting French male hockey
players currently encountering the razor-sharp elbows of the “Ecossaise”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Son&Heir
(18) finally finished school in June, and it was debatable which were louder:
his sighs of relief or those of his teachers…He then spent most of the summer
honing techniques for avoiding tidying his midden of a bedroom, interspersed with
the occasional sortie into paid employment, e.g. using our garden wheelbarrow
to provide tent transportation services for festival-goers at nearby T in the
Park. Surprisingly, this proved a relatively
remunerative pursuit – almost compensating for the outlay on plasters for the myriad
blisters on his hands and feet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
the autumn, he took up residence in a basic-but-serviceable, six-person, third-floor
flat in Edinburgh with a “lovely” landlord who (we later discovered) has a
history of terrorising his tenants. Of course, after the heinous experience of
sharing a house with his invidious, evil mother for the past year, our intrepid
hero was unfazed by the prospect of one of Edinburgh’s worst landlords. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
other news, he has finally found a way of making hockey pay (i.e. stop playing
it and coach other people instead) and is currently doing a creditable
impression of Tom Cruise while learning the dark art of cocktail mixing in a
hip and trendy Edinburgh pub. So if you want “Sex on the Beach”, apparently he’s
your man…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">By
early October, our humble household had thus entered a momentous new phase:
after 22 years of full-on parenting, the final fledgling had flown the nest,
leaving HunterGatherer and Yours Truly frantically trying to remember what we
used to talk about in the BC (before child) era. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Fortunately, distractions
abound hereabouts in the form of a seriously untamed garden and
industrial-sized polytunnel (alias weed-breeding hothouse) plus 20 wild and
woolly Shetland sheep to chase after – though this is not recommended when
you’ve recently turned 50, are wearing wellies and are nursing a slightly torn
Achilles tendon…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">In
between all this, we attempt (when our middle-aged muscles permit) to play
hockey for our respective local teams and to fit in the mandatory day jobs, HG
wielding a spanner or a tractor and Yours Truly a virtual (red) pen. In short,
life is anything but empty – even if the nest is. Better still, although the
sheep may need herded occasionally, at least they don’t require picked up from
parties in the wee sma’ hours! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All
that remains is for me to thank you all for reading and commenting on this
eclectic collection of posts throughout 2013 and to wish you and your families a
wonderful Christmas and a healthy, happy New Year in 2014. As we say in these
parts, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">slàinte mhath </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt;">J</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOkB8m-nxwqjCxhknIVLaNAlXQMhpTOxwVgjZ1C0Vk7Ylp5z1gGxXjEPwdtujHc0rRjLIJ1AlhgoYGTQo2U9gnej5z9d-4FAu8L6gsx1w0k0h77mKGG7PMXoBGAAImtVVldHp1tzY6Yw/s1600/XMAS-baubles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOkB8m-nxwqjCxhknIVLaNAlXQMhpTOxwVgjZ1C0Vk7Ylp5z1gGxXjEPwdtujHc0rRjLIJ1AlhgoYGTQo2U9gnej5z9d-4FAu8L6gsx1w0k0h77mKGG7PMXoBGAAImtVVldHp1tzY6Yw/s320/XMAS-baubles.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May your days be happy and bright...</td></tr>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-37439639639792107292013-12-11T19:06:00.000-08:002013-12-11T19:06:29.687-08:00November and December: late strawbs, amorous sheep and fairy lights!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blink and you'll miss them... That's certainly how the last two weeks of November and first two of December have felt here at the Sparrowholding. So here's a quick compilation of photos of the local flora and fauna (including HunterGatherer!) taken over the past four weeks...</span><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqG7wGPMaVNq0UXoco0zILsos_22PM1-69Vlcjr_AxzYu4UEzedKt8nGYMvOS-aBW4ORRKgJXqFd6s_E7887fuKcmQcHso-m0U-dhfGraVP_O2eeSN-E9rJqaux_CZZWN4ce8MYHdM5c/s1600/NATURE-pink-buds-garden-Dec13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqG7wGPMaVNq0UXoco0zILsos_22PM1-69Vlcjr_AxzYu4UEzedKt8nGYMvOS-aBW4ORRKgJXqFd6s_E7887fuKcmQcHso-m0U-dhfGraVP_O2eeSN-E9rJqaux_CZZWN4ce8MYHdM5c/s320/NATURE-pink-buds-garden-Dec13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We love this pretty pink shrub that flowers all winter in<br /> the garden, though sadly we haven't a clue what it's called.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobS-kzPLKfLOFw-5Fs7X8cRDCJpx_oAmNaT47FojNm-H6FqGxj8ygXt3sGH6TabFaks2WXcqEdgONLVk0_0AMBzuO1VDHf_s-juRumAfh_jpB6f3LZY4VT0q15NBACIWLmj6do00VHpE/s1600/KINROSS-2013-Dec-lochlevencastle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobS-kzPLKfLOFw-5Fs7X8cRDCJpx_oAmNaT47FojNm-H6FqGxj8ygXt3sGH6TabFaks2WXcqEdgONLVk0_0AMBzuO1VDHf_s-juRumAfh_jpB6f3LZY4VT0q15NBACIWLmj6do00VHpE/s320/KINROSS-2013-Dec-lochlevencastle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loch Leven (seen in the background of the photo above<br />is just over a mile and a half from our house). Stunning....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsg_HEu-xOUCzrO3k7lov4QHmx7BIGS6fCcDNAiU_3WjrwD9K7Ii49eEDonbMGlyUk73Wm6PkpKEJfsQmeq9CNOtk2Xl8A6Euj4M5uYroB2honYWs61CKO8I8rO7Q3AeYHV4tf9qDCVw/s1600/sq-spar-nov13-week3-strawb-polytunnel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSsg_HEu-xOUCzrO3k7lov4QHmx7BIGS6fCcDNAiU_3WjrwD9K7Ii49eEDonbMGlyUk73Wm6PkpKEJfsQmeq9CNOtk2Xl8A6Euj4M5uYroB2honYWs61CKO8I8rO7Q3AeYHV4tf9qDCVw/s320/sq-spar-nov13-week3-strawb-polytunnel.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">This strawberry was growing in the polytunnel in the<br /> third week of November - not a bad effort :-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi6nApBa4XPgs8oE2mE23PoBH2NBPGhkP2qgibgx-MM05q5JL51MBzkxr4922YfKIhlRi0I2RHTPjLsSLTSlwhuEy7sFXM-eVG5g3uEryKYWuJVHTXFHAaBzyuvmxvQKSv9qwhPqhtAo/s1600/Sq-Spar-nov13-week1-tomatoripe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTi6nApBa4XPgs8oE2mE23PoBH2NBPGhkP2qgibgx-MM05q5JL51MBzkxr4922YfKIhlRi0I2RHTPjLsSLTSlwhuEy7sFXM-eVG5g3uEryKYWuJVHTXFHAaBzyuvmxvQKSv9qwhPqhtAo/s320/Sq-Spar-nov13-week1-tomatoripe.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same goes for this tomato - we harvested the last of them<br />in the third week of November, too. The chutney is busy<br />"ripening" in the jars as I type!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVt8qXvS2nXJVEJlo9l6u4LXjc2irZccuhcio0ygz445UNYkg54oZBs1_byV6p24B9A0BdPvrNAzigp1S3R41DrSbw5jKW6VGBoMtQ1uTMdmhC66oPFRzfzvh3TRJX3OhDb6FxgstkKN4/s1600/sq-spar-nov13-week3-polytunnel-before.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVt8qXvS2nXJVEJlo9l6u4LXjc2irZccuhcio0ygz445UNYkg54oZBs1_byV6p24B9A0BdPvrNAzigp1S3R41DrSbw5jKW6VGBoMtQ1uTMdmhC66oPFRzfzvh3TRJX3OhDb6FxgstkKN4/s320/sq-spar-nov13-week3-polytunnel-before.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yikes! After yielding asparagus, carrots, parsnips, potatoes<br />grapes, herbs, strawberries, tomatoes, courgettes, spinach <br />and runner beans, the polytunnel looks exhausted! <br />HunterGatherer has some digging to do, methinks...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTh7d8PmP9ZhRWH4xJt9-HX7TUPlkG-oQl_0kxnawfh9tdqTLZ4eQZ63rSiFTISnq5BNvPU2jB95kA5IXzaNj1CZBz3_IjkhENVMzQggAl8cUT664YH7C4kbb3P6ly0K6Z1m3pjjKJzM/s1600/sq-spar-nov13-week3-Mungo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTh7d8PmP9ZhRWH4xJt9-HX7TUPlkG-oQl_0kxnawfh9tdqTLZ4eQZ63rSiFTISnq5BNvPU2jB95kA5IXzaNj1CZBz3_IjkhENVMzQggAl8cUT664YH7C4kbb3P6ly0K6Z1m3pjjKJzM/s320/sq-spar-nov13-week3-Mungo.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mid-November was "tupping time" - Mungo the Magnificent<br />Shetland ram was looking his best for the occasion.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-Fn-gWp8TaTUVHXxc_LRodobkhR4YZAPETjWsrRgI5qQNHv2rkLWoyJRchFUGGBkbOcEGC0JMZG34EfmeHqbLO-YZHd9ixTkJN9UO2hZqm93d3_I8LYR78lkeJYwRluEdLMWB7G8EWM/s1600/SHEEP-nov13-week3-flock-sunshine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl-Fn-gWp8TaTUVHXxc_LRodobkhR4YZAPETjWsrRgI5qQNHv2rkLWoyJRchFUGGBkbOcEGC0JMZG34EfmeHqbLO-YZHd9ixTkJN9UO2hZqm93d3_I8LYR78lkeJYwRluEdLMWB7G8EWM/s320/SHEEP-nov13-week3-flock-sunshine.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Initially most of the girls seemed quite interested...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOizlEbFmJHYJPDVNckEjynrvQpo6bRat0izmaa6CanMPNVE6CAlJaudm2-yCvmS0XhkDdPY6SyRHuAJU269nkX37v_ce5Fjnnqvn1Ve_jHm0bFYaS2SLTkgDx2wUGdEnY33v5aNU-xA/s1600/sq-spar-nov13-week3-aj-sheeprunning.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLOizlEbFmJHYJPDVNckEjynrvQpo6bRat0izmaa6CanMPNVE6CAlJaudm2-yCvmS0XhkDdPY6SyRHuAJU269nkX37v_ce5Fjnnqvn1Ve_jHm0bFYaS2SLTkgDx2wUGdEnY33v5aNU-xA/s320/sq-spar-nov13-week3-aj-sheeprunning.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But not everyone was that keen! HunterGatherer's rugby <br />skills proved advantageous!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCQvpJtu8HNRiClijXAOFFufWBnRp5ye7PQkVMmgGQcVmgA5y5eYD0cQhntBcv3Tx3cVge74Bh4ZKA91r3PfnimV7DuBpS8b-38qUhaSs0LI4Jp3_6E2Et0DRZFyg97QVgkPIfkBk8zI/s1600/sq-spar-nov13-week3-postie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCQvpJtu8HNRiClijXAOFFufWBnRp5ye7PQkVMmgGQcVmgA5y5eYD0cQhntBcv3Tx3cVge74Bh4ZKA91r3PfnimV7DuBpS8b-38qUhaSs0LI4Jp3_6E2Et0DRZFyg97QVgkPIfkBk8zI/s320/sq-spar-nov13-week3-postie.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meanwhile, the postie arrived to find the track blocked<br />by our rudimentary sheep gates...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLsXvOknHG4V5bDHmtgkgdsREnI1RWTT8o6YveWAWcmWg_Sn8bdO8CD4O-2cD5mThGZ_UDa5XrW6SJQTNGbt8If3HVzioztWyBz5dvcth3M6bVLntV6YikpvwessXRpMMPHYfUomK4yk/s1600/sq-spar-nov13-week3-mungo-ewes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPLsXvOknHG4V5bDHmtgkgdsREnI1RWTT8o6YveWAWcmWg_Sn8bdO8CD4O-2cD5mThGZ_UDa5XrW6SJQTNGbt8If3HVzioztWyBz5dvcth3M6bVLntV6YikpvwessXRpMMPHYfUomK4yk/s320/sq-spar-nov13-week3-mungo-ewes.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eventually everyone was where they should be, and<br />Mungo wasted no time in snatching a quick kiss!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFWcyILv7yhb-MfWwfPB4mUe6UZ1VYC5DASE8TtbRSYKueIFGw6-Q19774BgVN8SgmUyBpQW6dlc-_5J8Sq3d3fdHbzhUx12lMy9a_efjmV4hsuP6NS6uLiUpUkqfavw60P2mJ7sXlcI/s1600/SHEEP-three-shades-wool.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUFWcyILv7yhb-MfWwfPB4mUe6UZ1VYC5DASE8TtbRSYKueIFGw6-Q19774BgVN8SgmUyBpQW6dlc-_5J8Sq3d3fdHbzhUx12lMy9a_efjmV4hsuP6NS6uLiUpUkqfavw60P2mJ7sXlcI/s320/SHEEP-three-shades-wool.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Couldn't resist photographing this year's wool - the<br />colours never cease to amaze me. So varied :-)<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcBk7w4zxfIYE354SQ7fyOaLNbcxneUBGINnV_bzvFFR0zwF3slmtXXgH1y5pg3o88QSz9UeXsg9HqCLmAhgbLPg35Ix09ftKl9vr-9m7m3KJ-f-tP_AUc5j3_dYvodQ_c_Evnluzocw/s1600/sq-spar-nov13-week3-columbine-foot.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtcBk7w4zxfIYE354SQ7fyOaLNbcxneUBGINnV_bzvFFR0zwF3slmtXXgH1y5pg3o88QSz9UeXsg9HqCLmAhgbLPg35Ix09ftKl9vr-9m7m3KJ-f-tP_AUc5j3_dYvodQ_c_Evnluzocw/s320/sq-spar-nov13-week3-columbine-foot.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Someone was NOT amused at all the attention being<br />paid to the sheep.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVL6BvkbIjSLSPZAtsB7Vu5uTBBjQW47iXrD7o5kel6IUEqO_T1l16gyRGkMror-mKlT7nsINEAUneQH1nlJ3oEdkrXCnY7aOgmuRzOgPLM2CCFkI5jXbnKh1IBiHrWq5pE0WwLzPQjA/s1600/Sq-spar-nov13-week3-axe-wood.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgVL6BvkbIjSLSPZAtsB7Vu5uTBBjQW47iXrD7o5kel6IUEqO_T1l16gyRGkMror-mKlT7nsINEAUneQH1nlJ3oEdkrXCnY7aOgmuRzOgPLM2CCFkI5jXbnKh1IBiHrWq5pE0WwLzPQjA/s320/Sq-spar-nov13-week3-axe-wood.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's always something needing done outside on the <br />Sparrowholding. Our wood-burning stove is a hungry <br />beastie, so HG has been wielding his axe.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKTqomonbVqaR3JQmj904kFi1Eq2wSC8wOlBd4ZLoIum4GgcIymCy4q0hcoAWgiFT2Q83Zy7xpJfXqNPG_8-lT5gcUdI7DlalXZTp3kbOWT4ZedR9jgW9pHljk6yeJo_6o-xOcFhypB0/s1600/sq-spar-nov13-week3-woodpile.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKTqomonbVqaR3JQmj904kFi1Eq2wSC8wOlBd4ZLoIum4GgcIymCy4q0hcoAWgiFT2Q83Zy7xpJfXqNPG_8-lT5gcUdI7DlalXZTp3kbOWT4ZedR9jgW9pHljk6yeJo_6o-xOcFhypB0/s320/sq-spar-nov13-week3-woodpile.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And the result of his hard labour means that we'll stay warm, <br />come sleet, frost or snow.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMPDUnBSSxy8DqWxsqc5J4WC3ZtgrvVCObd7uS5Ub5ERTvOv7rbeb6ve_UoveFZv2sBPlbvPldFeJnvvScQh6nDF0nURbMbgysIDFOMLmstYZzx30M63IkPw40o43CedDuaOs8uW4xkI/s1600/POA-ice-on-pond-Dec13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMPDUnBSSxy8DqWxsqc5J4WC3ZtgrvVCObd7uS5Ub5ERTvOv7rbeb6ve_UoveFZv2sBPlbvPldFeJnvvScQh6nDF0nURbMbgysIDFOMLmstYZzx30M63IkPw40o43CedDuaOs8uW4xkI/s320/POA-ice-on-pond-Dec13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heavy rain, followed by frost, left a huge skating rink in the <br />pony's paddock.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV91KJ1nGFuGs1npix07-k50Bp7_clUmox-zsxEtiE_qnA7XxXccYN1RqWrgYfZa9OSuaCZr2GJEQfI47Pv83YrzmRJkuUYWIRWXadLJGVfPf4WARnYaFAJIm6NQaB6xRwI7IK9qhkEws/s1600/NATURE-fieldmouse-Dec13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV91KJ1nGFuGs1npix07-k50Bp7_clUmox-zsxEtiE_qnA7XxXccYN1RqWrgYfZa9OSuaCZr2GJEQfI47Pv83YrzmRJkuUYWIRWXadLJGVfPf4WARnYaFAJIm6NQaB6xRwI7IK9qhkEws/s320/NATURE-fieldmouse-Dec13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colder weather means that mice gravitate towards the house, <br />so FatCat is kept busy. Only I can't bear to let him kill the poor <br />wee souls, so I set them free whenever I can! (Supergran tells <br />me that this slightly defeats the purpose...)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_03Wv_7P1rCPsnuig1RaWmeF1JBzIpZkQnfNX8ZQl2urXR84A9rfRGgXGs8LyhKrwe2ZyIzqyJN9gA-O7fVQH7afB6UQNAasKcXvZ5l0xIdFYnfahHEs-pk9iz59SHuB6FJldsR1JSXU/s1600/sq-spar-2013-Dec-week2-garden-tree-lit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_03Wv_7P1rCPsnuig1RaWmeF1JBzIpZkQnfNX8ZQl2urXR84A9rfRGgXGs8LyhKrwe2ZyIzqyJN9gA-O7fVQH7afB6UQNAasKcXvZ5l0xIdFYnfahHEs-pk9iz59SHuB6FJldsR1JSXU/s320/sq-spar-2013-Dec-week2-garden-tree-lit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sparrowholding by night during the festive period. The sheep are<br /> slightly bemused. But then that doesn't take much ;-)</td></tr>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-65983678294994808042013-11-17T18:37:00.001-08:002013-11-18T01:17:02.646-08:00A magical evening: dinner at The Witchery in Edinburgh<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPy6vriEw-ZLwxO8mFdRBKOGRR4S2gvOuwpSslD4XGvVuON3YcUsOZFKa6lvDB1NVUmALMdoyWM-At7DbPDAeJ2AAviVmfyQpULrDn2iyFdCDfsrKLhRup0N0ShiURZe3vBK4Touuw4gw/s1600/KAREN-Oct13-witchery-pudding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPy6vriEw-ZLwxO8mFdRBKOGRR4S2gvOuwpSslD4XGvVuON3YcUsOZFKa6lvDB1NVUmALMdoyWM-At7DbPDAeJ2AAviVmfyQpULrDn2iyFdCDfsrKLhRup0N0ShiURZe3vBK4Touuw4gw/s320/KAREN-Oct13-witchery-pudding.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 50th birthday celebrations continue at The Witchery by the Castle</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Clichéd as it may sound, there is genuinely something magical
about The Witchery by the Castle – one of Edinburgh’s most renowned fine dining
establishments and the venue for the final ‘instalment’ of my 50</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> birthday
celebrations this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Regular readers of this blog may recall that my generous little
brother (a mere stripling at 48 years of age) kindly gifted me a voucher
entitling me to dinner for two. So it was that one evening in early October – far
enough in advance of Hallowe’en to ensure we didn’t encounter any supernatural
shenanigans! – HunterGatherer and I parked the car beside Castle Terrace car
park and strolled in leisurely fashion up the road that leads alongside the castle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwLFULROT-Np9ZBXdncv3_nTnQxF3gbBUdmU70BGBRDmaWg7FaxOTqz83hsEuttlbXEA2-llMY5DGJ-3C_zVVOn_KaXQaFObf9HlYDXuDZ0uz_vrCOGcwKNpofu0Q_LeX0aD_9ftr6_U/s1600/WITCHERY-castle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwLFULROT-Np9ZBXdncv3_nTnQxF3gbBUdmU70BGBRDmaWg7FaxOTqz83hsEuttlbXEA2-llMY5DGJ-3C_zVVOn_KaXQaFObf9HlYDXuDZ0uz_vrCOGcwKNpofu0Q_LeX0aD_9ftr6_U/s320/WITCHERY-castle.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edinburgh Castle at dusk: as you can see, my poor <br />
Blackberry camera was struggling with the lack of light!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Progress was somewhat slower than might normally have been the
case, as Yours Truly was nursing a recent (hockey-induced) tear to her Achilles tendon,
and the said injury was definitely not appreciating the multiplicity of steps in the ascent to the top end of the Royal Mile. Still, Edinburgh was at her
glorious best in the rapidly falling darkness, with the castle lit up dramatically
against a stormy cobalt sky, so at least our steady pace meant we had more time
to absorb the unique ambience of Scotland’s capital.</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBihSnoq5wpI9rUEtWBATTn76P6nCZddDon1dsceCW3iwhfwKbzyVu3JPLy_PxobVwkC6ErKTychVapqG1AKNON43nK8CCWq0oxyDNnt4dapYNWAZoZBT6E6tl14JLHeHO1Wts64Z5Qsc/s1600/WITCHERY-alleyway.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBihSnoq5wpI9rUEtWBATTn76P6nCZddDon1dsceCW3iwhfwKbzyVu3JPLy_PxobVwkC6ErKTychVapqG1AKNON43nK8CCWq0oxyDNnt4dapYNWAZoZBT6E6tl14JLHeHO1Wts64Z5Qsc/s320/WITCHERY-alleyway.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Looking down the dark alleyway that leads to The Witchery</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We hesitated for a few seconds beneath a historic-looking sign that
signalled our proximity to the restaurant, and peered down a dark, narrow
alleyway lit at the far end by myriad fairy lights. Any discomfort in my ankle “disapparated”
on the spot, as pain was superseded by excited anticipation. Walking into
Boswell’s Court felt like stepping into a scene from Harry Potter, an
impression which only intensified when we were met at the door by a
delightfully eccentric young man, impeccably turned out, who stood behind a
podium and ticked our names off his list with a flourish before pointing us
down a wooden staircase. Given the extreme popularity of The Witchery, we had booked
our table well over a month in advance to secure a Friday evening slot. The
moment we reached the bottom of that staircase, it was evident that every minute
of our wait had been worthwhile.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Before us lay another ‘Potteresque’ scene. By the slightly eerie flickering
light of the candles placed on each table, we could make out the far end of a sizable
Gothic-style dining room. The decor was extravagantly impressive, with ornate
wooden panelling, immaculate white table cloths and padded, leather-upholstered
seating. It was hard to believe that prior to 1979, the year in which James
Thomson – the visionary proprietor of The Witchery – launched this atmospheric eatery,
the property had been a near-derelict basement. We were interested to note the building’s
connection with Boswell, as HunterGatherer spent several of his teenage years residing in a former inn that was visited by Boswell and Johnson during
their tour of the Hebrides in 1773. But I digress – back to 2013
and The Witchery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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In all honesty, we had both found the prospect of dining at a restaurant so far
beyond our normal means slightly daunting – indeed, we almost felt like imposters
when we confessed at the outset that we would be paying with a voucher! However,
we needn’t have worried one whit, as our dedicated waitress for the evening and indeed every member of staff with whom we came into contact were disarmingly agreeable.
I can’t quite put my finger on how they achieved the perfect balance of hospitality, but they
were friendly without being over-familiar, professional without being stilted, and
helpful without being pushy. In short, their service was flawless – as, it rapidly
transpired, was the food they served.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pigeon breast with pancetta and peas</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to the restaurant's website, The Witchery menus feature “the finest seasonal Scottish produce”. As you might imagine, this meant we were spoilt for choice and spent some time dithering over our selection. Eventually, HunterGatherer plumped for delicious Tweeddale pigeon breast, served with warm salad of gem lettuce, peas and pancetta with pigeon consommé. Keen to try something different, I opted for a colourful Terrine of Phantassie Farm vegetables with pumpkin sorbet and pecorino cracknel. Both starters met with their respective recipients’ full approval.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phantassie Farm vegetable terrine</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The main courses duly arrived and looked just as promising. HunterGatherer had signed up for the Roast Fillet of Limousin Scotch beef, served with blanquette of chard, Scottish girolles (aka chanterelle mushrooms) and rosti potato. He immediately professed the meat to be ‘melt-in-the-mouth perfection’, though (being a Scottish ‘farmer cheil’ at heart) he was heard to ponder </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">sotto voce</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> why it was Limousin (a French breed) rather than Aberdeen Angus beef! My meat choice proved equally rewarding in the flavour department: tender roast loin of Cairngorm venison accompanied by a vegetable selection including celeriac dauphinoise, kale and parsnip purée, plus crisps and chocolate oil. ‘Twas edible heaven.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fillet of beef 'meats' with HG's approval</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The venison vanished quickly!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">At this point in proceedings, having done full justice to my first two courses, I began to flag ever so slightly and had to accept, albeit very reluctantly, that I probably didn’t have the capacity for the item on the desert menu that had most appealed to me: the ‘taster’ platter. Fortunately, HunterGatherer was made of sterner stuff, and while I restricted myself to a single slice of rich chocolate torte, he ordered the six mini-desert extravaganza.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RkPBc6uz8Wyg0s3-7lufYbvG26hw2CyOs33hA1H5Mip4DGO8xfV4uDlk36W0BO-NeZR4d1dOXJKVdqRFOz4ti82vvvzoVtfBG3Kcn00WDDvANRacZkwjJT2GKQIvbOVNZmhv6mo6cnk/s1600/WITCHERY-Oct13-medleyofpuds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RkPBc6uz8Wyg0s3-7lufYbvG26hw2CyOs33hA1H5Mip4DGO8xfV4uDlk36W0BO-NeZR4d1dOXJKVdqRFOz4ti82vvvzoVtfBG3Kcn00WDDvANRacZkwjJT2GKQIvbOVNZmhv6mo6cnk/s320/WITCHERY-Oct13-medleyofpuds.JPG" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has to be said that the above fuzzy photo in no way does justice to the enticing presentation of this eclectic desert selection. Unfortunately, my trusty Blackberry was failing miserably to cope with the dim lighting in The Witchery, so I rashly asked HunterGatherer to take a photo of his impressive platter of puds. What can I say? Apart from "never send a man to do a woman's job i.e. photograph puddings." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So desperate was my dining companion to dive into his tantalising assortment of delectable desserts that he rushed the shot and blurred what was (in my eyes) the most important photo of the night. Still, at least he didn't make toooo bad a job of the photo of my pudding (and me!), plus he let me sample every single one of the opulent offerings on his plate, so I'll forgive him for his lack of photographic prowess </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> this time...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">All in all, our visit to The Witchery was a fittingly fabulous way
to bring my birthday celebrations to a memorable conclusion. If I'm utterly honest, I'd have to confess that this
turning 50 business hasn’t been nearly as bad as I’d feared. In fact, I might even recommend
it!</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc9tL43m3fBk67OVHczOh9-sKflKwuzF99JzAb92E9q1GSeCE8kQaSsI2kE-O3om4YJAile5fbiEeVeAvIatLA6vHORQJ2oBV2Wdd9MtEB-_LMW0PUepoAMx-es25uQB350-w2e8yXUQ/s1600/WITCHERY--Oct13-3barschoc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnc9tL43m3fBk67OVHczOh9-sKflKwuzF99JzAb92E9q1GSeCE8kQaSsI2kE-O3om4YJAile5fbiEeVeAvIatLA6vHORQJ2oBV2Wdd9MtEB-_LMW0PUepoAMx-es25uQB350-w2e8yXUQ/s320/WITCHERY--Oct13-3barschoc.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before leaving, Yours Truly was presented with this trio of Witchery Chocolate<br />
bars. Apparently, being teetotal , I'd not quite used up the whole gift voucher...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijS0yeSLBb7GuILtMYtgRX-XdstH8iAYLTp3U3Y5eL34UMLAt0-aOWsJ8Ngl9sb9d0iDxRY9Z09TpbOAZSJ-PIypLKBqdD3fZUdCwu54VVsXDfwGiN6aZ6Lm8BtZaxv_guF2r1syEHK0s/s1600/WITCHERY-horizont-whitehotchoc-label.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijS0yeSLBb7GuILtMYtgRX-XdstH8iAYLTp3U3Y5eL34UMLAt0-aOWsJ8Ngl9sb9d0iDxRY9Z09TpbOAZSJ-PIypLKBqdD3fZUdCwu54VVsXDfwGiN6aZ6Lm8BtZaxv_guF2r1syEHK0s/s320/WITCHERY-horizont-whitehotchoc-label.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...which meant that I could still enjoy my Witchery experience<br />
long after the actual evening was over!</td></tr>
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<br />Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234832136869792338.post-13749291656204866922013-10-13T18:33:00.001-07:002013-10-14T09:29:07.603-07:00A chocolate tour of Edinburgh – the stuff of (sweet) dreams...<div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAZH4LprE6tnWNbAgeeu7os2EdXJTgCjDgpLcP8FG5EHrztf3hhL7Yoid0EoRfCCSbAj3VDhIXLpPb3dVKBUMzKdRRnsOhYKhbRHAwCYlNMzBffDYP5urNCDd1nZO46P6Vuv8RtgyboA/s1600/chocolatetour-patval-truffles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAZH4LprE6tnWNbAgeeu7os2EdXJTgCjDgpLcP8FG5EHrztf3hhL7Yoid0EoRfCCSbAj3VDhIXLpPb3dVKBUMzKdRRnsOhYKhbRHAwCYlNMzBffDYP5urNCDd1nZO46P6Vuv8RtgyboA/s320/chocolatetour-patval-truffles.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The first stop: truffle tasting at Patisserie Valerie...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The past few weeks have involved a lot of writing and
editing work (i.e. the remunerative word generation and rearranging that pays bills
rather than the more-enjoyable-but-not-remunerative blogging stuff!). However, there have
been two culinary highlights squeezed in among all the wordsmithery, and this
post is an account of the first...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It all came about as the result of a tip-off from a good
friend, who also happens to be a tablet-maker extraordinaire and thus knows her sucrose. Aware of Yours Truly’s proclivity for anything sweet, she forwarded me
details of an ‘<i>itison</i>’ deal offering discounted tickets for the tantalisingly titled “<a href="http://www.greatbritishtours.com/gbt/the-chocolate-tour-of-edinburgh.html">Chocolate Tour of Edinburgh</a>”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A quick check-up online revealed several positive reviews,
so I hastily booked two tickets for an unspecified date in the future, suspecting
that DD1 would not require much persuasion to accompany me. Suffice to
say, she didn’t.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A mutually suitable date was duly agreed, I booked our places online and one bright, late-September
afternoon the two of us rocked up at the French <a href="http://www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/rose-street-cafe.aspx">Patisserie Valerie</a> on Rose Street in Edinburgh (there's also a branch on North Bridge), ready for some serious chocolate consumption. There we
were greeted by two cheery young ladies – Jules and Maria – who were to be our charming and informative tour guides for the afternoon. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our group consisted of 10 people: six Chinese visitors
(including two adorable little boys, who solemnly and determinedly consumed
just as much chocolate as the adults) and four Scots – DD1 and I plus a cheery
young local couple (both of whom were traffic wardens, which made for interesting chat along the way!). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maria and Jules began by advising us to buy a bottle of water to carry with us during the tour (to cleanse our palates between chocolate stops!) and then gave us a brief history of
chocolate throughout the world as well as in the UK. I’d been aware that the Mayans
first invented hot chocolate in its earliest form, but was interested to learn
that the first chocolate bar was made by Joseph Fry in London back in the 18<sup>th</sup>
century. He it was who introduced factory methods to the production of chocolate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We tasted our first "exhibit" of the tour from a selection of Patisserie
Valerie’s tempting truffles – DD1 opted for a delicate rose champagne truffle while Yours Truly plumped for a more full-bodied white chocolate truffle. Each of us pronounced our choice to be excellent and our anticipation levels for the afternoon to come rose commensurately...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patisserie Valerie don't just do truffles...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_Te_q_34wfldtN1cMQbRm156oZfzyfhhRaL6SUv9g5BM-_pn2yEGHUfL2JueWt3yfdz1hdL82FlWz2S0MxyTbtfBgf21fS_0I98AQs35eZwZ69uJBRHJHDJh5gWuWiJF1buve7CqefM/s1600/Chocolatetour-patval-counter1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_Te_q_34wfldtN1cMQbRm156oZfzyfhhRaL6SUv9g5BM-_pn2yEGHUfL2JueWt3yfdz1hdL82FlWz2S0MxyTbtfBgf21fS_0I98AQs35eZwZ69uJBRHJHDJh5gWuWiJF1buve7CqefM/s320/Chocolatetour-patval-counter1.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">So much temptation in the shop window, but we had to<br />save ourselves for the chocolate treats yet to come!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to confess that being faced with the prospect of gorging
chocolate all afternoon, I had mentally psyched myself for copious cocoa bean
derivative consumption, so I was initially somewhat taken aback just to be
offered one truffle at the first stop on the tour. However, as we progressed, any slight disappointment soon turned to immense gratitude for the prescient prudence of the organisers – it
rapidly became evident that pacing oneself was essential on this yummy marathon
so this "gentle" start was absolutely the right approach.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot chocolate beyond compare...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Next stop on the tour was just a couple of hundred metres’ walk away, at the renowned <a href="http://www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/">Hotel Chocolat</a> on Hanover Street. Here we were served a small cup of the richest, most luxurious hot chocolate that I have ever had the pleasure to taste (and that even includes the fabulous chocolate gloop served at Angelina’s in Paris). Yours Truly would happily have drunk a vat of this divine cocoa nectar, but the tour may well have come to a premature end if I had!</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9t-KZNGCLhyquRP3Dj0yCusvaIm0LIfks1yUerNpXmA7poy7Fl85fhZpeE8K5TscdPG9DY7vB9SgMbM5AiiVx4GJmEkP1VpHqtb5cbAEYDLUKR2ysyl3L53PAWXxGGvRKL_ebO5kgVk/s1600/ChocolateTour-sept13-hotelchoc-3packs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG9t-KZNGCLhyquRP3Dj0yCusvaIm0LIfks1yUerNpXmA7poy7Fl85fhZpeE8K5TscdPG9DY7vB9SgMbM5AiiVx4GJmEkP1VpHqtb5cbAEYDLUKR2ysyl3L53PAWXxGGvRKL_ebO5kgVk/s320/ChocolateTour-sept13-hotelchoc-3packs.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Good things come in threes... especially packs of truffles!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1p6kM3JQcwZLCXhbHrxUG-mLLkG0Xgyjpd6XnBf9zGha7GZGUWaJWjg3_HyHmI79HoowdoSAv-92vVvdmk6GFpp2n2pMwKlKqd3PjhIGFbFc2K7SoM8YLy8br7MPPUNF8nLfSgdjesM/s1600/chocolatetour-hotelchocolat-box-chox.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1p6kM3JQcwZLCXhbHrxUG-mLLkG0Xgyjpd6XnBf9zGha7GZGUWaJWjg3_HyHmI79HoowdoSAv-92vVvdmk6GFpp2n2pMwKlKqd3PjhIGFbFc2K7SoM8YLy8br7MPPUNF8nLfSgdjesM/s320/chocolatetour-hotelchocolat-box-chox.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White chocolate treats incl. blueberry truffles!</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gvravHpOnjbcYpq6Jvqat-XkxmkwSfAmGryICP5V9tvcIfLl_5cHVCvVh99Z17XUMIV0QRPe_y1W1zo2r-GOCWEm_PssyT1FcT5m_GGR3fGLBlam0K5IKeD_NA3ovun9uTwrqw3Uuns/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-hotelchoc-bottles-choc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8gvravHpOnjbcYpq6Jvqat-XkxmkwSfAmGryICP5V9tvcIfLl_5cHVCvVh99Z17XUMIV0QRPe_y1W1zo2r-GOCWEm_PssyT1FcT5m_GGR3fGLBlam0K5IKeD_NA3ovun9uTwrqw3Uuns/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-hotelchoc-bottles-choc.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Hotel Chocolat - a dangerous place to browse...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As if this was not gastronomic heaven enough, we were then offered the chance to sample a couple of fabulous truffles, to boot. I chose blackcurrant cream the first time – and indeed the second time, the first having been so good that I simply couldn't resist another! Somewhat dangerously, we were given five minutes to browse in the shop and make any purchases deemed necessary – true to form, neither DD1 nor I required a second bidding.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5VO5CctKNrkYr_nISG6zdn0O2Oh5rAQtKV0jCEnkpkKbripm3jpzdbsLDduw-RWKzW6ngf0e6n1llFSVfhskusOHtAHpxDPRjnn-cUnRhSdtTjAf3mVVxIRo9ptfM2nz_qIlXtmobRs/s1600/chocolatetour-husband-creche-sign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5VO5CctKNrkYr_nISG6zdn0O2Oh5rAQtKV0jCEnkpkKbripm3jpzdbsLDduw-RWKzW6ngf0e6n1llFSVfhskusOHtAHpxDPRjnn-cUnRhSdtTjAf3mVVxIRo9ptfM2nz_qIlXtmobRs/s320/chocolatetour-husband-creche-sign.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DD1 and I smiled at this sign on the pavement...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The third stop on the tour was a just couple of doors further up Hanover Street at <a href="http://www.bibisbakery.co.uk/">Bibi’s Cake Boutique</a> which</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> –</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> our guides advised us </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">–</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was renowned for its prize-winning chocolate brownies. As soon as we bit into these idyllic chocolate-imbued creations, it was easy to appreciate why their reputation went before them.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVrK_PX0uUPjL8Pjpv8wHJyMyqOeQ9DZ3mhGo-tdGW3Yx_tcEpCy1Y0VLM6Q2Xl8Qy_dWyooKJ7XicH6NrqHjthIxPchNc6QRChUmSR2ZbH9RKZjZ7HgPQG6W5JExaQZslWJTy2zlF6s/s1600/Chocolatetour-bibis-jules.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVrK_PX0uUPjL8Pjpv8wHJyMyqOeQ9DZ3mhGo-tdGW3Yx_tcEpCy1Y0VLM6Q2Xl8Qy_dWyooKJ7XicH6NrqHjthIxPchNc6QRChUmSR2ZbH9RKZjZ7HgPQG6W5JExaQZslWJTy2zlF6s/s320/Chocolatetour-bibis-jules.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guide Jules begins to build up the brownie hype...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MbrQQVl6MZ_ziSP7Syz1Upcs2ft17uqa13acnmgarJpHjyTojQDYxhujU7WOYFh9kssg20PP-g_n87pqCUoDth6P5ARdhK7S0mbGnZXtB050p8FWy0NoEG0I4wsmKd6kVMD0yRE6I_0/s1600/chocolatetour-bibis-brownies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0MbrQQVl6MZ_ziSP7Syz1Upcs2ft17uqa13acnmgarJpHjyTojQDYxhujU7WOYFh9kssg20PP-g_n87pqCUoDth6P5ARdhK7S0mbGnZXtB050p8FWy0NoEG0I4wsmKd6kVMD0yRE6I_0/s320/chocolatetour-bibis-brownies.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prize-winning brownies from Bibi's Cake Boutique</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivy3cGuKy44ZFBLd4kiQOyzYs3QwO3h044y8__Jq26X9ofMznWBv7SDiOrOkUQxii3A-7_2CycIJtnDPFytXDx7CMMLLz9kee5GRGitHvhub6xXAG6vO-Oer2eL0bTKnd-X8DXUUhrJ08/s1600/chocolatetour-bibis-cupcakes-shelf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivy3cGuKy44ZFBLd4kiQOyzYs3QwO3h044y8__Jq26X9ofMznWBv7SDiOrOkUQxii3A-7_2CycIJtnDPFytXDx7CMMLLz9kee5GRGitHvhub6xXAG6vO-Oer2eL0bTKnd-X8DXUUhrJ08/s320/chocolatetour-bibis-cupcakes-shelf.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cupcakes are another Bibi's delicacy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_-qP0SjBm_V0_XnSoXOGhPULZOK8Rp8mU3ME_vWGzElRReLnp3Dbonp22zUGHuUHm8GhRA2WvZzaxSwwAabYtVU78sQoTpmqSkXLIc5htTusv1vNApJnn_SWg30pg0lDBOQ_vDJWfKg/s1600/chocolatetour-bibis-window-cupcakes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM_-qP0SjBm_V0_XnSoXOGhPULZOK8Rp8mU3ME_vWGzElRReLnp3Dbonp22zUGHuUHm8GhRA2WvZzaxSwwAabYtVU78sQoTpmqSkXLIc5htTusv1vNApJnn_SWg30pg0lDBOQ_vDJWfKg/s320/chocolatetour-bibis-window-cupcakes.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And those larger cakes look pretty yummy, too!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bibi’s counters and shop windows boasted a cornucopia of colourful cupcakes, and it was genuinely hard to tear ourselves away (not to mention stop drooling!). But move on we must, so a brisk 10-minute walk ensued. This brought us to the <a href="http://www.cocochocolate.co.uk/produce.htm">Coco on Broughton</a> chocolaterie, there to sample cheekily-named Tia Maria truffles known as “Venus nipples” (check out the photo and the derivation of the name will become immediately apparent!).</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygOLKt2G2Z0F_cURsGAzuyF3AZdb4b2pr4KnlzXoTwTMLVfVahD7Opsh3qSsBCBbIQbQiVz0mGQ_GZacpeIHxLapeNjcM8IkWLNd35mgptg0KnTxRd_6McqPLv8vpQM4_qJBcNI_iRzg/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-coco-maria.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: start;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maria gives us the gen about "Coco on Broughton"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWaon_eZLK4GLJmGIaSELFhbqfLxoHHjYsZ3evLUrkvPY9gtoYKmGdGghCpSoa_qcXVJ6DfTWCauCp9iEYc-9Ofr7MUvBGaDpnUawONsG4vnciZl48Ex_b5D4pG80JYFUaIWynbVWIbo/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-cocochoc-venusnipples.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQWaon_eZLK4GLJmGIaSELFhbqfLxoHHjYsZ3evLUrkvPY9gtoYKmGdGghCpSoa_qcXVJ6DfTWCauCp9iEYc-9Ofr7MUvBGaDpnUawONsG4vnciZl48Ex_b5D4pG80JYFUaIWynbVWIbo/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-cocochoc-venusnipples.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolates with a naughty name!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our fifth stop on the tour involved another five-minute walk followed by an elevator ride to the top floor of Harvey Nichols, where we viewed and tasted the work of <a href="http://www.highlandchocolatier.com/content/now_open_at_harvey_nichols/">The Highland Chocolatier</a>, Iain Burnett. His tiny cubes of pure truffle ganache filling simply melted in the mouth and I found the delicate artwork on his chocolates somehow reminiscent of William Morris designs.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo4T2uKlNrDFbx0_G61vKdYkpO6TxYz6xPkxK4GxgCnXZBkN6Ozie8Kn0tcYPlcktwPl1OWrmz_BtIOI7o4urunnOdzk9SQ7H7MdAMU8wC7EtADEzTqhyTC4OPdubP18XMAh1F-ZsYbk/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-harvnix-choxpatterned.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo4T2uKlNrDFbx0_G61vKdYkpO6TxYz6xPkxK4GxgCnXZBkN6Ozie8Kn0tcYPlcktwPl1OWrmz_BtIOI7o4urunnOdzk9SQ7H7MdAMU8wC7EtADEzTqhyTC4OPdubP18XMAh1F-ZsYbk/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-harvnix-choxpatterned.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Highland Chocolatier's counter in Harvey Nichols</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qtFwoF06MuoJNOsx_yTHKj-5eUWW0tvDzFacv5o5iwhzUFKvTtGrrZlP4uXn8pcKeCElD0NR1_sCaoQbbnP0YY7rMWeecCd3yR0pg7kRPgJyWeXw9w_2MD_eFezUiBQ8EBbOthhv-ZA/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-harvnix-macarons.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9qtFwoF06MuoJNOsx_yTHKj-5eUWW0tvDzFacv5o5iwhzUFKvTtGrrZlP4uXn8pcKeCElD0NR1_sCaoQbbnP0YY7rMWeecCd3yR0pg7kRPgJyWeXw9w_2MD_eFezUiBQ8EBbOthhv-ZA/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-harvnix-macarons.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The macaroons in Harvey Nicks looked pretty tasty, too!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDB_DqKWr72ZgZn_Y1BJIKoGcuJ7rFIHjL6CkYzQOT1qA93ttFl5qLHWKIStCctE_4yofcSFYOK0ZsoAe1E5RnoGBmdMg6yYVJyZbfqh9r04GOKV4FYHRs0kwxR9Ub9dkYkDBRtqR0dsY/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-edinburgh-caltonhill.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDB_DqKWr72ZgZn_Y1BJIKoGcuJ7rFIHjL6CkYzQOT1qA93ttFl5qLHWKIStCctE_4yofcSFYOK0ZsoAe1E5RnoGBmdMg6yYVJyZbfqh9r04GOKV4FYHRs0kwxR9Ub9dkYkDBRtqR0dsY/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-edinburgh-caltonhill.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking through Edinburgh was <br />
good fun on a sunny autumn day</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then it was across Princes Street, through Waverley Station, and uphill for a couple of hundred yards to the Royal Mile where we found stop no. 6: <a href="http://www.fudgekitchen.co.uk/">The Fudge Kitchen</a>. There we were tempted by almost every flavour of fudge known to man and even allowed to sample several flavours, my personal favourites being “strawberries and cream” and “salt caramel”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has to be said that even the most ardent chocolate fanatics in the group were beginning to fade slightly by this point (and my feet were in need of an ice bath!), but we rose unanimously to the occasion and downed our fair share of delicious fudge! DD1 and I also invested in some sachets of “fudge hot chocolate”, which I’m saving for a particularly dreary November day.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9Ukns2WOOBAzU_WIBG-lOeV5Pj-woB0eu5IEFSKnUJra0jNJH_q0CGK9SM74M_-HGCe7J0O2XctzJ57ZsOt7yTgNuRxhQbtMdhjQo8Dne5FnHk-hYKnr_nXOL6GRNYm63HldBrHwEOA/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-fudgekitchensign.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9Ukns2WOOBAzU_WIBG-lOeV5Pj-woB0eu5IEFSKnUJra0jNJH_q0CGK9SM74M_-HGCe7J0O2XctzJ57ZsOt7yTgNuRxhQbtMdhjQo8Dne5FnHk-hYKnr_nXOL6GRNYm63HldBrHwEOA/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-fudgekitchensign.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sign says it all... a kitchen full of FUDGE!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnx9ui9-xGcKRuGYikJ126pBZqtJA7EmyuIeDtdEcEcv-T2aXHyl1FQ17ZGJOoN_Udm_02f8-UCP1u-6D7FZYWw6zGD82ctm6O5huiSa1k6IB6X1UhnrstMnCv0-95evgt_0k5umMqNE/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-fudge-doublechoc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnx9ui9-xGcKRuGYikJ126pBZqtJA7EmyuIeDtdEcEcv-T2aXHyl1FQ17ZGJOoN_Udm_02f8-UCP1u-6D7FZYWw6zGD82ctm6O5huiSa1k6IB6X1UhnrstMnCv0-95evgt_0k5umMqNE/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-fudge-doublechoc.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Triple chocolate fudge - don't mind if we do...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, to conclude our ever-so-slightly calorific but utterly terrific tour, we visited a shop that resembled something from a children’s fantasy story penned by the inimitable Roald Dahl himself. Entering<a href="http://licketysplitsgallery.co.uk/"> Lickety Splits</a> was genuinely like stepping back in time for the oldest member of the group (i.e. Yours Truly). </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Familiar sweets and treats of my long-distant childhood lined one wall of the shop while the opposite wall was given over to local craft and jewellery, which provided an unusual but attractive complement to the shop’s stock.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbMMU3SlV4tir_lZTEnLb9ds750pUfrjDKpMkOL94MPH7S73BVrg9x9JEAnogCVUKr6pwjn5E0m8nKOCHZHZ4yBOFNHptMZtR04Z8wdmNyc7fJDhYFJFOwNtWiX9MuLFyfB6ORWCGZnI/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-licketysplit-window.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbMMU3SlV4tir_lZTEnLb9ds750pUfrjDKpMkOL94MPH7S73BVrg9x9JEAnogCVUKr6pwjn5E0m8nKOCHZHZ4yBOFNHptMZtR04Z8wdmNyc7fJDhYFJFOwNtWiX9MuLFyfB6ORWCGZnI/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-licketysplit-window.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shop window guaranteed to stop <br />
a 50-year-old Scot in her tracks</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxb02mKqE2y1pYBRL1Gy45Z3mbID8dOKAYQWnE7Fn7ldEK0d1gKoLo0nfaLzt_8h8XTRUoXlTUqgfIXzBvZkQlsUTJKcaDB6rPDLCrn8aFSmcgoavXYvmvo2YG_Ubf77YmVCitNKpUhI/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-insidelicketysplit-owner.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxb02mKqE2y1pYBRL1Gy45Z3mbID8dOKAYQWnE7Fn7ldEK0d1gKoLo0nfaLzt_8h8XTRUoXlTUqgfIXzBvZkQlsUTJKcaDB6rPDLCrn8aFSmcgoavXYvmvo2YG_Ubf77YmVCitNKpUhI/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-insidelicketysplit-owner.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet dreams: row upon row of traditional confectionery</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Effervescent proprietor Naomi gave us an excellent and comprehensive talk on the origins of some of Scotland’s most “traditional” sweets e.g. macaroon bar (I hadn’t been aware just how often coconut features in traditional Scottish sweets – nor that in the past it was wrapped round meat to keep it fresh!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were also shown some Irn Bru humbugs, which were Barr’s original product before the advent of the eponymous <a href="http://www.irn-bru.co.uk/">Irn Bru</a> drink that is so famous nowadays. DD1 and I bought a “quarter” of the said Irn Bru delicacies for Son&Heir as a housewarming present for his new flat, though after we’d tasted them, his chances of ever seeing them rapidly began to dwindle....</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwB3uu0ZAK8PMANquPvmtDRDARc-lImdfYnmG_yL220ULGsKJLEtF6TIQaIq5_imd7fgAjAO1oDeUjhmFNruDA11LBTDVbM3hO6WkFw5J8EoDDW9eRNspifGfy1p2vghcqdxdpTu0p3k/s1600/chocolatetour-sept13-licketysplit-inside.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdwB3uu0ZAK8PMANquPvmtDRDARc-lImdfYnmG_yL220ULGsKJLEtF6TIQaIq5_imd7fgAjAO1oDeUjhmFNruDA11LBTDVbM3hO6WkFw5J8EoDDW9eRNspifGfy1p2vghcqdxdpTu0p3k/s320/chocolatetour-sept13-licketysplit-inside.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decisions, decisions...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Undoubtedly the most fascinating traditional sweets in the shop – although their overpowering cinnamon content meant they were not to my taste – were the “lucky tatties”. These flat, rather unpromising-looking brown objects were apparently often carried by miners, as their high energy content meant that a miner could survive three days underground on one of these alone. No wonder they were considered "lucky".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so our wonderful tour came to an end, as indeed all good things in life must. Both DD1 and I gave the experience a full 10 out of 10, despite the fact that we were a tad footsore by the end. Even if we had paid the full price per ticket (£30), I reckon the tour would still have offered good value for money. The fact that we only paid £14 per head, thanks to the <i><a href="https://www.itison.com/Edinburgh">itison</a></i> deal, made the experience (apologies in advance...) all the sweeter!</span></div>
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Square Sparrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15229633140027528979noreply@blogger.com6