Turn the Page Tuesday Great Summer Reads

The beauty of August is that I get a chance to read as I have the month off work. In between friends and family visits,that is!
I re-read GILEAD by Marilynne Robinson as I had frustratedly previously picked it up and put it down repeatedly. It was the 2005 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.It turned out to be a really beautiful story. A Dad, a church minister, the Reverend John Ames, writing to his son. I now want to get the second book - HOME - to read.
My second book, I picked up in a charity shop and quickly realised perhaps why its' previous owner had put it in the charity shop. I abandoned reading it and have it in a growing pile of items to take to the charity shop myself!

Book number 3,by Francine Rivers looks at the life of 5 women: Tamar,Ruth,Rahab,Bethsheba and Mary in the Bible. Beautifully written called UNVEILED. Sensitively and powerfully written and contains stories of hope and love and courageous women.

Know your strengths by Marcus Buckingham includes your own magic password for you to do an online test - it is not about your personality but rather your strengths - there are over 30 and it comes up with your top 5. The ethos of the book is about us as individuals harnessing and developing our strengths, rather than as often is the case to work on improving our weaknesses. The online test is run by Gallup. I did it a couple of years ago but it was interesting to see my results and read the book again.

My holiday find was pure delight.I walked into an amazing craft shop,stuffed full of quilting fabrics and funky knickknacks to browse over. It was the words LAYER CAKE that drew me in. Imagine! Me with my love of cake and discovering a connection between cake and quilting! I made a quilt when I was 17 - just the patchwork bit, so the quilting bit is my new challenge. Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Quilt Charms by Pam and Nicky Lintott is both beautiful and inspiring.It seems as if quilting has become a little easier these days. The hexagonal quilt I hand made with paper pattern magazine cutouts is apparently a thing of the past. I have had fun looking through this and now am the proud owner of a now seemingly huge pile of fabrics to begin my winter project - a quilt.

I am loving reading The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn - funny,lighthearted novel as a newly become single Mum re-builds her life in NYC and sets up her new business as a kindergarten admissions advisor. Similar to a Marian Keyes novel perhaps. A fun read and - a brilliant bargain charity shop find.
Turn the Page Tuesday is the place to check for more fabulous reads and people to meet.
What have you read lately?

Thankful Girly Cake Chicks

During this last week, my friends (the Girly cake chicks) and I have been focusing on being thankful. We meet together every Thursday as we are a house group, as part of our local church. There is always cake and laughter, sometimes tears and often something creative to share.

I wrote my list on being thankful on my blog, so I had my laptop for my show and tell!
Read it here
Here are some of the things the lovely Girly Cake Chicks, are Thankful for:

First up was Jen to share. She couldn't make it so she sent it to us!
She said she was thankful for us! (Aww!) Friendship is powerful isn't it!

Emily had an interesting choice, including loo roll!!!
Her list of Thankfulness had begun with the inspiration for the book: Love Mercy, about a lady and her journey from following the "American Dream" to discovering the Kingdom of God.
So she was very thankful for Loo Roll and flushing toilets.

Abbie shared her top 10 favourite things to be thankful for and included this book that had helped her. The book that inspired this was " If you want to walk on Water, you need to get out of the boat" by John Ortberg.

We still eagerly await hearing from the lovely Rachel and Anna, who also couldn't make it.

We did have plenty of time to eat cake! my party political Election Night Cupcakes.


Isn't it great to have a chance to take a fresh look at thankfulness?

Want to share your thankful list?
Post it here with this link.

The Winter House

A really lovely book to read.
The Winter House, by Nicci Gerrard.
I started it in the snow which seemed apt at the time, as this is the setting for the book. I had finished it over a month ago, but missed writing about it last month for Turn the page Tuesday as I was on my rather gorgeous and lovely spa retreat!
Apologies for not taking part last month.
The story is set in Scotland where 3 friends are reunited in a house. One of the friends is dying of cancer and the story of these friends lives and their friendship unfolds as they reflect and remember their lives. A love story and unrequited love, really.
Or is it?
Read it for yourself.
It will probably make you cry.
I did several times.
Oh and please check out Turn The Page Tuesday over at some of a kind for more inspiring good reads to find, next time you wish to curl up with a good book, or lie in the bath reading, or sit in the garden relaxing in the sun as you read.
I love to do all 3.
Just not at the same time.

Wednesday Already?

Going back to work this week has been a jolt to the system and yet I can't quite believe it is Wednesday already. It is quite nice though. Only 2 more sleeps until the weekend.
Before the weekend though, I have my evening with the girls tomorrow night. Just a little alot excited. We chatted about the term ahead and thought about ideas we could do each week. One of the girly chicks, Abbie our talented artist, made the list all fancy on a designed and printed this postcard for each of us. Isn't she clever?High on the list came cake and our lovely encouragement nights and cheese and biscuit nights too! We are going to do some creative sharing nights where we will each take turns with leading a night with something creative to share and for us all to try. It should be great fun. I have to decide what I am going to do as we are such a creative and crafty bunch that it is hard to think of something at the moment. Hmm.What to do? I guess I can see what some of the other ladies do first as I am way down the list. We also decided to study a book together. We chose this book: "Live Like You Mean It" by Eric Delve. It carries the subtitle: "Discover the life you were made for" and so far it is quite good. We thought it would both challenge and be something to take us deeper in our desire to know God more and to hear his heart for the best for our lives. Only just started and we are looking at the first 2 chapters tomorrow!

Wednesday already?

When I was growing up, Wednesday was a big landmark day in our house. When I mustered enough coordination to stagger downstairs for school, still blearyeyed from sleep, my mum would say: "Cheer up, it's Wednesday."
Wednesday, signified that there was then only Thursday and Friday to go before the weekend.
It made Wednesday, then not seem so bad.
Today, is Wednesday but it is also half term week so I find myself saying I can't believe it is Wednesday already!
Wednesday, is probably thinking: "Come on, give me a break! You can't have it both ways!"
It has been a good day though.
For a Wednesday.
Relaxing.
I finished reading my book, Water for Elephants and loved it, loved it, loved it. You will either have to buy it, buy it, buy it and read it for yourself - or wait for my review on the next Turn the page Tuesday to hear more about it.
I went for a walk in the drizzly rain and the bitterly cold wind.
Brr.
No wonder Tudur has stayed in for most of the day!
I came home and made some more of these:

using some of these ingredients:

and the recipe is from this book: BAKE, by Rachel Allen.

The last time I made some, you may remember,was when the girly chicks came round to do some "bitch and stitch" on our banners. The remaining half, I reluctantly took the following day to church for our bring and share lunch....
I took them...
but I didn't share any of them.
I kept them in the tin.
I bought them back home again.
And ate them the next few days.
They were delicious.
I wonder how I will do at sharing them with the girly chicks tomorrow?
If there are any left.
These white chocolate and peanut butter blondies - are very moreish.

Week 5 of 365

Quite a productive week, making more of dent in tidying and sorting at work and finding my feet. Have seen some friends and had friends round too, which is an improvement on purely coming home and collapsing on the sofa in a heap!
It has only taken me 5 weeks!
Here are my photos for the week:
Monday 1st February 32/365
The start of the new month and a new page in my calender of cats! I also watched a mr. bond movie - Casino Royale - with one of my friends,Ike, who was repeatedly biffed on the head by Tudur! Sorry Ike. I think he thought it was rude to snooze whilst watching such a great movie?

Tuesday 33/365
I met up with one of my friends after work to eat a yummy carvery, forgot my camera, so took this photo instead! (Well it is nearly Valentine's Day, isn't it!)

I transformed my Christmas wreath, having retrieved it from hanging outside on my front door. I threaded another heart decoration with twine to hang in the centre. I think it looks fab, so wanted to show you!
Wednesday.34/365
Another of my hanging hearts in my hallway. (bit of a heart theme this month!)

Thursday. 35/365
The girlie chicks night. Too busy eating cake to take a photo of the cake, so took this one instead. I love my friends. and I love cake.
This bit of the banner was done by the amazing Emily. Great patchwork! and great coconut and banana cake too Emily!

Friday. 36/365
Cooked food for friends in my slow cooker and took it round to them after work. Yummy beef with potatoes, carrots, red pepper, sweet potato, parsnip, onion and stock and ketchup. Yummy. I even remembered to take my camera, but forgot to take a photo and left it in my bag all the time! (It was Friday!)
So, I took this one of the slow cooker pot after I washed it all clean!

Happy memories, all the same and it was lovely to see Rachel and Mike and Jacob and Daniel! Thanks for letting me eat with you!
Saturday. 37/365
Time to relax, bake, sew, tea and cake and time to read my book.

Sunday.38/365
Survival for the week ahead. Some Fresh Fruit and Vegetables.Bliss.

Wednesday's Turn the Page Tuesday.

Yes, I know it is Wednesday and I am a day late for Turn The Page Tuesday...sorry, but...Yippee!
I finally finished this book:The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
It took me waaay toooo long to read just the last few pages. I had nearly finished it a few months ago and then, fatally, left it unfinished.
Tonight, I relaxed in the bath and read the last few pages.
An intriguing book, magical in places. A love story, tangled lives, mystery surrounding the Cemetery of Forgotten books set in Barcelona. It is set in a beautiful city, where I have been and the book was recently translated into English. It would have been better if I had completed it a few months ago before I fatally put it down and left it as I rather lost the flow with it towards the end.
I had this book recommended to me as I had so loved reading The Time Traveller's Wife, which is brilliant brilliant brilliant! the movie is good but the book is wonderful.
If you want me to tell you more, I can!!!
In my mini pile to read next is his next book: The Angel's Game.

Also, as recommended on Turn The Page Tuesday a couple of months ago - Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

and The Winter House by Nicci Gerrard.

I have had a busy few months with job searching and starting a new job in January.I got these 3 books as one of the 3 for 2 deals at Waterstones for my Christmas treat. I was sooo tempted to start but also wanted to finish Shadow of the Wind. I am now beginning to re-surface from starting my new job and looking forward to tackling my mini pile of chosen books!
You can check out other inspiring reviews and participants for TTPT over at some of a Kind here
So now I am really looking forward to starting a new book - and it is half term week mid February... yeah.
I am sooo looking forward to hibernating.
Question is...
Which one first?

My turn to join Turn the page Tuesday

I have joined in, today, just now, with some of a kind... for Turn the page Tuesday to reflect on a book I have enjoyed.
As it is December, I am going to tell you about this book I really enjoyed reading last Christmastime: December by Elizabeth H. Winthrop.
I loved it because it was a fairly easy read, interesting family dynamics and a fascinating storyline with an 11 year old child who is an elective mute! As this "winter's tale" unravels, we learn more about the family and why this girl is such a determined mute and, of course, how this wintry tale resolves.
I could have told you about another wintry tale, Light on snow by Anita Shreeve but you can read a bit about it here at Some of a Kind.
If, like me, you love to read - especially curled up on the sofa during the wintry months then try a new book and join in TTPT!

Today I made yummy things!

I have had a very productive day today!

First I made bread in my lovely breadmaker. Today I followed a softgrain loaf recipe and just used 1/2 white flour and 1/2 wholemeal flour instead of softgrain flour. This works and produces a soft and light loaf.

Then I made some more cupcakes!
I had some of the pudsey bear cupcake holders that Rachel gave me, left over from the cakes I made for Children in Need day on Friday. I will take them to my local church tomorrow and see if any of my friends wish to make a donation to Children in Need. For these cakes, I used a gluten free recipe from cupcake magic book.(apparently!)It was a cherry bakewell cupcake type recipe. I used ground almonds, egg whites and yolks separated and pushed a cherry into each one. I still have to ice them in the morning.Quickly.

Then I made jam.
I used an old recipe of my Mum's for apple and blackberry jam.
I used 3 lb apples, 1 and 1/2 lb blackberries, 3 lb sugar.

Tudur supervised, of course. He patiently watched the softening of the fruit, waited for the sugar to dissolve whilst I stirred it in and then seemed fascinated to see the steam rise as it boiled for 10 minutes.Test the jam is setting, by putting a small blob on a plate.(It will form almost a skin quite quickly.) Put the fruit jam quickly into sterilised jars. I use a jug to do this. Add waxed seals and seal the lids. Wipe jars and any spillages quickly with a clean cloth. This will save having a sticky kitchen. Wash the pan immediately in warm soapy water.It was enough to make 5 assorted sized jars!
I didn't have many jars and lids that matched!
I have just placed an order with this jam jar shop that sell jars! Thank you Abbie for telling me about them.

Some of these jars of jam will be some delicious Christmas gifts! Others might just be for me!

Want to join us in the unlikely places?

The other day, I shared with you how I had been reading Punk Monk and how I had been challenged to ask God to teach me in the unlikely places. I was encouraged to have an open, teachable and humble heart and to ask God to teach me as I go about my daily life: work, people, cooking, cleaning, listening to the radio etc.
It was then suggested that I write the ways God teaches me down in a journal during the week.I regularly write a journal, but it was quite refreshing to focus on the God who is omnipresent and able to speak in and through me in my normal every day life.

I was very encouraged with the ways God taught me.

It was like a breath of fresh air.

You can read my full blog post here

We have just started as a group or new girly chick cake group Journal, where we write down things that we want to pray for each other and the ways God answers our prayers. I was sharing about my unlikely places journalling experience with the girlie chicks at our weekly groovy girlie cake chick gathering on Thursday night.

They were really excited about it!

We decided to do ask God to speak to us in the unlikely places, during this next week. We will share back next week as a group, as we eat cake, the next time we meet together. I will let you know how we get on!

Maybe you have a group that you could do the same with?
You can join us too if you like!

Here is how you can join in this next week-10 days:
1. Ask God to speak to you in the unlikely places this next week.
2. Write the things God teaches you down in a journal this next week.
3. Share it here.
4. Eat some cake whilst you read other's posts!
5. Please remember to place a link to your blog post.
6. encourage others who share here too with a comment.

Have a great week in the unlikely places and I look forward to reading your posts by Monday(that's after Thanksgiving for you all in the USA)
Luci x

Remember to be thankful for unlikely places

I have been reading a book, recently, that encouraged me to ask God to teach me in unlikely places. I really love that phrase, don't you? The suggestion was to have a humble and teachable heart into each day and to be open for God to speak to us in our daily lives and to keep a journal of this for a week.
I quite liked the idea of asking God to speak to me in new and fresh and probably simple ways. So, last week, I did!
Here are some of the things I think the Lord reminded me of and taught me, based on what I wrote down at the end of each day.
I hope that it encourages you to see things in fresh ways, how God speaks in and through us in simple ways and teaches us in the unlikely places.
A bit like a breath of fresh air, really!

Please let me know if you decide to do this too and let me know what you have learned in the unlikely places too. Id love to hear.

Day 1
Girlie chick cake group night. As we shared our gifts and encouragements for Rachel for her birthday, I was reminded of the power of words - to give life - to speak words of truth and life, as we encourage each other.

Day 2
I have been blessed to read comments on my blog! I am blessed to be a blessing by encouraging and inspiring others to start their own blog too! Who would have thought?
Thank you!

Day 3
Sat chatting with my big sister, over a cuppa and she enlightened me to the significance of fig trees in the Bible. It was where people sat under them to read and study The Word of God. It was the story of Nathanael - I saw you under a fig tree. God sees and He knows. what a great way to be reminded of my desire to "sit under His shade", whilst drinking tea with my sis!

Day 4
drinking tea - again - and eating teacakes with my friend Abbie and we decided to start a girlie cake chick journal, to encourage ourselves as we look back on it, that God, faithful God, answers our prayers.

Day 5
I went for an interview! I said that some of the bright accessories they sell could act as a great mood lift and brighten any dreary rainy day! It reminded me that words of encouragements and kind words really do lift the soul. I then went out for coffee and cake with a friend. I am very thankful for my friends here. I am not isolated and I am experiencing the love of God and the gift of friendship unfolding before my very eyes. Immanuel, God with us. My coffee with cream.

Day 6
Friends coming to stay. The joy of hospitality. I really do love it and love the way that friends actually like coming to stay!

Day 7
Shopping day! I love shops and going with a friend too, for fun. I went to Liverpool too. A beautiful and special city, for me. I led an amazing outreach team there a few years ago. A city famous for the Beatles, has a history of trade, slavery, gangs, china Town, trafficking, crime as well as God's heart for the people of this city to be full of vibrant colours of life and creativity, to go into the nations. A reminder too, of how great it is to relax with friends and to enjoy coffee and being there for each other.

The book, is called Punk Monk: by Andy freeman and Pete Greig
It is about "New Monasticism and the Ancient Art of Breathing." I have loved it and will write more about other bits of the book soon.

Remember to be thankful for cupcakes!

I made cupcakes! I borrowed Abbie's piping bags and nozzles. Much, much easier than a plastic bag witha hole in it!
These cupcakes are nicknamed bleach cupcakes, beacuse they are made with white chocolate.
I had wanted to make a white chocolate cake some months ago, but was stuck in my head because choclate cake is made with cocoa powder and you cant get white chocolate powder in the UK.... So, I asked my big sister for ideas. After all, big sisters know everything, right?
you can imagine my surprise, when in answer to my question about how to make white chocolate cake, she said:"Use bleach."
There was a slight pause, where I thought: my normally very sensible big sister has lost the plot. Then she giggled and said:"Well, it would act as a slight deterrant if you told all your girlie cake chicks that it was bleach cake."
So, I took matters into my own hands and made white chocolate cake, using melted white chocolate in the cake mixture and in the buttercream. I sprinkled white chocolate chips on the top for extra sparkle.
I called the cake: "bleach cake", but it mught have equally have been called:" gone in 60 seconds" as it was very popular.

Last week, my friend Abbie asked if she could request bleach cake again.
I decided to try the same bleach cake idea, but make them as cupcakes instead.
The recipe is from cupcake magic. Her top tips are:
1. sift the flour and sugar for the cake mix
2. rest the nozzle and icing bag in a mug ! brilliant!
110g/4oz/1 cup SR flour
110g/4oz/1 cup C sugar
110g/4oz/1/2 cup butter,softened
1 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
I added:
1/2 bar melted white chocolate
for the buttercream:
225g/8oz/1 and 1/2 cups icing sugar
100g/3 and 1/2 oz/ 1/2 cup butter
I added:
1/2 bar melted white chocolate
I then sprinkled a few white chocolate chips all over them.
Last night the groovy girlie chicks had bleach cupcakes.
Yummy.
Thanks Abbie for the loan of the piping bags and nozzles.
Can I borrow them again, please?

Remember to be thankful for quality time

I wonder what your language of love is? If you have no idea what I am on about, then maybe check out Gary Chapman - he has written several books about this topic, the 5 Love Languages, where he helps people work out their primary Love Languages - the Languages we speak - to give and receive love.
There are 5 love languages - gifts, words of affirmation, touch, quality time, acts of service.
I wonder which language of love you speak?
One of my Love Languages is Quality Time. I love spending time with my friends.
It is quite the week for it, so I am loving it! :-)
My friend Louise came to stay last week. She is very creative with writing words amongst other lovely gifts she has. She was one of our groovy girlie cake chicks last year, but has sadly moved away. She came to stay last week and it was lovely to spend some time with her and to have her visit the girlie chicks too.
This week sees the return of another girlie chick, Ruth, who arrived today. We shared some laughs and a cuppa, before walking into town to go for coffee and cake!
One of my very favourite things to do.
Tonight we are going round to visit one of the other girlie chicks, Abbie! She is fab and very very creative too as well as being a lovely and gracious person to be around. She has recently moved house from a tiny flat, so Ruth can't wait to see how the house is taking shape.
She loved it :-)

Remember to be thankful for gracious giggles!

So, I did my first attempt at piping icing... well, I cut a hole in a plastic bag!
The idea, of course was to make some fantastically artistically created cupcakes.
I did the first cake. it was supposed to be a heart shape, but the snip I made with the scissors was huge, so the icing heart came out as a rather large blob.
I then re-did a plastic bag, but then my skills of trailing the icing all over the cupcakes became quite the challenge for me.It really was a sight to behold.
I think I need to do this many many more times to get them looking anything like the pictures in the magic cupcake book I had as my inspiration.
then the groovy girly cake chicks arrived.
The moment of truth had come.
They said wow and giggled and then played the guess the shape Luci was trying to do. They were full of gracious giggles, it has to be said.
They chose the best, the hearts, flowers and stars and then decided that the rest all looked rather like fireworks.Firework cupcakes they are then.
They liked the purple icing and the gold I used.
The verdict was: Delicious.
I love my gracious giggling friends!

Remember to be thankful for cupcake ideas!

Well, Thursday is fast approaching and the groovy girlie cake chicks will be looking forward to cakes tomorrow evening.I am certain of it. Especially, as we are celebrating Rachel's birthday and a visit from an old girly cake chick, Louise, this week. So, I have begun making some cupcakes! (I won't spoil the surprise here, though,just yet!) My friend Abbie, gave me a fabulous cupcake recipe book for my birthday, called "Cupcake Magic" by Kate Shirazi,which is full of inspiring ideas. You can get her book online and each book bought includes a donation to the Battery Hen Welfare Trust! How cool is that! She has battery rescue hens - I would love that! The basic cupcake recipe couldn't be easier, has helpful tips and is given in measuring in cup or scales options!
Peasy! I love the way she talks about "plonking" heaped teaspoons of the mixture into the cupcake cases. I also found a fab website the other day and ordered some funky cupcake cases, more to be seen....later.
Meanwhile, check out www.cakeadoodledo.co.uk for the magic cupcake book and how to order cakes directly and www.craftcompany.co.uk for funky cupcake cases and other lovely crafty things!

My Ode to Autumn: Flourishing Trees.

This last week I have been reading and pondering on a passage from Proverbs 11 about having a God shaped life.
This has got me thinking and praying and asking the Lord, what shape am I and how can I continue to grow in this shape?






Not tall or thin or fat or small, but what is my part in the Kingdom of God?

My identity, my "Luciness", the skills, qualities, gifting, talents, my Friends and family and life experiences that shape me into the person that I am today?

You might have come across the book: the mission shaped church, but us being mission shaped as individuals? How can we hear His heartbeat more and to know what He is asking of us?The verse from the Message says this:"having a God shaped life is like a flourishing tree." So, does this mean that I, Luci must always be flourishing, bursting with flowers and rich in leaves, constantly, continually, all year round?
Some trees are all gnarled and twisted, whilst others have their branches upturned to heaven, almost in worship. On windy days they sway with the wind. They change dramatically as they grow and go through seasons. Adaptable, resilient, aware of times of rest and bringing forth life and going through seasons of change.



Each one unique and each one has it's place and is rooted firmly and deeply.

I can wrestle with being a people pleaser, struggling with proving myself when people ask:"What is Luci doing?" This was particularly true, when I was in full time ministry with YWAM for a number of years, sometimes feeling the pressure to be driven to do, rather than simply to be.




We were often reminded that God loves and cares more about us as individuals for who we are and not for what we do and yet I felt this tension of doing rather than being. As God created the seasons, so we have times of going through the seasons too. Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer.

This last year I have been in Autumn and Winter, after the Lord whispered to me the word: change. I started with letting go of some ministry I had been doing, sensing that it was right to pass the baton on.
Perhaps a bit like Autumn...leaves....falling.
Then came Winter, where I almost literally hibernated.
This was the season I was not expecting! I got 2 bugs back to back in January, sleeping for days and nights at a time. When I awoke, I exhausted. I was diagnosed with post viral fatigue and it has been a gradual process of gaining strength and pacing life throughout this year, learning all the time and resting lots.

I have constantly known that the Lord is in this for me, and that during this time, He is preparing me for what is next.

Just like with a tree.

I can almost hardly wait to see what springs up, next!
If you are in Autumn and needing to let go of some things, do it and enjoy Winter and His special time of rest for you.
As Psalm 1 says, blessed is the one who is like a tree planted by water.

Enjoy discovering you own shape, to live a God shaped life.

I am.

Maybe I have always wanted to be a tree, after all....

as long as it is God-shaped and funky!

The Alternative Wedding Feast!

After the Wedding ceremony and the photos, the bride and groom and all the relatives left to go to the Wedding Reception. A few of us friends were invited to the ceilidh later in the evening, which was great fun btw! However, it didnt solve our dilema: What to do in the few hours after the ceremony and the evening do?
We heard that all the relatives would be eating sausages and sweet potato mash and thought that this sounded rather yummy. So we decided to gather together at my house for the Alternative Wedding Feast! We each bring food to cook at my house then to eat together. We often have similar food meal gatherings and they are proving to be special times for us all. We often decide on a theme, like Sunday roast or Italian theme, so that it is not just a pot luck menu.
Rachel and family brought the drinks and sausages and Jen brought the potatoes and I made onion gravy and we served it all with some carrots. I made a lemon drizzle cake for dessert. A simple, cost effective way to share a meal together with friends. Delicious!


I used a recipe from my new birthday gift a few weeks ago: the hummingbird bakery book, by Tarek Malouf and The Hummingbird Bakers. He was inspired to learn to make amazing cupcakes after a trip to the USA.
This book has some fabulous looking recipes that I can hardly wait to try. My friend Abbie has been to one of their bakery shops in London and says that is an amazing experience!
I would love to visit one of the shops to try one... or maybe 2... of the cakes!
Thank you, my lovely friends for a lovely day.( I enjoyed wearing my new home made earrings too!)