In the Chicken Coop

We've just handed care of Lemon, Pepper and Frog to these two for three months... ... good luck gu...

Read More

Photo Friday - Edale

Click to see a larger versi...

Read More

Travel Knitting

What's a good holiday without a good bit of knitting to go with it? Exactly! I've been wondering for a while quite how much I'll need to take with me to last the full three months, particularly since I knit more on holiday than I do at home. I don't have an answer but I do have a plan. It involves this laceweight New Zealand wool: A vacuum packer. This pattern for an intricate shawl. Three...

Read More

Kitchen Gadget 8. Thermometer

Being scientists at heart we love lots of gadgets that make cooking more predictable, and this is definitely one of them. The food thermometer. Again, a very simple piece of kit, we bought ours from ebay for the princely sum of £3 and it gets used several times a week, though often this is as an upgrade to the little finger method of testing our reheated dinner is hot enough. It's been called in to...

Read More

Photo Friday - Damflask Reservoir

...

Read More

Lessons from a Sock

I'm working on another pair of socks - Edwardian Boating Socks this time, so named for the little rowers that paddle up and down each leg. I'd like to say I've definitely got the hang of this sock knitting thing, but since I had to turn the heel on the first sock several times I'll think I'll hold off making such grand claims. This is what I've done so far: 1. Follow the heel turn instructions "sl1,...

Read More

The Great Swift Bake Off: Round 7 - Layered Cake

This month it's layered cakes in the office. As it's my final round before bowing out from the remainder of the competition I thought I should put a little extra effort in. I wanted something summery and decided to base my concoction on a Frazier cake. I was concerned that the two layers may have been insufficient so twisted the traditional structure somewhat, ending with three layers of cake topped...

Read More

Life's a Game 8: Whist

This year we're sharing with you our game of the month. These are all favourites from our collection, or ones we play with our friends. August's game is Whist If you have a good memory you'll recall that many many months ago, whilst talking about Cribbage, I said that my family have always enjoyed a game of cards. Whist has many different variations I've enjoyed both knock-out whist and nomination...

Read More

Photo Friday - Dahlia Mr Optimist

Bought last year for 50p in a sale and now flowering. Bargai...

Read More

Travelling: The Plan

More and more of our life of late seems to be consumed with planning and organising our trip this autumn. From printing maps and researching sim-card options to buying kit and arranging house/hen-sitters there seems to be an unending list of jobs to be done. Slowly, however, we are getting there. We're away for three months, and while there are several weeks where we're just touring and going wherever...

Read More

Elderflower Champagne the Second

Our elderflower champagne has been quietly brewing for the last six weeks and has turned out very tasty - if a little syrupy. It did an excellent job in helping us to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary last weekend with most of those fine people who were willing to be bridesmaids and ushers for us at the time. We also had five dessert courses - because that's what every fifth anniversary...

Read More

Photo Friday - Scavenger Hunt

Team bridesmaid vs team usher was always doomed to end in silliness... ... R is for Roundabo...

Read More