A Heron's roost

We had a lovely visitor yesterday afternoon. This heron flew into our Larch tree in our lower garden. He/She did not stay long, long enough to check to make sure that there were no goldfish to have from one of our ponds and then off he/she flew again. 

Winter into Spring

I found this site to be a fun spot to look at what I find comfy to wear and maybe find a few more things that I would like to add to my wardrobe.  :o)

Find me on Polyvore

My Christmas Mousse thing for my children..

I made this every Christmas for so many years..  :o)  My children have asked me over and over again for the recipe..I lost the recipe ages ago..and have always made it so many different ways from memory. Finally I ran across the recipe ..so here it is!  Yay!

This rich, creamy and chocolaty dessert definitely isn’t for the weak. A little bit of the buttery cookie crust topped with vanilla-chocolate pudding and whipped cream goes a long way.

Ingredients

• Bottom Layer
• 1 cup unsifted flour
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
• Middle Layer
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 1/2 ounces homemade whipped cream
• Top Layer
• 1 large package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 large package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 3 cups cold milk
• Garnish layer
• Roughly 4 1/2 ounces homemade whipped cream
• Chocolate shavings

Instructions

Bottom Layer

1. Mix together the flour, butter and chopped nuts until the dough is crumble-like.
2. Press the mixture into a greased 9×13-inch pan.
3. Bake the cookie crust at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
4. Let the cookie crust cool.

Middle Layer

1. Beat the sugar into the cream cheese until it is smooth.
2. Fold in the whipped cream.
3. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust.

Top Layer

1. Beat the milk into the pudding mixes until the mixture is smooth and thickened.
2. Spread the pudding over the middle layer.

Garnish Layer

1. Spread whipped cream over the top.
2. Sprinkle the the dessert with grated chocolate candy bar, such as Baker’s Real Semi-Sweet Chocolate Shavings.
3. Cover the layered dessert and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve it.

Birds gotta eat

I find myself wanting to feed everything, and in the winter especially. I love to cook for anyone or anything that eats enthusiastically. The local birds here in Wales qualify.
I make home made suet with nuts and fruits in it..here is how I go about making it ...

 I use lard to start with. I choose to not melt it as some people do..I let it come to room temperature and then cut it up into smaller chunks and toss it into my mixers bowl..Here I am using  2 lbs of lard..

 I like to add in peanut butter, it does not matter whether it is smooth or crunchy..I added about a half cup here.

 I  most usually will add currents..but my currants were hiding so I chopped up some other dried fruits..right around a cup of what ever dried fruit is fine, but the birds here to seem to favor currents..

 It is easier to use my hand blender so here I have dumped my dried fruits into my blenders bowl..if I had found my currents, I would have tossed them in with out chopping them.

 My little work horse hand blender..

 Very good..chopped nicely..

 I added about 3/4 cup of sugar..Birds love and need some sugar.. :o)

 About a cup of chipped or chopped nuts of some sort is good..

 I saw my friend Betty in Virginia using clothes pins for fastening her plastic bags...love it..lol

 Some birds really like meal worms..so I add them as well..

 ok..ready to mix...I like to use this hook..the whip can do it..but not as well as this hook.

 I always need to scrape down the sides 2 or 3 times..

 When it looks well mixed...take a big spoon and scoop out about a half cup or so..

 Roll it in the palm of your hand..

 Plop it into a tube like this for suet balls..

 Keep plopping them in until they are full..I have 3 tubes like this..but my recipe today only filled 2 of them..

 I like to wrap them in a bit of parchment paper to protect them..

Then I put them in the freezer for an hour or so...

 After the suet has set up a bit..I take it out and hang it on the feeder stand..  :o)

Then I come in and wait to take a picture... :o) 

Moutarde D Meaux Pommery

I saw this sweet pot of Mustard Pommery in a local Deli http://www.blasarfwyd.com/english/ here in Llanwrst on my blustery day in town. To get to it, I dodged street workers, walked past my wool shop as they were closed for lunch..and followed the lovely smell to the deli...

I could not wait to get home and open it for a taste..it has a very nice lid that seals well. I am sure I will have many of these delightful pots all round my kitchen and Dear porch studio before long.
I am happy with the ingredients as they are so simple and taste so purely wonderful! " Water, mustard seeds,vinegar, salt and spices...simple.. yum...I found this quote about the mustard..
"Mustard from Meaux has been served at the tables of French kings since 1632 and made by the Pommery family according to a closely guarded secret recipe since 1760." 
I have found this recipe I want to try...
http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/822183-Asiago-Crusted-Chicken-with-Pommery-Mustard-Sauce
On a roast beef and whole grain bread sandwich is another plan I have for it!
Oh and here is another link that I am thinking would work with this delish Mustard Pommery,  subsituting my Garlic mash cauliflower for potatoes..http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Dijon-Mashed-Potatoes/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=76009459&prop26=HealthyBites&prop27=2012-01-25&prop28=Main&prop29=Recipe&me=1 For the Garlic mash cauliflower you  boil a head of cauliflower with a clover or two of garlic until just tender, not soggy, drain, then whip them with a hand blender adding a very small amount of soft cheese of some sort..I use the laughing cow cheese wedges..usually two wedges..My Darlin Sir Bear loves it..  :o) 

To Market

On a wet blustery day, what could be more fun than trekking through a lovely Dingle with a lovely man and two dogs? Why shopping, of course!

In this little Welsh market town of Llanwrst I find some of the most interesting tucked away shops. This, the Scilicorn Bakery is a delight and one of my favorites. No purchases here on this day however...sigh...on we go doggies....I must get to the wool shop.I am in a forever search for flesh colored wool roving. Oh! ..and the deli where my pot of mustard waits!

Belly Bear and Blue Sheep

I needle felted this little fellow..I have come up with the original..lol..name of Belly Bear for him.. first one off my fingers..  many more to come! He is a little over an inch tall..
Blue Sheep is much larger..she fits nicely into the palm of my hand, warms nicely there...she is pretty and she seems to know it!

A Life Wrapped in Ribbons: Love

A Life Wrapped in Ribbons: Love

Love

 Being hurt...It is the danger of loving..but you know what? don't stop loving..it is worth it..to love is the best..let your ego go..be glad you had love and joy..don't let yourself get bitter. Get stronger..and more loving..but be sure you love yourself first....be kind to yourself, forgive yourself, find that inner small child that you were..and love her..and always protect her with your love..  ~Caroline Blevins..  

Mother Ocean..

I go to Ocean to go back to the time of innocence. 
The time before I knew sadness and pain and fear. 
Before,  my senses were startled by anger and hatred. 
Before, I  had to learn to defend my own sensibilities, 
where I put up walls of defense and learned the words 
to hit back with. 
The ocean, 
where I  can be an innocent child again, 
full of curiosity, 
a living piece of creation, 
full of hope and light...
A child again.. 
No learned hatred, 
no fears ...
Here, 
at the edge of our Mother Ocean, 
I hear the rhythm once again of my mothers heart beat...
I let go of the anger, the fears and find comfort...
A child again..is leading me...with love, hope, curiosity and peace... ~Caroline aka..me