My Lucky Day

Oh My God! I screamed...

Just now I was pulling up weeds when, right by an old tree stump, I found, amongst the mighty weeds, the pearl ear-ring I'd lost LAST YEAR!!!!!
I can't believe it I just can't believe it!

It is surrounded in hardened soil, just has a tiny piece of gold showing but, and this is the sweetest bit, the WHOLE pearl is visible....Proud and defiant like oh God I don;t what it's like. All I know is this is my lucky day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In a mo I will very tenderly rinse it in a cup and hopefully hopefully it'll look as beautiful as ever.
I can't believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Little thoughts.......

I liked Kate's veil. Reminded me of the Queen Mother on her wedding day.

William I thought looked far away, another place maybe, thinking about his mum maybe.

Camilla's outfit was gorgeous. I noticed that Royals never wear anything too tight. Muffin tops? A phrase unknown...

Not even at the wedding of the year could Mrs Beckham smile. David was the epitome of cool. Matters not what he wears he always looks good. Bit like me.

Made hamburgers last night. Thick moist. A few chips, no salad. Utter comfort food. Then more comfort in ovoid form. Cadbury's Caramel Egg.

Watched again Britain's Got Talent but only for Edward Reid. Fell madly in love with him? Don't be an idiot. Lusted after him and recognize pained artistes when I see them. Works in the community. Handsome. Sockless with shiny shoes. The perfect man. So pleased he's through.

Horticulture: Cleaned bird bath. Talked to various trees. Will, this afternoon, if I have the glue, attach another thing to the kitchen windowsill so more birds can nose in as they peck out.

Today I'll be making Italian style chicken.
Olive oiled Chicken breasts, sliced courgettes, sliced tomatoes, wafer thin garlic, nuts of mozzarella and torn basil leaves baked in foil parcels.
Served with buttered peppered penne and garlic bread.
For sweet?
Tangerine jelly.

:)

Will and Kate

They look very natural together..........It's funny how you can tell when people are in love...........

X

Tim The Artist

I knew Tim would win, felt it in my chicken bones...

Also saw it in the faces of Greg and John. From the moment he shone a light into their lives I knew, they knew, we all knew that he, Tim Anderson the young Wisconsin man was the main course man.

Tom, lovely handsome Tom also rocked some boats especially with his final stupendously English pig pieces dish, this plate of perfectly cooked pork bits blew the judges away, even I was lost for words. What a crackling he was.

Rosa, my lovely Italian girl cooked her big heart out with a starter of chocolate ravioli and an ender of passion fruit and stuff, all out of this world fare, especially the hare, but it was Tim's three burgers which set the kitchen alight, metaphorically of course.

I'm not one easily shocked but when he said he was making burgers for a starter I wondered....mostly about his sanity, but being the consummate keen- as- mustard- amateur he brought the judges tongues to a stand still, (when they weren't munching of course). I leant towards the tv as if being drawn into the world of this fabulously inventive cook, his menu was exhaustive, it was bonkers, it was a star's menu. It had Tim written all over it...........

He'd made bread and noodles and pastries and God knows what else and all within the allotted 3 hours, me wondered whether or not he'd make it, but as his canvas of food was set upon the white linen I knew he'd win the damn trophy. His food shone, nay blitzed, like a nucleared halo around the head of a drunken saint. Simply breathtaking. If this guy doesn't land a nice little job within a Michelin starred restaurant real soon.... I'll live on frozen pizzas for the next five years.

Never ever have I seen a cook so in love with his vocation............

When Greg and John did their dramatic..."And the winner is......" my heart was racing, rather like when I have too much of anything, and then, when HIS name was announced, I nearly cried not because I'm in love or insane but because I love seeing genius rewarded.

So well done you Tim Anderson and good luck in your future......... as an Artist.............. Because my dear boy that's what you are. X


.
Food to be enjoyed whilst witnessing the tethering together of William and Catherine...All made by Her Plebness, The Right Old Horsehoundness

Raisin Fairy Cakes
Chocolate Chip Mega Muffins
Almond Fancies

And then for supper...Billy Burgers and Katy Chips

My chocolate meringue tartlets were ooohy gooey and not at all chewy!
They were blooming luvley......

Am in tartlet mode at the mo so Mr H. will be overwhelmed with tiny tarts:)

Now snooker........grrrrrr!

The Winner of MasterChef 2011 is...

From left to right.....Tim, Rosa and Tom

Loved last night's MasterChef.

I still can't figure out who'll be crowned toppo cooko.

Rosa, I thought, was starting to crack, Tom oozed coolness and Tim, well he was just Tim, mad but with his head on the right way!

Can barely wait for tonight's final final of the final and it seems a terrible shame that only one of these knock-out cooks can wear the shiny hat...My money, what there is of it, is on..........My head says Rosa, my heart Tim. Sorry Tom.
But whomsoever wins, they all win the end, because all are set to quit their day jobs in favour of kitchen careers and why not?

This year's MasterChef entertained me, taught me and thrilled me. Well done all.... from a lady who will, after penning this, make a dozen chocolate meringue tartlets, recipe coming from a 1960 cookbook. Doesn't matter a jot, what matters is creating either good simple or fabulous ornate fancies which when plated up will get ooohs and cors! That's what it's all about.

A Lady's Green Fingered Morning...

Yesterday after our messing around in paddocks with horses, we went to buy some bird seed and came away with 33 ltrs of compost, a trowel and the sweetest tiniest strawberry plant:)

So this morning, after obeying the birds orders, I set about playing with my plant...

Not knowing much about anything green I did what I always do and followed my instinct...
Having not a pot to plant it in I scavenged around the garden and garage and found a plastic multi-coloured 1960's shopping open weave basket:)
So half filling it with new dirt I envisaged clouds of 'Cambridge' strawberries hanging like rubies...
Obviously I was mad keen to get on with it so dropped all other plans and got on with it.

Easing the tender youngster out of its red Homebase pot I gently snuggled it in the dirt, talking all the time to it. After some watering I went outside and sat the basket next to the Apple tree. Aaaah I thought, and I meant it. I get so much mad pleasure out of doing simple things well, but as usual I couldn't stop there. So that's when the £2:97 picket fence made an entrance.
I didn't fuss or think just stuck the three pieces of wood around the apple tree and strawberry plant. Then I stood and looked at it.
Then I cam in and looked through the conservatory windows at it. Then left my tea to look at it.

Other horticultural news....
The recently sewn parsley is born, tiny bits of green above the soil...
Have raked over the rose bush by the front door in readiness for the sewing of Poppies.
Fed all the rose bushes out front with fingers crossed...
The big brown pot by the bay window is winking at me, so might grow something in it, herbs probably.
Hung an amber coloured glass window ornament on a tree. Will look good when the sun catches it.
A very old giant rose decorated teapot with damaged lid sits by a toad.
The pine coffee table under the badly cut conifers looks daft but with bare pale legs on it under an afternoon sun it ain't half bad...
Masses to do in the rockery. Not a great lover of Alpine plants and it shows.
Tulips are tall, red and proud. Very elegant, like a gracious lady in a sleek evening frock.
Have opened an olde fruity cloth umbrella and leant it against the wall.



But back to what I do best.....
Cooking today: Something with ham, something with jam.