Baking to settle my Mind

I have things on my mind.

Baking settles my mind when its in overdrive.

So last night I had a play with a simple cookie recipe that Lucy @ Attic 24 posted....


::Lucy's Cookie Recipie::

Cream 100g Margarine & 75g of Soft Brown Sugar....

Then mix in 2tbs of Golden Syrup, 100g SR Flour and add your special ingredient....

Lucy uses 100g Chocolate Drops (however I thought I'd try something different)

Place walnut sized dough balls onto a baking tray, you should get about 16-18....

Cook for 8 - 10 minutes until a very pale colour @ 180/160 (fan)


Last night I used Lemon & Crystallised Ginger (100g)




I also made a batch with 100g Cadbury's Mini Eggs....

G looked worried when he entered the kitchen, to see me bashing them with a rolling pin (very therapeutic)....


And 100g of Pecan & Toffee....


The toffee oozled a bit out of the T & P Cookies (which was yummy)

Mmmmm yum! Lots of cookies....

Would you like a closer peak?....

G loves the Ginger & Lemon - I like the Toffee & Pecan - The Little People like the mini egg ones...

The nurses on the unit liked them all ....

Oh dear, I feel a little a comforting eating session coming on whilst I ponder my '25 questions' that I have been tagged for by Beki-Marie....

Love Lydia xx

My name is Lydia & I cheat with my pancakes....

Arrive home from work - late - having been reminded by a patient that its pancake day today.

Cue temporary mini melt down from me - resolved by trip to the village Co-Op.

Pancake Day Ingredients.....


A very important pancake ingredient....


Just add milk and shake....

& shake some more....

Cook....

Top....

Eat....

Done....

Hope you all had a lovely pancake day....

(I'm off to hang my head in shame)

Love Lydia

3 cat tails/tales

Cat Tail Number 1

Can you remember the pussy willow?

& the tale of fairy willow who takes the buds and put and outs them on the kittens....

Well, over the weekend the bud started to fall & Little Miss made herself busy collecting them. What I hadn't realised, was that she had taken my words seriously, and had been collecting them for the fairy.

She proudly presented me with a letter she had written to the fairy - and enclosed in a bag, the pussy willow tails....

Pop with pride, me? You bet! Shes not long turned 5, so I think she's done a fine job of writing on her own....

Anyway, we popped the letter outside....


Safe & ready for Fairy Willow to collect....

And look what should be waiting this morning....

Rewards for helping the Fairies....

How exciting - & Little Miss has had her beliefs in fairies re-affirmed ....

Lesson Learned Number One - At least One of my children listens too, and believes in what I say...

Cat Tale Number 2

This is what happens when you take your cat to the vet to be 'groomed' because it had some matts in its fur.

£80 for sedation & a crew cut....

This is an ongoing problem - Tat (the ripper) has very thick fur, she is a poor groomer (which comes from being taken away from her mum too soon) and is a little overweight , so she struggles to reach certain bits ....

I am wondering if I could put on one of those little coats? Wish I had mastered the crochet ....

Poor Tatty -

Lesson Learned Number Two - I have duly informed the Little People, that this is what happen if you don't wash & brush your hair properly....

Cat Tales Number 3

We have been struggling at school with the 8 year old's reading - until he brought this book home, and what a change it has made for him....

For an 8 year old, it rocks - the cat has a seriously bad attitude....

Oh why did I not speak to the teachers sooner & ask if there was something more enjoyable for him to read?

Lesson Learned Number 3 - sometimes as a mummy you have to meow loudly for your child's best interests (but not roar - unless v. necessary)....

Love Lydia xx

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Saturday's we had a Family Day Out

Picnic packed - (Including home made cookies - I had a quick Kenwood workout whilst Little Miss was at her Saturday morning dancing lesson)

And off we went....

To the Yorkshire Sculpture Park - Wakefield


Where Old....

Sits with New....

And you get to see huge people 'dancing', said Little Miss



And little man spotted more 'people' in amongst the trees.



Its a huge open space to discover, and we only covered a small section....



A huge sculpture by Igor Mitoraj was met with awe....

Discoveries were made....



And tiny treasures found....


Inside the beautiful Camellia House (this is place is romantic, shabby chic at its best....)



The Beautiful Victorian iron work sits in harmony with modern installations....



A huge sculptures by the artist Sophie Ryder caused great mirth - I think that bunny has eaten one too many Easter eggs....

Whilst other pieces by Ryder, made you feel like you had been transported to Narnia....

Even the bare trees have an air of mystery & excitement about them....

We wander through the paths and discover a house in the trees....

And Little Miss finds the door, at the bottom of the trunk. She is utterly convinced that she has seen a glimpse of red, and that it must be Pooh Bear - and that this is his house. I virtually had to gag the 8 year old with his scarf to stop him from spoiling it for her....

A miniature old ruin becomes a Castle, or an Inn for baby Jesus (depending on which child you are)....

This sooo looks like me at the end of a busy day....

We really didn't have enough time to explore all that the park had to offer. There are further works by Henry Moore, and other sculptors set in acres of land, plus an indoor Gallery.

This place is a treasure, funded by the public, whose names are set in the path as you walk into the visitor centre - It was free to go in, and just £4.00 to park for the whole day.

We will definitely have to go back again and see the rest of the park.

....And I did manage to squeeze in 10 minutes in the Very Tasteful (but Very Expensive) gift shop.

I left with some fab bow & ties for wrapping - which has 'its the thought that counts' printed on it, also a bunny made in Liberty Fabric for a friend whose little baby is called Liberty, and an small Orla Keily note pad (because the rest of her stuff was v. expensive)

It was a lovely day, all round....

Love Lydia xx

Pictures & Parks

The Little People came back on Thursday night, rather tired having had four busy days away from home.

Unfortunately Little Miss was overly tired = floods of tears at bedtime. Why was she always being 'sent away' to Grandma's?. By the time she was calm, I was most distraught.

Somehow saying because I had to go to work doesn't seem a good enough explanation to a 5 year old, even though I know deep down that I have no choice not to work at the moment. Cue lots of guilt.

So I resolved not to get stressy about the state of the house (despite the shame of knowing what the window cleaner could see on Thursday when he came round), and to just get on & enjoy my little people.

Friday morning, and I knew they were back from the sounds of the forgotten-all-week DS bleeping away....


And the Apples under attack by 9.30 am....

We had a lazy, treaty breakfast - whilst waiting for my best friend and her children to arrive....

Whilst us mummy's caught up on the gossip, the small people got on with some colouring - intrigued by the stained glass paper patterns. My eldest, as usual, had to have factual knowledge of the Egyptians, so he could colour in correctly....

Whereas Little Miss, is just happy to go with the flow....

Then we all tootled off to Queen's Park which is not far away. Its gone through a huge makeover, to bring it back to its former glory.

We examined the art works on the walkover....

Which were inspired by a statue of a girl in the park, and (if you look closely at the next picture), you can see where the artist incorporated pictures of the local children who helped to produce the works of art.

Through too the cafe & sand pit play area....

For some good old fashioned out door play....

The first sandcastles of the year were built....

And the first outdoor ice creams were eaten....

Mint choc chip for him -


And strawberry for her ....

We had a good wander round the boating lake - no boats today though


And went up to the Victorian band stand - no pictures of this, as it was already being frequented by some 'youths' - & we had to leave quickly following a fit of giggles having heard my Little man, ask them very earnestly 'are you teenagers?'

All around us, the park was a hive of activity - Spring is here, just as the flowers are starting to come out in the warmer weather, and sunshine, so are we....

Love Lydia xx