Fancy A Cuppa?

K IS FOR?

THE KETTLE SINGS!

........... but sadly not on a Monday. After a stroll in the surroundings of the beautiful Malvern Hills yesterday, our hopes of downing a most welcome cuppa were to be dashed.

There is a kaleidoscope of Ks waiting to be discovered over at ABC Wednesday.

...And IT all started as a simple search for empanadas...

...In this most civilized city of Buenos Aires

Reminds me of Paris

The people...The architecture...the coffee!

My Husband was meeting with the Emir of Dubai for business

or

maybe it was just a guy from Mendoza...

So...I struck out into this fair city in search of an empanada.

simple task... No?

I heard the banging of the drums and the honking of the horns as a demonstration
was forming...and closing down the avenue
around me.
I was just looking for empanadas...remember?

Vying for a better look...and asking the marchers what their voice was...

I was assumed to be media with big camera clicking away
and was pushed to the front
for better coverage

then...uno policia...

..A few more

Then a strong line...keeping the peace?

I never quite understood the plea...Working on my spanish...

But...by gum...I was right there with them!

I found my empanadas in a tiny corner shop...

They were worth the march...
each flaky, tender morsel.
As I lunched on them back in the hotel

...with some champagne...just a bit.
hey...it was on the house!

Vive la democracia!

Vive la empanada!

...and it all started with a parade at dusk...

Really.Just For us.
or so we thought
In the languid, steamy colonial town
of Olinda Brazil.
Touching the equator
or so it felt

Even the dogs were immobile in the afternoon
heat.
speed bumps

The pace was
slow
sleepy

Color in this laid back town
was less than shy.

And now 8 hours further south
by plane
we land in the just melting spring of
Buenos Aires.
Leather boots, jackets
the energy of a BIG city.

...the adventure continues...
when we can find internet access.

Feeling Sheepish

J IS FOR ?



JUST SUPERLAMBANAS!

These appealing creatures were much in evidence locally during 2008, when the city of Liverpool held the title of Liverpool Capital of Culture. I was annoyed with myself for never having my camera with me to photograph the pair that graced our local railway station. However luck was on my side and I was delighted to see them return this summer. The goofy looking one makes me smile and its friend has a particularly local touch. The bridge you can see painted on its flanks is a representation of our local landmark - a bridge that crosses the river Mersey.

Just jump over to ABC Wednesday, hosted by Denise Nesbitt for more jollies on the letter J.

"Parklife"

Within five minutes of leaving home last Saturday morning, I was dismayed to find myself enveloped and shivering in thick fog. Although major shopping was on the agenda, fog per se would not be an obstacle even to a reluctant shopper like myself. However before battling out with the best of them in Liverpool's new shopping precinct, I planned to return to Chavasse Park for my September Out On The Streets contribution over at Veg Plotting. I posted about my June visit to the park here. Fortunately by the time I got to town the fog had lifted, descended and then lifted again- all down to the meandering of the river Mersey methinks. So fortunately by the time I reached my destination it was a sparkling September morning.

This is a small park with none of the usual facilities for children that you usually associate with a park. Having said that it is a pleasant area to sit in, relax, chat, perhaps picnic and generally enjoy some welcome green right in the centre of a bustling city. There were distinct early autumnal hues.

More or less from the same spot, firstly in June ~



and now September ~



However there was still much colour in evidence. Reds, yellows and oranges here ~



Various late flowering perennials used in combination with grasses ~











I detected spaces for further planting - more echinaceas and asters would fit in well.

This time the water feature was working- hurrah ! ~






As it was still before 9.00am there were very few folk about. I imagine though that kids would enjoy weaving through these water spurts and getting drenched. Whilst making sure that my camera was not getting splashed, I was asked a question by another early morning photographer. This chap had the works strapped round his neck - a most expensive looking camera and accessories. He was over here from Venezuela and said that he was enjoying taking photos. He told me that it was too dangerous for him to take photos at home for fear of being mugged. He said that he felt quite safe in Liverpool, which was a refreshing comment, as the city often attracts unfair comments both in the national press and from so called comedians about its crime rate.

On a final note I will leave you with a glimpse of this building which you can see from the park ~




This is part of the new Liverpool ferry terminal which recently had the very dubious honour of winning the 2009 Carbuncle Cup - this is an award bestowed by architects on the country's most ugly newly completed building. The ferry terminal building is in the proximity of Liverpool's iconic 'Three Graces' so there has been much controversy about this new addition to the waterfront. I have not seen the entire building in close up yet from all angles so will not pass my final verdict but ..... !

P.S. With thanks to Blur for the post title. I will be singing this song for the rest of the day !

And….They’re off!

Olinda, Brazil…Pousada dos Quatros Cantos

Then...

Hotel del Casco San isidro Argentina

lastly... Buenos Aires…

See ya on the return…have a great few weeks!

we hope too!

Who knew???

Well…I imagine many of you are more hooked in than I…But I just did not know there was a top model home contest going on.

The models homes are finished…the voting is happening now.

Do your part.

Vote.

This one is from a designer from our little town…Jill Shevlin…

Go Jill!

Back to packing.

Really? The truth.

I haven’t even started yet.

~ sigh~

Breathing space…

Photos: Houzz

Breathe in…

Breathe out.

Packing for a looong road trip.Well... plane trip.

I’ll post when if I can.

Miss ya!

'Singing The Blues'

I IS FOR ?



INSPIRATION AND IDEAS!

~ which is what I have got today from wondering round other folk's September gardens over at Garden Bloggers Bloom Day, hosted by May Dreams Gardens. This is where garden bloggers post about the blooms in their garden on the 15th of each month. My garden seems to be very heavy on the old green tinged with brown at the moment. I have very few September stars - most of what is in flower was out in August or before and is still hanging on. I do have one dramatic new performer though - an unlabeled aconitum, which I bought at our garden club plant sale in May with autumn colour in mind. I am quite smitten already.

If you would like to see more inside information on the letter I you can do so over at ABC Wednesday.

Absolute Musts!

All this rare sunshine is going to my head. I have had a surfeit of fresh air this week and as I have toiled at the allotment the grey matter has been in overdrive. I have come to the conclusion that I must :

• Do some serious research into chemical toilets or porta potties (to use a quainter phrase). Perched over the bucket in the shed this morning, I had an alarming moment when I heard loud buzzing, which I think was in the vicinity of a certain very exposed part of my anatomy ! I did not dare to turn my head to look in case I toppled over.
• Treat myself to Anna Pavord's new book 'Bulb' which I flicked through in Waterstones yesterday. Already laden down with shopping I could not manage to carry this heavy tome as well. First impressions were of excellence - masses of information and beautiful photography. I would like to have lingered it over it longer but I always feel guilty if I leave without making a purchase. I know it's slightly early to mention the dreaded C word but this could be my yearly gift to myself book. However Waterstones have got a special offer on the book at the moment. Should I return later in the week and then ask himself to hide the book until the appointed time? Decisions, decisions. Also on my book wish list are 'Veg Patch : River Cottage Handbook 4' by Mark Diacono and 'Garden Wisdom' by Leslie Geddes-Brown'.
• Find out whether there is such an item as a waterproof, smudge-proof notebook. I have given up taken a notebook to the allotment as they invariably get dirty and/or damp. However I find that I do not always remember what I want to do or need to do. It would also be useful to be jot down notes and thoughts for future reference.
• Take a tape measure with me to the allotment to measure the raised beds. I need to get some porous membrane to cover the beds over before the cold weather sets in. Now if I had the aforesaid notebook I would remember to put the tape measure into my allotment bag.
• Plant onion sets and garlic next month. Before I can do that I need to order them but that's the easy bit. I also need to get my head round my hit and miss rotation system and work out where I can plant them. That should take some time says she scratching her head.
• I must plant my bulbs before the end of November and not half way through January when in previous years I have risked severe frostbite to accomplish this task. As I have only bought a bag of sixteen tulip bulbs up to now this should not be beyond the realms of possibility. I shall just have to stay clear of bulb websites, catalogues and garden centres for the foreseeable future. Sounds easy.

Well I think that's enough musts for me to be getting on with for the time being. Time now to seek inspiration for what I can do with a mound of damsons.

Prayer in the form of peanut butter. And chocolate.

Everyone I know who has the disease chooses to live.

Vic chooses to live.

Determined, stately, strong. Spitting at the malevolent face of cancer.

Surviving.

The man with the gentle puddle of soulful blue eyes.

Has the steel of a Vietnam Veteran behind them. A marine.

This propels him. His family propels him. A life-force field.

He lives.

I?

I can cook…I can bake. Yes I can do that.

Peanut butter? Chocolate? Creamy?

Yes. I can do that. Happily…

as a gift of love. As a gift of strength.

I… don’t know close up how this beast preys. How it consumes . how it maligns

But wish

no pray…

That somehow the peanut butter and chocolate will be a magic tincture of good over evil .

The beauty…the therapy…in baking for a friend

is that each added ingredient has meaning…has memory

The mere whisking of ingredients is indeed prayer.

for wholeness.

for health.

for peace.

for hope.

And so I whisk...

Dum spiro… spero

From the Latin: As I breathe…I hope

Make your own Chocolate Peanut Butter prayer from this recipe