Spooky Halloween Soup

The kids are home for half term break and they have been making stuff in the kitchen and running around like mad things shouting Spooky Spoon at the top of their voices

This was our lunch; soup with goulish cheese scones

Qweesh

She berates me for not putting her attempts at making Quiche on the blog when she sees Greg's workmanship instead of her own. "Well.." I say "you'll need to write the recipe down and I will put your efforts on the blog too!"

How could you not humour a little menace like this one...?

Now that reminds me, where is the recipe Miranda - I'm waiting....

The title a reference to my grandfather, who I always think about when Quiche is mentioned. He always called it Qweesh, I think it represented an aspect of modernity and cosmopolitanism that he was happy to encounter.

Gregory's Creme Caramel

--> Tonight I’ve made an amazing pudding you’ve probably heard of it before it’s called a crème caramel well this is how to make one. It serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

·      3 eggs                                             

·      3egg yolks

·      1 and three quarter cups of sugar

·      450ml of milk

·      225ml of double cream

·      Half a tsp of vanilla extract  

Put the three eggs and the three egg yolks in a bowl with three quarters of a cup of sugar and beat them until it becomes thick and creamy. In a saucepan put all the milk and cream then put it on the hob until it starts to simmer. Pour the hot cream and milk gradually into the egg mixture, stirring it as you pour it. Add the vanilla extract and stir in. heat the sugar that you have left I a heavy bottomed saucepan until the it start’s melting. Continue to heat the sugar, stirring it all the time when it turns light brown colour and has a syrupy consistency it will probably take about 6-8 minutes to do this. Divide the syrup into 6-8 ramekins if you don’t have any then you could use a small dish will do swill the sugar round so it leaves some up the sides, it is best to do this quickly as the sugar dries quickly. Place the ramekins/dishes in a baking tray full of boiling water, then put a sheet of foil on top of the custard to stop them browning too much, then bake in a pre-heated oven 180c mark 4 for 45-50 minutes.

When the custard is done (you can tell when because if you put a knife in it and it comes out clean there done) cool the custards and take them out by running a thin bladed knife around the outside of the dishes. Serve them hot or cold.   

Blog post written by Gregory                

     

The Big Blow

Took Greg and Miranda for a Sunday afternoon walk, and the weather was not very promising. A heavy shower just as we were leaving did not bode well!

Nevertheless we were optimistic and the kids as ever were a bundle of fun. We played wigwams, climbed trees and shot photos of each other, and did not get wet...

Just as we got back to the car after two hours of walking, the heavens opened again and we felt very lucky to have got it just right.

Make a run for it

Lewi played with the New Forest Under 16 squad this evening against Basingstoke and Deane at the Trojans ground in Totton. I saw part of the match having managed to squeeze in a bike ride in the dark around the river Itchen. My action shots were not very interesting so here's an image of the man in action!

Larger than Life

It was only a matter of time before an opportunity arose to align these two! I made some prints to fit into the large frames in the hallway a while ago, and they look fab (which is largely down to Greg's smile)

I read this article on the New York Times this evening about Jimmy Greene, a saxophonist that I greatly admire. Check out his album on Criss Cross called Gifts and Givers. Makes us realise how lucky we are.

Swinger

There were two younger boys at the park on Friday and Miranda was very interested that they couldn't quite do what she could.

So the back story here is she's watching them and waiting for a moment to launch into action, just so that she will be seen doing it!

Today we have been for a bike ride, and it's been windy and rather wet. We stopped at the Master Builders Arms in Bucklers Hard for lunch, but it was still raining cats and dogs when we came out.

Still Miranda beamed and twittered the whole time - she has a new bike, so life is exciting!

Baker Boy

Lewis offered to bake a cake this morning so whilst I was directing the other two towards an artistic exploration of autumnal leaves, he got stuck in. Then he announced tht maybe he could make some stuffed bread and soup for our lunch. Ambitious I thought, but give the boy credit for his initiative...

The bread and cake both 100% his effort including choosing materials and substitutes, the soup was mainly my effort.

And very tasty too Tiger.

Three in a boat

One of those moments of rarity; three children in the same photo mostly looking agreeable. I cannot imagine it lasted for too long!

Looking for Insects

Miranda had an insect day today so we put it to good use looking for creepy crawlies in the forest. More specifically we went for a bike ride from Denny Wood , stopping for pasties and cakes in Brockenhurst along the way...

We have looked for insects as well but lets be honest it's nearly winter, and well it was much more fun riding the BMX trails and getting muddy.

I had intended going for a bike ride with her, but thought I'd ask her what she wanted to do. I was in luck.

Buffalo Soldier

Greg one week on from cutting his chin open. He's had steri-strips on for the last five days and today they came off. The scab has remained intact and fingers crossed it's healing nicely...

This morning Miranda has been making a game and I had fun watching her creative process at work...

Beauty and the Beast

Ging has always put the fear of God into Miranda - she has, it's fair to be said, a rather nasty streak. When there is a fence separating them however Miranda is very happy to tease Alice the goat, so this is a reminder to Mipp that what goes around, comes around. We went down to see the animals a few nights ago and she talks to them all as if they were her pals, especially the pigs.

Toworrow Miranda has a special assembly in school dedicated to the three children at Waterside Primary who achieved 100% attendance record for the year - that's dedication.

Mippy and the Mushroom

Nature photographer in the making, she doesn't need too many lessons on getting stuck in to her subject matter. The light was beautiful, and there were mushroom everywhere in pristine condition. We'll have to see what Grandan thinks of this little future Wildlife Illustration contender.

Go Gently

It was  perfect day; Greg and Miranda were finding mushroom in the forest, taking photos and generally being very agreeable. Yet just seconds after Miranda took this lovely photo Greg had a nasty accident, his boot laces got caught up in his other boot and he fell face forward and cut his chin open. One of those moment that you see happening in slow motion, and relive at your displeasure.

Fortunately the split was clean and they have superglued him together again, so we are keeping our fingers crossed, but the first unfortunate consequence is that he's going to miss his first rugby match representing Noadswood, and that I can tell you is bad news. To say Greg is disappointed, is somewhat of an understatement.

Booty Rock

I'm listening to Nils Landgren and the tune reminds me that Greg had told me how pleased he was to have made the rugby team at school - next he has a match against a New Forest team.

The boys have been sailing today, and I have been out on my bike.

Burning the candle

Miranda will undoubtedly be tired tomorrow morning. She has been to Brownies and was a little jaded on her return. I put her to bed and was asked about bed time story....

Couldn't we just have a little one she remonstrated, so we settled for Harry the Dirty Dog.

Reminds me, I must get a photo of her wearing her shirt which says Brownies!

"Is that a new piece bach?"

The sort of question that I ask as I get breakfast ready, and Lewis plays his guitar in the living room. As I write up something on the blog I can hear him practicing his latest piece which is by Johann Sebastian Bach, a piece called Bourrée BWV996. It's lovely to hear the piece take life, as he gets to rips with it.

Rear View Mirror

I think the hair wrapped around her head was Rapunzle's, but the outfit is more Ballerina - the back story we will have to guess as I have forgotten it!

The nights are drawing in and there's barely any light to photograph once the kids get in from school.