Smoking traditions...

every year around Christmas our family has a "eel smoking" afternoon with friends.
Aren't they AMAZING looking...I love this image.
Dad drives up to the Fish Market in London a week prior to smoking and picks up eels.
He salts them and leaves them in the saline solution for about 24 hours...or a little more.
He then rinses them off and hangs them on hooks inside his smoke oven(as seen in the above image).

We invite the regular smokers down to the house and get the Schnapps out(again) and nuts to munch on.
The whole afternoon of drinking and smoking starts at 2pm and ends close to 7pm...
You know when the eels are ready when the skin folds back away from the flesh and the meat of the eel is cooked.

The girls hang out and play soccer on the lawn...eat nuts and get cold very quickly, so they soon disappear and play inside.

It's a wonderful tradition...the eel tastes SO good...we make a big saucepan of rice...a salad and serve the eel on the rice with a dash of sweet terriyaki sauce. YUM...so good...if you're a fan of Japanese cuisine...they eat eel a lot...and usually have it on their menu....try it next time you come across it...it's GOOD!

So...another year is coming to a close.
I know I said I wouldn't be back until the new year...but I really do enjoy spending these few minutes reaching out and then reading what you're all up to...gaining inspiration and seeing so much eye candy!

IF...I am not back before the New Year...HAVE a wonderful Celebration and I hope you'll come on our Journey with us in 2010...thanks for ALL your tremendous support this past year.

HUGS.
Char,ON

working over Christmas...

it's little Mr.M's Christening tomorrow...so...I've been busy.

my sister bought 4 frames and I have made 4 watercolours for Morton as a gift. This is one of my faves(if I must say so myself!)

Tiddler the fish(one of his favourite story books)...

keeping in the theme of blue and whites...I found a beautiful arctic fox to draw...

and a baby seal.

Morton, may you be blessed and given happiness and great health throughout your Life.

HUGS...we love you.

Char,ON

Capturing Christmas...

tradition since I was able to draw...I have made a "God Jul" picture to start the video of Christmas off...my Dad films a few seconds of the image and then the day begins...

the night before the girls left a note for Santa(Father Christmas), 2 carrots and a mince pie with a glass of milk....and to their surprise...

it was all gone in the morning...apart from a drop of milk and a mess made by Santa!

oh...and not to forget the FULL stockings!

which were much loved and took a good hour to get through(WAY too generous Santa!)

The little ones were loaded into the tractor with Uncle Seb and Mum...

The rest of us walked.

No arguments or getting upset(other than our little competitive Little Miss A) over the choosing over the tree this year! Although I do suspect my bro had scoped one out...as he swiftly found the perfect tree!

it's a magical wonderland up there in the Tree plantation.

we had a lovely Gamel Dansk(schnapps) outside...and oooo and aaa-ed over the pretty tree...

ate a MARVELOUS...and very deeeelicious dinner...

which mainly our Mamma had slaved over....goose,browned potatoes,carrots,red cabbage and Brussel sprouts....followed by the rice pudding.YUM!

we all sat soft...as my Dad says...and proceeded to shell out gifts...

Such a fantastic Christmas...spent over here in the UK with all our family.

I have enjoyed visiting all yours too...beautiful images and all the heartfelt warmth which exuded your posts.

Have a wonderful New Year...and we'll be back in 2010.
HUGS
Char,On

God Jul...to one and all...

wishing you ALL...especially our 650 + FABULOUS readers...a very MERRY,HEALTHY and FESTIVE Christmas...
God Jul is Danish for Happy Christmas...and I wanted to see it every morning leading up to Christmas...so why not plaster it all over the lawn(in the snow).

This year I let them just have fun...go for it...and they did.

The cousins have been having such fun...I know little miss A and Little Miss J will miss Little miss O SO much when we have to go.

Can you believe it'll be 3 weeks that we're here already!!!

Well, my kind friends...may you enjoy time with family over the next few days....

We Celebrate tomorrow...the Scandi way:

Wake up to fresh coffee(very Strong) and croissants and Danish pastries.

Kids open their stockings...

Walk through the Farm to the Christmas Tree plantation(which was planted 20 years ago)

Choose a tree...(not always and easy task...my bro is very competitive!)

Bring it home...put it up...

Have a drink outside...yes a drink at 10am...(to warm your inners)

Decorate the tree.

Put Goose in BBQ because oven keeps blowing circuit

Decorate some more tree.

Set the table...have a snack for lunch.

Siesta time...

Wake up and help Mum in the kitchen

EAT...Goose, caramelized potatoes, peas, brussels,red cabbage and carrots.

Followed by Rice pudding with almonds..the Scandi way...(Mum hides a whole almond amongst lots of chopped ones...and whoever finds it wins the Almond prize!)

Resort to sit SOFT and open gifts...we only do gifts for the kids now...

and to bed!

I will definitely post pics in the next couple of days...

HUGS & best wishes to you ALL.

Char,ON

Weekend wonderland...

Snow sitting waiting for the Sun to melt it...although little does it know that the Sun is not rising over the hedge until probably the New Year...this was one of the coldest and brightest days since arriving in the UK...I think that the snow had a HUGE part to play with it being the brightest.

crisp white snow...untouched, untrodden...the Sun is low...the shadows long...

Happy 65th Dad!

I think our little girls and niece enjoyed the fact that it was a birthday more than anyone...these are images I treasure in my heart and mind.

We had finished a wonderful Lobster with salad dinner...and Champagne for drinks...no-one switched to red or white wine...

Ended the dinner with Birthday Cake...actually the same one that I made earlier in the week...cooked it for 10 minutes less...and it was divine with honeycomb vanilla ice-cream.

I opened my moleskin today(yes it's green) and sketched Little Miss A...must get my eyes or my camera checked out because I am noticing a slant to the right with many of the drawings I photograph...or perhaps I just need to wear my glasses?...lol...

my parents live in a Log House...and the heating is all under-floor heating...I can not tell you how cozy BUT how dry it is...this is my hand...dry and looking rather warn.

I was wondering (as you do)...because I have only noticed this on a few people and they are usually either artists or do something creative in their lives...

Look at your hand...is your index finger substantially longer than your ring finger? And does this mean anything?

Have a wonderful weekend.

HUGS

Char,On.

P.S. Tam, thanks again for coming down last week...did you get home ok?

Freezing Friday shocker!

This is what we woke up to this morning...and this is one of those surprise photos which you look back and say "how did this happen".

The girls are walking through a gated area...but I think it looks like a scene through to a magical land...like Narnia.

The frame of the gate cuts the trees in the distance so you don't see the tops, I love this picture.

Today was my Dad's Birthday...I will post more pictures tomorrow(this computer is just SO slow and it's nearly 1am)...we just finished celebrating. It's wonderful to be here with my family...and especially to be close to my Dad who is not 100% yet.

He looks better...and has a bit more energy...but still gets tired quickly.

He has his pre-op on Jan 7th and we're still waiting for his biopsy results...why does it take so long to get he results?

Thank you all for sticking by me...your comments keep my strength up...

On Monday my husband arrives and I know he has missed us...but I have missed him dearly too...he inspires and keeps me thinking about business...he's my rock he's my ear to be able to tell him everything.I can't wait to see him...I can't remember the last time I was away from him for SO long.

Please pass by tomorrow and see the photos...I have some amazing snow pics...it was the perfect day.

HUGS.

Char,On

Danish apple and prune cake...

it's been a really Scandi day today....just got back from Ikea...having bought some frames(for xmas pressies to go inside!), Swedish chocolate(yum),and a few little gifts for the girls...so cute!
Ikea is SUCH a great place for stocking fillers AND breakfast...hot plate of bacon,beans,hash brown and scrambled egg...1 British pound(no wonder the line-up was ridiculously long)! BRILLIANT!...a definite must...because it's hard to shop on an empty stomach.
So...this is the Danish Cake which I made for Melody's evening out the other day...
VERY simple...and absolutely deeeeeeelish...
Try it and tell me what you think. I think it's the perfect coffee cake for an afternoon with friends.

Here's the recipe...I got it out of one of my Mum's collections of recipes(she loves to collect...so funny,I could sit for hours going through her cupboards and drawers and never get board!).

DANISH APPLE & PRUNE CAKE

For the Batter:
140g butter
200g caster sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
85g self-raising flour
115g ground almonds
125ml milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp boiling water
1/2 tsp baking powder

Other ingredients:
8 stoned prunes,chopped
115g shelled walnuts(I used hazelnuts)
2 tbsp sugar
2 green apples cored and sliced
3 tbsp sugar
ground cinnamon
butter

Cream together all the ingredients for the batter in a food processor, running it for 10 seconds. Run a spatula round the bowl and process for another 5 seconds. pour into a well buttered 10inch/25cm round cake tin.

Place the prunes on the batter. Spoon over the walnut and sugar mixture. Arrange the apple slices on top of the nuts.
Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees C/375 degrees F for 45 mins.

Sprinkle the surface with sugar and some cinnamon. Dot with butter and bake for another 20-25 mins until a skewer runs clean(I think I kept mine in for 10 minutes too long...waiting for the skewer to run clean...but I think the cake needs to be slightly gooey, I suppose it's a personal choice though)...cool in the tin, and ENJOY!

Hope you like it...you really don't even notice that there are prunes in it...I loved it.
Until tomorrow.
Char,On

it felt like yesterday...

It was wonderful seeing all the girls last night...they were all pleasantly surprised by their watercolours.
The above duck was for Chloe's little Lola...who is coming up to 7 months.It was Chloe's Birthday yesterday too...HAPPY BIRTHDAY Chloe.

This one was for Leesa, she IS probably THE funniest girl alive...she could be a stand up comedian!

Harriet the cat...who really didn't look like Mel's Harriet...but wasn't really too upset about it...as Harriet is old and leaves lovely treats for Melody around the house.

Melody made a wonderful dinner...stuffed chicken wrapped with bacon and stuffed with Camembert Cheese...with potatoes and a fresh bean salad. YUM!!!

and last but not least, Elly's Elephant...Elly the traveller...

They hadn't changed and 9 years went surprisingly fast, but felt like yesterday!

Hope to see them all before I go back to the COLD Country...apparently my man said that it had snowed 6 inches...

How's the weather where you are?

Char,On

4 sketches...4 friends...

I am currently as I write working on these 4 watercolours who are for 4 very special girlie friends of mine who I grew up with over here in England...I do keep in touch with Mel...a brilliant singer,trained in Operatics ...we met at college,both studying History of Art...I could tell you our whole story, but will leave some surprise for when I reveal the painted watercolour. Which is for her? Well, here's a hint...she recently got married to a wonderful and very talented Viola player.

Oh...I will be seeing all these fabulous lady friends of mine tomorrow evening...sister and I are driving up to Mel's house to have dinner...I have to create "pudding" for the dinner tomorrow...so we'll see what I make?...hmm...what to make...

So, back to my long lost friends...Mel I have seen every year since I have been away from Europe and living in Canada...Chloe...who I also met whilst I was going to College, but not at college...I don't think I have seen her since 2001 maybe.

Chloe has since had a little baby...and married H who Mel and I did go to College with.

Chloe is exotic and eccentric...she's an artist who is very creative and now teaches little children in kindergarten...lovely...can't wait to see her again!

Then there is Lady Lass...who I met at the same time as Chloe, she knew the group of friends who we all hung out with...you know how groups of friends over-lap...Lady Lass(Elly) is from S.Africa(huge hint to which picture is for her)...Elly I haven't seen for probably the same time frame as Chloe...Chloe and Elly used to live together in London, and then Chloe moved in with H.

Elly is a very funny, dry and passionate lady...I have missed her mucho. BUT...we have been in touch via email....so I know what she's been up to...but not in major details.

Last but not least...Leesa the wild child. Leesa is such a fire-cracker...or used to be, she also has a beautiful voice. I met her through Mel...she was singing in a band with Mel.She's electric and funny...she's tell you how she feels...she'll tell you everything and anything.

I can't wait to see them all...it'll be GREAT! I'll remember my camera this time...I promise!

So...when Mel texted me and said...I have something little for you all...I cracked into gear last night and decided to make something for each of these wonderful ladies who I have known for 18 years...WOW...sounds like a long time!

Well, back to work...

Until tomorrow...

Char,ON

Did you know...

Kale is rich and abundant in Calcium,Lutein, iron and vitamins A,C and K. Kale has several times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more Lutein. Kale is very rich in Vitamin C and is also full of fibre...which is lacking in many people's diets.It also contains the all-important antioxidant vitamin E and has naturally occurring phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research says may protect against cancer.

Science has discovered that sulforaphane helps boost the body's detoxification enzymes,they say by possibly altering gene expression which can help clear carcinogenic substances in a timely manner...sounds good doesn't it!

Kale is a member of the Wild Cabbage family...which originated in Asia and was brought to Europe by the Celts.

Kale was an important food item in early European History and a crop staple in Ancient Rome.

Kale is sweeter when the leaves are smaller.

Sulforaphane is formed when the Kale is chopped or chewed...and this somehow triggers the liver to produce enzymes which detoxify cancer-causing chemicals which we are exposed to on a day to day basis.

It's tasty,it's green and very good for you...

Kale can be sauteed as a side dish...you can chop it up to include it in your salads or drizzled with sea salt and oil and made into Kale Chips...YUM.I chose (and have been doing it for a while...) to add it an ever faithful chicken noodle soup.

After a stomach bug they is nothing which can get your body feeling ship shape again like a bowl of wholesome Chicken Noodle soup and a poached egg with a handful of chopped Kale.

Poor little Miss A and little Miss J caught the stomach bug today...this is Ash after getting Sister B to straighten her hair (first time ever...oh, you could see she felt like a princess...so sweet)whilst I went shopping for last minute Christmas gifts with Mormor(granny).

Not feeling well sure does take a lot out of you...
So...remember next time to put Kale on your shopping list...it's a must for the Winter!

I have some Landscape pics for you tomorrow...see you then.
Char,On

PS...missing you lots Ron.

friendly Friday...

What a wonderful way to spend a Friday afternoon...having eaten lunch around noon, the girls and I walked a good 25 minutes to arrive at sister's door step...always a warm welcome waiting for us as we enter her sweet and warm,cozy house...which used to be the stables of our Childhood house which our parents sold 10 years ago. They converted it into a little 2 bedroom cottage...and now,sister and bro in-law live there with Morton.
I of course forgot my camera...but Tam did promise to post some of the pics when she got the chance.(thanks Tam)
We had a Cappuccino and mini Cinnamon roll as the kids got acquainted again...it took all of 5 minutes! Tam's kids are wonderful...as you saw in the previous post...very joyous and happy(other than Beth when at the end of the day she'd really had enough...poor little thing was exhausted)
Tam, is...you are Tam...so,and such a positive lady.Exuberant and talented...with always MUCH care for others.
Thank you for coming out to our neck of the woods!
The below pics were made as belated Birthday and Xmas gifts for her 2 sweetnesses.
I think little Miss J fell in love with Jack...even though yesterday she said "I don't really like boys Mummy." And that was that...until this evening when we came back to my parents house...and she wished to show him absolutely every material possession she owned. So cute.
Beth started the ever so endearing "Separation Anxiety" with Tam...hmm...I STILL experience this on a daily basis with Jordan...she is extremely independent and yet I walk 3 steps ahead of her and she is almost in tears...thinking I will desert her!

So...on a BLAAAA note...I have contracted a stomach bug...thanks Boo and Morton...but on the positive side...it's still a good 2 weeks until Xmas...so I have time to recuperate. YAY! Better now than later....apologies in advance to Tam...it came on suddenly and pray that NONE of you get it.

I am signing off now...I really hope Tam shows you some beautiful illustrations she has been working on for a book....they're WONDERFUL...maybe if you ask her nicely she'll give you all a sneak peak.

The one thing I look forward to next year seeing Tam...is that we WILL organise a cooking day here or up at yours...it's SO difficult with a 10 month year old in tow...but perhaps Mr. R will join us and Ron so that Tam and I and sister could enjoy the afternoon together and they take the kiddos off for a LONG walk...heehee...we'll work towards it.

What do you wish you had done today???

I must go...ciao until next time...

Char,ON

Festive and excited!

Char, I am so excited to see you tomorrow... The last few days have been great, as Jack's school has got very festive with carol concerts and his Christmas party, it's the first year he's been totally into Christmas, and I'm loving it! I have been meaning.. (as usual!) to post for ages, but in honour of seeing you and the girls finally I got the pix off the camera! I have been pretty tied up with work recently, always a blessing when it comes in, but I do miss 'free-time' as if it's really free as any Mum knows!!

Beth is now bouncing.. so close to walking but doesn't quite have the confidence and as as year is getting close to passing by it's shocking how time slips past so quickly and that little bundle of baby has grown into a giggling cheeky little girl. I am loving seeing how she and Jack interact, they have little conversations now (obviously she's not talking..but he talks to her and she babbles back) it's too cute!

As for Jack we went to watch his first carol concert yesterday, a line up of amazingly brave little ones faced the paparazzi of proud parents and I have to say my exuberant little man was so funny, I think being inbetween two extremely well behaved little girls made his jumping and very exaggerated actions to the songs more noticeable, but I did think about the possibilities of him having hyperactivity at more than one point in the few minutes that we watched them singing! In the middle of Twinkle Twinkle little star his legs started running on the spot and then he dived out of the line up for a quick toilet break (thank goodness he went) and then once he returned the songs began again. As a parent I will always treasure yesterday and smile when I think about it!
Tam, UK

high skies...

We finally are having brilliant skies here in the UK...finally! Look what we had yesterday...

And what we have today(see below)
It makes SUCH a huge difference, the day seems longer...people's moods are better...you can be outside longer with the girls...I hope we have more days like this!

We've been with Morton all morning, sister was delivering so he hung out with his cousins...he's adorable. SUCH an easy baby!

The girls have now eased into being here and have stopped saying "what can we do now?" every 5 seconds.

We have our morning walk out the the horses and feed them carrots. Little miss J isn't as comfortable with the horses as she was last year.Miss Ash is fine and loves stroking them and chatting to them.

They played in the Hay Stack all morning..."such a wonderful play castle" miss A said. It really is a great place for hiding go seek...or any type of make believe play. And then they chilled with their ever faithful leapster!

Funny how the outdoors can keep a couple of little girls ever so happy!

HUrrah, Hurrah! Tomorrow Tam comes for a visit with her little ones...can't wait to see her, chat and catch up...
I'll post some pictures in the evening tomorrow...I'll hopefully have better Internet connection as I'll baby-sitting up at sisters.

Have a lovely day and I'll be on again tomorrow.

Char,ON