Buzzing with Excitement

Buzzing with Excitement

One of the most exciting days of the year is when the bees venture out for the first time. For most, it's probably of very little significance, but for the beekeeper it gives such a sense of relief that the bees have made it through the winter months.

For a variety of reasons they often fail to made it through the dark, cold months and during the past few years we've lost our fair share. To make up,we have also caught a few swarms which is rewarding and makes up for the losses, but not always!

Last year, we lost a lovely colony of old Welsh bees that were so wonderfully docile that no swarm, however large or free, would make up for. I still miss them, and regret that we couldn't do something to save them, but we were too late. Thankfully, this year, we've had no losses, and despite the recent colder weather, the bees have already been out and about spring cleaning their hives and gathering spring nectar.

Flower Power!

I just love flowers, and looking back at these wonderful cheerful flowers from last spring, it's hardly surprising! I'm not into spending a fortune on them either...they're mostly gifts, reduced or home grown!

These beautiful pink roses were a gift from friends, and lived for a full three weeks on my kitchen windowsill, hard to believe I know, but they really did! Other flowers that came indoors last spring were just the wild but dazzling foxgloves and forsythia, daisy flowers of all descriptions and sizes, as well as lots of hedgerow flowers.

Massed together, they cheer and brighten up any room for next to nothing! A few minutes cutting and arranging them gives me days of delight and happiness!

Come on spring, I can't wait! I can already see the beginnings of this years tulips, the daffodils are out, as are the snowdrops, but I've yet to bring some indoors. Problem is of course, they look too good in the garden! I'll wait a while, until there's and abundance of flowers and then the odd one won't be missed! 'Till then I'll look at the photos from last year :)

Brighton Here We Come!!

I've been neglecting my blog recently and it really isn’t good enough!! It's not because I don't enjoy writing or taking photos... it's a matter of finding the time! There's always so much to do, and sitting at the computer never really gets to the top of the 'things I MUST do today' list! This isn't helped of course by the constant race to sit in the hot seat before someone else does... but then, during the day when they're all at school, that's not an issue!

Half term week is now over and so... I promise to post new updates on The Pumpkin Patch and what we're up to WEEKLY!! Did I just say that??!

Over half term we took a mini break from the chickens, turkey, few sheep, pigs, cats and dog to visit Brighton! Wow... no mud, no Tractors! Trendy shops and bars and total anonymity, we had a great time! We did the usual touristy things of course, but most of all we enjoyed a break from routine. Just three days of being transported into a different way of life and culture, CITY culture!

A short break from the regular and familiar surroundings of home and home life, gives us a chance to step away and re-evaluate, to make decisions, and to see life from outside the usual bubble. It's a good place to be for a short while, before happily stepping back, content to return to the good old familiar routine, re-energized and raring to go! Well, after finding then sorting the pile of dirty laundry lurking at the bottom of five kid's bags

You can take the cook out of the kitchen... but you can't stop her finding another one! My find of the week... Thorne's locally-sourced produce café; well hidden (but well advertised) along Upper Gardner Street, in the North Laines. A beautiful but rustic café, serving delicious home made breads and wonderful bacon and sausages for breakfast, as well as a load of pastries. What a find and what a breakfast!

Well... for now, back to reality... must get ready for the Pumpkin Patch Teens' Workshop at 6pm, and the 'fun with pancakes' day at Llwynhendy Children's Center tomorrow! Must go...

Very Berry Muffins!!

Well here they are! Our very own home made very berry muffins hot out of the oven! Easy to make and cook in 10 minutes, so they can be on the table within half an hour of just thinking about them. In my part of the world that's almost as fast as getting my coat on and getting to the nearest shop to buy some!


If you want to make some.... get a large bowl and a measuring jug.
Mix 75g of self raising flour with 75g wholemeal self raising flour (or just use 150g of your usual self raising flour if you don't have wholemeal), add 50g caster sugar and a teaspoon full of baking powder.

Next, in the jug, measure 75ml of milk and 75ml vegetable oil, add 1 egg to the mixture and mix well.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl full of dry ingredients and mix. Now simply place some muffin cases in a tin, add a spoonful of the muffin mixture, add a few frozen (or fresh!) berries, add another spoonful of mixture, add a few more berries and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until cooked.

Enjoy!!

Berry Nice Muffins!!

Berry Nice Muffins!!

These aren't just any old muffins.... they're award winning muffins and easy enough for children to make! Reasonably healthy, contain fruit and are great as a snack or in a lunch box.

At The Pumpkin Patch workshop on Saturday morning we'll all be busy making these lovely fruity muffins, just as we did at the Dinefwr Food Festival about year ago. They're also great made with dried fruit such as apricots (and chocolate chips work well too!)

Have a go yourself and let me know how you get on. If you don't have the time, send you son or daughter along to The Pumpkin Patch cookery classes and they'll bring some home for you to try!!

Ingredients – what we need

75g self raising flour

75g self raising wholemeal flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

50g caster sugar

75ml vegetable oil

1 large free range egg

75ml milk

a handful of fruit – blackberries / redcurrants / raspberries

Method - how do we make it?

Wash your hands!!

Preheat the oven to 200°

Line the muffin tins with muffin cases

In a large bowl, mix together the flour and sugar

Beat the eggs and milk and oil together with a fork

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix

Add the fruit and carefully mix into the muffin mixture

Spoon the mixture into cake cases

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until golden and well rise

Remove carefully from the oven and cool on a wire rack

Mmmm Enjoy!!