All posts filed under: home & garden

Amaryllis in Blueberry

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Amaryllis in Blueberry ***** (excellent) by Christina Meldrum “In Meldrum’s intoxicating first adult novel (after 2010’s Madapple) a family undertakes West African missionary work only to find its members profoundly transformed. Polish-American pathologist Dick Slepy lives with his bohemian wife, Christina “Seena,” in Danish Landing, Mich. They have four daughters, each following the other by two years. There’s pretty Mary Grace, now 18. Mary Catherine is “always-obedient” and pious, whereas Mary Tessa is a “trouble-maker-in-training,” and the precocious Amaryllis, their youngest at 11, is an “emotional synesthete,” who tastes, smells, and otherwise “consumes” the pain, rage, love, or joy of others, and is suspiciously dark-featured. Fearing that his wife is having an affair, Dick seeks the council of his local priest, Father Amadi, who suggests the Slepys take a mission to West Africa to help his nephew, Mawuli, run an aid organization. They go, but the mission is anything but the salve Dick had hoped for, and one event after another…shove the family into deep crisis. With every chapter, Meldrum jumps viewpoints and shifts time …

Easter Revisited #1

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What better way to spend the afternoon with the warm sunlight reflecting off the windows, and surrounded by pastels, feathers, eggs, nests and mouth watering chocolate sweets. I found this old English china, not your usual fine, elegant designs and motifs. Plain, no designs, no gold trims, no embossing, just plain, hardly any markings.J EG. Meakin Glamour Celeste, Glamour Jade. But I couldn’t resist taking a few photos and making the cups and sauces, plates and bowls come alive with radiant pastel colours and charm. Perfect for an afternoon tea. What better way then to celebrate Easter with all these soft pastel colours. Egg Blue, Sunshine Yellow, Fairy Floss pink and Glamour jade. But to me they are all treasures, just because of their pastel colours. The plates and cups blend into a beautiful calm and playful group of colour – p a s t e l s. Another special treat for Easter, chocolate coated bunnies. This recipe is so much fun, just for the little ones. Another easy recipe for Mum to make and …

Chocolate Rocky Road Eggs

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I know, aren’t they cute! And great fun to make for the children as a special Easter chickadee treat! Chocolate eggs filled with delicious home made rocky road.Chocolate,marshmallows,nuts and glazed cherries. Recipe: Chocolate Rocky Road Eggs 1 carton (14 eggs) chocolate hollow eggs 1 packet of glazed cherries (coarsely chopped) 1/2 packed of mini marshmallows 1/2 packet pistachios (coarsely chopped) 100g milk chocolate (melted) 2 cherry ripe bars 1/2 cup of shredded coconut 1 packet sugar coated Easter eggs Yellow and Black tubes of coloured icing Preparation: Firstly gently cut the chocolate Easter eggs in half. If eggs break put aside for the melting process. Melt 50g of milk chocolate, working quickly, place a dollop of chocolate on baking paper on a tray, place the half chocolate cup into the chocolate making a base for the chocolate cup. Refrigerate chocolate cups until mixture is ready. Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl over boiling water on a medium heat, add the cherry ripe bars, and when melted stir in the rest of the ingredients: mini …

The Violets Of March

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The Violets of March **** (Good Read) by Sarah Jio I’m linking to Jain at Food for Thought and Mary at Home is Where the Boat is, please go and check out their book review, and if you’re interested in reading and baking this is a diverse way to create..just email these lovely ladies for the years book list to join in. Now to this fabulous book… This book is a mix of romance, love, secrets and family history. A book that has you hooked from the beginning, and one that I read over a weekend. Soaking up the romance of young love, and intrigued by making my own endings, and hoping for the happy one.This book was captivating. This book is about Emily who is trying to find herself, and by visiting her  great Aunt, she falls under the magical spray on Bainbridge Island, to not only find new love but solve the secret mystery within her family. “Mix a love story, history and a mystery and what takes root? The Violets of March, …

Layered Macadamia White Chocolate Slice

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This little slice looks divine, tastes not too sweet, but somehow takes a little longer in the time department, so set the morning free to spoon and swirl in the kitchen. Just to get it right! Because it’s a little winner… It’s full of all those ‘yummy’ ingredients,coconut, treacle, butter, chocolate and the decadence of nuts, the macadamia Follow me for the recipe…

Marshmallow Velvet Cake

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Hello Lovelies, I’ve really missed these times of creating in the kitchen, and believe it, this is my first recipe of the year. A wonderful ‘fluffy’ start to the countdown to our most chocolaty time of the year – Easter. My mind is whirling with recipes and creative threads for Easter, and time allowing I hope to show you a few in the upcoming days and weeks…It’s not long so that means for us here in the southern hemisphere our first holiday break. And I’m so looking forward to it! Marshmallow red velvet cake, smothered in mascarpone frosting, half with coconut and the other with mini white marshmallows. Served with Arabic coffee. This truly is a luscious moist velvet cake recipe…

White eDition

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I thought I would have found a little more time this week to do the things I love…but here I am and it’s Friday tomorrow. This weeks Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen was to use one of Kims fabulous textures and the image to centre around the colour White…White, my favourite colour, light, purity, clean crisp white. Some weeks ago,(actually, the truth maybe now a month ago) I was visiting a place so dear to my heart a beautiful place where friends have gathered, laughed and cried. A place where I find refuge amongst the Australian eucalypts and cool soft nightly breezes. Awaken to the king of roosters and hear the symphonies of birds, and the cry of peacocks.Yes, that cry of peacocks…a bevy of peacocks. They are beautiful, but oh!, such a piercing loud call.                                   Photo Recipe: Original photo Yvettes Twistedvines + kim klassens textures:  kkawaken + kkorganic + adjustments of light and shadow. This beautiful white …

The Simplicity eDition

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Blue Simplicity Original photo Twistedvines + kksimplicity texture + light and shadow adjustments (Picasa3) Blue II This weeks Texture Tuesday with Kim Klassen is the Simplicity eDition, simple as using one of our original photo’s and tweaking it with Kim’s fabulous texture Simplicity. Hydrangea’s have always been a favourite of mine, but have never had them in my garden..these were snipped from the neighbours garden. Just Beautiful, they remind me of my grandmother. Have a wonderful day , friends Yvette…x