Cuckoo is here!

It's 9.30am and I've just heard cuckoo for the first time this year. This is 15 days later than when I recorded the event last year. It feels like summer is on the way now I can hear the cuckooing in the distance!
Wonder if I'll get to see the mysterious bird this year.

Rabbit chocolate!

I received some belated Easter chocolate from a friend yesterday and the packaging was so groovy I thought I would share it (not the chocolate...!) on the blog.


Not only did the outside make me smile but the inner wrapper is very stylish. I don't like to open it but no doubt in a weak moment later I will be tucking in!

Memorabillia collage for a new fabric

I've been rumaging in my collections of old cards and postcards over the weekend with an idea for fabric. I've used a selection of family greeting cards I've had for donkeys years and some cards I've bought at antique shops and I have created this collage which I'm just refining as a new fabric design.

Swallows

Still no sound of cuckoo but the swallows have returned over the weekend which I'm sure is earlier than last year.


Tragedy has struck the rabbit family over the weekend, the 2 baby bunnies have ventured from the burrow in the back garden to join the other rabbits on the grassy area at the front and yesterday I saw a crow pecking over a tiny rabbit carcass. As I've only seen one small bunny since I am assuming it was the brother or sister who has bitten the dust.
I suppose that's nature for you.

Bunnies & Bunnykins

So far the weekend has been filled with bunny activities of one sort or another.


In the last 3 years of living here I have watched the antics of the same rabbit family in the garden areas to the front and back of the house. Mother rabbit is a sweet looking creature and more gingery in colour than Father rabbit. He is a bit more grey and has a dark mark across his nose as if he's been thumped about a bit. There have been many ups and downs, what with rats taking their babies the other year and willie the weasel bounces by occasionally when the baby rabbits are fresh on the scene, along with an owl. 
This year there are noticeably less rats and the rabbit family seem to be doing ok. Mother rabbit has had one litter and in the last couple of days she has re-dug out an old burrow in our back garden and yesterday I saw 2 babies pop out of the hole for the first time. I think you will make them out on the picture if you follow the arrows. They are just so cute bouncing around the garden and quite addictive to watch once you start.


The other rabbit tale so to speak was a rather unusual call from a lady asking if I would be interested in painting Bunnykins characters on vintage prams she is restoring. I wasn't sure if this is something I can do so I've had a go at copying and whilst it's been quite easy to do on paper with acrylics I'm really not sure if I could do it on the side of a metal pram in enamels to get the same painterly effect. I would also be concerned with the copyright issue so there is much to think about here.

Anyone heard cuckoo yet?

Last year I made a note in my diary when I first heard cuckoo and it was April 24th. Since the 24th this year I have been eagerly listening out for that most spring like sound of the cuckoo call. I actually thought with all this fine weather over the last fortnight that cuckoo would be here but it seems not.


I'll keep listening out and report back when I have evidence!

New Hornsea pots for my collection

Met an old work colleague for lunch yesterday and had a nice few hours shopping & catching up as we didn't get to meet at Christmas what with the weather putting stop to it.


Anyway I had a lucky find in one of the charity shops in Beverley and scooped up these Hornsea cups & saucers from the Concept range in dove grey & cream. There were just 3 cups and 4 saucers but in immaculate condition and Concept is something new for my collection.
Concept was produced from 1977 - 1991 and was designed to succeed Contrast. It used the same vitrified technique as the Contrast pots to give it that highly polished look which the glaze alone does not capture.
Concept was so successful that it won many design awards and was in huge demand around the world during the 80's.


It is still relatively easy to find and now I just need to find a single cup to complete this set.
Should look really nice if I can do a coffee and some latte art in the cup!

Easter baking, better late than never!!

I was too busy with the art exhibition to get my baking done before Easter so the first opportunity to produce some nice food was today. I feel like I've been baking and preparing all day, well I have been at it most of the day so I'm looking forward to a veritable feast shortly!


Actually, I made the brownies yesterday as we'd had a delivery of coffee beans so they were essential to go with a latte! The brownie recipe was the ultimate brownies from the Womans Hour show, I swapped the rice flour for ground almonds and they are equally delicious. Here's the link:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/features/womans-hour/cooktheperfect/perfect/brownies/



The other photos as we go down are:


Black olive & tomato tart


Veggie spring rolls and there's dip I made to go with them (not shown, in fridge!) which is coconut cream with ginger, garlic, lime, chilli & soy sauce. It's fab, they are a bit of a faff to do so I reserve my spring rolls and dip for the likes of Christmas & Easter which makes them feel special.


Courgette cake with lemon cheese frosting (bit runny in heat!)


Mini baked lemon cheesecakes, decorated with choccies my sis brought over from Lorettes chocolatier in Brussels.
Time to go eat I think!!!


Happy Easter all.

Scarborough, high tide, scooters, gardens

Had an early morning run to Scarborough yesterday to avoid the crowds of day trippers. It was quite an interesting visit because the tide was in and extremely high, must've been one of the spring high tides. I always find it mesmerising just watching the waves roll in.


The wave watching was down at the quiet & tranquil southern end of Scarborough. The walk into town along the front soon started to get noisy as a vintage scooter rally was on this weekend. Lots of Vespas & Lambrettas, fish tail parkers, ageing Mods all having great fun gathering down by the beach. Saw some fab  coloured scooters, two tone, chrome and mirrors glistening. Classic seaside bank holiday event!


Finally peace was restored again with a stroll back through the Italian gardens which I had not discovered before. The only sound was bird song.... lovely!

Sledmere - sneak preview

The exhibition is set up following much running up and down flights of stairs with easels yesterday. It looks really good, we seem to have a good mix of work and most are very reasonable prices.
Looking forward to the preview tonight as the weather is still being kind to us.