Our Allotment

Our allotment is really coming along.  We have put in a lot of work to get it to the state it's in now, which when compared to my allotment neighbor's plot is shameful, but, it is what it is and I am very proud of it!

We've got so many veggies and flowers growing there and it grows each time we visit.  A little more done, a bit more planted.  We still have a long way to go, but I love seeing everything growing and sprouting up towards the sky.

This is the bulk of our plot that butts up to the little drive that separates some of the plots.  The tree there is a huge apple tree and when it was flowering earlier it was gorgeous.  The big mound of dirt in the forefront is the next bit that will be tilled under and have courgettes (zucchini), summer squash, pumpkin, cucumber, and melons in.  Between that and the tree on the left center is our potatoes, and on the right is broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, and kale.  We've done a lot of companion planting this year intermixing nasturtiums, marigolds, and even onion and lavender.

The plot on the left here is where a lot of the root veggies, beans and peas are.  Things are coming along there quite nicely, and then the two little raised beds are for salads, lambs lettuce, little gem, round lettuce, and spinach.  Bird scarers are everywhere as are the birds!  We want them around but what them to eat the pests, not our seedlings.

Sunflowers interplanted with geraniums and some sweetpeas at the back.  Hopefully by the time everything blooms, this little corner will be alive with color.

Corn, albeit the salad corn (long story) and morning glories planted next to some sugar snap peas and a few more sweet peas.

The potatoes from another angle.  They have done really well in the ground here and absolutely horrible in the grow bags at home in the back garden.

Kind of a bigger view of the allotment.  You can kind of see the Croc planters we put up on the little shed we have that hold pansies.  They make me smile everytime I see them.  Unfortunately, that is not my greenhouse.  We have one at the house that I love and is more temporary than the glass kind.

June 14, 2013

Spring is FINALLY Here!

Yay!  It's finally springtime in England!  We have had a long, cold winter here.  In fact a friend of ours estimated that it had been over seven months since we had a day in the 50s!  Brrrrrrr. 

The daffodils are coming out, one of my favorite things about Milton Keynes is the amount of daffodils planted EVERYWHERE here.  As soon as I saw them sprouting I knew I wanted to get some pictures of the kids with them.  So, I decided to take them down to the park this morning with serious ulterior motives of getting some photos, and then letting them play and blow off some energy a bit at the playground, too.

These are the results.  I'm totally in love with some of these photos. 

Some gorgeous flowers in our neighbor's front garden.

So happy together!

Joci made me save these flowers in my pocket for 'later'.

My favorite park to walk.  So love seeing spring coming on the landscape.

We were excited that we got to see the swans nesting.  The mama swan sitting on her nest was stretching out her neck picking up sticks to stack on her next.  Papa swan was NOT happy with people that would walk by him on the path.

Love this one of Joe.  He's such a cute little goofball sometimes.

Like this one of Joci.  She can be really 'honest' with the camera at times. 

Gorgeous girl.

Joseph checking to see if the creek had any tadpoles in it.

And, him showing Joci where they were.

Joci was a little scared to go over the top of this net.  She eventually did it, on her own.  I was so proud of her for wanting to do it even though she was terrified.

Walking back towards home.

Peek a Boo!

Joseph found a little 'den' that the gardeners made when they were staking up this hedge.  He and Joci thought it was 'soooooo cool' that it was a secret hideout.

Love this picture of my handsome boy!

Goofy girl peering out from their hideout.

April 21, 2013

The Fluffiest Pancakes

Since we've been living in the U.K. we have really missed a lot of our favorite foods.  We don't live in London so finding a diverse selection of restaurants is a bit difficult.  Most restaurants in our area are good ole pubs, and the ethnic offering is Indian or Chinese, both are good, although Jon hates Indian. 

In an effort to subside some of our homesickness and drool over yummy goodies found in the States we'll watch Diners Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network.  Usually it's the Mexican food and the Pizza that really gets to us, but the other day we watched an episode at The Red Wagon in East Vancouver in which they made Pulled-Pork Pancakes with Jack Daniel Maple Syrup.  It was one of those recipes where you think, I could make that! 

Last night we had homemade pulled pork sandwiches and had some left over and thus our monumental breakfast this morning was born.  I looked online and my favorite recipe that I could find inspired by The Red Wagon was at a blog called Sweet Samsations, which you can find here.  Their pancake recipe looked amazing and both the kids and I agreed.  They are the fluffiest pancakes we've ever made.  They are on the sweet side, so they are great to serve with something savory and you don't need much syrup.  I didn't make the Jack Daniels syrup as I didn't really want the kids drunk before lunch and actually I don't keep it on hand in the house. 

I hope you like these pancakes, I know my little family LOVED them.  Well, all except Jon.  He likes thinner, chewier pancakes.

Fluffiest Pancakes Ever
Makes 5-6 pancakes.  I doubled the recipe when I made it as I like to have some leftover for breakfast the next day, or to pop into the kids' lunches with fresh fruit.

3/4 Cup milk
2  Tablespoons white vinegar
1 Cup all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons melted butter
cooking spray

Directions

1. Combine milk with vinegar in a medium bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to “sour”.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk egg and butter into “soured” milk. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and FOLD. Do not overmix. Leave a couple little lumps in the batter so that the pancakes turn out lumpy and super fluffy!
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat with cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface. These brown very quickly, so watch them carefully and do not let them over-brown.  Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side. Serve!

photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/mezzoblue/6933376307/

Korean Barbecue

Well, it's no secret that one of Jon's and my favorite foods is Korean BBQ.  We are serious junkies for it and while it was easy enough to find in the States, here in Milton Keynes, UK, well, it's not.  We've talked about making it for awhile, but to be truthful, it seemed like a lot of hassle, until now.

Tonight we had our first homemade bulgogi with bancham (side dishes).  It was AMAZING!  It completely satisfied our Korean craving and I got major kudos from Jon and the kids for it, and we had enough left over that we all agreed we will be having it for dinner, again, tomorrow night.

If you get a chance, make this, you will NOT be disappointed!

Bulgogi
1 lb. flank steak thinly sliced
5 T soy sauce
2 1/2 T sugar
1/4 C minced green onion
2 T minced garlic 
2 T sesame seeds.
2 T sesame oil
1/2 tsp black pepper

Put all of the above into a large ziplock bag and marinate in the fridge overnight.
Now, here's where if you were in the restaurant you would be grilling this on the little inset grill on your table, but we don't have that here.  We debated grilling it on the outdoor grill, and may try that in the future, but tonight we just wok'd it.  Serve with a big bowl of white boiled or steamed rice.

Sigeumchi Namul  (Seasoned Spinach)
7oz spinach
4 C boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp minced garlic
2 minced green onion
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp of sriracha chilli sauce (more if you like it spicier)

Blanch spinach for 2 minutes in boiling water.  Drain and put into an ice bath.  After cooled, squeeze excess water out of the spinach and combine with remaining ingredients.  You can marinate overnight or eat immediately.

Kong Namul (Spicy Soybean Sprouts)
1 can/tin of soybean sprouts (drained)
2 minced garlic cloves
2 minced green onion
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 T sesame oil
1 tsp sriracha chilli sauce (more if you like it spicier)

This is a piece of cake...combine all ingredients and chill.

Oi Muchim (Seasoned Cucumber)
1 Cucumber (seeded and sliced if you are going to marinate, just sliced if you're eating immediately)
1/4 C minced green onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp crushed red chillies
1 tsp sriracha chilli sauce

Again, another easy one, combine all ingredients and chill.

Joseph's School Violin Recital

Joseph and Jocelyn, both, have started taking violin lessons through their schools this year.  Both kids have done really well.  Joci has been learning more of the basics on music and violin while Joe has taken off with his playing.

Today Joe had a competition between schools at the Cornerstone Church in Central Milton Keynes.  The schools with the top 3 prizes were to go on and do a concert tomorrow night again at the church.  His school played Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  They had a group of lower, medium, and higher graded players each group playing a different version.  Joe was in the middle group.  Then all three groups played together.  I thought it was really well done.

Unfortunately, Joe's school didn't win a cup, but they did get a bronze certificate, which helped with his disappointment a bit.

I'm so proud of him that he worked so hard to come so far in such a short amount of time on playing his violin.  All in all, even though he didn't win, he did have a lot of fun.  Good job Joe!!!!

March 12, 2013

The British Museum...

The British Museum is in London and is dedicated to human history and culture.  It was established in 1753.  Some of the items that it houses are of intense controversy, such as the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon.

I could easily spend two days in this almost religious temple of a place.  By the time we left to catch our train we were all exhausted and overwhelmed with all that we'd seen.  I  had taken hundreds of photos and my mind was swimming with just how many artifacts and collections they have there.  It's inspiring to know that this was all created so long ago by what must have been supreme artists working year upon year. 

If you ever get the chance, go.  It is worth it.  It is life changing.  You will be amazed.

Exterior of the British Museum

Love the interior of the Museum which was obviously outside at one point but now has this curved triad ceiling of glass that lends a beautiful glow to all beneath it.

 

A copy of the Rosetta Stone that you can touch.

Totem poles from British Columbia made of red cedar wood from about 1850.

 

Exquisite detail on this enormous pedestal that looked like an enormous bird bath.

Easter Island statue
Cult image, made between 11th and 17th centuries. Eighteenth century visitors including Captain Cook recorded the giant statues still standing, many destroyed. Surviving examples now re-erected on the island, a World Heritage site. This statue was collected by British survey ship HMS Topaze in 1868, presented to Queen Victoria by the lords of the admiralty, and by her to the museum.

quartzite statue of Amenhotep III, dating from c.1350 BC, was found in the massive mortuary temple of the pharaoh Amenhotep III on the West Bank of the River Nile at Thebes (the present-day settlement of Kom el-Hitan) in Egypt.

Part of the Egyptian exhibit.  It was enormous!

Head of Rameses
Egyptian, 1270BC. Presented by JL Burckhardt but taken from its site at Thebes by Giovanni Belzoni, a circus strongman turned professional antiquities hunter.

The actual Rosetta Stone.

The Crouching Venus is a Hellenistic model of Venus surprised at her bath. Venus crouches with her right knee close to the ground, turns her head to the right and, in most versions, reaches her right arm over to her left shoulder to cover her breasts.^[1] To judge by the number of copies that have been excavated on Roman sites in Italy and France, this variant on Venus seems to have been popular.

Parthenon marbles
Greek, 5th century BC. Bought from the Ottoman rulers of Greece, dismantled by Lord Elgin in 1799, and then recovered from a shipwreck in a hugely expensive operation which left him deeply in debt. Bought by the government for £35,000 and deposited 'in perpetuity' in the museum in 1816

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The Portland Vase

Perhaps from Rome, Italy, about AD 5-25

The most famous cameo-glass vessel from antiquity

September 2012