A Round Up of 2025

 

Burns Night                Happy Birthday               Brisbane Art Gallery

Arlo & Lenny               Wallingford                Open For Business

A Midsummer Night's Dream        Morris Dancers        A (Fairly) Nice Day Out

Rayleigh                Poppies on the Pier                Christmas Tree Festival

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x

Christmas

Seasons Greetings

Happy Holidays

Dear reader, however you spend the festive season I hope it will be full of cheer.

🎄 Be warm and well 🎄 

Polly x

My Great Mince Pie Survey

Oh my word, how time flies, it's tasting time again.

 I've done this so many times now it has earned the label of traditions!

Tesco Rum & Raisin

very nice but not a huge taste of rum! 

Morrisons 

All butter pastry, mincemeat infused with brandy and cider and warming spices. Very nice but I couldn't detect the brandy or cider, but I liked it enough to have a second one!

Aldi shortcrust pastry, mincemeat and a light dusting of sugar.

Very tasty but the pastry is a little bit stodgy

Waitrose Brandy Buttercream Mince Pies

absolutely scrumptious. Four in the pack, I didn't share them!

Waitrose Brown Butter Mince Pies with Cognac, always my favourite

and extra delicious warm with a dollop of cream (mulled wine optional) 😊

I did share these.

Co-op Irresistible all butter fruit and apple mincemeat

with brandy and port - delicious

Aldi All Butter Mince Pies Infused with Cognac,

Ruby Port and Dry Cider - very delicious

∼ Be safe and well∼ 

Polly x 

Christmas Tree Festival

The Christmas Tree Festival in a nearby village was, as expected, a resounding success with more beautiful, imaginative displays.

Jingle Bells by

Riding For The Disabled was my joint favourite with 

The Starry Night inspired by the Vincent van Gogh painting

by The Sewing and Craft Club

Catch-Up-Cafe Christmas Kitchen

When Santa is Away

I think some of the elves were misbehaving!

Hearts by The Link Club

A joyful heart is good medicine - how true

How clever is this

Austeritree

by The Guides

and this one

Fire & Ice

by The brownies

Robin Hood's Archer Tree with a casket of gold

The inscription reads

In Sherwood's shade where legends are told

Robin Hood smiles on the shimmering gold

"Be fair and be kind"  the brave hero would say

"Take JUST ONE treasure and skip on your way

one keeps it merry - more isn't ok".

The 'gold' was chocolate coins.

Come Dasher Come Dancer Sensory Arts

was lovely

Cymru by Chelmsford & District Welsh Society

Chelmsford Men's Shed showing images of days gone by, workshop things,

items of interest, cups of tea and custard creams! Great stuff.

This was adorable

Teddy Bear's Christmas

And this was very clever, The Fallen Tree by 1st Beavers

The cute beaver has felled the tree!

Bee Merry by 1st Guides

it's a shame I couldn't get a better view. It has little bees on it, bee sayings and bee homes, and the little packets of seeds say "scatter me to help a bee"

Fab..Yule..Ous

by Vanessa Brett Millinery

Girls Can Do Anything by 2nd Brownies

displayed women of influence throughout history

from Marie Curie to Taylor Swift. 

Our WI tree was similar but most of our women were from older generations, although we did include Dolly Parton and Michelle Obama

Trauma Teddies from our neighbouring village WI. They are donated to emergency services to give comfort to young children and help to distract them from emergencies happening around them. 

Cracking Tree Gromit

I'm a huge fan of Wallace & Gromit

unlike the Grinch, I hate it but I think this was very good

Come Fly With Me

How cute is the little balloon

100 Years of the Shipping Forcast

the photograph is Vice Admiral Robert Fitzroy. He 

was an English officer of the Royal Navy, politician and scientist.

and finally

It's a Wrap

rolls of paper attached to a white board, simple and very effective.

I hope you have enjoyed the Trees.

🎄 Be safe and well🎄

Polly x 

It's Beginning to Feel Like Christmas

as our village pub switched on their Christmas lights yesterday evening. 

Mulled wine was being served at the door

the pub was beautifully decorated

the choir were singing traditional carols outside

and then modern Christmas songs inside

the tree looked lovely all lit up.

The pub was heaving

everyone was in a festive mood and thoroughly enjoying the evening.

🎄 Be safe and well🎄

Polly x 

Stir Up Sunday

This afternoon saw my village hall full of eager people ready for a Christmas pudding workshop. 

We were given a warm welcome with a glass of mulled wine and then found our seats. All we had to take was a bowl, a wooden spoon and an apron, all ingredients and full instructions were provided, with the organisers on hand to help if needed.

First were the dry ingredients

We had a break half way through for tea/coffee and a fun chocolate tasting. We were asked to vote for our favourites. We had a brussel sprout dark chocolate with a white chocolate filling, a tiny teddy milk chocolate and a gold coin chocolate. I voted for the brussel sprout and the gold coin. The results were - the brussel sprout (Aldi) was the favourite, the teddy (also Aldi) came second, and the gold coin (Cadburys) was last.

after the break we added stout, brandy and eggs

and after the flour was added it went into a bowl ready for cooking.

I will steam mine in the slow cooker tomorrow.

Quite a few children were enjoying it too.

The cost was just £15 for what I'm sure will be a delicious pudding and a lovely social occasion. A bargain.

 Be safe and well 

Polly x