Ring of Fire

Growing up my dad loathed pop music, in fact there are few songs he likes released after the 1970s. The Johnny Cash, Ring of Fire song inspired this photo.

Eggcellent

Egg & soldiers was one of my childhood favourite breakfasts, actually it still is. I am also known for my sweet tooth, so I decided to make a sweet alternative. The 'egg' is a Cadbury's Cream Egg and the 'soldiers' are Shortbread biscuits. I love Cadbury's cream eggs but I do think they should be just for Easter to retain some of their limited availability allure.

Today's post is bought to you by the letter D

Rubber Ducks rock! I had a colleague who was was obsessed by rubber ducks and could quote the Rubber Ducky song from Sesame Street word perfect. Now, I'm not that obsessive but I do love rubber ducks, I think they bring a quirky sense of fun to our bathroom, we have a row of them on a glass shelf. I was thinking even rubber ducks deserve to go on adventures, which inspired this photo.

I'm back!

Hi lovelies,
Sorry for my long absence, I know I said at the beginning of the year I wanted to experience new things but I didn't mean a trip to hospital. Maybe I should have been more specific! Still, I am on the mend now, although I get tired very easily and have to rest lots. I had taken my D photos which will upload shortly and caught up on Photos for E & F today. February has not turned out the way I planned but I'll post a recap tomorrow.

Queen of Hearts

It is tradition that women may propose to their man during the February of a Leap Year. In actual fact, Queen Victoria propose to Prince Albert and they were married on 10 February 1840, which was a Leap Year. They had 9 children, 40 grand-children and 37 great-grandchildren. When Prince Albert died in 1861 at the young age of 42 Queen Victoria mourned his death for almost a decade and for the rest of her life she wore black. She rarely made public appearances and was consequently dubbed the "Widow of Windsor". Queen Victoria commissioned The Albert Memorial in Kensington Gardens near the Royal Albert Hall, in his memory.

Off with her head!

On the 8 February 1587, Mary, Queen of Scots was executed for reasons of treason. She was beheaded plotting to murder Queen Elizabeth 1. There has been much discussion of the accuracy of this claim. Mary, Queen of Scots caused further controversy by dressing in scarlett, the colour of martyrdom for her execution. It tool three strokes of the axe to behead Mary and the final shocks were when the executioner lifted up her head, he found that he had a red wig in his hand, Mary having gone grey years before, and that Mary had hid her small pet dog in her skirts.

Utopia

The film Ever After was recently on tv, its a take on the fairytale Cinderella. In it Danielle (Cinderella) is a strong willed and intelligent beauty who does not need rescuing but rather rescues the Prince from his self and has Leonardo Di Vinci in the place of a fairy godmother. In it Danielle frequently refers to Thomas Moore's Utopia, in which convey his own views of how society should be using the Island of Utopia. It got me thinking of what my Utopia would be and how it would compare to that of my family and friends. What would be your Utopia?

Triple letter score for letter C

With Chocolate Chip Cookies! I love freshly baked cookies and still warm from the oven these didn't last long. There is something about the smell of baked cookies that makes a house instantly more inviting. Mmmmmmmmm, cookies.

Ode to my love

Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That hills and valleys, dale and field,
And all the craggy mountains yield.

There will we sit upon the rocks,
And see the shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow rivers to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals.

There I will make thee beds of roses
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle;

A gown made of the finest wool
Which from our pretty lambs we pull;
Fair linèd slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold;

A belt of straw and ivy buds,
With coral clasps and amber studs;
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me, and be my love.

Thy silver dishes for thy meat
As precious as the gods do eat,
Shall on an ivory table be
Prepared each day for thee and me.

The shepherd swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May-morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me and be my love.
The Passionate Shepherd to His Love
by Christopher Marlowe

February is said to be the month of love with Valentines day just around the corner. With that in mind I thought I would have a look at some poetry.

This poem was made famous by its well-known "reply" by Walter Raleigh, called The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd. In his reply, Walter Raleigh rebukes Christopher Marlowe for being naive and immature in the Shepherd's thoughts about love.

I think that love is a balance between the ideals of Christopher Marlowe and the jaded views of Walter Raleigh.

Year of the Rabbit

Happy Chinese New Year! This year is the Year of the Rabbit, the fourth animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. Following the Year of the Tiger, traditionally seen as a volatile year, the Chinese believe the rabbit brings more tranquil times. Babies born in the Year of the Rabbit are normally generous and good tempered.


I was born in the Year of the Monkey.

THE MONKEY
1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
These are the active signs of the zodiac. People born in these years have an inner spirit of lightning energy. They have a mental gift of being intelligent and learning quickly, they come up with new ideas and like to learn new things. They love playing games and are often ready to tease or play tricks. Their fast moving energy makes them sometimes appear insensitive to others so often for this reason they find it hard to settle with one person. Often Monkeys find themselves born into families that support them well. They can be very ambitious and adaptable. In career they are good at design, media management, public relations and planning.

Overall that is a fair description of me. I do have lots of energy, I'm not good at keeping still and have once been described as "a hyperactive Tigger". I love learning and trying new things and am impatient.

What Chinese Zodiac Animals are you?

Happy Groundhog Day!

As well as being a movie from the nineties, Groundhog Day is a US tradition. There is a belief that if the groundhog will sees its shadow on February 2 it will be frightened by it and will return to its burrow, indicating that there will be six more weeks of winter. If it does not see its shadow, then spring is on the way!

Some states have an official groundhog. In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, there is Punxsutawney Phil who lives at Gobbler’s Knob.According to CNN, this year Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow signifying an early spring!