Monthly Munch: October 2015

A mixed month. We enjoyed visits from Graham's sister, Graham's parents, and my parents (not quite all at once!). We suffered with lots of night-time waking, and sick boys during half-term. We celebrated Toby's birthday. I finished work, which made me happy and sad at the same time. And we put the clocks back, which means it really does feel like winter.

Toby

Look at those cheeky grins!

- learned to ride his bike without stabilisers!

On the Tissington Trail

- is learning phonics with sign language at school. He regularly gives us demonstrations.

- got a remote control car for his birthday, and got the hang of driving it straight away.

- loves to chat, but sometimes gets a bit stuck while he remembers what to say next: "Well... I mean... well... the thing is..."

Theo

- can sing "E-I-E-I-O" at the right time in "Old MacDonald had a farm".

- dances along to "Gangnam Style" (Oh yes!).

- loves aeroplanes.

Favourite book: 1001 Images of Aircraft

- is gradually starting to produce recognisable words, although "haaa" can mean hot, hand, hair or hole, depending on context.

Thankful for:

- a nice walk along the Tissington Trail

- a good place to work for the summer

- "Thanksgiving dinner" in October with all of our parents

Recipe of the Month - Blueberry Cheesecake Pots

I made these for dessert on Toby's birthday. The recipe is slightly adapted from a raspberry version in Feelgood Family Food by Dean Edwards. They're beautifully quick and easy, and because they're so small, you've probably got all the ingredients on hand without having to go and bulk-buy cream cheese.

Base
6 Nice or plain biscuits (1.5 oz)
1/2 oz butter
1/2 oz desiccated coconut

Topping
5 oz cream cheese
3 oz Greek yoghurt
1 1/2 oz honey
blueberries (I used frozen) or other berries

For the base, put the biscuits in a bag and bash them into crumbs. Melt the butter and stir in the coconut and biscuit crumbs. Press into the base of four small containers (mine were tealight holders in another life) and put into the fridge to set.

For the topping, whisk together the cream cheese, yoghurt and honey. Taste to see if it's sweet enough, and add a bit more honey if you want. Put 8 or 9 blueberries on top of each biscuit base - no need to defrost if they're frozen - then spoon the cream cheese mixture on top. Finish off with a few more blueberries, and leave in the fridge until you want to eat them.

Comments

The winter walker's guide to spirituality

You may be familiar with Paul's illustration of the Armour of God in his letter to the Ephesians. He lists such items as the breastplate of righteousness and the helmet of salvation, and exhorts his readers to "stand firm" against the enemy's attacks, wearing the whole armour of God. For those original readers in Ephesus, a Roman soldier was probably an everyday sight. They would be familiar with swords and shields, and may well have owned some themselves. However, I don't come across any Roman soldiers very often. It takes me an extra imaginative leap to be able to visualise the armour, and then associate it with technical religious jargon like righteousness and faith. Also, I've never really got on board with this spiritual warfare business. I'm sure it's down to my circumstances or temperament or spiritual immaturity or something - I don't discount the whole concept, but I can't say I've ever had a moment where I felt like I was crossing...

Limestone Way: The Three B's

This walk on the Limestone Way takes me to three villages starting with B: Ballidon, Brassington, and Bradbourne. Parwich to Brassington The weather forecast says it's fine, but as I walk out of Parwich some light rain starts, which persists for most of the walk. It's not enough to make me properly wet. Parwich sits in a large bowl; the kind of landscape where you can see where you're heading, where you came from, and the next hill you are going to have to climb. The area has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years . A short climb up a field takes me to Highway Lane, which I follow down again, and then bear left across the fields to Ballidon. I can see the chimney of Ballidon Quarry, and a building which looks like an old chapel. I assume it must now be a private house, but when I get there, I discover that this is All Saints church, now in the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches. What a nice surprise! I'm intrigued by the Creed and Ten Com...

Back on the Limestone Way

After my unscheduled but enjoyable detour along the Churnet Way , I have started 2025 by picking up the Limestone Way where I left it, at Thorpe. My next walk takes me through Tissington to Parwich. Thorpe to Parwich This time last year was wellies all the way - we'd had so much rain. It's been a lot drier this winter, and everything is still half frozen after a cold snap. I'm hoping walking boots will do the job. There is only one other vehicle in the Narlows car park in Thorpe when I pull in. A bit of sunshine greets me as I walk down the road, and casts a long shadow through the gate where I join the Limestone Way. It's an easy walk across the fields to Tissington. A red kite circles overhead, and a small pond is still solidly frozen. I've been to Tissington a few times - it's famous for its well dressings - but I don't think I've ever been in the church. There is a welcoming sign outside, and a nice avenue of trees leading up to the door. Inside i...

Martha's Marvellous Munchies

Search This Blog