Fungi, Oakhanger, Hampshire

Whilst looking after four children and two dogs, I snapped a few photographs of mushrooms and toadstools.  These are tricky subjects when on the forest floor, as one needs to get to the ground level and sweep away the most miniscule bit of debris in front of the fungi.  It is also difficult at macro level to see if the image is sharp, so I apologise for a couple of photographs where the focus is a bit iffy. 

None of us had any idea of what they were, but the children had great fun kicking, throwing and splitting open the puff balls, creating clouds of spores. 

A fabulous walk through the woods and common in the beautiful late afternoon autumn light.

Nature en Marseille

By the wonderful tumbling water feature in the centre of the Parc de La Campagne Pastré, a silky swaying grass has been planted alongside the bank.  The grass (possibly a Fountain Grass) is irresistible to caress and often one surprises the frogs enjoying the tranquility of the scene.

One can see the grasses running across the bottom third of the image below.  From the Parc Pastré, one can hike to the Calanques in twelve hours.  The route is variable and a map, plenty of water and sustenance is vital.

Within the wooded area of the childrens' adventure park are some beautiful crumbling tree barks, often embedded with fungi.

La Musée de la Faïence, pottery museum, Marseille

La Musée de la Faïence, a lovely ceramics museum set in the Parc de la campagne Pastré.  The museum is housed in the Château Pastré, a fine 19th century house, with views towards the massif of Marseilleveyre.  The museum primarily focuses on provincial and French work from the 17th to 20th century, however, examples of German, Scandinavian, Italian and French design from 1930-1990 can be found at the conclusion of the exhibition on the top floor.

Marseille, France

View from the Notre-Dame de la Garde (La Bonne Mére), (154m up the Garde Hill,) looking out towards the islands of Chateau d'If and Frioul.  On the right one can see the Vieux Port and behind it the construction and regeneration of Joliette for the Capital of Culture 2013.

Over the roof tops of the most historic and oldest district in Marseille: Le Panier, 'The Basket'.

A warm and fragrant night sky, that us Londoners can only dream of.  The top of the Marseille Cathedral is visible on the horizon.  (The Roman Catholic Cathedral is also known as the Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Marseille or Cathédrale de la Major.)

Breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Macaroons, clouds of melting air, a combination of icing sugar, egg whites, ground almonds and caster sugar, with a drop of lemon.

Aix en Provence, market

The fabulous fresh fruit, vegetable and flower markets in Aix en Provence, France.  An abundance of vibrant colours, tantalising smells and juicy produce, enough to make you want to buy kilos to take home to taste, display and cook with.  We English can't get enough of Aix and it's farmers' markets.

Market Locations

Large Aix en Provence market
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the morning
Place de Verdun

Flower market Everyday in the morning
Place de l'Hôtel de ville, Place des Prêcheurs

Quarter market in Aix en provence
Different days depending on the quarters

Local producers market Everyday from in the morning

Place Richelme

Almond Honey Cake with Apricots

Ingredients

1 tsp vanilla essence
100g read-to-eat dried apricots
2 large eggs (or medium, whatever you have)
180g honey
150g peeled and finely grated sweet potato
finely grated zest of 1/2 unwaxed lemon
100g spelt or any other type of flour
100g ground almonds
2 tsps baking powder (more generous if using wholemeal)
1/4 tsp salt (if you wish)
100g whole blanched almond (keep a dozen or so for the top)

3 tbsp apricot jam or 1 tbsp of clear honey to glaze the top

20 - 23 cm tin

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.  Grease the tin.

Chop the apricots into small cubes (about 1/2 cm).

Beat the eggs, honey and vanilla essence in a mixing bowl (about two minutes).  Add the grated sweet potato and lemon zest and mix well.  Add the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt (if using) and mix thoroughly.  Add apricots and blanched almonds and mix gently, so as not to break the almonds.

Put the mixture into the tin.  Decorate the top with the 12 remaining almonds and place in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes.

Remove cake and while hot, brush over heated jam or honey.

Enjoy with yogurt or ice-cream.  Mummm.


PS  This receipe was adapted from 'red velvet, chocolate heartache'

Colourful Home-knit Scarves

Tango by Woolcraft is a 'novelty' machine washable yarn in 7 shades.  Just one ball creates a wonderful ruffle scarf, ideal for presents.

Instructions for knitting this scarf are printed on the ball band.  It is suitable for beginners and is so easy to knit in less than a day.

  

These three rotini or potato chip scarves are easy to knit but more time consuming.  They can be knit for kids or adults in which ever yarn you fancy.  Peaches & Creme do a fabulous selection multi-coloured 100% cotton 4 ply yarns, of which the acid pink and green (colour 172 pink/lemonade) scarf is one.  The purple, orange multi-coloured wool scarf is a Fairytale Colour 4 Me 100% wool DK knitted on 4mm needles. 

And lastly the orange and purple Rotini below is Gedifra 88% cotton Fiorista.