Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry… Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who need.
Thich Nhat Hanh
8 Comments CherryPie on Mar 5th 2017
After Storm Doris damaged some of our neighbours fence panels they removed almost all their fence panels and replaced them with something more robust. The new fencing has improved the look of our garden and has advanced our garden project 
There is however one small unsightly panel left in the corner. This part of our garden I plan to be a small seating area, under the Hawthorn Tree above. So now I need to think of the best way to hide this part of their garden fence…
The fence before Storm Doris at the time our Garden Project was beginning to take shape.
I couldn’t resist one last photo of this evening’s meal; Smoked Salmon, Prawn & Dill Risotto.
I know, I know I have posted too many food photos this week. But it is a week that despite Mr C having some long days commuting away from his office; We, I, He were able to experiment with some new recipes 
6 Comments CherryPie on Mar 4th 2017
I arrived home this evening with thoughts of cooking this evening’s dinner and plans for the weekend ahead. I had only been home a few minutes when Mr C came to sit with me, after a few minutes he started to study a piece of paper. I enquired about what he was looking at and he gave an enigmatic reply; a recipe. After further discourse it transpired that he had found a suitable recipe for an impromptu celebratory dinner and that he was going to cook it!
Earlier in the day he learned that he had got promoted at work. Congratulations Mr C
As Mr C started to cook dinner I enquired if he would like a pre dinner sherry, he didn’t seem too keen on the idea. I wondered why until he confessed that he had put a bottle of Champagne in the fridge in the anticipation of the good news.
The meal was Parmesan Chicken with Mushroom Wine Sauce, hasselback potato and broccoli. It was delicious.
12 Comments CherryPie on Mar 3rd 2017
The true story of Trevor Bowyer, DFC, gunner in RAF Bomber Command during World War Two
Synopsis (from the book cover):
This vividly powerful and absorbing biography of an RAF rear gunner during World War Two is told with both sensitivity and humour.
With accounts from some of Trevor’s contemporaries, including Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Sir Michael Beetham, himself a WW2 bomber pilot and survivor of the ill-fated Nuremburg raid, this latest book by Kenneth Ballantyne, meticulously researched, lavishly illustrated and written in his now familiar easy style, is enthralling from start to finish.
Born in Shropshire, Trevor’s story embraces his childhood and early career on the TPO. Living through the London Blitz he volunteered for Bomber Command aircrew. Sent on the first 1,000 bomber raids, he later cheated death when his turret was riddled by cannon fire. Shot down over the North African desert, for three days he walked back through enemy lines. A second tour followed in Lancasters, flying from Lincolnshire into the heavily defended German heartland, where night fighters relentlessly stalked the bomber stream every mile across occupied Europe.
Review:
This is a well written personal account of the traumas of life as gunner in Bomber Command during World War Two. It left me wondering how both Trevor and the other crew members were able to endure the terror and problems they faced during their missions.
The book is illustrated throughout with black and white photographs. It also gives a personal account of life in the small rural town of Shrewsbury in the run up to World War Two.
I thoroughly recommend this book.
8 Comments CherryPie on Mar 2nd 2017
A comfortable home telling the story of a brewer, a widow and three generations of the Lander family
Tucked away on the edge of Wellington is this rare suburban villa and mini-estate. As you walk up the large avenue of Wellingtonia trees the red-brick villa is unexpectedly revealed offering a chance to immerse yourself in a past era.
The time capsule, which is furnished with original wallpapers, Maw’s tiles and gold medal winning fireplaces, transports you back to the pre-First World War ‘country house’ lifestyle. Packed full with everyday items belonging to the families who lived here, you are sure to feel the familiarity and comfort of this home despite all the features of a grander house, such as the Billiard Room, Drawing Room and impressive Staircase Hall.
The 5 acres of garden is complete with glass houses, conservatory, kennels, pigsties and stables and is perfect for a wander or a game of croquet. You are welcome to take refreshments in our Edwardian tea-room or out on the veranda.
16 Comments CherryPie on Mar 1st 2017
Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday, Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved from their sins). A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the “Pancake Bell” and is still rung today.
Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year and falls between February 3 and March 9. In 2016 Shrove Tuesday will fall on the 9th February.
Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on the Lenten fast and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.
8 Comments CherryPie on Feb 28th 2017
After checking our system this morning the engineer declared the system was working perfectly and that it was operator failure our thermostat was set too low. I wondered about this diagnosis as I originally thought that was the problem too. After we had our new door fitted Mr C had turned the thermostat down a degree because the house seemed hot. I think this was because the actuator was running on after the thermostat said the heating should shut down keeping the house hotter than it should have been.
After the new actuator was fitted a couple of weeks ago we noticed that the downstairs of the house felt rather cool. Before Mr C called out an engineer I turned up the thermostat up a degree to where it had originally been, but I wasn’t convinced there was much of difference in temperature downstairs.
When I got home from work this evening the house seemed warm enough but I was cooking dinner rather than sitting down. Over dinner I noticed the dining room seemed rather on the cool side so I went to check the thermostat. It had been turned down again one degree from where it has always been previously set. I turned it back up again!
For me the jury is out on whether the heating system is really working properly. Mr C had artificially raised the temperature of the house by turning the thermostat up to full this morning just to check if the engineer was really needed after all! I was so overheated on the upper floor of our house whilst getting ready for work that I had to open the window to cool off. I enjoyed the wintery blasts more than the heat within!
The second engineer (electrician) arrived and sorted out the plug socket that had been identified as not being earthed. So now I can dry my hair in complete safety, without the chance of ending up with an Afro Frizz.
After all these adventures we were able to book a few days away at Colwall Park for our anniversary. We tried to get the same room we stayed in last time but it was not available that week, leaving us to choose another to enjoy, which is probably for the best
20 Comments CherryPie on Feb 27th 2017
