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Happify
Today I was sifting through all my old emails & stumbled across an invitation to become a happify pioneer
Not one to turn down a chance to have a peek at a new idea, I jumped on the site & created an account in my lunch break!
My first peek looked good only – and I enjoyed doing the first few activities. You get to choose which topic / part of your life you’d like to address. Ranging from ‘strengthen your friendships’ & ‘appreciate what you have’ to my chosen ‘track’ ‘explore the art of happiness’. Each track has 6 little activities within – my first one ‘the here & now’ was about savouring the small things in everyday life. Something I feel we all have to remind ourselves to do!
There are beautiful moments in everyday – sometimes you just have to open your eyes & look around!
Posted in lovely stuff, photography
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The Photo Gallery – New
This weeks photo prompt from the gallery is NEW
I am only in my second week of the gallery – but am already enjoying being able in interpret the prompts my own way
This in Beatrice – she is in the process of trying to create NEW life 
I am pretty new to the hen keeping game – with only getting my first girls this time last year. One of the biggest challenges seems to be arguing with broody hens! So I have decided to give in! I currently have two girls – Beatrice, one of leg horn girlies, pictured above – & Blossom, one of my 2 silkie crosses – sitting on some eggs.
I’m not stressing – what will be will be – but I’d be lying if said I’d not be disappointed if we don’t end up with one or two babies!
Beatrice is on day 4 & Blossom is on day 9!
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Oranges & lemons, say the bells of st Clements…..
Ah – nursery rhymes – full of memories – & often random wording!
However – oranges & lemons are the tasty ingredients for my St Clements cake
Zestiness, balancing nicely with a sweet sugar crust. Easy peasy straight forward sponge with one of many possible tweaks!
170g softened butter
170g caster sugar
170g self raising flour
3 large free range eggs / 5 small Banty eggs
1 lemon – zest & juice
50g caster sugar ( additional for drizzle )
First step – as with all good sponge recipes – cream the sugar & butter until pale & creamy
Second step – slowly add the eggs one at a time – whilst continuing to mix ( electric mixer on the 1st speed! )
Third step – followed by the flour – slowly does it! Otherwise you could end up with a mess!
Forth step – zest 1 orange & 1 lemon – add to the mix & stir thoroughly. It is best to do this with a spoon / spatula as the zest tends to wrap its self round the mixer – leaving you with less zestiness for the cake! Never a good thing!
Fifth step – pop it all into a loaf tin – and into the oven at 180c / 160c fan for approx 40mins. Or until a skewer comes out clean & shiny!
Sixth step – mix the 50g of caster sugar with the juice of your lemon & orange.
Seventh step – make lots of little holes on the top of the cake with a fine pronged ( is that a word??!! Lol ) fork.
Eighth & final step – spoon the sugar & juice mixture of the top of the loaf!
Once the sugar has sent you should be left with a lovely sugar crusted drizzle cake
Posted in heart food
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The Photo Gallery – The weekend
I stumbled across http://www.thestickyfingersblog.com/ last week – a friendly blog with a great weekly post linky that I could join in with.
They are on week 141 of The Gallery – but its a weekly link up – so I can start from here For more information on The Gallery clicky the link & read all about it!
This weeks prompt was ‘the weekend’ & this weekend really felt like the start of brighter days. A few flowers in bloom & a bumble bee always raise a smile with me!
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Spring, spring, spring!
All is well when the flowers are in bloom & I can manage to get the ballet pumps on me feet again! Sparkly ballet pumps none the less!
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I had great intentions for day 6….
But I am going to have to leave you with a few photos
I often tell people I live in the middle of a field and don’t think they really get it … Here are a few snaps to illustrate the fact summer heaven – winter a little harder!
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Day 5! The sun shines…
Today was a good day – good things happened.
I made brownies successfully!
I made a really tasty meat free dinner ( trying to work towards at least 1 meat free day a week! ) I took the opportunity to try out wheatberries – and made a wheatberry & brown rice mushroom pilaf – taking inspiration from a recipe from the food network only I added egg to make a fried rice type take on it!
I got to enjoy the sunshine with Cody – & she was a gem, hardly putting a food wrong – next stop badminton 
And I rounded the day off watching man hours of the badminton trials cross country
Perfect
It’s the little things!
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