Day 90 - March 31st

We had a sprinkling of snow this morning.

Day 89 - March 30th

Time for some more scrapbooking.

Day 88 - March 29th

The daffodils in our back garden have done well this year.

Day 87 - March 28th

The ladybirds are appearing after the colder months.

Day 86 - March 27th (Mothers Day)

Today was Mother's Day and I was given some lovely cards and gifts including a lovely bunch of flowers.

Day 85 - March 26th

Morning walk.

Day 84 - March 25th

Tux enjoying the sunshine.

Day 83 - March 24th

A little bit of warm weather has drawn the daffodils out from their winter sleep.

Day 82 - March 23rd

Several friends have birthdays this month so I've been making cards.

Day 81 - March 22nd

Tucked underneath some other plants, today I found some Forget-Me-Nots in the garden.

Day 80 - March 21st

Tux.

Day 79 - March 20th

Today my Dad bought and collected a new car.

 

Day 78 - March 19th

 Today I spotted this butterfly in the garden - a symbol of new beginnings. 

Day 77 - March 18th

Another new chocolate treat.

 

Day 76 - March 17th

I've been making cards.

Day 75 - March 16th

I picked this bar of chocolate up in town. I'd not seen it before, but as a lover of dark chocolate and mint chocolate it's right up my street.

Day 74 - March 15th

 

The grass will need cutting soon. The daisies are multiplying.

Day 73 - March 14th

Last month I photographed the pink Hellebores in my mum & dad's garden. The white varieties are also now in flower.

Day 72 - March 13th

Millie loves a walk in the sunshine and she also loves to sniff the daffodils growing on the verges. It means her walks are much slower as she has to stop and sniff every clump.

Day 71 - March 12th

This afternoon I felt like baking so decided to try something I'd not made before - Viennese Whirls. I used a recipe from Mary Berry and they turned out really well and tasted just like they should have. I'll certainly be making them again.

INGREDIENTS

For the biscuits:

250g very soft unsalted butter

50g icing sugar

225g plain flour

25g cornflour


For the filling:

100g unsalted butter, softened

200g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

½ tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

Step 1
For the biscuits, pre-heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5. Line 3 baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment and, using a 4cm round cutter as a guide, draw 8 circles on each sheet of paper, spaced well apart. Turn the paper over so the pencil marks are underneath.

Step 2
Measure the butter and icing sugar into a bowl and beat well until pale and fluffy. Sieve in the flour and cornflour and beat well, until thoroughly mixed.

Step 3
Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle. Pipe 24 swirled rounds (not rosettes) inside the circles on the baking sheets.

Step 4
Bake in the centre of the oven for 13–15 minutes, until a pale golden-brown colour. Cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool and harden.

Step 5
For the filling, measure the butter into a bowl and sift the icing sugar on top. Add the vanilla extract and beat with a wooden spoon or an electric whisk until very light and smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.

Step 6
Spoon a little jam onto the flat side of 12 of the biscuits and place jam-side up on a cooling rack. Pipe the buttercream over the jam and sandwich with the remaining biscuits. Dust with icing sugar to decorate.

Day 70 - March 11th

Crocus.

Day 69 - March 10th

Tonight the Dessert MK van visited the village. It was the first time it had visited so it would have been rude not to have sampled their desserts. I chose an Aero dessert - Mr Whippy type ice-cream, mint and orange Aero chocolate, chocolate sauce, wafer and an ice cream curl. It was really good. 😊

Day 68 - March 9th

Largely due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, fuel prices are rocketing. Walking Millie this morning I noted that petrol at our local garage now cost 157.9 p/litre. According to Google, March 2021 we were paying 125.3 p/litre.

Day 67 - March 8th

As well as the Grape Hyacinths now flowering the ordinary Hyacinths are also in full bloom.

Day 66 - March 7th

The Grape Hyacinths are now flowering. 

Day 65 - March 6th

I found some time this afternoon for some scrapbooking.

Day 64 - March 5th

I've mentioned before how much I love the spring blossom and more and more is appearing every day in the hedgerows.

Day 63 - March 4th

Tulips are now appearing in the shops so I treated myself to a bunch.

Day 62 - March 3rd

Millie.

Day 61 - March 2nd (Ash Wednesday)

Today my mum made Bedfordshire Doughnuts to mark Ash Wednesday. Every year she says 'They're not very good!' but every year they are delicious!

Day 60 - March 1st (Pancake Day / Shrove Tuesday)

This evening we made pancakes to mark Shrove Tuesday /Pancake Day.