December Photo Challenge 2018 – Day Thirty-one

Day Thirty-one: Today’s photo prompt and the last of the month is a toast!

Where has December gone? This month has simply flown by! In the spirit of the season I make a toast to all my lovely readers.

I wish you a joyous and love filled 2019.

All the best and thanks for your support!

Christine x

 

December Photo Challenge 2018 – Day Thirty

Day Thirty: Today’s photo prompt is goals for 2019 (if any). I tend not to set any new year resolutions, save disappointment when I don’t achieve them. However for 2019 I will continue my walking, and make a determined effort to get to 2000 miles in the #walk1000miles challenge. I was so close this year!

What goals have you planned for 2019 (if any)?

Thanks for reading, Christine x

December Photo Challenge 2018 – Day Twenty-nine

Day Twenty-nine: Today’s photo prompt is, this year – a reflection.

On reflection 2018 has been pretty much a perfect year! There may have been the odd blip (e.g. like the burst water pipe) but otherwise there have been many more positives to glean from the year than negatives. Below find a small gallery of pictures from the year.

Derwentwater – Centenary Stones

David and Christine at Castle Crag

David at Latrigg

Christine and Riley at Mere Sands Wood

View from a hide – Pennington Flash

Yellow Darter

River Brathay

View down Stickle Ghyll

Robin Hood and Christine

Swimming in Loch Lomond

Christine and Rose

Paddling

How has 2018 been for you?

Thanks for reading,

Christine x

December Photo Challenge 2018 – Day Twenty-six

Day Twenty-six: Today’s photo prompt is family.

Christmas-time is about spending time with loved ones. I spent my Christmas Day with David and our parents. I cooked us a meal with lots of vegetables and for the meat-eaters ham and turkey. Afterwards there was cake and a game of Top Trumps courtesy of RSPB crackers.

Christmas Dinner 2018

How did you spend your Christmas?

All the best,

Christine x

December Photo Challenge 2018 – Day Twenty-two

Day Twenty-Two: Today’s photo prompt is tradition.

In the UK, Chestnuts are predominantly seen as a Christmas food. In Europe the Chestnut is more widely used. In America, Chestnuts were a traditional Christmas food until blight almost wiped out American Chestnut trees in the 1900’s. Chestnuts can be baked, roasted and boiled, and have a spongy, firmness and delicate taste.

Do you like Chestnuts?

Thanks for reading, Christine x

December Photo Challenge 2018 – Day Seventeen

Day Seventeen: For today’s photo prompt of decoration I decided to post a picture of my small poinsettia. Having had large pot versions of this Christmas Star I was looking for something more manageable. I found this little pot poinsettia for £3 at M&S.

poinsettia

What Christmas flowers do you like?

Thanks for reading,

Christine x

December Photo Challenge 2018 – Day Twelve

Day Twelve: For today’s photo prompt, that of comfort in a mug, I decided to twist the meaning and plumped for comfort in a glass. I opted to make mulled wine and followed the recipe from Jamie Oliver. Below find the ingredients and method for one bottle of wine.

Mulled Wine

Spiced and Warming Mulled Wine – Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

• 1 clementines
• 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 lime
• 100 g caster sugar
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 whole nutmeg , for grating (1/3 tea spoon of ground)
• 1/2 vanilla pod
• 1 bottle red wine
• 1 star anise

Method

1. Peel large sections of peel from the clementines, lemon and lime using a speed-peeler.
2. Put the sugar in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the pieces of peel and squeeze in the clementine juice.
3. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and about 10 to 12 gratings of nutmeg. Halve the vanilla pod length ways and add to the pan, then stir in just enough red wine to cover the sugar.
4. Let this simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved into the red wine, then bring to the boil. Keep on a rolling boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until you’ve got a beautiful thick syrup. The reason I’m doing this first is to create a wonderful flavour base by really getting the sugar and spices to infuse and blend well with the wine. It’s important to make a syrup base first because it needs to be quite hot, and if you do this with both bottles of wine in there you’ll burn off the alcohol.
5. When your syrup is ready, turn the heat down to low and add your star anise and the rest of the wine. Gently heat the wine and after around 5 minutes, when it’s warm and delicious, ladle it into heatproof glasses and serve.

It made for a spicy warming drink, but neither David nor my mum liked it. Perhaps I should just keep to red wine in future?

Have you tried making mulled wine?

Thanks for stopping by,

Christine x

December Photo Challenge 2018 – Day Eight

Day Eight: Today’s photo prompt is shopping. David and I took a visit to Liverpool City Centre to shop for further Christmas gifts for the family. I was disappointed in the shops we visited as many didn’t have much in the way of Christmas decorations and there were no Christmas tunes to be heard! We walked 11,000 steps and five miles searching for the perfect gifts.

It’s been a tiring day.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

Thanks for reading,

Christine x