My weekly sketch...Baking

My weekly sketch of things I love this week is.....Baking. Nothing makes me happier than the smell of cake batter. During pregnancy, the lack of alcohol never fazed me, but the idea that I couldn't lick the spoon whilst baking a cake was simply mortifying. Some of my earliest memories are baking with my Mum or Grandma. To this day, the smell of cocoa powder reminds me of my late Grandmother. I have never been able to replicate her amazing chocolate cakes, but not for lack of trying.

One of my husband's most inspired gifts was my kitchen aid. I am not usually one for exercise, so anything to save effort on my part is greatly appreciated. However, I now have plans to get fit and healthy, so I suppose if I am going to be decadent and bake a cake, the least I could do is exert some effort whisking.

Later this month, I am very much looking forward to attending Forge in Sheffield on 23rd June. It is an art, design and craft fair that has been put on by Hallam Roses W.I to raise money for Roundabout and the W.I. I hear their baking is legendary and urge anyone in the area to join them. You will find me resident at the cake stall eyeing up the tasty treats! More details found here.

Roche Abbey

Trying to utilise my corporate membership to English Heritage, I decided to have a look on their site for a new place to visit in our area. I came across Roche Abbey, which I had never heard of or been to. My father had some reservations, as he is a creature of habit, and I think would have much preferred a visit to the old faithful Brodsworth Hall. We arrived with trepidation of the impending 'I told you so' s, when it did not live up to much.

The road down to Roche Abbey is narrow and bumpy, with only room for one car. There is not a great deal of parking, but we went, on a busy bank holiday Monday, there was still some spaces left. Without English Heritage membership, you must pay £3.50 for entry, which I initially felt was very reasonable. I had been concerned about accessibility, but we meandered through the ruins with ease with our pushchair. There is a small sign warning visitors not to climb on the ruins, which we had not seen until we left. I admit I had no desire to clamber atop a pile of stones with questionable stability, but witnessed others being chastised for doing this. It would have been nice for this warning to have been made more clear, as one gentleman looked mortified when he was told by security not to stand on a stone to get an unobstructed picture of his daughter. This is not to say that the staff were rude or unpleasant just that this should have been made clear before entry.

Roche Abbey is nice for a small walk, a picnic or a nice place to go and read a book sat on a bench. It had a peaceful tranquility even with several visitors walking round. The view of the Abbey is beautiful and I'm sure a more talented photographer could have captured some stunning images. To walk around the Abbey only takes around 10 minutes, but as we wanted to take advantage of the sunny weather we were planning a barbecue for the afternoon, this was ideal. I would propose tagging on a visit to the nearby Conisbrough Castle, if you are wanting a more substantial day trip out. My main issue with Roche Abbey is that I do not think that I would actually go inside in hindsight. There is a public footpath down the side of the site leading to a field that has a comprehensive panorama of the Abbey and plenty of space for picnics. Although, £3.50 is not a lot of money, if a whole family was visiting, I would suggest exploiting the fortuitous public footpath. The English Heritage site includes a shop stocking gifts, books and refreshments.

The effect on my final image was accomplished by using the program GIMP. (my favourite free to download image editing tool) I did this by going into Colors and then Threshold. I really urge you to try GIMP, as every time I use it I stumble across some great effects. My ambition is to really try to get to grips with all of the endless capabilities it possesses. 

Visit Roche Abbey website for more details.

My weekly sketch...Books

My weekly sketch, of things that I love, is books this week. Although I am slowly but surely making my way into the digital age, I still enjoy the feel of a book in my hands. Despite the ease and convenience of the kindle, nothing compares to the smell of a leather bound book with ageing pages. My husband's love of books is far greater than my own. He owns several copies of the same book. We are unable to go anywhere without my husband going missing down some quaint little lane. He is adept at sniffing out an antique book shop or charity shop within a mile radius. Recently, we decided to read each other's favourite book (Little Women and The Count of Monte Cristo). This he felt was an excuse for him to buy a new copy of each. I really should blame myself for this collecting getting out of hand, as I foolishly allowed my husband to have one of the rooms in our house as a study. This has now been filled to the brim with books.

Writing books has recently become a love of mine. I have been writing children's books and these are available to download for free on the My Books section of my blog. These are currently works in progress and I hope to revisit these soon. This seems to keep going to the bottom of the to do list since I became a mummy. I really urge anyone, who has a passion to write, to try it, as I gained immense pleasure from creating something. Although I have made mistakes along the way, I relish the prospect of redrafting until I have made them as close to perfect as possible. I am bursting with lots of ideas of how to improve them and plans for future installments in the Bones The Dog series.

Worsbrough Mill and Country Park

Over the bank holiday weekend, we went for a walk around Worsbrough Mill and Country Park. We regularly walk around Worsbrough Mill, as there are a few different gentle walks around there. It allows me to get a little fresh air and exercise, without it feeling like a chore.

When I was younger, we would come to the Mill with my school. I remember finding it really exciting hearing the huge chug and swish of the waterwheel, the grind of the massive millstones and seeing the bags of flour bursting through a trapdoor in the floor. The Mill is still fully operational, and you can watch them milling on bank holidays and the last Sunday of the month. You can also purchase the flour that is made in their shop.

Worsbrough Mill and Country Park is free, but parking costs £3 for the day. The Mill is on the Transpennine Trail, and is a nice place to stop for refreshments, as part of a longer journey. I would ride along the Transpennine Trail as a child, with my family and neighbours. There would be nine of us riding in a long snake along the paths. I was inevitably always lagging behind at the back. It really is great for young children and those of all different abilities, as the terrain is relatively smooth and flat.

If you like to spot wildlife, there is plenty to see. There are bird watching huts scattered around the reservoir and fishing facilities also.  I love seeing all the wildlife around the park. Unfortunately, I am often too busy chatting to grab my camera in time. On our last visit, there was a heron perfectly posing for me, but as I was nattering to my mum, I was not quite quick enough to capture it. Also, if you love animals you should visit the nearby Wigfield Farm, complete with cafe, farm shop, a variety of animals (including cute meerkats), golf and play area. Admission is £3 for adults and £1.50 for children.

What I like most about having a stroll around the Mill is the friendly atmosphere as every person utters some sort of pleasantry when you pass them. There is a calming and peaceful atmosphere. Well there is most of the time, but as a child we would play with lazer guns and sensors, running and hiding behind the obliging trees and foliage. I'm sure we managed to disturb plenty of fishermen in our time!

Mars Bar Rice Krispies Squares

This afternoon I felt the need for a real chocolate binge. Although I craved something sweet, with the sun in the sky, it did not feel like the time for baking in a kitchen with a hot oven. I thought this simple, but scrummy recipe would do the trick. I was introduced to these by my cousin Elizabeth, and although mine turned out pretty delicious, she really is the expert!

As I'm starting with some healthy eating and exercise to shift my pregnancy weight next week, I may have to find some healthy baking recipes. (Booooooo!) Or I may just have to have a little naughty treat every once in  a while.

The only problem is that once I have had one, I end up eating lots. I can't see them lasting long in our house. I like to cut them into small squares, so they are in bite size pieces. They are perfect with a nice cuppa.

These would be a great little summer time treat - perfect for kids to make during the school holidays.

Ingredients

3 Mars Bars
75g butter (I used olive oil spread and didn't notice any difference)
75g rice krispies
175g chocolate ( I used Dairy Milk) 

1. Melt Mars Bars and butter in a saucepan
2. Pour in Rice Krispies, and stir until fully combined with melted Mars Bars and butter.
3. Press into a tin with a cold spoon.
4. Melt the chocolate.
5. Pour onto Rice Krispies mixture, and smooth over with palette knife.
6. Leave in fridge to cool for at least an hour to set. (Okay so mine didn't make it until an hour before I had some. They were lovely and gooey though!)

Baby Boy Breton Summer Style

When our baby boy arrived we were inundated with baby clothes, so I haven't really been able to justify buying much. With most of the clothes being newborn or 0-3 months, however, I can start shopping for some 3-6 months summer clothes. My son survived his first trip to Meadowhall, and he did a lot better than his Daddy does, with minimal fussing and no tears. I love nautical and Breton style clothing and often wear this myself. We may be in danger of matching, which isn't something that I mind, but my son may be horrified looking back. Having said that, he really needs to be prepared to be embarrassed by his Mummy.

1. Navy stripe polo shirt from Next.

2. Reversible zip-up jacket from JoJo Maman Bebe.

3. Stripe poloshirt bodysuit from JoJo Maman Bebe.

4. Red chinos from Next.

5. Twill pull ups from JoJo Maman Bebe.

6. Nautical Breton sailor top from JoJo Maman Bebe.

7. Striped polo shortie from The White Company.

8. Twill sun hat from JoJo Maman Bebe.

1. Baby anchor tank top from The White Company.

2. Ticking stripe short from Monsoon.

3. Stripe polo from Next.

4. Twill sun hat from JoJo Maman Bebe.

5. Baby sunglasses from JoJo Maman Bebe.

6. Navy linen shorts from Monsoon.

7. Stripe top from The White Company.

8. Nautical Stripe Dungarees from JoJo Maman Bebe.

9. Stripe polo shirt from Next. 

Forbidden Corner

I must admit in many respects I am still a child at heart. Therefore, in the lead up to us going to Forbidden Corner, I was very excited. I can safely say it did not disappoint. If you have children, or are like me and filled with childlike wonder, I urge you to go.

Forbidden Corner really is a unique experience. It was conceived as a private folly-filled garden, which has now been opened to the public. As you walk through the gates, you feel as though you have walked into a fairytale, There are mazes, chambers, tunnels, secret gardens and water features. Some of the pieces have a real ethereal beauty, whilst others have an eerie quality. For your money you get all of this, with breathtaking vistas of the Yorkshire Dales as well.

I do not want to give too much away, as part of the beauty of Forbidden Corner is the surprises. There are a few things, however, that you should know. The first is that you are unable to just turn up to Forbidden Corner, you must book in advance. You book the time that you would like to arrive. This is an attempt to reduce congestion. The second is that due to the small spaces, many stairs and nooks and crannies, this is not suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs and those with mobility issues. There is a lot of walking, as you explore, so bear this in mind. The third is there are some dark tunnels that could be considered scary by some small children. Having said that, I suppose that this is dependent on the child's temperament.  We went with a 3 year old who was not fazed and loved every moment. The fourth is that you should be prepared to get wet to some degree. We wore our rain macs.

There is lots to see. You are not given a map of the garden, but a checklist.  We stayed for 3 hours, but did not see everything. We managed to get lost several times. This might say more about my navigational skills than anything. (I never achieved my orienteering badge in girl guides) You keep meeting up with the same people as you wander round. This provides a jolly, sociable atmosphere, with children sharing experiences and surprises.

My highlight of the day was my husband keenly trundling down a tunnel to discover that he could not fit through. Although he is still a child at heart, unfortunately he is considerably larger than one. My 3 year old niece was pushing him from one side, whilst a group of small children tried to get through the tunnel from the other side. I could not shake the image of Winnie the Pooh getting stuck in a hole, as the debacle took place.

I cannot comment on the cafe, as we opted to take a picnic. There is a pretty woodland area with picnic benches adjacent to the entrance. We did however take a look around the shop, which had a lot of reasonable priced items. The entrance fee itself is £11 for adults and £9 for children (4-15). I felt it was well worth the money to experience something that could be enjoyed by all ages and was so different.

As a family, we have always judged somewhere by the toilets, and I was very impressed with the standard of these. The sinks reminded me of Harry Potter, although I was disappointed that they were not equipped with a Moaning Myrtle.

I think this would be wonderful for a child's birthday.  I can just imagine a little group of children dressed up as wizards, witches, and fairies exploring this magical site. I cannot wait until my son is older, so we can take him and let our imaginations run wild!