Today...

Today - I made Tomato Soup for the first time ever. You see, I don't like Tomato Soup myself, so I never made it! Until today. Recipe to follow.

Today - is sunny. I mean, it's gorgeously sunny. And still - no wind. I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.

Today - Mr Wayne gets the boot out of the ladies' field. Time will tell if he lives up to his reputation.

Today - is the day of the swimming competition of the Lewis and Harris Sports Festival. I'll let you know later how our competitors get on. I'll also let you know whether I embarrass myself or my kids with my poolside behaviour. It has been known in the past.

Lemon Cake

The Happy Housewife wants our favourite lemon recipes today for a link-up.


If she's looking to do something in return, I'll take some of the home-grown lemons pictured on her blog. Don't they look wonderful!


Here's one of our favourites. A simple Lemon Cake.


Ingredients:
4oz (100g) soft butter/marg
6oz (175g) castor sugar
60z (175g) self-raising flour
4 tblsp milk
2 large eggs
rind and juice of 1 lemon
3 tblsp icing sugar

Method:
1. Beat together: butter/marg, castor sugar, flour, milk, eggs and rind.

This is one of my favourite things about this recipe: everything goes into the bowl and it all gets beaten together. Simplicity is bliss, don't you reckon?

2. Spoon mixture into a greased a lined 2lb loaf tin.


(I made double, and so have 2 loaves)


3. Bake in a pre-heated oven 180C/350F for 40 mins.

4. Dissolve icing sugar in lemon juice over a low heat, and pour over cake while cake is still warm. Leave to cool in tin.

That's the official recipe. 


I like to stick a skewer in the top of the cake just before I pour the icing over it. That means it seeps into the cake nicely.

Okay, okay, so it's not a skewer. You know what it's like: whatever's to hand...

Also - my oven prefers 170C for 50-55 mins. You'll know your own oven best, and sometimes it takes a while to get it right with a new recipe.


Enjoy!

The Joys of Homeschooling for the Wee Guy. Today.

The Wee Guy left this morning after 7am to go to Sheep Sales with Big Brother.


These are the joys of homeschooling:


For Calum: because he gets to go to sheep sales when schoolkids are doing sums;
For Big Brother: uh....because he gets to have the pleasure of the Wee Guy's company for the day.
For Catherine and Katie: because....well, just have a listen. Ssshhh. Hear it?  It's silence. It's golden. And it's here for the day!


I have no photos of him in his army trousers, his oilskins, his hi-viz jacket and his wellies.


"Muuuummmm....there's no time for stuff like that." Sigh


Working men - no time for frivolities like photos in the morning.

Pam's Apron Swap

Pam at Where Your Treasure Is had an apron swap a while back and I had the privilege of being paired up with her!


The other day, I received the most delightful parcel in the post. All the way from Colorado!


Have a look at this.

Isn't this gorgeous!

Pam wrote in her letter: "The final stitches of the apron were sewn with prayers, and wishes of blessings for you."

Isn't that so lovely?

And just have a look at the 'extra' delights Pam posted too.

They are so pretty, aren't they.

It almost makes me want to put on a skirt.

I said 'almost'.

Old Holiday Photos

We never tire of reminiscing about our two family holidays to the USA.


The first real holiday we were able to have in 15 years came in the form of a 4-week holiday in the US. Yep, it was worth the 15 year wait!


I don't want to bore you with too many of our holiday photos, but here are some photos we managed to take of 'Welcome' signs. Bear in mind that they were taken from a moving vehicle, so no comments please on quality of shots!

We flew into Toronto, and spent some time in the wonderful province of Ontario before we crossed the border into the US.

We didn't stay in Delaware, so this was just a 'passing through'.

We didn't stay in Maryland either, but we worshipped there on both holidays. We have very happy memories of our time there.

We drove through New York state on both holidays: the first time, we drove from Niagara to Lancaster, PA; and the second time we drove from London, Ontario to Ocean City, NJ. 

The first time we went to the States, we stayed in Lancaster, PA for a few days. This was absolutely wonderful.

The last time we went to the US, we drove the length of Pennsylvania on our way from Princeton, NJ to Ohio. What a beautiful state! And loads of space! 

We reckoned if we just plonked ourselves somewhere, we could just stay and noone would ever know. What d'ya reckon? Do y'all think we'd have been chucked out by now?

Both times we holidayed in the USA, we ended our time in Michigan with friends. We have the most precious memories of all from our time in this state. 

A Royal Engagement

Congratulations to Prince William and his fiance, Kate Middleton on their engagement.

Prince William - who is next in line to the throne, after his father, Prince Charles - and Kate Middleton plan to marry sometime next year.

I shall await our invitation to the wedding with anticipation. Let's hope the date doesn't clash with any of my other plans. I do, after all, have a very busy schedule.

You know me: lots of dates, and meetings with important people, and functions to attend. Such is life.

Well, over and above everything, I wish God's blessing on them as a couple. I would wish for them to honour God above all else. Prince William is destined, God willing, to be king one day, but the King of kings is worthy of all praise and honour. I pray that in the midst of all their material wealth they would seek the Saviour, and have riches beyond what this world can offer. 

If their marriage was a threesome of God, William and Kate, how blessed their marriage could be. 

Congratulations, Prince William and Kate, and God bless you both.

Ruth - Her Story for Today by Keith M Watkins

Each week, I set some questions from a chapter of this book for the girls to answer.

All the answers to the questions are found in the relevant chapter.

For example, Chapter 1 is called Sin and Grace in the Days of the Judges, and these are the questions I set for them:

1.  Name some of the things which make the book of Ruth an especially good story.

2.  At what time in the history of the nation of Israel did Ruth live?

3.  How was the moral state of the nation at this time described?

4.  Find a verse elsewhere in the Bible that speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Judge.

The book was written with teens or young adults in mind, but I'd say it's a good read for any age.