poppy

Darn Muggle, if I'd known earlier I could have sent you some Old-fashioned biscuit gravy mix to go with those grits

Well the biscuits came out fine, I added some chopped onion, cheese, bacon and herbs, but the gravy ........is it really supposed to resemble white tasteless glue? I fed the rest to my chickens and even they just took a quick peck, squawked and went off to wipe their beaks. I think I'll stick to home-made gravy

I've just finished this book and really enjoyed it, I couldn't stop reading. Wouldn't recommend it for people who are sensitive to animal cruelty, and the violence is pretty graphic at times. Imagine this is pretty true-to-life to what circus life would have been in the 1930's in the USA, not an easy time, but a fascinating insight. I wonder if you didn't know the author was a female, you would have thought this was written by a male? I found her style very gritty, maybe it was because it was narrated by Jacob. Thank you for the recommendation Janet, a thoroughly good read

I had one of her books as a child and absolutely loved the illustrations. It's left me with an abiding love for gum trees

I very much doubt it Muggle, but I'm one of those weird people who like making things from scratch anyway

Heck Megan, we can't even get a decent pack of cake-mix here

The harder you prune, the less flowers you get, but they are larger and of better quality. I usually prune quite lightly so I get lots of flowers.

Well that looks basically the same recipe. I'm sure you can get buttermilk in NZ but it is not something that we generally use. Biscuits and gravy here we come Though it's a bit hot at the moment, it's mainly salad weather.

Thanks Megan and Muggles. I'm going to give it a go and I'll let you know the results What would be your biscuit recipe? Ours is: 3 cups flour 3 tsp baking powder pinch salt 100 gm (4 oz ) butter milk to mix I usually just grate cold butter into the siffted flour and baking powder and mix it in with a knife. Add plenty of milk to make a very soft dough, mix it very quickly, cut it into pieces and wack it into a preheated oven 200

I've always wondered what grits were too (along with Ranch Dressing ). Thought it was some sort of fried thing. Muggle, I've just been given a large packet of Old Fashioned Biscuit Gravy Mix from the US. It's got instructions of how to make it but I have no idea what to make with it. I understand your biscuits are like our scones, but scones with gravy sounds kinda wierd.

Hi Sarah, let me be the first to wish you a very warm welcome. Everyone is very friendly here, I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun

I'm sure I did. I must admit I had a tear in my eye when I finished

Have just finished 'Wish You Well' and it is just as you say Muggle, it makes you laugh, cry and feel good. A delightful heart-warming story, where family and love are far more important than material wealth. Thank you very much for the recommendation.

This sounds great Janet. I've just reserved it from the library

The NZ poet Hone Tuwhare died this week aged 85. I love this poem by him. Rain I can hear you making small holes in the silence rain If I were deaf the pores of my skin would open to you and shut And I should know you by the lick of you if I were blind the something special smell of you when the sun cakes the ground the steady drum-roll sound you make when the wind drops But if I should not hear smell or feel or see you you would still define me disperse me wash over me rain Hone Tuwhare

I found this quote yesterday which I thought was lovely. It comes from Charlotte's Web by E.B.White You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing. I wove my webs for you because I liked you. After all, what's a life, anyway? We're born, we live a little while, we die. A spider's life can't help being something of a mess, with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone's life can stand a little of that.

I watched Brokeback Mountain for the first time last night It was SO sad. Heath Ledger did a great job of playing the laconic cowboy Ennis and Jake Gyllenhaal was very good too.

Hi Megan and a Big Welcome

Hi March and a very Big Welcome

I finally managed to get this out from the library again to finish it (better late than never I guess). I really enjoyed the second and third parts. Found myself warming to Briony in the end, thought she paid a huge price in guilt and separation from her family for what was really only naivety and bad judgement on her part. The ending came as a surprise to me

Top 4 Books (couldn't do three) Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson One Flew Over a Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kelsey To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck (thanks Muggles ) Worst Book Can't remember anything I didn't like Best New Author (for me) Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman (Fantasy introduced to me by Stiggy)

Wild Daisies by Bub Bridger (Ngati Kahungunu), If you love me Bring me flowers Wild daisies Clutched in your fist Like a torch No orchids or roses Or carnations No florist's bow Just daisies Steal them Risk your life for them Up the sharp hills In the teeth of the wind If you love me Bring me daisies That I will cram In a bright vase And marvel at

It's a great album isn't it Gyre? Absolutely love When The Levee Breaks. Crank that up full blast and the wood-worm nearly let go hands.

Yes I found her writing very unique and quite lyrically beautiful. I'll have to look out some more of her books.

Hi Brighteyes and Welcome Are you enjoying The Jeanette Winterson book? I read Lighthousekeeping by her this year and really loved it.