Hello everyone

As it says in Ecclestiastes 3 'For everything there is a season'*, reiterated by by the Byrds in their well-known song**.

Now that the children have grown up and left home I miss the rhythm of the year being divided into school terms and holidays.  


The days roll on the same now that we've retired (no days off once you give up work!)  The days are more leisurely and tend to start later but they still tend to involve 'jobs'.

So these days I'm very keen on the rhythm of the seasons. It gives a structure to the year.  We recently had Halloween (or like me ignored it), followed by Bonfire Night, then Remembrance Day, 11 November.

So now it's time to start thinking about Christmas, although I do prefer to keep Christmas to December.

November is the month for starting to write Christmas cards as it makes a job which could become tedious into more of a pleasure.

Looking at the back of the cupboard this week I found an enormous jar of made mincemeat.  I'm looking forward to making some mince pies, come December.  And Jamie Oliver has just come to the rescue with his recipe for pastry.  
I've been making pastry of all types for years but thought perhaps it was time for a refresher, and here are his ideas for pastry-making:  http://www.jamieoliver.com/news-and-features/features/ultimate-guide-to-pastry-puff-recipe/#pgbQQqhswhJtxU3f.97.

Then, coming on to mince pies themselves, here's Jamie's page: http://www.jamieoliver.com/search/?s=mince+pies

I hope to put more Christmas ideas on here soon, especially in December, when Christmas really starts ..........


* https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes+3&version=KJV
** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4