Christmas Eve, Merry Christmas, Celebration Holiday part 1

Christmas Eve — and the excitement starts to bite. Little Nicholas and Carol, already in a frenzy of excitement, are opening the penultimate door of their Advent calendars. The wireless is playing a jazzed-up version of ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’. For Scarlett, there’s not much rest ahead, but she hopes everyone will be merry.

Granny and Grandpapa arrived yesterday. Having been woken twice in the night, firstly by the departed neighbours’ burglar alarm, and secondly by the lodger coming in tight at three o’clock in the morning, they are downstairs by 8.30 a.m., shivering, their breath rising like incense. Scarlett can’t light a fire because the log man still hasn’t arrived. Read the rest of this entry »

Birthday and Special Occasion home made Herbs Gifts Box

Fennel

Fennel is generally grown as an annual although in warm climates it is a perennial. The white bulb of the Florence variety can be grated raw into salads, or blanched and baked as a vegetable, while the leaves and seeds of common fennel are useful for their liquorice taste, adding a fresh flavour to fish and cheese. An infusion of fennel leaves is held to be a soothing lotion for bathing tired eyes and a toning skin tonic. Read the rest of this entry »