I Win!!!!

I have won a competition !!! I never win anything.

I entered a Christmas baking competition on the iambakingmad Facebook page. To win you had to enter a photograph of your Christmas baking so I entered this photo...

and won! I thought it would be a random selection of the entries but they said they liked it and it looked like I had put allot of effort in. So what did I win I hear you ask? These cake tins and they will fit in perfectly with my Kitchen decor.

Happy New Year!!!

Well its the start of another year and time to look back at what has been and forward to all the new possibilities this year has in store for us. I love this time of year, I can let go of things that have happened and put all my energy into a fresh start. Its like a blank piece of paper or a new book your excited but not quite sure whats going to happen.

The last year has been a year of decision making. I got to a point in my life where I had to make some decisions. What do I want? Keep travelling? A proper job? A home? A family? Well last year was the decider.

I went for a home and family, something I have wanted to do since I was a little girl. I started renting my own flat last January. Then I had to make a decision about what I wanted to do for a career. Over the years I have picked up many skills and had wide range of jobs. The problem was these jobs were mostly seasonal and only lasted for a few months, so I wasn't really qualified to do any one thing, and nothing I would want to do as a career. Eventually I decided on Horticulture and started an HNC in August, and volunteering at my local national trust property.

So for the new year coming I am hoping for all my plans to work out and to start a career in horticulture and work on making my own family, but who knows what will happen.

The possibilities are endless!

Snow!!!!!

Well I LOVE snow, but even I have to admit this is getting a bit much. This week it has been quite snowy and at the beginning of the week it was great fun. I got snowed in at my flat and then had a mini adventure trying to get to my parents house. I have missed a week of college but its not the end of the world. So when it rained and washed away half the snow I thought this week things would get back to normal. I got up this morning to this

The radio says the roads are closed, a bus fell over and don't even think about going out unless its an emergency. I hope it doesn't last much longer, there is only so much Farmville someone can play.

A Frosty Day

I was at Greenbank today and it looked lovely all frosted!

It was a bit chilly to work in but once we got going we soon warmed up.

The pond looked really good with the sun shining through the trees.

It felt a bit like the secret garden today all frosted and nobody around, magical!

Greenbank Gardens

I have started volunteering at Greenbank Gardens, my local National Trust property.

Very Grand!

Its has a pretty house and a very interesting garden with lots of different garden rooms. I am volunteering there so I can build up my practical experience. There is a great garden team who have made me feel very welcome and I have already learned quite a bit from them.

I have always liked a formal garden

Its a very peaceful garden and its nice to just spend some time listening to the birds sing. I think I am going to enjoy volunteering here.

Apple Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes

So this week my Mother was having a bit of a family gathering and I still had some apples left over from the load I picked at college. I searched all of my recipe books ( I have far too many!) and could not really find what I wanted. Then I came across these on Paula Dean's website and could not resist.

They were awesome!

But they are definitely a special occasion bake, they are not for everyday. I would be the size of a house if I baked these regularly!

Busy Week!

Well It has been quite a busy week for me, I started off getting a load of apples from the college fruit garden and making an apple cake

I found Paula Dean when I was living in Canada a few years ago and loved her style of cooking. The cake turned out well but I think if I try it again I will add a tuch more cinnamon.

Then It got really cold here with a little bit of frost, so I decided to use up the tomatoes that were left before the frost gets them and made some relish

It has to sit for a month before you can eat it, I cant wait to try it!