Monster Master Moglet Explores...........just his second time out.....

The chooks peruse the white world outside.....

Nearly Christmas !

All Hallows' E'en

Which ChickPea wields the shaving brush while Th Lord Of Darkness nurses a cut throat razor............ (But just LOOK at that panelling and the fireplace.......and they really are REAL !!!!)

Like butter wouldn't melt ...............

Meet Bart holo MEW. Now 12 weeks old and bigger by the day - I swear you'd see him growing if he just sat still long enough. Much too busy flying around the room with his skateboard - you know how boys are.......... Mr Mutt retreats to the kitchen. Then the batteries need a re-charge, so young Master Bart snuggles on a lap to help out with the computing.
Not a replacement for our beloved Ms Mog Poppycat, but a most welcome addition to the family.

A Very Fine Cat Indeed - now gone. Aged 20. Much missed.

GOOD FRIDAY........ The Coming......A poem by RS Thomas

And God held in his hand
A small globe. Look, he said.
The son looked. Far off,
As through water, he saw
A scorched land of fierce
Colour. The light burned
There; crusted buildings
Cast their shadows; a bright
Serpent, a river
Uncoiled itself, radiant
With slime.
On a bare
Hill a bare tree saddened
The sky. Many people
Held out their thin arms
To it, as though waiting
For a vanished April
To return to its crossed
Boughs. The son watched
Them. Let me go there, he said.

Waiting.............. (ChickPea'll be back one of these days..........)

The Broth of God

Ingredients: As available
Basic recipe includes: Acceptance, Commitment, Discernment, Frustration, Honesty, Humility, Kindness, Patience, Pepper, Perseverence, Persistence, Sage Advice, Salt (several pinches), Self-Acceptance, Solitude, Support, Tears, Understanding; add to this any other available mulling spices, emotions, difficulties, irritations or vexations.

Method: Take panfuls of Patience, Perseverance and Persistence, and soak overnight in honest tears with several sprigs of Humility. When present, Frustration should be included at this stage. Ferment, then chill. Add Commitment, Acceptance and Honesty, and simmer gently within the Welcome Warmth of Perpetual Providence. Include kilos of Kindness. Solitude may add depth and flavour. Find Self-Acceptance and add with as much Support and Understanding as available. Continue to simmer gently for as long as possible - this may prove to be most of a Lifetime. Although the Subtleties of Kindness and Friendship will take time to both develop and infuse, these are highly recommended to further enhance both flavour and digestibilty. Stir in Self-Acceptance, gently, and in generous measure. Add Sage Advice, experienced Discernment, with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve: Best served hot – may lie heavy on the stomach and feel indigestible if served cold.
Garnish generously with Love and Laughter.
Garlic bread and chilli peppers may provide distraction.

(This can be a challenging dish, and requires significant amounts of time for both preparation and cooking. Makes enough to feed a multitude. Small portions may feel easiest on the palate, but sometimes a full plateful is advisable. Advice may be required when assessing overall success of this dish. Full of fibre and good for the bowels).

Epiphany

The Cake of Comfort (ideal for the current season)

Ingredients: Life and Living
Reflection (in generous measure)
Kilos of Kindness
Endurance, Determination and Commitment
Patience, Perseverance and Persistence
Any Necessary Additives
Empathy
Yeast of Yuletide
Acceptance
Lots of Love and Laughter.

Method: Sift Life and Living through gentle fingers into a very large deep bowl, allowing bitter additives such as Pain to be thoroughly dispersed throughout the mixture. Add as much sweet Kindness as you can. Weigh Endurance, Determination and Commitment on the scales, mix in. Add any other Necessary Additives such as Grief, Frustration, or Irritation carefully, and in measured moderation. Bind the ingredients together with Empathy and more Kindness. Add the yeast of Yuletide. Knead thoroughly. Allow to prove, then knead again before baking with Discernment and Reflection in the glow of Providence.

The mixture may be assessed as cooked once able to stand alone, springing up again when pressed gently.

Dust generously whilst still warm with Patience, Acceptance, Love and Laughter (when available).

Serve: in considered slices with the Custard of Consolation, to build up your strength for the next year.