Botany and Baking

I live in a small complex of 6 maisonettes.  We have a communal garden, which is looked after by a gardener. In my non-disabled past I LOVED gardening, and it has been a sadness to see that go. The gardener, however, is lovely. He is planting tulips at my request, and has an abundance of my favourite Sweet Williams.

As it is a beautiful crisp day, I thought I would capture some of the plants that are still giving the garden such colour.

Good old fuscia.  We have been having these jewel pinks and purples for months now, and the bushes are still full of flowers.

Cotoneaster berries, ready for what 

I hope will be a cold, snowy winter.

Rose hips, intermingled with fallen red leaves.

Just starting to acknowledge that the seasons are turning, but...

...not quite everyone is willing to abandon summer!

Look at that glorious colour ...

Just like our wedding candle.

The dish it stands on was commissioned by Whitechapel Pottery and has a quote from my favourite poet, John Donne: "This extacie doth unperplex (we said) and tell us what we love."

Having been outside where it was a bit nippy, I fancied the smell of home baking. Little Fairy Cakes seemed the order of the day.

I have inherited my love of baking from my maternal nana. The mixing bowl I use was her's and she passed in 1982.  There is something comforting about using things that have been loved over the years.

My favourite baking book was a £1 find from a charity shop.

Cakes ready for baking and bowl ready for licking. With no smallies around anymore, I will do the noble thing and lick it out myself!

Cooked cakes finished - some with icing sugar, some with jam filling and powdered sugar, some plain Janes.

Later on, a nice cup of tea and a couple of cakes will be the order of the day.