Saturday, 7 September 2013

Food, Glorious Food

At Great Dorset Steam Fair last week, as well as all the steam engines and entertainment, there was a huge variety of food stalls and outlets all across the site and a delicious food hall. We made it over to the food hall almost every day just for all the free samples of sausages, jam, fudge, cheese, crackers, and bread - they even had duck burgers and duck dogs!
 
Food hall
 
 
Foodie highlights included...
 
 
Nachos with cheese and chicken, yum!
Nachos
 
 
Bratwurst
Bratwurst
 
 
A whole pizza with chicken and tomatoes
Pizza
 
 
A pint of very refreshing orange juice in a proper old fashioned milk bottle
Orange juice pint
 
 
Huge slabs of cake made by a very friendly elderly couple
Huge slabs of cake
 
 
 
It was a shame to have to come home and eat "normally" again!



Friday, 6 September 2013

The Liebster Blogger Award

When we got home from the Great Dorset Steam Fair last week, I discovered that the lovely Lucinda from Putting the Tea in Teacher had nominated me for a Liebster Award!
 
I've seen this award doing the rounds and I know there's lots of different versions of it, but still, I've never actually been nominated so it's all very exciting! (and yes, I lead a very sad life...)

Anyway, the Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have fewer then 200 followers (I like that phrase a lot, I don't think I've ever been 'up and coming' before!). It's all about sharing the blog love and is a really good way to discover other blogs, fellow bloggers and appreciate all the leg (and finger) work that goes into running your own blog.
 
 
 
 
The Rules
 
1) Link back to the person who nominated you
2) List 11 facts about yourself (optional)
3) Answer the 11 questions given to you by the person who nominated you for an award
4) Nominate 11 blogs/bloggers who have 200 or fewer followers
5) Think up 11 different questions for the people you are nominating to answer
6) Notify your nominess so they can join in!
 
 
11 Facts About Myself
 
1. I don't own a Passport.
2. When I was really little, I was afraid of sand and used to run away from beaches.
3. I've performed, sung and danced to over 100,000 people in one night (and do it every few years)
4. I might have had a broken wrist for 5 years without knowing. I broke my left wrist when I was 10 and then my right wrist when I was 15; however the doctors reckoned it was an old break that hadn't healed and might have been done 5 years previously.
5. Ian Rush, the ex-Liverpool and Wales footballer is kind of part of my Dad's family (he's married to my Dad's second cousin, that counts right?)
6. My first trip abroad on my own was to New York, at the age of 19, exactly one year after 9/11.
7. I have another website, photos of South West England's Carnival season and have been running that for 14 years, since 1999.
8. I'm studying an MSc in Information and Library Studies by distance learning in my spare time.
9. I'm my office's resident cake baker.
10. I'll probably be having IVF later this year or early next year, which may or may not feature on the blog (depending on how it all goes!)
11. If I had half a chance, I'd move and go and live in Iceland, or at a close second, Edinburgh.
 
 
 
11 Questions Given to Me by Lucinda from Putting The Tea in Teacher
 
1. What's your favourite book and why?
I think I can safely say I'm quite a large reader, my teenage years were spent with my head in a book (and my adult years are much the same!). I'm going to answer this with two books; my favourite fiction book is Junk by Melvin Burgess. I read this when I was about 15 and just kept re-reading it, the story was so compelling and well written. My favourite non-fiction book is 'Our True Intent Is All For Your Delight: The John Hinde Butlin's Photographs' which I blogged about for day 11 of Rosalilium's blog every day challenge on the subject of Book Love.
 
2. What's your favourite animal?
Ducks obviously!
Although dogs (labradors and golden retrievers) come a close second.
 
3. Describe your style.
Umm, unique? This is actually quite a difficult question, I love bright colours (red is my favourite) and anything with a print pattern on; I'm drawn to 1950's style shapes, halternecks and A-line skirts and I also love hippyish surf style clothes. I'm not sure what that makes my style?
 
4. Are there any blogs you check more than others? What do you particularly like about those blogs?
I follow all my blogs now on Bloglovin so the ones that I check out more than others are simply the ones that have posted most frequently. But I've always been attracted to people's lifestyle blogs, mainly because I'm nosy, and anything with a clean background, plenty of large pictures and a chance to peep at someone else's world is fine by me.
 
5. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Far far too many.
 Adsa and Primark need to stop making nice shoes and people need to stop donating their pretty shoes to charity shops for me to find.
 
6. Which would you rather be, a badger or a cow?
I think I'd rather be a badger - aren't they supposed to be wise old creatures?
 
7. Do you wear glasses?
Yes, sometimes. My eyesight's just started going downhill in the last couple of years so I have a pair of glasses for long distance and I wear them driving and for things like theatre shows and sitting at the back of lecture halls watching presentations.
 
8. What was the last thing you made?
A couple of presents - a house warming tea and biscuit basket for my best friend who's just moved into a new house; and my summer themed Bloggers Summer Swap box. Hopefully both of them will appear on the blog at some point.
 
9. What film do you wish you had never seen?
When me and Andrew first met, we had quite a few cinema dates and one particular night the film we wanted to see was sold out. We ended up seeing something which I think was called Electra; it was pretty dire and we both agreed afterwards we should have just cut our losses and gone on home!
 
10. What do you spend the most money on?
Earlier this year I started using the online money management website On Trees so I can confidently say now that I spent the most money on charity shop clothes and shoes, closely followed by theatre and stand up comedy shows.
 
11. What piece of advice would you give to your 16 year old self?
I would probably say something about sticking with the career I had then (working in a library) and to follow that path all the way. However, knowing my 16 year old self, I know I wouldn't have taken any notice!
 
 
11 Blogs/Bloggers Who Have Less Than 200 Followers
 
1. Angela over at Little Apple Tree
2. Michelle over at Life Outside London
3. Saskia over at Braids and Books
4. Josie over at Tales From The Finch's Beak
5. Nicola over at Nic's Notebook
6. Jen over at Gingerella
8. Rosie over at Life's A Cup of Tea
9. Hazel over at Tales of a Little Hazzlenut
10. Cat over at More About Cat
11. Rachel over at The Inelegant Wench
 
 
11 Questions For My Nominees to Answer
 
1. What's the story behind your blog's name?
2. If you could choose any career in the world, what would you do?
3. What special super power would you like?
4. Are you a tea or coffee person? Or neither?
5. Printed paper books or ebooks?
6. What would be your specialist subject on BBC's Mastermind?
7. Is there anywhere in the World you've never visited and would really like to?
8. Which Harry Potter house do you belong to? (apologies if you have no idea what I'm on about)
9. Which crafty skill do you wish you were good at?
10. What's your favourite season of the year and why? 
11. If you could bring back one children's TV programme from your childhood, what would it be?
 
 
 
If anyone tagged has already done a Liebster Award and its questions, then feel free to ignore the tag, I won't mind! :-)
 
 
 

Thursday, 5 September 2013

Little Green Apples

Our back garden contains a very mature Bramley apple tree. Last year the late frost managed to kill off any hope of a large crop of decent apples but this year the tree has exploded with apples everywhere.
 
Apple picking
 
 
 
I've already given away lots to different family members and some friends at work but we've still got thousands left (seriously, if anyone wants to pop round, I'll put together a bag for you!)
 
Apple picking

Apple picking

Apple picking

Apple picking

 
 
On my apple recipe list I've got:
Apple Pie
Apple Crumble
Dorset Apple Cake
Blackberry and Apple Pie/Crumble/Cake
Raspberry and Apple Pie/Crumble/Cake
Blackberry and Apple Jam
A variety of chutneys which include apples
 
Apple picking
 
Apple picking
 
 
Anyone got any more unusual apple food ideas?
 

Wednesday, 4 September 2013

The Midweek Hop - Read Me A Story

The other half's guest post - three songs on a theme...
(inspired by Desmond Carrington's 'The Music Goes Round')
 
 
'Seeburg V200 VL' 1955 Jukebox


 
This weeks theme is...Read Me A Story
Inspired by the opening (yesterday) of the amazing, spectacular new Library of Birmingham
 
 
1. Paperback Writer by The Beatles


You can't go wrong with a good paperback!
'Paperback Writer' entered the chart on 16th June 1966 reaching Number 1


2. The Book of Love by The Mudlarks


Every library seems to have a large romance section...
(coincidentially, did you know the M6 Toll Motorway is built on thousands of pulped Mills and Book books?)
'The Book of Love' entered the chart on 6th June 1958 reaching Number 8


3. Story of my Life by Michael Holliday


Always worth checking out the biographies section...
'Story of my Life' entered the chart on 17th January 1958 reaching Number 1


Happy listening!

Tuesday, 3 September 2013

A Bear on His Travels

Hello, I'm Omnibear!
 
Bath Omnibear
 
 
I'm the mascot of the staff society where Duck works and I'm an international travelling bear. I even have my own Twitter account at @BathOmnibear although I could do with a few more followers (I tell you, even @BathUniDuck has more followers than me!)
 
Last week I tagged along with Duck and Mr Duck to visit the famous Great Dorset Steam Fair. They managed to wangle me an exhibitors pass and I've never been before, so I thought I'd see what it was all about...and boy, was it huge!
 
There were gleaming steam engines as far as the eye could see, a massive fairground with some really cool rides (a few of them looked too scary for a small bear though) and hundreds and hundreds of people. It was a good job I had Duck to look after me, I think I might have got lost otherwise!
 
My little legs carried me all over the site and I posed for lots of pictures so I thought I'd show you all my holiday snaps...
 
Bath Omnibear
Clunk click, every trip...
 
 
Bath Omnibear
What do you think of my lovely bracelet?
 
 
Bath Omnibear
Apparently this ^^ was a hot water bottle - I wondered why he wasn't talking!
 
 
Bath Omnibear
It was a big show, I didn't know what to see first!
 
 
Bath Omnibear
This is Mr Duck's vintage lorry - I think I've made it more attractive!
 
 
Bath Omnibear
I managed to find a small spot on one of the showman's engines for a rest...
 
 
Bath Omnibear
I even found a pefect bear-sized seat!


Bath Omnibear
I found Fred Dibnah's famous engine (it's been on TV you know) - I'm practically posing with a celebrity!
 

Bath Omnibear
I tried my paw at polishing some brass...
 

Bath Omnibear
Everything got a lot busier when the show opened, it was hard to find my seat
(some other bear had usually nicked it!) 


Bath Omnibear
But I managed to sneak in under the fence to get a prime view of the engine action
(don't show this to the organisers of the show though, it was supposed to be 'no bears allowed'!)
 
 
Bath Omnibear
I don't know what this picture is doing here, it's not me... no, no, no - it's my twin brother, okay?
 

Bath Omnibear
This is me though, with another furry friend I found inside Mr Duck's lorry 


Bath Omnibear
When I was there, I thought I'd better swot up on my new found knowledge of engines
 

Bath Omnibear
I couldn't believe the amount of engines - there were hundreds of them! All in steam!
 
 
Bath Omnibear
Well, I don't think the owners of The Carousel Bar noticed...
 

Bath Omnibear
I was getting a bit tired by the end of each day, so I hitched a ride with Mr Duck
 
 
Bath Omnibear
I only wanted to win a friend!
 

Bath Omnibear
Now, I liked these dancing girls on stage - they were really fit, I mean, the routines were very engergetic
(well, what else did you think I meant?)


Bath Omnibear
I spent a bit of time listening to the tunes on this old fairground organ.
 

Bath Omnibear
This ride was scary, far too big for a little bear like me...
 

Bath Omnibear
I would've liked to win something but my luck had run out!
 

Bath Omnibear
Finally, a ride I could go on - the old fashioned Skid ride...
 

Bath Omnibear
I had to hold on tight, the ride went very fast but I didn't fall off!
 

Bath Omnibear
I hopped onto the Big Wheel as well, I had a great view of the engines and fairground!
 

Bath Omnibear
And I finished the night off at the Somerset Cider Bus, they did small pints, just the right size for a bear 


Bath Omnibear
It was a great show!
 
 
 
 

Monday, 2 September 2013

This Weekend at the Duckpond

We have mostly been...

Exhibiting - Andrew's lorry at the Great Dorset Steam Fair all week. We've actually been at the steam fair since last Sunday (the 25th August) when exhibitors are allowed to arrive but the show was only open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday.

Great Dorset Steam Fair fairground and engines
 
 
Riding - some of the old fairground rides and some of the new fairground rides at the show.


Walking - at least 5 miles every day. Our campsite for the week was about 1.2 miles away from the centre of the show; going back and forth a couple of times a day meant our feet certainly took a pounding!


Eating - probably far too much food. There's hundreds of different food places on site which means lots and lots of lovely things to try...


Looking - around the whole show; it's a massive site with thousands of historical and heritage things on show and great evening entertainment with dancing girls, steam engines and a huge fairground.
 
Great Dorset Steam Fair engines
 
 
 
What did you get up to at the weekend?

Sunday, 1 September 2013

Blog Your Socks Off September

I stumbled across this challenge a couple of weeks back - Blog Your Socks Off September
 
I think I first noticed it when Bex from Futures mentioned on Twitter that she was doing it and that led me to Jess from Lovely Jubbly who is the brainchild behind the scheme. Along the same lines as Rosalilium's Blog Every Day in May, basically the challenge is to blog every day/blog your socks off in September - simple!
 
There's no theme for each day, you just need to post something every day for the whole month.
If you fancy joining in head on over to Lovely Jubbly to sign up!
 
 Blog Your Socks Off September

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