Vega Sicilia Oremus Petracs Furmint
Day 7/8 on the bounce but what a f**king week for opening the good stuff. Totally forgot that I’d intended to have this on Xmas day & so here it is now, sending off the year. Always a challenge opening a special almost irreplaceable bottle beset with memories but this one 🙏💜🙏
Blimey! 9.2million steps this year - doubt I’ll do as much in 2024 as there is much difference to my travel plans but amazed and delighted that somehow my body has held up despite the multiple arthritis and chronic pain
Celebrating 20 years living with my love in the ‘head
Today “should’ve” been a dry day in this twixtmas time but the wine gods made me do it - a half bottle to avoid overdoing it
💜
Merry festivus
Merry Saturday to me with this fabulous #sanford&benedict #pinotnoir from #aubonclimat #drinklessdrinkbetter
4 bottles of fine white wine
Can’t decide right now, but dreaming of a white Christmas- trying to choose which one of these beauties to treat myself to on Monday…. #winelover #chardonnay #whiterioja #tondonia #russianrivervalley #napavalley
Anachronistic
Happy winter solstice everyone - let the light come back #poem
www.beyondthefieldsweknow.org/2022/12/thur...
I adored Hotel Silence by the same author. This one is ideal for December being set around now. In the group I rated it higher than the others who may have had slightly different expectations from a book about a midwife in winter but I found it moving and meditative and oh so Icelandic
So far I’ve read about 65 #books this year, 10 of which have been translated from Japanese, by far the biggest single influence on my reading for the year. Probably around half of the books I’ve read have been translated.
Why not challenge yourself to #read something different?
For next year, we’ve decided to continue with another 12 countries
Starting with Taiwan, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Myanmar/Burma and Albania. I’ve not been to any of these countries but am starting the year in #Taiwan so have several Taiwanese #books on my #reading list…
We “went” to Japan, France, Mexico, Armenia, Germany, Republic of Congo, Kenya, Colombia, Iraq, China, S Korea & Iceland.
My favourite of the 12 were these 4 very different #books
If you want to open your mind, #read! Yet most of us read only Anglophone literature from Britain, Ireland and North America. This year I hosted “lost in translation” an online book group where we met virtually to discuss translated fiction from around the word. 2023 Reading List #books
Hang in there 🙏 the darkest days are the darkest days but there’re always brighter days ahead 🤩 if it’s not all good in the end, it’s not the end. The trick is to keep breathing-go outside. Hug someone. be strong for your friends who’ve suffered loss then take strength from your friends who haven’t
If I master marzipan. You have to 😂😂
Yes I guess I’m with you on that - aside from pan fried foie gras and sweet breads. Every fibre in my being says no but my tastebuds say yes yea yes
Ah but black pudding, haggis, foie gras 💜💜💜
Indeed - this year I’ve made it a challenge to like more things that were my nemesis foods. Xmas could the time for marzipan but it’s hardly a health food to so harder to justify 😂
It’s funny as I love all the ingredients but together it’s not my thang - but maybe it’s been too long since I tried it. So many things I’ve started to like that I used to hate…
Please feel free to have my share
As Lidl beers go - this is quite outstanding
I know that times are hard and not everyone can afford the luxury of this - but if it helps, I’d sooner have nothing at all (as my husband and I agree each year) than some mass produced plastic tat which will end up in landfill for 1000s of years - food/drink gifts don’t so this
I’m really trying maximise my #supportsmallbusiness and #supportindependents this festive season. I’m not a huge gift person but for me it’s all about consumables, artisan products and small amounts of the best quality items.
But supermarkets & chains have totally brainwashed us about food/prices
Very saddened by the sudden and too young loss of an inspiring gentleman, Benjamin Zephaniah- May you rest in peace
“Who’s Who”
I used to think nurses
Were women,
I used to think police
Were men,
I used to think poets
Were boring,
Until I became one of them
A very misty morning on the river Thames today - not a black and white photo but it may as well be!
youtu.be/PGlNXhx2LMY?...
The sauce that is awesome
Robin
Robin with lightbulb. Loch Lomond in background
Robin about to hop away
Cold winter scene
Good morning from a very chilly Scotland 🏴
