snowflakes

Right here in Britain, we are having another cold snap and have been for a while...what should be the time of year to celebrate the first days of sunny spring is instead freezing cold with snow and ice.

Plymouth has been lucky to avoid the snow but not so the cold wintry winds that blow from all directions. In from the high moorlands and off from the wild sea...it's safe to say we get our fair share of battering from the elements at the best of times!

So I bring to you, inspired by the weather of late, pictures of snowflakes...something truly beautiful and amazing to behold!

 






These are taken by Andrew Osokin, a Russian photographer who captures these snowflakes moments before they melt and disappear forever.

They were captured using  a Nikon D80 or Nikon D90 DSLR and a 60mm or 90mm macro lens.
So there's no computer wizardry at all before you think it!

see these pictures and loads more stunning images here where the website may look simple in format but it lets the pictures do all the talking...and quite rightly so!

What do you think?

Birdie Love
xxx

bake - chocolate cake with a chocolate and jack daniels frosting

Hello!

I bring to you a Birdie bakes post today to make this little beauty below....

good isnt it?!

 What you need...

4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) all-purpose flour
1 oz. (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutchprocessed)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. table salt
4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and warm
1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup warm Ganache 
 1/3 of a shot of Jack Daniels

 

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 F. Grease the bottom of an 8x2- or 9x2-inch round cake pan or line it with parchment.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift only if the cocoa remains lumpy after whisking.

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and brown sugar with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add the eggs and vanilla; stir until well blended.

 Add the flour mixture all at once and stir just until all the flour is moistened.

Pour the hot water over the batter; stir just until it’s incorporated and the batter is smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes for a 9-inch pan; 35 to 40 min. for an 8-inch pan. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 10 min. Run a thin knife around the edge and invert the cake (peel off the parchment if necessary). Invert it again onto the rack and let cool completely.

Once cool, set the rack over a baking sheet or foil. Pour the warm ganache with Jack Daniels stirred into it over the cake and use an icing spatula to spread it over the top of the cake and down the sides. Let set for about an hour before serving.

I find if the ganache is bit too "wet", mix in some icing sugar to stiften it up. Keep the cake in the fridge and it will keep delisciously moist for you!

Glory be, unto Cake-dom! This cake isn't a lie!

Oh yes! Nothing like a welcome sight like that in your fridge hey?
This cake is an ideal cut-and-come-again cake! Flavor the ganache with as much/little JD as you want but bear in mind Jack Daniels can be potent. I used the single barrle version as its more mellow and fruitier and its the best one I think.

I love Jack Daniels and my hubby recently had a bourbon flavoured frosting topped cake that lead me to tinker with recipes and see if I could get the same effect...It really does work! It makes the frosting more truffle like and more intense

Who have though it hey? Jack Daniels frosting!

  recipe taken and adapted from  here


Give this a go and let me know what you think!


Birdie Love

xxx

Quirky website share 2

thought I share some quirky websites I've discovered and used recently for your pleasure!

Chain reaction game -  this is a hard to describe yet quirky game where you click to start a chain reaction. Its really quite difficult to find the words for this so I would click nd see for yourself and give it a play! Simple yet strangely addictive!


Bonneville salt flats at night - perfect for the astrologists and star gazers out there! This is a panoramic view of the stars and heavens in the night sky over the Salt flats. Click and drag with your mouse to move slowly or quick in whatever angle, to see the cosmos, stars and milky way....it is stunningly beautiful and makes you feels so small in this massive universe!


Book shelf porn - Love books? Does the sight of rows upon rows of books reduce you to a pile of quivering, escatic goo? Then this is the website for you!


Shuffle - another sweetly innocent and addictive game! The aim of shuffle is to use your counters to knock the opponents counters off the board.


Finding Vegan - I'm currently looking at vegan recipes for a challenge and to also improve my knowledge on fruits and vegables in general. This is a really good place to start with a nice array of recipes with wonderful photography that entices even the none vegans to give it a whirl!


Hope you enjoy!

Birdie Love

xxx

Up - lookalikey...

I'm about to present to you one of those moments where you blink and go "whoaaaaa!"

We all joke and say that tv character/cartoon/celeb looks like this person and so on...
but this is just uncanny and something else!....!





Look! Its Carl, the old man from Up!

Whoooooaaaaaaaaa!

:P


Birdie Love
xxx

the baking diary

Of late, I love baking and especially with seasonal and fresh ingrediants and finding ways to up my intake of fruit and vegs

 baked avocado filled with tomato, onion and blue cheese on a bed of spinach - delish!

nachos.....thanks to my wonderful american friend for feeding me them to realise how much ive missed them!
home made guachamole, salsa and refried beans toppings just makes it taste the bomb too!

grounding up fresh rosemary, sea salt, pepercorns and some other spices for the sweet potato rub... it smelt so good and it was lovely to work with fresh goods instead of dried herbs...bleurgh! Always try and work with fresh where you can, I say!

 these when roasted were rolled in grand pedano breadcrumbs for a nice cheesey coating....mmmmmm!

Three bean salad with vinegarette dressing

melted chocolate......whats not to love?!

my herb crusted rack of lamb!.......oh yeah!

feel i need to do a dinner party soon me thinks.....!

Birdie Love
xxx

time out

There are not many places I'd go where I feel I can sit back and actually relax.
Cafe Rouge in my city, in the still quietness of a late afternoon, after the mad lunch time rush has gone is a lovely and so very quiet place to enjoy, especially if I'm lucky to get my ususal spot in the far corner by the window....luxurious!

Cafe Rouge really does reminds me of the memories of numerous trips to France, from visiting the beautiful village and grounds of Versailles, countryside retreats and to the cafe culture that makes Paris famous for what it is.

Its the one place where I feel relaxed enough to have a proper drink with something to eat....i can slowly nurse a beer or a sweet glass of wine or bellini and enjoy the space, slowness of the day and and quiet.

It helps that the food here is lovely, fresh and simple in construction and taste and there' s nothing more enjoyable than a plate of chicken and bacon salad!  I really could wile away the hours here! Some people like coffee shops, mine is here!

Where is your favourite quiet spot?

Birdie Love
xxx

sweet little things in life right now...

baby blue satchel from Topshop flagship store, London 

a sundae on the first summery day of spring

my therapy treats...eat one when having a bad moment cheers you up!

graphic novel version of a book i've read - well worth a read

dawn from the end of my road

my beloved ones

Its the small and sweet things in life that makes us complete as a person is it not?

What sweet things do you like?

Birdie love
xxx

lust-worthy goodies

After trawling the world wide web recently, I simply had to collate a collection of goodies I simply adore and admire! These pieces had me reaching for my wallet...but alas the coffers are empty and pay day is so far away..*sniffles*...
but never mind, let's still take in the awesomeness!

bomber jacket

Made from vintage kimono fabric, I so very much love the fresh looking retake on the 70's look!
And even more for what LizzieOdesigns had to say...

"All of my kimono fabrics are very special to me and I know they will be to you as well. They have a unique feel, each coming with its own sense of history and memories. Touch them and you connect with a time gone by."  - LizzieOdesigns

I know the exactly feeling! I collected fabrics that I can still tell you where, when and how I got them and sometimes you can find me telling people this as I hand over a freshly made gidt from my own fabrics! In a strange way, they are your babies!

cupcake dressing table

I know this is listed as a little girl's dressing table....but dammit! It's so me! beautifully restored and such a lovely colour too! Those cupcake drawers are just so sweet!

Worth looking in the shop at the Coles and son side board too which is so very beautiful and would love to have it in my house...somewhere if i can make room!

Felix the fox

"Felix the Fox is a silkscreen design on 100% cotton. It can simply be used as a tea-towel/dish -towel (wash at 40 degrees centigrade) or following the easy printed instructions Felix can be cut out, sewn and stuffed to make a bright, attractive child's toy or cushion."

I love the design! Such a beautifully handsome fox! I like his eyes best! I do love how you can have the option of keeping this as a tea-towel or making your own cuddly fox! versatile crafts is the best!

sneakers

I'm in love!
painted footwear is something of a trend from what Ive seen and there is lots of designs, colour ways and ideas out there. This pair is just plain gorgeous and one of the better ones! I love the hand painted design...it's art you can wear and individual to you! What's not to love?! I would promote this pair of sneakers over a designer pair any day! Why be apart of a trend when you can start one?

bowie patch

What an awesome rabbit! sweetly naive yet colourfully cool, i think this hits the right level of awwww!
 In the shop I love the buffy bunny patch and the amazing gizmo wall art embroidery! i mean you see it for yourself!

gizmo!

Now remember;
Do not get him wet!
Do not feed him after midnight!
Keep him away from bright lights, especially sunlight!

Let's be serious though, this little guy is not going to turn in to one of those naughty green gremlins, I can guarantee that.   

Are you sure? really sure?! I dont want to wake up and find a trashed house! But seriously how amazing and cute is this wallhanging?  I keep staring at it...then over to a blank space on the living room wall then back again....must...have...this...!

skirt

One word...MINE!
love the fabric! Oh yes!
You can't go wrong with a lovely little skirt like this!

GoT bracelet

 Be part of House Targaryen, after all Fire cannot kill a dragon...

Im watching and read Game of Thrones at the moment and I'm currently Team Targaryen and more so, Team Tyrion! Its a series that is worth watching, certainly if the size of the books put you off! You will find yourself caught up in all the fights, feuds, rumours and lust that plays out for our delight!
And this little bracelet is lovely and a more classy way to show your allegience!

notebook

This notebook's cover pretty much captures that feeling I have when I look at some amazing person and scowl, thinking "If only I could steal some of your ideas from your brain...."
If only I had done that  to Bill Gates or something....


 Hope you enjoy this little round-up! Please do feel free to share with me anything you like yourself!


Birdie Love
xxx

Bruce says..

It's friday!


Birdie love xxx

All you need is...

A recent visit to Covent Garden revealled a wonderful "LOVE" art work where British heart foundation was running a scheme where you gave a donation to the charity and recieved either a heart or padlock (which symbolises together forver - what a nice touch!) and wrote messages of love that are hung up as part of the installation

 such a beautiful installation and the public indeed engaged with it, queues lined up to make their donations, many taking photos and wandering around, reading messages out.

I love Covent Garden, its a nice place to detour and wander round, and if you got time, pick up some treats from the lovely cafes and bakeries that adorn the area. Its well worth checking out the markets in this area too, I've picked up beautiful crafted ietms from here in the past.

All you do need is love, no?

Birdie love
xxx