Boxing Day

Very late up this morning after a very late night/early morning to bed - the boys are a bad influence on me - my day is slipping like their day does   I quickly set off for the field and Basil, my daddy goat, was standing in the only part of his field where he can see the entrance to the field, waiting for me.  I took some photos of the young Lavender Pekins on their perch the other night as I was putting them all away, and this morning I took photos of various fungi. 

I found a branch which had fallen and carried that home. It had fungi growing on the end.

Two visitors were here for Christmas Day.  I had ordered them after a real one all but emptied my fish pond in the Autumn.  They will go outside and act as deterrents for any pass heron once I have restocked the pond. 

Just to show that healthy, non-calorie laden food was available over the festive period.  

Although, to be fair, I think the only fruit used so far was put into the Christmas Cake this afaternoon, which Judge made from a Mary Berry Christmas Cake pack.  It's just finished cooking and is doing its 30 minute rest in the tin before being turned out onto the cooling rack.  It smells lovely. 

I think Alfie was setting an example to the other two boys.

Obviously boys do not have the stamina of the female gender!

We had medium rare steaks, potatoes cooked three ways, butternut squash and a mixed salad for lunch.  I had some trifle which I made earlier, but Matthew had left the extra thick double cream in his fridge in Cornwall, so I had to have French cream which isn't nearly as lovely.   Mussels are on the menu for tomorrow lunch and I am defrosting a whole crab which, if all goes well, we'll have as a starter - I've never prepared a whole crab before so fingers crossed.

Three things I like:

1.   Having the boys here.

2.   Cooking for the boys.

3.   Finding that the hens are still laying eggs - unseasonally warm temperatures?