Royal Wedding

Congratulations and a day to remember that will go down in history.
A brief glimpse of the day can be seen here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKe2maafFyc

East Kirkby- Lancaster

If one person goes away with a better knowledge of Bomber Command, their losses and what they gave for our country, we are one step closer to repaying our debt to them."
Lincs Aviation Heritage Centre

The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre is a family run museum and was set up over 20 years ago. It is now widely seen as a living memorial to the 55,500 men of Bomber Command who lost their lives during WW2. It holds one of the rarest aircraft, an Avro Lancaster Bomber, in its collection along with many wartime vehicles including a Ford WOT1 Crew Bus, the only one of its kind known in existance.

We feel that Bomber Command has never been given the recognition that it deserves and we see it as our job to educate both old and young as to the acts of heroism and dedication shown by Bomber Command throughout the Second World War.

The average age of air crew was 22 and not even 1 in 4 completed their first tour of 30 operations, most definitely a debt that we cannot repay but also a debt that should not be forgotten.

We are based on the old wartime airfield of RAF East Kirkby. We retain the original 1940's Control Tower and our Hangar is built on the original wartime hangar base.

Our Museum is built up entirely around RAF Bomber Command but the exhibits and displays span many areas such at The Home Front and Escape and Evasion giving you a wide perspective on wartime Britain and the trials and tribulation of the Second World War.

The Museum is expanding every year and it is our common ambition to fully rebuild it to a complete original wartime airfield preserving the memory of Bomber Command for many years to come.

This informationis taken from their website and I have added my photographs taken from our visit their yesterday.
An amazing place to visit. The noise from the Lancaster brought tears to my eyes, as I imagined my father sitting inside taxing down the runway.

Croxden Abbey

WE decided to put a pin in the map and go on a journey to-day to see somewhere new. We found Croxden Abbey.

Founded directly from a Cistercian house in Normandy, the monks arrived at Croxden in Staffordshire in 1179 to begin building their monastery. Throughout the first abbot's reign, lasting just over half a century, the abbey church and most of the monastic buildings were completed.

Croxden Abbey was one of the later Cistercian foundations and, as such, the architecture was noticeably less austere than the first monasteries built by this strict Order. The abbey church had an unusually sumptuous east end, boasting an elegantly designed French styled 'chevet'. Only fragments now remain of this arrangement of five circular chapels radiating from an ambulatory but it must have presented a splendid picture in the 13th century.

Croxden Abbey, although conforming to the standard late Cistercian plan, was relatively compact and there appears to have been no more than 12 monks living at the monastery throughout its history. The monks here were excellent sheep breeders, and the good quality wool produced was their main source of income. Few details appear to have been documented during the monastery's 350 year existence, and we can only assume that the monks led a relatively undisturbed and peaceful life. At the time Croxden Abbey was surrendered to the crown in September 1538 there were still 12 monks and the abbot in residence.

Today the delightful ruins of Croxden Abbey look fairly disjointed among the various farm buildings, with little more than scattered foundations peeping up through the long grass on either side of the lane. This road splits the site diagonally through the nave of the church, a Georgian farmhouse has now replaced the original abbey kitchen, and its driveway slices through the old west range. However, the massive west front still stands to almost full height quite close to the roadside and dominates the site. Rich mouldings around the central doorway, and three regularly spaced, extremely slender lancet windows confront the visitor with an interestingly different appearance. Over the years the monastic buildings were extended, altered and in some instances re-sited, probably to suit the changing needs and numbers living at the abbey, and then after the Dissolution many buildings were converted to provide domestic accommodation.

Standing among these medieval ruins in this quiet part of the Staffordshire countryside, Croxden Abbey remains undisturbed by traffic and crowds, and it is only the discerning 'abbey seekers' that will be delightfully rewarded by locating this tranquil place.

We sat for awhile wondering if the monks ever imagined life in the 21st century, and our thoughts turned to us wondering what life will be like in another 800 years.

Lambs

I visited a friend last weekend as she had some new arrivals on the farm. How can you resist smiling at these cuties?

Grandma's Apple Cake

Looking through an old recipe book I found this comforting recipe.

Grandm's Apple Cake
Ingrdients
8oz SR flour
4oz butter
4oz soft brown sugar
2 eating apples - peeled, sliced and diced
2 eggs - beaten
2 tabsp. caster sugar
large pinch mixed spice

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to Gas 6/200C
2. Sift the flour and rub butter in, until like fine crumbs
3. Stir in the soft brown sugar, diced apples.
4. Add the beaten egg an mix well
5. Spread mixture into a greased tray
6. Mix together the sugar and mixed spice
7. Sprinkle over the cake
8. Bake 25-30 mins until risen and golden in colour

This is so nice cut into squares with a cup of tea or coffee or even better with a dollop if ice-cream.
You can use cooking apples and add more spice if you wish.

Enjoy!

Just looking around - I came across

Having been out of action, I thought I would have a look around and see what I have been missing. I came across
http://www.needleandspatula.com

What an inspiration for all those crafty people out there.
I will certainly be geting out my sewing machine over the next few weeks.

Malteser Cheesecake

I haven't been around for awhile due to the pressure of work, but here's a welcome back recipe to cheer up any table.

Malteser Cheesecake
Ingredients
100g digestive bisuits
50g butter
small pkt Maltesers
Filling
400g cream cheese
small tub sour cream
150ml double cream
small pkt maltesers
drop vanilla essence
Decoration
small pkt Maltesers

Method
1. Whizz biscuits and maltesers in food processor for a couple of seconds to crush.
2. Add melted butter and whizz again
3. Press biscuit mixture into base of a sandwich/cake tin
4. Place cream cheese, sour cream, double cream and vanilla essence into a large
mixing bowl and cream together unil wel mixed.
5. Stir in crushed maltesers
6. Pour mixture over biscuit base and spread out evenly
7. Leave to set in fridge for a couple of hours
8. Decorate with Maltesers.


I am going to have a slice later this afternoon when my sister comes to celebrate her birthday.
Enjoy a slice whatever the occasion.