Moving to Wordpress...

http://julesprichards.wordpress.com

Alas Blogger has been warm, fuzzy and googley... but we're making the migration to Wordpress.

If you find yourself here, please follow the link below as we've moved, as of Jan 2012.

http://julesprichards.wordpress.com

2488 Cycling miles this year.

So, just for the record, since April, i've been cycling to work.
Via my Cardio Trainer we recorded:
Sunday 27 Feb. through to Monday 4 July = 851.71miles
I then changed to the Endomondo tracker and clocked:
Tuesday 5 July through  Thurs 22 Dec = 1636.93 miles
So that's 2488 miles recorded this year.
A wheely HAPPY NEW YEAR all!

Eat me!! Mini Meat Pies!

Christmas Eve, (Annie's) Mini Meat Pies!

It seems every Christmas I remember from Cornwall included these mini marvels! But take my word for it they don't hang around, soooooo morish - ansome me lover! From what I recall, this is me mum's recipe with a few twists.

- Pastry, whatever you fancy either shortcrust,  flakey or puff (above's with Short and Puff mixed! 'cos we ran out). Sorry, didn't make me own, it's too easy to take of off the shelf.

Easy...
- 1 large finely chopped onion.
- 6-7 mushrooms, finely chopped.
- pack of mince 500g.
Lea and Perrins.
Balsamic Vinegar.
1 Oxo Cube.
1 egg.

(i) with a yummy knob of butter fry onions, mushrooms till browning.
(ii) remove the above to a bowl.
(iii) in same pan fry mince (with a touch of salt and a good grind of pepper) till browning, then add the fried onions and mushrooms.
(iv) add to the pan, a shake and a bit of Lea & Perrins, a shake and bit of Balsamic Vinegar and sprinkle on one Oxo Cube. If too dry add a splash of water.
(v) fry till mixed and cooked.

(vi) Roll out your pastry and cut out appropriately sized circles with top of a glass/cup and place into greased pie/muffin/tart trays.
(vii) Cut out circle lids from same cutter.

(viii) put filling mix onto pies.
(ix) brush the inside edge of the lids with egg and place the tops on the pies.
(x) I use a smaller egg-cup to push down the lids on the pies to ensure the egg 'glues' the edges.
(xi) brush the tops of pies with egg.

Cook for 20mins in a 200deg oven.

Eat! over the coming days, warm or cold. But to be honest they'll be gone in a few hours.

Sing... Sing... Sing... look, feel, think, share...

It's time again for light and darkness, warmth and cold, myth and meaning… a time when to be honest we get a bit giddy. When we sing jolly songs, tell fantastic tales, and polish the tarnished days so that charm glows through once more. It’s been a long year. January seems an age ago.

However, This was shared with me and I just have to pass it on...

From all here, we wish you a hearty Christmas time.

May all cockles be warmed and your lamps burn bright so that your new-year starts with warmth, light and story or two to cherish.

Gingerbread Biscuit time!!

Here's the recipe for Great Nana Daisy’s
Gingerbread Biscuits
from Porthleven Cornwall.

1 pound plain Flour
half a pound Marg
half a pound Sugar
1 desert spoon Baking Powder
1 desert spoon Bi-carb
Half ounce Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Ginger
A pinch salt
7oz warmed syrup

- Mix dry ingredients.
- Rub in marg.
- Add warmed syrup

Form into walnut sized balls and dab top into sugar.

Bake in a hot oven 10-14mins.

Enjoy!

You can't beat a good old SING!

Global Harmony is a mixed a cappella world music choir based in Melton Mowbray. I've been part of GH since 2008. Last week we had a great Christmas Concert at St Mary's Church in Melton!

Above is a recording of  'the blokes and Vera' singing the traditional Croatian song 'U poju se mala'.
(Photo from last year)

Rough Translation:
In the field, a little, Orange tree is swaying. It's not because of the wind, a little, Nor for the bright sun.
But a maiden, a little, In a great sorrow, For her mother, a little, Is giving her to a widower.

Below is a video of the choir singing 'Kakilambe', an African ritual dance tune. This name is also used to refer to different percussion patterns in African music.

It really is a great experience to be part of Global Harmony over the last few years. It truly is a privilege and a joy to experience and be able to sing with such a vibrant bunch!  It is perhaps only as a collective that the human spirit really excels.

If you live near Melton and fancy a challenge on Monday evenings, come along!  www.globalharmony.org.uk

What if Immanuel? Ordinary people, ordinary place, extraordinary story

I've produced some artwork recently for a project portraying people from a local village in Leicestershire and relating them to characters in 'The Christmas Story'.
The local church identified 9 nativity characters and 9 corresponding pictures of people from contemporary village life. An interesting piece of creativity! It's to be on display in a shop window in Sibson Road in Birstall, for shoppers and passers by. Ordinary people, ordinary place, extraordinary story.

http://gallery.me.com/julesrichards#100291

It caused me to ponder various things... the obvious: 'what if a God was one of us?'
The seasonal: Immanuel, 'God is with us'?
"The Christmas Story" a curious story that I'm told differs in each gospel account and has had heaps tagged onto it over the years... to the point that I wonder if elves and reindeer were present in the stable? Oh and coke cola and red stuff.
God became man... ? We can wonder at the significance of the prophesied birth. Light and angelic hope...
I dunno...
The project above asks, if it happened today, "where would you (and I) be in it"?
Hummm... I can't imagine...

I'd like to think that I could sense the majesty and grace of such a prospective happening, but can't see myself as the chosen host, the visitors, the authorities or the worshippers... but I guess I am still one of the 'us'.
Immanuel, 'God is with us'?

Check it out anyway, it's produced by the Methodist Church in Birstall all credit to Rachel Parkinson and her team. It's on Sibson Road Birstall - from next week. Ordinary people, ordinary place, extraordinary story.

http://gallery.me.com/julesrichards#100291