Celebrate!

Time to celebrate! It will soon be 2014! What a year we've shared together here at TeaTime Gardening! So, to celebrate I thought I'd try a new recipe that breaks all the rules! Rules? There are no rules! But when it comes to baking this recipe seems to do just that when you see the list of ingredients! Coconut, 2 cans of Sweetened Condensed Milk,( yes two!) butter, golden syrup and melted chocolate! All in one recipe! "The Best Ever Caramel Slice" from New Zealand! Which is already celebrating 2014!

  And then an extra touch, a few M&M's to represent the Fire Works for tonight! Now, that will really make someone smile! Wishing you a 2014 that is full of fun, laughter, colour, friends and family! See you in the new year!

Tree Planting!

 Planting for the future at Buitenzorg!

 Maybe, if we can still walk around here in 35 years...

 We can see the results of today's planting....

 When we celebrate....

Buitenzorg's 100th Anniversary!

What a wise woman once said....

Good evening! Thanks for joining me! It was a great start today with a walk in the woods! A bit muddy and a bit adventurous! Then it was time to enjoy the best mug of Hot Chocolate at the best place that can be  found in the woods! If you haven't tried it yet.....you better !

Because, as a wise woman once said....."It's not what you eat between Christmas and New Years, it's what you eat between New Years and Christmas!"  Oh yes, the Gingerbread cake tasted great with or without the Speculoos spread on top! I think it would be great served warm with warm Custard on a cold Winters day! Now, there are 3 banana's waiting to be turned into a Banana Bounty cake!  See you tomorrow!  

Molasses meets Speculoos!

 Good Morning! Time to get that jar of Molasses open and test the new "Gingerbread Speculoos Cake" recipe!

 Yes, just like I remember!

 And all those warming winter spices!

 Smells great! Have to let it cool!

Now it gets interesting!I think I'll just glaze half with the Speculoos(Biscoff/cookie) spread. Then we can test try it! Might be the next best thing! I'll let you know!

A white Christmas!

 Good Morning! Did you have a food filled family friendly Christmas? Here, the weather was warm and sunny! 8C is warm for this time of the year! Great to go for a bit of a walk! See! A white sheep!

 Ready to join me for a walk ? 

 Look! Dry, "white" sand! That's what they call it in the paint department! Sand white! LOL!

 Feel the wind? Feel the sun, warm on your back?

White clouds!

 Hear the waves crashing on the beach!

White caps on the waves! Did you enjoy the walk? 

Time to head home for tea! Then make white sauce! A white Christmas! Well, I didn't say anything about snow! But! Don't forget to check pockets for Kleenex before doing a load of wash! Especially darks! Then it really snows indoors! Take care, enjoy today!

 Ready for Christmas?!

Need a funny moment to relax?

 The Foam Clay is fun to work with! Doesn't stick to my hands! Doesn't give of any colour or residue! Next project will be to cover a Dutch wooden shoe with Dutch designs! Better be careful and keep moving or you might be covered with Foam Clay! I wonder if it's weather proof?

Fresh baked goods are ready! From L to R: Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate cake, Carrot Walnut Oat squares and 6 instead of 7 layer squares! Time to put on my party boots and get these delivered! Hope you have a stressless few days in the kitchen! I will be making a deluxe Lasagna tomorrow! You know the kind with spinach, creamy cheese sauce, tomatoes and onions! I haven't made that kind in ages!

Thanks Google Images!  

 And here's one that's worth repeating!

Wishing you a relaxed Christmas !

Foam Clay!

Good evening! I thought that I wouldn't find anything new while visiting a Christmas Market, but then...Look what I came home with! Foam Clay! Do I need another hobby? LOL! No! But think of it as another ingredient! LOL!  Am I just a bit behind in the craft world? This product is great! You can even mix them together to create new colours! There should be Foam Clay house parties, just like Tupperware, but with Foam Clay making instead! Need a demo? Just let me know!

First day of Winter!

Have you seen what Google created!

Hope you're ready for Winter!

It's -41C in Flin Flon Manitoba! Brrr....

Moments in 2013 !

Good morning! I thought I'd start Winter off this year with sharing just a few of this past year's special moments, that I'm thankful for, with you! It's not a top 10 or in any certain order. It's just a bunch of thoughts at random! But the first one is the best one!

 You! Yes, dear reader, You make it fun to keep this blog going!

Thanks for joining me on this years journey!

We'll be seeing more of each other next year! 

 Sunrises! On a winters day! I'm a morning person! 

 Baking! It was a fun year trying new recipes found in Blogland and sharing them with friends! Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate and Sweetened Condensed Milk seemed to be main ingredients ! How sweet could they get!

 Campfires! How many did we enjoy together?!

 Thanks to all who helped out with Project Waterfountain! 

Couldn't have done it without your help!

 Then it was long enough! I could donate my hair!

 That was 4 months ago! Might be long enough,
 this time next year, to donate it again !

 Hostas! Gardening! Weeding! Garden Tours!

Here, there, Buitenzorg too!

 Saskia! Great walks with Rover! Rainy days too!

 My choice as THE BEST place for cappuccino and food!

 It's such a cozy place! Might see you there?

 Texas! What an experience!

 Tea Time! Afternoon Tea! High Tea! Tea!

 The Quilt that was 18 months in the making!

 The Netherlands has a King!

 Sharing recipes and seeing great results from friends!

Gluten Free seemed to be a challenge this year!

And my collection of quotes! 

These are just a few photo's of many of my moments in 2013! It was a year to be remembered! Friends and family, thanks for being part of it!  Looking forward to more in 2014!

12 days of Christmas?

 Might be 12 degrees C at Christmas!

 Beautiful afternoon yesterday! Even found a rose !

 In Baarn, you can walk, cycle or take the car along the Christmas Nativity Scene route, "weg van het Licht"   until January 6th,  2014! There are more that 60 to see!

Join me as we take a stroll in the afternoon sun!

December 2013! 8C today!

Here's a song to sing along the way!

Het Groot Dictee!

The Big Dictation of the Dutch language was on T.V yesterday evening! It started out OK! I got the part about "After drinking coffee, began "Het Groot Dictee"! But after that, it was any body's guess! If you missed it you can watch it here!  You can also read about it there! Congratulations to the winner! Only 13 mistakes! Good Luck and Success! 

Tea Time To Go!

 Good Morning! Remember that idea I mentioned a few weeks ago when we were last visiting Canton's Park? Well, while cycling around the last couple of days delivering the "Tea Break" a name came to me!

It might just be possible! 

"We can do no great things, only small things with great love."

- Mother Teresa