Season's swan song?

Handmade German Christmas ornament

The Christmas carols are still playing. At least in my car. Though in reality Epiphany is here and most Christmas things are down and put away. Mine included. Still, I am holding on to the belief that Christmas will truly be over for me only after my birthday and so the carols will continue for a few weeks more. 

Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus

Slowly but surely, the world has somehow intruded in. The children are back in school, the early morning traffic is back to an unearthly level of madness and everyone - at least on this side of the world - is gearing themselves up for Chinese New Year. 

My un-pretty but functional Christmas tree

The earth has grown old with its burden of care, But at Christmas it always is young. The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair, And its soul full of music breaks the air, When the sonf of angels is sung.

Phillips Brooks

I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month

Harlan Miller

Christmas - that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance - a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved.

Augusta E Rundell

Christmas... is not an external event at all, but a piece of one's home that one carries in one's heart.

Freya Stark

First on sixth

There's nothing better to start the year with than being in the company of friends. So on 1 January 2015, I woke-up late from the previous night's revelries (of wine, fireworks and Mamee monster snacks) and got ready (albeit groggily!) to go over to a friend's for some lunch, baking, tea and a nice long chat. 

Here are some photos of the cupcakes Miss P and I baked together. The recipe will follow at some point I suppose. I'll have to get it off Miss P, as it was from a baking kit gift she received which we are all going to benefit from (wink, wink).

Gosh, for the life of me I can't remember the name of the cupcakes, but it turned out nice and moist with warm scents of vanilla and almond topped with whipped cream and the all-important sprinkles!

Of course, Baby Patrick and his new in-pristine-condition Bunny friend came out to visit with me. As you can see, I've purposely positioned Baby Patrick at the back of Bunny, as I'm not sure you'd want to feast your eyes on His Tattiness in all his glory!

Updated on 18 January 2015

Cupcakes with Hundreds & Thousands

225g Butter, softened
225g Caster Sugar
4 Eggs, beaten
50g  Plain Flour
150g Ground Almonds
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1 tablespoon Milk

For decoration
150ml Whipping Cream
1 tablespoon Icing Sugar, sifted
Vanilla Essence
Hundreds & Thousands

Preheat the oven at 140 Celsius. Place paper cases into a 12-hole cupcake tin.

In a large bowl, beat the Butter and Sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the Eggs until well combined.

Sift in the Flour and Baking Powder. Then add the Ground Almonds, Vanilla and Milk. Mix well.

Spoon batter into the prepared paper cases. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.

To decorate, whip Cream, Icing Sugar and a few drops of Vanilla Essence until thick. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe out spirals on top of the cupcakes, or just dollop on with a teaspoon. Finish off by sprinkling on some Hundreds & Thousands.

Every new day is like a little wrapped present

I've always thought that in January of each year we get a present of a new year waiting to be unwrapped.  This year I've decided that each and every new day I'm grated will be a present which will unwrap itself at dawn. 

Just like all presents, some will be beautiful, some welcome, some suitable, some unsuitable, some unwelcome and some downright ugly. And just like those presents, I will have to deal with each one as it unwraps. Deciding how to react and what to do will be sometimes easy, sometimes difficult. 

All I ask is that I receive the strength to cope with everything and as Sarah Ban Breathnach says "Celebrate the Sacred in the ordinary'. Instead of saying 'I'm busy', to make time. 

"Chronos is clocks, deadlines, watches, calendars, agendas, planner, schedules, beepers. Chronos is time at her worst. Chronos keeps track. Chronos is the world's time. Kairos is transcendence, infinity, reverance, joy, passion, love, the Sacred. Kairos is intimacy with the Real. Kairos is time at her best. Kairos is Spirit's time. We exist in Chronos. We long for Kairos. That's our duality. Chronos requires speed so it won't be waste. Kairos required space so that it might be savoured. We do in Chronos. In Kairos we're allowed to be. It takes only a moment to cross over from Chronos into Kairos, but it does take a moment. All that Kairos asks is our willingness to stop running long enough to hear the music of the spheres." 

Sarah Ban Breathnach

The day before Christmas Eve

It's the eve of Christmas Eve. The last of the baking is done and put away. Brightly twinkling lights ushered in the Carollers this evening and my gold-y table-top tree from Ikea is finally out. 

Tomorrow I'll take out the Holy Family from their wrappings and put them out. To remind myself of why this season really is. Faith, Hope, Peace and Love. The last the greatest of all. 

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government 

Shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, 

Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Bodrum

Is there anything to say about Bodrum? A lot I daresay, but the time's not ripe and I'd like to get my Christmas posts up soon so I can start feeling all properly Christmassy. 

I'll leave you with a couple of rather boring photos and hopefully you'll wish to hear more about Bodrum soon. (wink, wink) 

The view while driving by

Houses on a hill

Akyaka... and the best day ever

Akyaka... so much to say and I don't know how to say it all. It was indescribable to say the least. There's nothing much by way of grand history here, but it's special nonetheless. 

As it was the tail-end of summer when we were there, it was full of local tourists. Looking out over the beach we saw numerous deck chairs; conical woven umbrellas; and people of all shapes and sizes enjoying sun, sea and surf.

This place is much more than just sun, sea and surf. It is where a stream meets the sea. The Azmak, I believe it's called. It's deep enough for daily boat tours and clear enough for you to feast your eyes upon the rich underwater fauna as well as fish. 

Then there are the ducks who call the stream their home. An entire gaggle of them swimming hither tither in crystal clear waters. 

After the stunning boat ride we had, we sat down to cups of Cay (what else?) plus some nice, cold icy treats while watching the world go by.  

Boats lined-up for the daily boat tours

On our boat with other tourists

Magical underwater fauna

Dear Mr. Duckworthy

...and his gaggle of friends

Para-gliders and sun-goddesses

All decked out

I'd love a little yacht like that

Pretty orange flower

Our dangerously delicious, slightly boozy treats

Marmaris

After Cleopatra's Island, we went on to Marmaris. There we stayed at the Joya del Mar a lovely little boutique hotel by the sea. 

I had a lovely little odd-corner room filled white-painted wood furniture decorated with hand-painted flowers. All very dainty and girly.

The kidney-shaped swimming pool looked inviting but was oh-so-cold, so I jumped out and then back in when forced to. I managed to swim very little as my feet couldn't touch the floor and the water was shivering-ly cold. Brrr... I suppose I'm spoiled here at home with all the sun-kissed warm pools around. 

We ended the day with a gorgeous grilled fish dinner and started a new day with someone ordering a rather large Turkish breakfast which I will never forget. At the time, I didn't think of taking a photo of it, but now... I'd love a photo of the fantabulous spread!

Sun and sea

Little fishes swimming in the clear water of the sea

A pretty view

The very merry circumcision ceremony on the jetty...

Here's one to remember! When we got off the ferry returning from Cleopatra's Island, we bumped into a family celebrating their sons' circumcision! Complete with much fanfare of clanging cymbals, drums a-drumming, etc. it was quite a sight to behold.

Cleopatra's Island

Sometimes one is spoiled for choice. How in the world does one choose between the old glories of Istanbul and the Aegean blue? If I were a typical tourist my choice would have been Istanbul, but I'm not, and so the Aegean blue won hands down.

We went down to Cleopatra's Island (also known as Sedir Island), Marmaris and then on to Bodrum. We stopped off along the way to Marmaris for a breather. This is what we saw.  

View from the top of the hill

Prickly shrubs

Look at that blue, blue sky

This little fellow was running about, with all the children (myself included) pointing out excitedly saying 'Oh look! Oh look'

Portakal suyu, anyone? 

After the brief rest, we continued on. Eventually we turned-off at a rather unassuming junction and onto a rather country-fied looking lane that lead us to a jetty. We waited there for a bit after buying tickets and enjoyed the blazing heat while waiting for the ferry to arrive.

The story behind Cleopatra's Island is a romantic one. Legend has it that when Cleopatra was to visit the island, her lover Mark Antony had ships bring this sand in from the Red Sea so Her Royal Highness would not have to step on foreign soil. 

The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne,

Burned on the water; the poop was beaten gold,

Purple the sails, and so perfumed, that

The winds were love-sick with them, the oars were silver,

Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made

The water which they beat to follow faster,

As amorous of their strokes. For her own person,

It beggared all description; she did lie

In her pavilion,--cloth-of-gold of tissue,--

O'er-picturing that Venus where we see

The fancy outwork nature; on each side her

Stood pretty-dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,

With divers-coloured fans, whose wind did seem

To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,

And what they undid did. 

William Shakespeare's Antony & Cleopatra

It is said that each grain of this sand is a perfect sphere and is derived from seashells. As this sand is apparently not found anywhere outside Egypt, it is protected in Turkey.

So if you're ever in the vicinity, don't try to steal the sand. Doing so may incur the wrath of the armed-guard sitting in his watch-tower!

The jetty to Cleopatra's Island

The view while waiting for the ferry

The beach at Cleopatra's Island

See that fine creamy sand? That's protected. What you don't see in this photo is the guard sitting up in his watch-tower ready to go after anyone who takes even a grain off the beach

A gorgeous blue day

There's no getting tired of the blue

If you walk away from the beach, you'll come across some ruins. They are the remnants of a settlement long abandoned. 

Love birds in the shrubbery

Mr. & Mrs. Sunshine

Tumbling stones

Where did this lead once you think?

Blue, blue sea

Ah... such gorgeousness

A feathery inhabitant of the island

Chicky, chicky, chook, chook

Cittantica, Kusadasi & Sirince

We were on the way to Kusadasi when we stopped over at Cittantica - a newly-built sprawling site of... something. We didn't know what it was, but a string of coaches were stopping, so we had to stop too. What it actually turned out to be was a rather touristy shopping centre done up in the style of a Middle Eastern marketplace with lots of things to buy!

I must say we had a good time exploring the marketplace. It had all things that appeal to tourists in Turkey for sale. Mountains of beautifully boxed Turkish Delight and spices; hand-painted pottery bowls in all colours of the rainbow; hand-made soap; key chains; gorgeous blown-glass tableware; delicate table cloths; and so much more.

Not only that, we had arrived just in time for a show!

The elaborate show in Cittantica of dancing ladies and dueling men at a royal court

After the delights of Cittantica. We were off to Kusadasi, where we stopped for a local lunch of delicious Pide. We walked off lunch with a stroll by the sea. 

Cruise stopover in Kusadasi

I'd love to live on this hill overlooking the sea

Let's take a break with a view

A beacon in the night

After Kusadasi, we took a winding drive up into the hills to a little village called Sirince. It is famous for its fruit wine. Other attractions include an old school house-turned-museum; cobble-stoned streets and little shops selling hand-made items of all sorts. 

We stopped at a couple of wine shops and had a sip or two (or three) of this wine and that, finally settling on Apple, Strawberry and Melon.

And then, I met a 'boyfriend'. He runs a little shop selling hand-made glass pendants. He helped me make a deep burnt orange one and sold me another. It was quite fun making my own pendant! Alas, I had to say goodbye to him. 

The village and the area surrounding it is very picturesque. We enjoyed the view while having a cup of tea and a sit down.

Sacred pomegranates

Wine in all colours and flavours

Our friendly wine shop proprietor

Drink, and drink some more

Which do you like best? 

Have a smoke?

Hand-stitched dolls for sale. This one reminded me of a gollywog

More fruity wine to choose from

On the streets of Sirince

My 'boyfriend' of a few minutes

The artistic type. He taught me how to make my own glass pendant

Houses on a hill