Special jam tarts

I'm sure that everyone has a recipe for jam tarts but none can be as simple or as special as mine! I was baking with 4 year-old granddaughter Millie when she asked why I was using a recipe from a little notebook rather than one of the many cookery books I have on the shelf. I explained that I write up really special recipes in my notebook, which is well-thumbed and stained from years of use. She thought about this for a while and then asked if I would write her special recipe for jam tarts in my book and here it is, just as she dictated:

Millie's jam tarts

You need some pastry and some jam

Roll out the pastry
Cut out circles with a cutter
Put them in a special jam tart tray
Put some jam in each tart
Cook them
Take them out of the oven and let them cool
Eat them.

Simple, isn't it? Of course, this has pride of place in my notebook.

Recycled Christmas

I was looking through a box of old family photographs and found some pictures of infant school days. The top class of seven year olds always performed the nativity play. The costumes were carefully packed away each year and used again.

Here is the nativity play of December 1952, with me as the angel Gabriel:

 and here, five years later, is my little brother as Joseph:

Every year, someone's baby brother was brought in to play the part of the infant Jesus. I must say that these two look so similar that I am inclined to think they must have packed the 1952 babe away to recycle in 1957!

Here is a full cast picture but from which year?

The school closed many years ago and I suppose the costumes were disposed of along with the plasticine, the enamelled cups and the wooden slide that linger strongly in my memory. This afternoon three year old Millie will be a king in her kindergarten's nativity play.  Recycling in action!

What I did with my time

My internet problems appear to have been resolved - it was difficult to type that with all my fingers crossed! So what have I been doing for six weeks instead of reading all my favourite blogs and writing the occasional post? I am pleased to say that I am way ahead of myself with Christmas makes. I have three large boxes full of jams and chutneys, I made three capes for the grandchildren, a warm woolly jacket for Benjamin, a tiny lacy jumper for the new baby (coming soon!), several scarves and mittens for great nieces and nephews. And I read many more books than usual. Perhaps I should write and thank BT for all the time I saved.

Here are a few of the goodies:

I had planned to make a Little Red Riding Hood cape but when I saw this lovely sparkly Christmas fabric in the store I decided to make  reversible capes. I hope the children will find them very versatile. The two girls will have red and cream and Benjamin will have a more wizardly green.

They are hanging beside my desk and I keep turning to look at them in amazement that I have three finished items and October isn't over yet.

I bought the wool for this sweater from a local farm that rears rare breed sheep. It is beautifully soft and warm. Then, on a much cheaper note, I found these giant balls of Aran wool in the nearby town. I think everyone will be having scarves and gloves for Christmas. (I put the paperback alongside to give an idea of the size of the skeins. Each weighs 400g)

I'm off again tomorrow for a few days but this time it will be on a visit to Adelephant and the children and not because I can't get online. See you soon.

A question of frogs

Granddaughter Amelia, better known as Millie, is now two and a quarter years old. Her language development is a constant source of surprise bordering on wonder to us.  I was having a telephone conversation with my daughter yesterday when we were politely interrupted:

Millie: I would like to speak to Grandma.

Mummy: All right, darling. Go ahead.

Millie: Grandma, I have a question for you.

Me: A question? What about?

Millie: I have a question about frogs, Grandma.

Me: I'm listening and I'll try to answer your question. What is it?

Millie: My question is - what colour are frogs? Are they green or brown?

Me: Mmm. That could be a tricky question but I think frogs are green.
Millie: No, Grandma. Orange!  (Giggles)
Me: You caught me out there.

Millie: Now I have a question about food for you.

Mummy: Beware, mum, she gives two options but the answer is always a third!
 
Outwitted by a two year old. What will it be like when she is fifteen or even two and three quarters?

Keeping the children busy

I was in the supermarket checkout queue behind a group of young mothers this morning; they had just dropped their children off at school they were bemoaning the approach of the long school holidays. I was quite surprised to hear that they were all dreading having their children at home for 5 or 6 weeks and couldn't think how they were going to get through the long days.

I resisted the urge to tell them that their children would be grown and flown before long and they ought to enjoy this precious time with them. I avoided pointing out that we live in an area of outstanding natural beauty, surrounded by beaches and countryside (FREE); that the village has playing fields and a park (FREE)and that the library runs story time and craft sessions throughout the holidays (FREE). And, by the way, hadn't they realised when they had babies that they would grow into children? Not a word did I say on the subject but I've been turning it over in my head all day.

Perhaps I'm being unfair? This generation of parents grew up with television as their main source of entertainment and so perhaps they really don't know what to do with their children. I was fortunate when mine were small, we lived in Southsea, Hampshire, with the beach, the common, a fairground and the canoe lake all within a very short walking distance. We also had a large, rambling house with lots of space for the children and their friends to play in when the weather kept them indoors. We didn't have television and not a lot of money so all our entertainment was simple and homemade and, I must admit, I never minded a mess!

I'll be more constructive and offer a few suggestions for things to do at home, costing very little. Here are some of the books I used in my early days of teaching and had to come up with ideas for craft lessons or wet playtimes. I am sure there are lots of new ones around but these can probably be found in charity shops and second-hand book shops for a few pennies.


This Penguin book of Children's Parties by Helen Thomas is in three sections: What to do; What to eat; What to play. It is full of ideas for action parties and seasonal parties but the recipes and games can be adapted for small family activities. You don't have to have all the neighbourhood children in the garden but that can be fun!

From this book:
Matchbox filling - give each child a matchbox and send them out into the garden or around the beach or park for a set time and give a prize to the child who has the greatest number of objects in their box. (I collect matchboxes all year to play this game on the summer camp. It never fails to keep the children busy and the record is 83 !)

I like some of the recipes in this book: cookies for the children to make on a wet day, or for me to cook beforehand and the children to decorate outdoors on a fine day. Top favourite - make your own knickerbocker glory.


The Play Away Party Book by Brian Cant is full of old favourites like Sardines, Musical Islands and Up Jenkins. It has sections devoted to ice-breakers, up and about games, sitting about games, performing time, forfeits and many more.

Wet days call for lots of paper and paints or felt tip pens. Having no artistic talent, I relied on books like the Copycat series to help me produce visual aids for my lessons and then I discovered that those children who won't draw because they feel they can't, love to use these books to copy or trace.



















I know from years of running summer camps, that most children would rather do things than sit around watching television. Busy children are happy children and the holidays will fly by. I have collected hundreds of ideas for games and activities and would be happy to share them.