Day 9

Day 8

Katherine's Spiced Fruit Muffins

Bowing to public pressure, here is my world-famous-in-my-garden muffin recipe.

It's really easy, and you can use whatever fruit you have. I experiment with mixtures, for example banana with apricot yoghurt. Rhubarb is nice too. If there's nothing else, even apple and chopped dates will get favourable comments.

Mix together: 1 1/2 cups white flour

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda (soda bic)

Heat together 1 cup lightly stewed diced fruit and 50 gm butter, just enough to melt the butter.

Add 1 egg and mix.

Add 2/3 cup yoghurt and mix again.

Fold wet into dry ingredients. Mixture will start to rise immediately. Don't over-mix or the muffins will be rubbery.

Quickly put spoonfuls into a greased muffin tin and bake at 200ºC for 10 - 15 minutes or until golden.

Makes 9 large or 12 small muffins.

Poem

Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary enjoy a cup of tea when they are unexpectedly visited by the third to reach the summit.

The Little-Known Fact of the Third to reach the Summit of Everest.

Everyone knows the storilly

Of brave Sherpa Tenzing

And laconic Edmund Hillary

And their remarkable ascending.

Many people remember

That Hillary took of Norgay

A photograph of splendour

To mark their little foray.

Hillary left a cross there

Up on the windswept top

And maybe he said a prayer

On their fifteen minute stop.

And it's true, tho' you may not know

That Norgay left something too

Buried slightly in the snow

Before he too, withdrew.

One glossy chocolate

As an offering to ... what?

Perhaps t'was past its use-by-date

Or, then again, perhaps not.

Carefully they went back down

The way they'd clambered up.

And before too long these two renown

Had hot soup in a cup.

But less commonly known

Is the third to top the bastard.

For the third ascent was lone,

So verily, better mastered.

For Sherpas often privately speak

Of a creature very hefty

Who'd climb the highest mountain peak

For a single chocolate: Yeti.

An unexpected visit from Trite planiceps

While I work away at my Big Painting I periodically take a swig of water.

Luckily one day last week I noticed this handsome jumping spider sitting on the rim of my glass in time. He was regarding me intently with his wonderful jet-black eyes. Perhaps he thought some other colour would have been better instead of the one I'd chosen for my illustrated 'O'.

After a good explore around my water bottle and paint-tubes, he obviously decided the opportunities for prey were low, and headed off to investigate the curtains.

Later when the PR photographer came to do the shots for the newspaper article (just thought I'd slip that in there), she was unaware of my earlier visitor. I didn't mention it. I know not everyone enjoys spiders as much as I do.

This is how I finished the 'O'. Do you like it? There's a Godwit trapped in there, and some kelp decorating the side. I hope the gold frame is not too OTT.