Happy Christmas 2015

I wish you had a happy and enjoyable Christmas 2015,  as we did.
We had a happy gathering with our first daughter Melanie, her husband Lance and their children: Mary Rose, Thomas, Henry and Lily.

Started off in Christmas Eve, we had a lovely afternoon tea in our backyard.  Christmas day was so good, as my oldest grand child-Mary Rose set up the table, it looked so pretty, perfect and festive.  Thank you, Mary Rose.

The Christmas Dinner was very successful, Melanie did the starter- beautiful giant prawns with a leafy salad.

Turkey and it's trimming were excellent, but it looked brown, maybe I basted with extra orange juice.  Even though the turkey looked dark but it was moist, not dry. The delicious turkey was complemented by fine wine, thanks, Mel.

Simple and fresh
The sweet dessert was well received by the family but mainly by the grandkids.  Chocolates were there for the grandchildren, they love chocolates, they enjoyed fine chocolates, especially the one from aunt Jane who lives in the Netherlands. Thanks, Jane, Ed and Milo for the chocolates.

We had a grand day, an afternoon snooze and informal evening. We were looking forward to another gathering in the boxing day.  Susan and Tris came from Melbourne, it was a good catch up time for everyone. I received a good book, a gift from my Kris Kringle, thank you Tritan,

I tried my best to serve a lovely Boxing Day Dinner-Roast Loin Pork, with baked whole apples and gravy. Garnished with roast potato, sweet potato, and mixed greens-broccoli, snow peas and asparagus. Followed by a leafy salad with a home-baked sliced fillet of pork, covered in chicken mouse, pistachio nuts, wrapped in prosciutto. The dessert was layered meringue with strawberries and topped with raspberries, served with extra fresh fruits-mango, kiwi and cherries. So good and sweet.
We had a lovely day at the boxing day, a good company and we enjoyed delicious food, and the grandkids opened more presents from aunty Susan.

Everyone left at seven o'clock for Melbourne.  The house becomes so empty, I looked back and say, I am so lucky to be able to see and to spend time with my family this Christmas. Now it is my time to have a rest.

PICTURES

The Cooking and Preparation for Christmas 2015.

Beautiful Cooking for Beautiful Season

The Christmas Cake

Turkey

There were a lot more dishes I prepared for the season, come to think of it,  I am amazed at myself the fact that I could manage them very well under my condition,. I have not been fit for the past few months.  Indeed I congratulate myself, I know that I could do better otherwise, but it was good enough, as the family were happy and enjoyed the festivity.

It has been a long time that the children have not been home for Christmas, the girls took a turn to host the Christmas Party, and they did it so well.  But this year, I voluntary to do it, and I did not do badly under the circumstances.

PICTURES
Photos of the family, the children and grandchildren
Afternoon Tea in the Backyard.
Lumpia, Resoles, Almond cake filled with preserved
fruits in brandy, and chocolate ring cake with cherries.

It was hot in the backyard, we did not stay there

too long.

Christmas Morning

Opening Gifts

Christmas Dinner

Boxing Day
We were ten, with Susan and Tris

Christmas is over, and we are looking forward to the New Year 2016.  And I hope. It brings good health, happiness and prosperity to us all.


Today is a hot day, and it is the New Year's Eve, I gathered beautiful flowers, some of them are the last blooms from my garden.  They look so colourful and attractive for our table.

Enjoy the last day of the year 2015, have a happy party, keep safe and well.

Beautiful Flowers for The Last Day of the Year 2015

We had a Happy Christmas 2015.


Love And God Bless
Thank You All
Susy

Gardens In England.

Our Journey.
This is the highlight of the year 2015, we went for a particular trip together in Europe, visiting gardens in England and Europe.

From our home at Park Lane, we arrived in England, and we stayed at the Grange Wellington Hotel before the journey of visiting beautiful gardens in England.

We spent overnight there to have a complete rest, and in the morning, we started our journey.  The first garden was the Savill garden, it is a woodland garden, so beautiful, I was so pleased to be able to have a long walk to recover from the jetlag.  I enjoyed the garden to learn about plants and trees.

 Azalea and Rhododendron were at their best, so colourful, fresh and beautiful.

Afternoon tea was so delightful, we tasted the traditional scones served with Jam and clotted cream.  Yum.

Cliveden is a beautiful formal garden and is maintained so well

The following day we visited the Chelsea Flowers Show.
Chelsea Flowers Show 2015 was the highlight, I expected a beautiful display of flowers and gardens designed, indeed they were terrific.  I visited in 2012 the Floriade Garden Show in the Netherlands, it comes every ten years,  it was so amazing beyond comparison.  It was large, beautiful, well organised and excellent garden display from all over the world.  So the Chelsea Flowers show is the miniature of it.  However, I had a great time and bought a hat for a souvenir.

Pictures at the Chelsea Flowers Show, showing beautiful flowers, the visitors, people from all over the world.

A souvenir; a pretty hat, purchased at
the Chelsea Flower Show.

The Australian garden: Charlie at Chelsea was edible, but it did not get a prize. I was not sure what theme it was.  There were a lot of people, I was lucky enough to take pictures.

 Chelsea Flowers Show did not disappoint me, I am glad that Rayner took me there, it is good to look back.  I enjoyed all the colours and beauty of the flowers from the cold climate.

Ham House
The next day we visited the Ham house, and it's garden.  It surrounded by a formal garden, Gorgeous.

Kew Botanical Garden is so large, we had a long walk to explore the place, the lunch was great there, I enjoyed the traditional roast beef, and it's trimming,  So delicious.

Hever Castle: 
Enjoyed the 700 years of history and award-winning gardens at the romantic, double-moated 13th century Hever Castle once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.  So Beautiful.

The Great Dixter:
Great Dixter was the family home of gardener and gardening writer Christopher Lloyd – it was the focus of his energy and enthusiasm and fuelled over 40 years of books and articles. Now under the stewardship of Fergus Garrett and the Great Dixter Charitable Trust, Great Dixter is a historic house, a garden, a centre of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world.

Sissinghurst Castle
Sissinghurst Garden is in the Weald of Kent, near Cranbrook, Goudhurst and Tenterden. It is close to landscape designated of outstanding natural beauty. The property is owned and maintained by the National Trust. The garden was created by Vita Sackville-West & Harold Nicolson in the 1930s.

The Lime Walk

On the Roof Top of the Sissinghurst Castle

Stoney Castle-Chartwell

A picturesque home

The house was built by Edward Hussey III from the sandstone quarried from the grounds of the Old Castle. It is positioned to overlook the Castle and estate, and the garden was also designed and created at the same time. This meant that all three elements: house, garden and estate would work as one in creating a perfect picturesque country home.

Chartwell House:

Chartwell was the family home of Winston Churchill. Filled with treasures from every aspect of Churchill’s life, the house here at Chartwell provides an opportunity to explore the home of one of Britain’s most significant leaders

Chartwell House

Beautiful flower garden with single white magnolia.

A plant with giant leaves, I could not remember the name.

The beautiful gardens that I have visited I will never forget, it was a lovely experience.
We left England and headed to the Netherlands and visited more places in Europe, more so we had time spending with our second daughter Jane and her family in Eindhoven.  It was great to see them.

Indeed, we enjoyed seeing the beautiful gardens in England, and we loved visiting other beautiful places in Europe.  Amazing.!


2015 has been a good year, I wish you all to have a Very Happy, and Healthy New Year 2016.



Thank you for visiting.
Susy