I was lucky enough to be invited onto BBC Radio Lincolnshire to be interviewed about my poetry by Judy Theobald, we spent a great 15 minutes chatting about my website and all the things that inspire me.
You can listen to our chat by just clicking here :Â interview.mp3
Or over on the BBC iPlayer site here – I’m about 35 minutes into the programme ( you may need to install real player to make that work – but I’ve had the interview edited for the link above).
Can be found at http://www.susiehemingway.blogspot.com
I have spent the morning baking for our Village Spring Flower Show, which is tomorrow. In the morning I will pick a flower or two and some nice greenery, to make a small display to enter. There are not many flowers in my garden that are in bloom at the moment, mostly daffodils but I will see what I can come up with. Although listed as a flower show, there is always a very successful baking section, a wonderful display of scrumptious home baking. Cakes, scones, flans, jams, lemon-curds all manner of goodies . There are some very fine cooks and chefs in the Village but it’s always great fun to enter even as a novice. Some of the men, who would never normally cook have a go, and I can vouch that some of their flapjacks turn out to be very fine indeed! When the serious business of judging is over, all the items are auctioned off, which is such great fun, causing a lot of merriment, as we all get to bid on each others offerings and very often go home with something special for tea.
Shown above: Two simple fruit cakes with a little touch of brandy in each. One ‘old fashioned’ Apple-pie, and Two, Ham, Mustard, Egg and Cheese Flans.
How nice to be published today in this unusual collection of poetry. These poems were written by a group of this country’s poets about life here in the UK. Putting together their feelings, thoughts and opinions about their homeland which defines our unique culture and spirit. A somewhat different style for me, as I am known for my ‘poems of love’ see http://www.susiehemingway.blogspot.com still in many ways my poem written about Horncastle and shown here below, is still in a way, a poem of love.
Published by United Press Ltd 2009.
It’s been a long Winter this year but today the sun shone as tender shoots started to turn green. The vivid yellow of the Laburnum was in evidence from my windows and the air had that little hint. As the sheep returned to the fields even the Cat came along to saviour this glorious sunny morning. Yes, I know we had heavy snow here last year on Easter Sunday! when it was even difficult to get in and out of the village but although chilly today, it indeed feels like Spring has come.
Decided to make a giant 13 inch Chicken Pie to take on Saturday for the “Pie and Pea do” at the Village Hall. I do hope they enjoy.
An evening with the Ploughmans Bunch with friends joining us next Saturday in our little village. Looking forward to that, a great group see http://www.pbunch.blogspot.com and www.myspace.com/ploughmensbunch. Oh dear! and I forgot I am reading a couple of my poems too! should be a fun evening.
Such a great dish for those colder days, long slow cooking is the secret , the more hours on a very low temperature ensures the most succulent and tender lamb.
1 lamb shank per person, some rosemary and thyme – fresh is best.1 clove of garlic per shank, carrots and onions , a good rich stock and at least half a pint of good red wine about 50/50, to cover the entire shanks.
Dust shanks in a little flour and brown on all side in a little olive oil, place in good large casserole pot. Then fry the onions in the same pan until a lovely golden brown add the sliced carrots and chopped garlic and stir in with the onions and cook for a min or two further, then add generous amounts of rosemary and thyme, salt and black pepper.
Place this mixture on top of the lamb shanks in the casserole, add stock and the red wine to cover and place in a pre- heated oven cook on high for 10 min’s then turn down to a low temperature about 150c and cook for as long as possible – I usually cook them all afternoon. If you are doing a large number – separate into two dishes and use appropriate amounts of carrots and onions.
Serve with love and a good bowl of fresh spinach, lovely creamy mash or Baked potatoes , it makes a great hearty supper dish for colder days.
This very enticing bustling town
With old streets that go round and round
With brimming river running through
It was so nice to share with you
A market place that stands so proud
Where, on a good day, the crowds abound
Horncastle, its charms and you
With seagulls and a sky of blue
We stood to watch the ducks in view
A lovely place to spend us two,
A charming town with lovely folk
Who always stop to chat and joke,
The pretty streets in olden days
A halcyon town in every way
Time spent in Horncastle dear with you
A smile it brings when I review…
Copyright@ 2008
Poem selected for publication in the forthcoming book “Heartlands”
Photos Courtesy of Matt Rutherford: All Rights Reserved.
It was rather a surprise but very nice to hear, one of my poems read so beautifully by the Reverend Avril Ford, at the Sunday service in our village church this morning. You can read the full poem: “And The Heavens Smiled” on http://www.susiehemingway.blogspot.com
The following poem has been written to be read at our Community Carol service this year. We have the most wonderful trail of sixteen brilliant rope-light pictures, depicting the Nativity and telling so beautifully, the Christmas story. The route is shown on a map at the Village Hall and follows a trail through the fields and along the lanes of our tiny village. We all gather together for the displays to be switched on and to sing carols and to watch the fun of a small play. Afterwards we enjoy a supper of festive treats. The Trail remains lit between 5pm and 9pm each day up to and including Christmas Day.
My dear sister brought these beautiful roses as a gift at the weekend, how lovely they are and how they cheered and lifted our spirits. It has been rather a sad week in our little village, losing a much loved older village member. Arthur was in his eighties and had started work at the age of thirteen on the local farm – he was such an interesting and very knowledgeable man – often winning the first prize at the village vegetable show. He knew all there was to know about growing vegetables and was a fount of knowledge for us all. He answered all our gardening questions with such grace and clarity. He had not been well in recent years but still managed to tend his plot and produce the best tasting and marvelously ‘giant’ marrows and onions amongst all other vegetables, that I have ever seen. We will miss him at all the shows and when on our walks, seeing him with his cheery smile, sitting in his window, waiting with a wave. Today we celebrated his life. The village church was full to bursting as over two hundred people paid their respects to this much loved man. He never travelled far, once visiting Skegness but didn’t like it much there, quickly returning to his beloved village. Arthur was honoured with a medal from the Queen for forty years service to farming but carried on for many more years after that. He was laid to rest in the village churchyard with his family and many friends around him. We will miss him so.
From my window across the fields, the leaves are nearly gone, it is chilly and starting to look somewhat bleak already. Still my little firs give some colour to the view now that Winter approaches.
It is Remembrance Sunday tomorrow and our thoughts return to those who gave their lives for us in the first and second World Wars. We also remember the brave men who have been lost, in the Falklands War, in Iraq and Afghanistan. In our little village, at the service tomorrow, we shall wear our poppies with pride as we remember these brave and courageous men
They shall not grow old, as we who are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun We Will Remember Them…
As many of my readers know, days for me are not always ‘good to my heart’ Watching my husband’s journey with the very debilitating illness Multiple Myeloma, does not always make for the ‘sunniest’ of days. Still here we are, almost as Summer Time comes to an end, and over one year since Hamada underwent a Stem Cell Transplant, how fortunate we are, in so many ways. One to have made it so far when the outlook was very grim for him. Also to be living in this wonderful country village which I know has been a daily tonic. These were the views upon lifting my blinds this late October morning. Yes, we have much to be thankful for.
Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén