Lemurian Gypsy Camp

Guinness Christmas Cake and Pudding

Ingredients

2 lbs mixed dried fruit; 2 7 oz bottles Guinness; 12 oz butter; 12 oz brown sugar; 6 large eggs; 2 cups self raising flour; 2 teaspoons each cinnamon, mixed spice; one teaspoon nutmeg; grated rind and zest one lemon and one orange.

Empty the fruit into a large mixing bowl and pour the contents of the Guinness bottles over the fruit. Let it soak overnight in the fridge.

The next day, Warm the butter and sugar until both melt (but do not allow to overheat or you will have toffee!) Beat the six eggs while the sugar and butter mxcture cools. Stir eggs, and butter and sugar into fruit mixture. Sift flour and stir in spices. Stir flour into fruit mixture, add zest and rind of lemon and orange. ASt this point you can also stir in coins or charms.

Put half of mixture into lined and greased cake tin, and the other half into a boiling cloth or greased pudding bowl. Bake the cake at 180 degrees for 1 1/2-2 hours. It is done when a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Boil the pudding for 1 1/2-2 hours, making sure you replenish the water. Let the cake and pudding mature for at least four weeks before eating.

Christmas celebrations have started at www.valeofavondale.com – all welcome!

Lavengro is inviting one and all to attend the Gypsy Camp on Tuesday, November 22 for the culminating Festival of Lights event, Goddess Vi’s birthday. Bring your offering of a poem, a picture or well wishes to the camp and join in the fun. There will be music and dancing and lights strung from tree to tree, from caravan to caravan. Let there be light!

SEED: “Life is too short for instant coffee”

Last time I saw Gramps,
shrunken some in a nursing home –
he offered me a cup of coffee.
“Sure,” I said, instantly taken back
to a farm house kitchen –
scents and sounds of Grandma
always cooking something,
and coffee we couldn’t have,
being kids and all.

“I’m not allowed a cooking ring,”
he mumbled while moving to the TV.
From its innards he removed a pot,
slightly warm from chaffing dialogue
on soap operas never really watched –
some noise for company, you understand.

This pot nestled quickly into a close remembered spot
atop a lamp he had rigged, just because he could;
and received an eye-measured dollop
of instant coffee crystals,
with no apologies,
but a sigh scarce held back.

“It’ll take a while to perk,” he said,
carefully cleaning up such evidence
that might catch a “keeper’s” eye;
so we chatted a bit of useless things,
and then of childhood adventures,
and observations on life
without judgment or regret.

It took about an hour — maybe more
for the coffee to prepare just right –
strained though a sieve like there were grounds
for such concerns and patient care –
into fragile china cups
that had been Her favorites.

“Adele used to always have a fresh cup ready
about this time every afternoon,” he mused;
and I stayed until he dozed off
in a spot of afternoon sun –
just because I could.

The city is looking much colder, stern and unforgiving. gone the careful more cheering days of summer. I can scarcely wait for spring. Please no-one tell me about the number of shopping days until Christmas. I’d sooner keep track of the number of days until spring.

My costume for the masked ball is Mad Eye Moody from the new Harry Potter Film. I’ve always wanted to be an auror, even if only for a night!

Spring is here in my town
It is when the oaks,plane and the poplars
All spread forth in their green gowns
Not all at once!
It is if they take it in turns
A litle here,a little there
Until a green mass spreads across the park

The hydranges sprout green shiny leaves
The roses of red ,orange,white,pink, and yellow
Burst open if only for a few days
Until a north wind makes them sad
Then the rain followed by the wind add to their demise

The lemon tree is lush with foliage
Blossom so sweet to smell in the evening
Tiny fruits hanging on tightly
They will not all survive
I will find many many in the buffalo grass as the days go by.
But as my tree nears 70 it has a new lease of life
I ask myself Why is this so?
Perhaps it is because ,
I love it so,tend to it every day,and realise like me it wants
to stay in the familiar home where it has lived all its long life..

Spring brings people out
To sit at small cafes nestled beside the pier
Large cruise ships tie up at the docks
Tourists visit the city to see some of the sites of Melbourne
They stay for only one day
I say to myself …
“How can you see a beautiful city in such a short time”

Spring sends forth all those little plants and seedlings
That have lain dormant in winter and autumn,they break
through the soil, lawn clippings and leaves
To tell us “We are here” “Take notice of us”.
The days are longer and it is still light when bed time
beckons to little ones to come in
But they say….”t is not yet dark can we stay out longer and play”
Mothers relent …after all it is Daylight Savings time in Melbourne Town…
My Place,my City,My Lemuria …I love the Spring.

Lois (Muse of the Sea) 13/11/05

This was constructed during a class,
structured on the phrase “Fall came to me …”

Dream Fall

Fall came to me in fluttering colored notes,
in spite of leaf blower’s howl
and confused warm-cold breeze.

Fall came to me in sparse clutching barren twigs,
raw bone chilling sunbeams,
and instinct geese veeing south.

Fall came to me in the lawn’s moonlit frosting,
mindless afternoon shadows,
and a determined stubborn leaf.

Fall came to me in piles of rakey leaves,
busses yellowing off to school,
and football Monday knights.

Fall came to me in long forgotten sweaters,
one mitten in the drawer,
and a clock that scrambled back.

Fall came to me in newly visible mistletoes,
a jack-o-lantern scare,
and a maze of looming corn.

Fall came to me in soups and ham-hocked beans,
tall mountains passing snow,
and bow hunters deer to me.

Fall came to me in hot turkey gravied peas,
ruby saucy cranberries,
and whipped up pumpkin pie.

Fall came to me in fairy dancing triple-lutz,
the mower packed away,
and a thick fur shaggy dog.

Fall came to me in the silence of the meadowlark,
the rain’s soft guttering,
and Christmas babies finally born.