I created this tasty vegetable in cheese sauce recipe to help use up oddments of vegetables. Avoiding food waste is becoming ever more important in the difficult times we are experiencing, what with climate change, deforestation, inflation, staffing and transport problems and increasing poverty.
A nourishing and filling breakfast treat to keep you satisfied all morning.
Apple and poppy seed pie is a simple recipe suitable for inexperienced cooks. Made with apple, tinned poppy seed, ready-made puff pastry, sugar and a little spice for flavour.
Kale is high in vitamins and very healthy. This recipe makes it super tasty, too. It's the perfect crispy snack!
This delicious poppy seed roll recipe calls for only three ingredients, making it super quick and easy. Ready to eat in just 30 minutes!
These plants look good in winter and also in other seasons. Seasonal plants are useful for making your garden look attractive throughout the year so that as one plant fades, another takes its place.
This article will provide ideas for growing plants which flower or have attractive leaves in winter and early spring. Plan ahead to give them time to get established before the cold weather.
7 suggestions for plants which add interest to your garden borders. Plants with dark foliage are a good foil to the usual green leaves displayed and add to the overall effect.
Ideas for saving food, avoiding waste & saving the planet. How to use up stale bread, bananas, cheese, mushrooms and a recipe using unripe grapes and tomatoes
Hands feature in so many English idioms. See how many you remember if English is your first language. Those learning English as a second language will learn something new here.
English language is very complex & even if spoken as their home language people sometimes have difficulty finding the right words or phrases. Styles of speech are changing with the times, and new communities bring their own vernacular to vary and enrich the language.
Several trees and plants turn red and change colour at different seasons and can make a spectacular display in your garden. Here are some planting ideas to add interest, with photographs and video and tips on cultivation.
Learn a few simple techniques to avoid wasting food. Whether you'd like to save money, help the environment, or make your provisions last during a political or health crisis, these tips will be very helpful.
This article is not only about "a weed is just a plant in the wrong place". No matter how beautiful they are when planted, garden plants need the right amount of light, soil, & position for best effect. Lots of plant photography & descriptions of my own gardening mistakes & how to resolve them.
Gardening ideas to make your plant borders stand out. A silver leaf plant is a good contrast against green leaves and adds interest to the garden.
Plants with silver leaves can truly make your garden border stand out. Learn about the best silver-leafed foliage and the tools to get started planting your own.
This recipe for healthy hummus is very easy to make with a blender or mixer. On its own, hummus can be a bit bland, but this variation with caramelised onion gives it a delicious flavour.
When Rocket had overgrown in my vegetable patch and I had left over sweet potato and carrots I created this delicious soup to use them all up. Very nutritious and suitable for vegetarians.
Useful information for employers and employees alike - how to be a good receptionist is something you both need to know and there are plenty of ideas here to work on. After all, knowledge is power.
A fun love poem for Halloween. Every pot has its lid--it's time we all recognize that you don't have to be good-looking to attract love. Halloween Pumpkin photos and a poll too.
Don't throw those plastic, tin, or cardboard containers away! Here, you'll find great ideas for how to reuse those items for various creative uses around your home.
Learn how to prepare a nutritious fish curry in just 20 minutes using fish curry paste and coconut milk for a mild but spicy flavor.
Lots of illustrated English metaphors and sayings about trees: fun for native English speakers, and useful for students of English as a second language ( ESL or ESOL , TESOL or even TSL ) to improve their knowledge of English language.
English language is rich in floral expressions. Native English speakers will enjoy the language & flowers; if learning English as a second language ( ESL or ESOL , TESOL or even TSL ), phrases linked to photos will help you remember
My review of an influencing book about decluttering - very clear and helpful - even whilst still reading it, I started to change my hoarding habits, disposing of lots of things I didn't need
I have 2 electric fly swatters & use them daily. Electric bug zappers are so reliable and effective that I've even given them as presents. They don't use much battery power and kill flies & moths
This garden of white flowers and pink flowers will give you some ideas for your own garden, to help you to color co-ordinate flower borders and also grow plants which come out at different seasons
If you like cauliflower cheese try this variant with the addition of leeks, red peppers, and chilli flakes - an easy vegetarian recipe for piquant leek & cauliflower cheese that tastes delicious
My review of a fruit and wine press, based on my personal experience of seeing apples being pressed in a similar machine at an Apple Day celebration in London
Ruby, don’t take your love to town, sung by Kenny Rodgers is a heart-rending song about a badly wounded war veteran whose beloved Ruby is turning her attentions elsewhere & there’s nothing he can do
Famous British chef #JamieOliver says a Spinner is indispensable - he's right. It's great for summer salads and washing fruit & vegetables: Salad Spinner - an Amazon Best Seller - my review
Banksy created a spray paint graffiti fairly near where I live and it recently sold for over £775,000 - take a look. He is creative, humorous and a very good contemporary artist
Marmite is a strong, savoury, slightly salty-tasting spread. Learn all you need to know about Marmite, which seems to bring out strong reactions. Most people either love it or hate it—with nothing in between.
If you haven't tried using Baking Sheets, also known as Cookie Sheets, take a look at the revolutionary revelations in my review: You'll find videos, my Baked Vegetables Recipe and a poll as well
A recipe for an unusual but very tasty dish: pickled green walnuts.
I bought a Hozelock wall mounted reel with a hose and have been delighted with it. This is my review. It was easy to fix to the wall and winds and unwinds well. A great help in the garden
Some Dutch language courses, a commentary about the Dutch language, pictures, lots of videos, Dutch artists and a poll
#Russia is seldom far from the headlines, so now is a good time to brush up your #RussianLanguage or start learning it. Here is some language software, some videos, pictures and a poll
Going to Germany this year? German language software, art, music by Kraftwerk, Elvis and Beethoven and cultural information - something for everyone, even if you don't want to learn German
Easy Butternut Squash Soup, suitable for inexperienced cooks, like students away from home for the first time. A full flavored slightly sweet thick soup which you can serve hot or cold
Hot or cold, this nourishing drink tastes great; try it! Ginger, lemon and honey all have high nutritional value and are especially good for colds and flu.
My Cottage Pie recipe: a versatile and delicious meal using minced meat, onions & potato, flavored with other ingredients according to your taste and baked in the oven. A bit fiddly, but easy to make
Photographs to show my passion for red hollyhocks (alcea), a little information on how to grow hollyhocks and more information about my hollyhock art created using Photoshop, with simple tips to show you how to do it too
Travel tips to help you save time & trouble if you are a frequent traveller - what to pack, what to leave behind at your destination, safety tips, where to get your foreign currency & keeping it safe
Journey Through North London - My Poem and also photos of North London,music video London's Calling by The Clash & a poll . I love London, and want to show you what it's like
Five different plants from the daisy or Compositae family - Here are some ideas for easy-care long-flowering plants. Lots of photographs and a poll
The Secret of how to increase productivity by setting yourself goals - I learned this on a management course and it is useful not only for work, but all areas of life where you want to achieve success
How to make scrambled eggs with this easy recipe and photo guide: learn how to get it just right--not too lumpy not too watery, with a subtle flavor--the English way
Learn the secret to making perfect omelettes—pale brown on the outside, soft but not runny on the inside, and not falling apart with a tasty filling. It's so easy that even a beginner can do it!
When you visit London you may find yourself in Holborn or Holborn station. There are lots of places of interest in the area, and as I worked there for years, I know them all: good tourist information
London has many unique landmarks and some spectacular architecture. Here are some of my favorite sights in Central and North London, with a bit of historical perspective
Quiz, pictures and information about eggs. Have fun - answer this quiz about eggs, and if you get an eggzemplary 100% you will be eggstatic, and your ego will grow eggsponentally!
This is a beginner's guide to simple cooking, including tips on how long to cook things like cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower. Just the essentials, nothing fancy! Learn these tips to help with your Sunday dinner.
See how many of these English expressions you know - all about animals, birds and insects - interesting for English speakers of every standard, and especially useful for students of English as a second language ( ESL or ESOL , TESOL or even TSL )
Ideas to help you create an area in your garden where you grow just purple and mauve flowers to make a spectacular swathe of toning colors or mix them with other contrasting plants for an effective floral display
Plenty of photographs of mauve and purple flowers, with gardening tips about the featured plants to give you ideas for a beautiful colour co-ordinated garden
It's cheap to make matching file storage boxes using patterned paper and some old cereal boxes. I used wallpaper, but gift wrap can work as well.
#Gardening: useful ways of saving money which I use all the time - recycling and imaginative creativity
Lots of poetry, including my own poem "Empty Swimming Pool" written after my visit to a Bulgarian hotel, and then several videos of popular poetry in the UK including humorous poetry and dub poetry
I came to live in London 50 years ago, because I love the architecture and museums and culture. Here are some photographs and descriptions of places worth seeing when you visit London
Runner beans are some of the easiest vegetables to grow. They shoot up very quickly, have lovely red flowers and produce lots of beans. Here's how to grow these beautiful and tasty climbing beans.
Ranking my 10 favorite shade-loving plants, including bluebells, Virginia creeper, ferns, and pansies.
It's often hard to know what to grow in a shady area. Here's a list of beautiful, shade-tolerant plants, including astilbe, hostas, anemone, aquilegia, epimedium, and trillium. Photographs & descriptions of these shade-loving plants.
Lots of photographs celebrating beautiful trees in all seasons, to show off their colors and shapes. Also useful information about trees so you can identify them, grow your own and even paint them.
English expressions: fun for English speakers, and a big help if you are learning English as a second language ESL (or ESOL , TESOL or even TSL ) - You'd be surprised to learn how many Colors in English Proverbs and Sayings there are
Five poems about love - including poetry by Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barret Browning, Wilfred Owen, Roger McGough and Caroline Duffy - something for everyone, a poll and a video
There are plenty of English expressions about fruit. See how many English sayings and Proverbs you can remember - and learn some new ones if you are learning English as a second language - ESL (or ESOL , TESOL or even TSL )
Need to make tomato sauce? This is the best tomato sauce when it comes to flavour and nutrition. Making your own sauce is the only way to control how your sauce turns out. This recipe is easy to make and my family loves it.
#Beefburgers - A nice meal for a summer's evening - quick to make, cook them indoors or on a barbeque. But really home-made beefburgers are good at any time - winter or summer.
Teflon Tony is an expression to describe an uncaring person. My poem about an abusive relationship gone wrong. It all started so well but ended in tears - do you know someone like Teflon Tony?
Quiz About Quotes by the famous - You'll know the people, now guess who said what in these quotes by famous people. There are also some Zen proverbs, a poll and a funny picture
Being old is not an excuse for doing nothing - learning new things is still exciting; telling my story of learning about building web pages, using Photoshop, writing, photography and creativity
A nice easy minced meat #recipe for beginners - it's tasty, and you don't need to worry about precise measurements for the ingredients
Cauliflower cheese is a traditional English dish that is both delicious and nourishing. It's cheap, as well as easy to make, and it makes a good vegetarian meal. The main ingredients are cheese and cauliflower.
Borscht is a delicious seasonal traditional recipe using beetroot and lemon juice. There are very few ingredients, so it's quick and easy to make. Can be served hot or cold.
Learn what Afghanistan is like for women My book review: A Thousand Splendid Suns, written by an outstanding author, Khaled Hosseini--a novel about the horrific lives of two women in Afghanistan, both married to the same man. A best seller.
How much do you know about the great composers and their music? Symphonies, Opera and Ballet, - it's all here! Test your knowledge, try your multiple choice skills, easy and more difficult. Sing out, bang the drums, strike a chord, compose your...
My personal teenage experience of the 1950s when Rock'Roll was invented – photos, nostalgia, reminiscenes and videos of pop music of the time including Elvis, Bill Haley, Frankie Lane, & more
How to make a delicious pudding out of a failed cake-making session - a lesson for beginners and inexperienced cooks on how to rescue a cooking disaster, and how ingenuity wins the day
These Glass Bead #Earrings individually hand-made by me are good value & all have anti-allergenic hooks. I've reduced the price on Etsy. Lots to choose from & great Christmas gifts:take a look
9 Amazing secrets about lemons and how you can use them for nutrition, skin care, cleaning and other things. Once you read these facts about lemons, you'll always keep a lemon handy in your kitchen
The debate to decriminalize drug use or to keep it as a crime evokes powerful feelings, especially for people whose friends or family are involved in drug use, drug abuse, and even drug addiction
Tasty roast chicken or turkey meal. Bonus: How to cook the accompanying vegetables to go with your roast dinner.
If you're a beginner growing vegetables in your garden or you want to understand the basics of making a garden vegetable plot, you'll find cultivation information, photos, a video & useful ideas here
If you want to holiday somewhere different, Bulgaria is a very pleasant surprise, sitting on the Black Sea, with a long sandy coastline, stunning beaches and picturesque bays.
My top 10 unforgettable books are all classics of their time. There are several English classics, an American classic, a few famous Russian Classics, and a few English books by foreign writers
From my experience, having tried oil paint and pastel crayons, I much prefer oil paint and here are the reasons for my choice, as well as some oil paintings and pastel art work, & even Banksy Graffiti
Amazingly I've found 38 #English proverbs and #expressions about animals and fish – see how many you know – fun for native English speakers, useful for students of English ( ESL or ESOL , TESOL or even TSL ) as a Second Language
Ideas for maintaining a colorful garden in Autumn or Fall, a time when many summer plants are fading , leaves are falling, and your garden can look a bit of a mess. See these autumn flowering beauties
Collectable Rupert Bear Beswick figurines and vintage Rupert Bear Annuals - lots of detailed information about the Rupert models and you can buy them as Christmas presents - children will love them.
The English love animals there are lots of English expressions about animals.See how many you remember. Fun for native English speakers, instructive for students learning English as a Second Language ( ESL or ESOL , TESOL or even TSL )
Learn new expressions about Animals in English language: enjoyable for native English speakers, and a good source of information if you are learning English as a Second Language, as an English student ( ESL or ESOL , TESOL or even TSL )
This is the sequel to "Pussums - Adopted Cat". My tortoiseshell cat is now six years old and was originally a feral cat. She has strong ideas about cat behaviour, and sleeps in some very odd places
Wondering what to do with those leftovers from your lovely roast dinner? This is a thrifty way to use up your chicken or turkey dinner leftovers to make a delicious meal.
Learn to make delicious and authentic Spanish paella using seafood, chicken, or a mixture of both.
If you are living with a partner, you might like to know the law. When you cohabit, your rights on separation are different from your rights on divorce. Make sure you are protected.
This article will show you how to defrost your freezer in just 20 minutes, without melting your food.
Poetry and humour for gardeners--Slugs are the enemy in your garden. Never thought slugs could be so entertaining? Read this. There's also a poll, video and lots of pictures.
The Periodic Table by Primo Levi, a modern classic, was short-listed by The Royal Institution as best science book ever written: Here's my Review of the book about science, philosophy, human nature and World War II
#Gardening: useful ways of saving money which I use all the time - recycling and imaginative creativity. This is Part 2 of my series of 3 articles about money-saving gardening tips
Gardening can be an expensive hobby. Part 1 of my series on gardening tips to save you money - you'll find a long list, then some details, and lots of photographs
Some jokes going around the internet, all clean jokes, some religious jokes, observational humor, political jokes, and our favourite victim of jokes – lawyers. Some of these jokes would even be suitable for children, depending on their level of understanding
Have you ever been so cross with your treatment in a restaurant that you have complain? I was sufficiently moved to write this poem - A humorous look at a letter of complaint I never sent
I was so angry about getting an unfair parking ticket, that I wanted to write a letter of complaint to Parking Control - this is my poem about it
The secret of how to complain successfully--six steps, along with salutory stories, videos, self-help books and humor
Advice about Child Contact & Residence if you are getting divorced or separating. Residence or Custody of the children is often disputed, but do what's best for your children - don't use them as pawns
We all have dreams but as life goes on, they are tempered with reality; as we grow older, we realize there is less and less hope of achieving our goals and we have to be happy with what we've got.
My Love Poems - Humor and love blend together in these two poems about that enigmatic thing called love - just right for Valentine's Day
My poem about a fantasy marriage--if you enjoy a little light #humor I think you'll enjoy this.
You can design a cottage-style front garden on a budget using a few central paving stone slabs. With a variety of different plants and some outdoor furniture, you can have a professional-looking garden in no time, and at a fraction of the cost.
Here's my recipe for mushroom risotto—tasty, healthy, and cheap. Quick and easy, it only takes 20 minutes to make and is suitable for vegetarians, beginner cooks, or students leaving home for the first time.
All over the world people and their lawyers are being arrested for speaking out and dissenting against their government or expressing unwelcome opinions. This is my poem about human rights
Forced marriage is akin to slavery and people trafficking. My poem, a vilanelle, a commentary and links to articles and victim support, and a poll
A celebration of tea including my collection of tea paraphernalia, my poem, pretty bone china mugs and cups, famous depictions of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party and a poll - enjoy your tea!
The Girl with the DragonTattoo - Stieg Larsson: a well-written, intelligent book & exciting plot with a weird and somewhat damaged heroine. My review will help you decide whether to read or see it.
My poem, Sunbathing in Bed, is a fantasy as I lie there in the half-dream world between sleeping and waking
Women's plus size clothes - information about where you can buy your plus size clothes, up-to-date plus size clothes for winter 2014, including wide shoes, a commentary and plenty of humor
You'll love this quick and easy recipe for traditional Jewish chopped liver. Perfect for beginner cooks.
Turkey is much in the news at present. How much do you know about Ataturk, father of modern Turkey and great reformer? Learn something new here
Review of Snow - Orhan Pamuk’s 5th book won him the Nobel Prize for Literature. This 21st Century classic has been published world-wide in many different languages. I have two 1st Editions,one signed
My collection of Beswick Rupert Bear Figurines for sale. Photographs and descriptions of models I own, and a bit about the Beswick designers and significance of Backstamps.
This article contains information and photographs on the Beswick series of Alice in Wonderland figurines and the designers. They are very collectable little ceramic figurines that make great presents, too, as they are relatively inexpensive.
This article covers Beswick/Royal Albert figurines in the Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit series, including the models I personally own. It also features information about Beatrix Potter, the Beswick factory, designers and the significance of backstamps.
Tattoos – love them or hate them, tattoos are everywhere these days. So I wrote this poem about them, from unpleasant historical tattoos to some humour about them; also nice tattoo pictures and a poll
Gardening mistakes & gardening disasters happen to everyone, even experienced gardeners - here are my poor efforts, some solutions, and my poem about slugs - perhaps you can learn from my mistakes
Several useful English expressions have the word Penny in them--interesting for English speakers, educational for Students of English as a Second Language ( ESL or ESOL , TESOL or even TSL ). Test your knowledge and have some fun
It's important to know that morning glory, lupin and aconite are poisonous plants so that you keep yourself and family safe from harm, and know what the symptoms are, so you can get help if necessary
Did you know that lily of the valley, foxglove and poison ivy can harm you when touched or ingested? Learn how to recognize these common poisonous plants in your garden so you can avoid them.
Chinese lanterns, deadly nightshade and castor oil plants are all poisonous and can make you ill. This article will break down these three toxic plants and provide you with the information you'll need to identify and avoid them.
Iris, azalea and hydrangea are poisonous garden plants. Learn which parts of the plants are harmful, symptoms of poisoning, and what to do in case of emergency.
Many are surprised to learn that daffodils, lantana, euphorbia and poinsettias are poisonous or produce unpleasant symptoms when ingested. In this article, we'll show you how to recognise each plant so that you can avoid them in the future.
Did you know that hellebore, oleander, and periwinkle (or vinca) are poisonous? Learn about poisonous plants and how to prevent an unpleasant accident.
Programme I-C-E into your mobile phone - it may save your life and will certainly enable you to contact your family or police in the event of a terrorist attack – In Case of Emergency
Invasive plants in your garden are just vigorous growers. Learn here which invasive garden plants can still be grown safely provided you keep their land-grabbing habits strictly under control
You can learn such a lot by travelling in your mind, thanks to the writings of some brilliant authors. Take this quiz to see how many places you now know better through your reading about them
Detailed commentary & photos showing the whole process of tattooing from choosing the design to executing the inking. The tattooist is the famous Lal Hardy working in his New Wave Tattoo Studio London
A quiz about Cockney rhyming slang, originally a coded language spoken by Londoners which you will hear in London street markets, and which was said to be spoken only by those born within the sound of the Bow Bells
What Did the Day of Action on 12th December 2009 during the Copenhagen Meeting of World Leaders about Climate Change Achieve ? The outcome of the Copenhagen Convention 2009, discussion,links to news items, a poll and a debate and even some music
How do those black stripes get into the blue Murano glass beads? I'll show you here
Turn even the smallest amount of chicken or turkey leftovers into a tasty meal! You can give them new life by using them in paella, risotto, pilaff, stir fry, soup, sandwiches, and more!
Sometimes it's hard to know what plants flourish in shade. Here's an extensive list with detailed plant descriptions and pictures.