I seem to be making preparations for Christmas!

I'm not usually so well organised but came across this recipe in my book about preserves and thought it sounded good. I liked that I could prepare the orange peel sticks and then store them until nearer the time I want to use them.

Here they are just beginning to bubble away, after which they sat for 24 hours.

This morning they had another session of bubbling away and are now looking like this and sitting in the airing cupboard for another 24 hours to dry out. As long as my husband doesn't chuck any clothes on top of them all should be well.

I am left with a small bowl of delicious tangy orange syrup which may set into clear marmalade, or find its way onto something for a pudding for this evening. I can't waste it.

This is the sloe gin. It's had it's daily shake up for the past week and now only needs shaking once a week until the beginning of December when I can strain and bottle it. It should be left to mature for 18months but I can't see anyone in my family wanting to wait that long!

57years ago today, I was buttering bridge rolls for other members of my family to spread with various tasty fillings for our 'afternoon tea' wedding reception. How the years have flown by, and how things have changed, particularly with regard to weddings. We were lucky to have the church already decorated for Harvest Festival - it looked wonderful. Many things were still in short supply - not least money - and I was lucky enough to be loaned my cousin's wedding dress. My grandmother kindly lent us her garden and allowed the local scouts tent to be put up on her lawn. When it had been decorated inside with trails of ivy and flowers it looked lovely and provided covered seating for about 50 guests. It was very much a family/DIY affair and parents, cousins, aunts and grandmother all had a hand in it. I remember being surprised at the number of people in the church. It was a magical day and all done on a shoestring. A lot of hard work all round, but very worthwhile and a great success.