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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 13 June 2025, 17:28


Même si j'ai arrêté d'étudier pour le moment, en attendant les résultats de mon examen, j'ai beaucoup lu ces derniers temps.

Je suis encore en train de lire « Les enfants de la liberté ». Il s'agit d'un groupe d'adolescents courageux qui ont participé à la Résistance pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale.

On y retrouve les deux frères (Juif) et d'autres personnages comme Charles l'ami polonais, Boris, Robert, Émile et Marcel, sans oublier les filles Sophie, Rosine et Catherine. Les aventures de ces jeunes gens sont parfois tragiques, terrifiantes, modestes et courageuses.

Ce livre est en français, il teste donc ma compréhension de la langue française jusqu'à ses limites! mais c'est tres intéressant. 

J'en suis maintenant aux 3/4 du livre, qui a une histoire très captivante, et c'est un livre très difficile à de poser !


        📖📚


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A Garden to Please all the Neighbours!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 13 June 2025, 19:25


The weather has been very good lately and we are looking forward to spending time in the back garden. Especially now that my EMA is finished. My husband has not had time to look after the garden, because he has had quite a few operations in the last 6 months. Although I wanted a bit of a wild garden at the back, my other neighbours were not happy about this. However my nearest neighbour has been very helpful and put us onto a good gardener who charges a  reasonable price, so we are pleased about that. She said once it is done it will be easier to keep tidy. She suggested that we can keep it a bit wild in some places towards the back of the house, but we can have a tidy green area, for sitting and to enjoy watching nature, with table and chairs.
This way everyone is happy the neighbours at the other side can enjoy tidy borders and we can still keep some trees, which I love on the far side of garden with a bit of wildness,  then a tidy green area between ourselves and the nearest neighbours. The Trees can be trimmed back a little bit, but not cut down.
I do not want to compromise with the trees
I definitely want to keep all the trees !
Particularly now that I have learnt how important Trees are for the environment!

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A Walk Between Showers

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 13 June 2025, 13:38

Saturday morning started slowly. 9am I awoke to the sound of the TV quietly playing in the background  I said good morning to my husband, who was sitting up in the arm chair with a blanket round him and I asked him  if he was feeling ok, and did he have any pain after his operation? He said he had a bit of pain,  but he had just taken a pain killer. I made him a cup of coffee and something to eat.

The weather was overcast but slowly starting to brighten up.

My husband and youngest son went to talk together in the next room about my son's music collection. My husband was very interested to listen to it as he had not heard it before. He found this music very calming.

My son played him some music to calm him down, a natural painkiller! While  I got myself dressed, then I had a wash. Next I  sent a text to our other eldest son to say "good morning". After that my husband went to the newsagents, I was then able to quickly clean up the house, downstairs, staircase, hallway and kitchen floor. 

My husband returned and we had a brief chat and I made a phone call.

After the call our youngest was busy sorting through his music collection again. I asked my son if he had fed the cats this morning as he usually likes to do it, but he said neither of them had turned up. It had been raining earlier on, so I expect they had taken shelter somewhere. The garden is full of little dens for them to hide. No doubt they will turn up when they are hungry! Wonder where  they? Perhaps lost in the garden jungle!

There was not much to do today as most of the shopping was bought yesterday. Now there was a little drizzly rain overhead, and it felt  much cooler outdoors than it had previously. It was not quite  cold enough yet for the house heating to be put on, and the oven was still warm in the kitchen, after I had done some baking this morning.

I decided to read my latest book in french. "Les Enfants de la liberte"  I also had my english book to read (a trivial  book of fiction.), so I read a chapter from each of my books. By then the weather was getting  a little bit brighter but still quite damp. I made a light lunch of salad, boiled eggs, feta cheese, veggie sausages and mini veggie samosas.

In the afternoon we went to the charity shop to donate a few bags. We had done a big spring clean the other day,  when we all managed to find a lot of things that we no longer needed. It is surprising how much stuff  one accumulates! The charity we chose this time was the dog charity shop. I don't know why? I think I must be that I have seen a lot of sad doggy adverts, about poor little abandoned puppies on TV lately!

Even though it was cool and damp it was pleasant enough for a walk. Husband and myself both enjoyed the walk out to the far side the village to charity shop. He said he appreciated the cool air,  which was nice and cool on his eye (he has had a recent cataract operation) We decided to walk the long way home past the Village Hall and through the housing estate, past the green space and woodlands. Here we heard Wood pigeons, crows and black birds, as well as  some smaller birds chaffinches and other finches, there was lots of lovely bird song in the trees and bird activity in the woods. 

However, we decided it was too cold to sit down on the bench for long, and best to keep warm by moving about. We walked down cemetery lane and through the cemetery, then the footpath past the park, but it was too wet on the grass to go into the park to walk today, so we took the outer pavement footpath around it instead. It was lovely to see the trees and the large green field.

Then we finally arrived back at home, the 2 cats were eagerly awaiting for us on the porch, looking slightly wet and bedraggled. My son was there stroking them quickly, then dashed indoors to get them their food. "I Wonder where they have been hiding?" said my son. They ate their food on the porch then raced indoors to find a place on the arm chairs their favourite spot by the large sunny window,  where they proceeded to groom themselves, before falling fast asleep until the early evening!    

After the meal the evening was spent listening to music, then watching a film on TV. It was a bit cold, so we put the electric- log- effect fire on to take the chill off. Then it was cocoa and bed with a hot water bottle! Ah the great British summertime!

   A woodland with foot path  A Woodland walk today.

A woodland in spring

                              

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Oral Presentations New Confidence!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 9 June 2025, 00:48

I was once asked to be a Bible Reader at our local church(they said I had a nice clear voice)  At that time I was rather shy, I doubted myself and my reading abilities. However, since taking an "English Language course" with Open University I have gained a lot of confidence through my studies of english, especially with the Oral presentations.

Now, I could feel even  possibly confident enough to become a volunteer Reader at church!  this is something that I would like to do, but I would never have  had the confidence to do so in the past. Today I feel confident enough to make a Bible  reading presentation-  Thanks to studying english with the Open University!

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Les Enfants de la Liberté

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Saturday, 7 June 2025, 19:46

Je suis en train de lire "Les enfants de la liberté" (2007) en langue française, du grand romancier français Marc Levy. 

C'est l'histoire de la lutte de deux jeunes frères(Juif) qui rejoignent le mouvement de résistance, pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. 

C'est une histoire très engageante et je trouve la langage assez facile à comprendre.

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God's Love For Us

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 6 June 2025, 15:31

Our God is a good and  compassionate God.

 "His mercies never cease" (Lamentations3.22. Bible Old Testament) 

Lamentations is a book in the Old testament that can give us hope. It is a book about the grief that Jeremiah and God's people felt after the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians and now the people who lived there were faced with uncertainty and exile, but God promised them that 'because of His great love for them they will not be consumed.'  He had made a covenant with them and that would remain with them forever. 

In life when disaster strikes us or we find ourselves facing difficulties that threaten to completely destroy us, we

should pray and put our whole trust in God. He will be our friend and support us. 

He will help us, He will give us hope and provide for us according to our needs, Because "His mercies never cease"

Trust in God. He loves you and wants to help you. You are his dear child. Pray to him and talk to Him,follow his commandments in the Old Testament of the Bible and in the New Testament follow teachings of Jesus.

Here are a few reminders of God's love from the Bible. 

" For God so loved the world (us)....(John3.16)

"He will not forsake us.....Deuteronomy 31.6

He will observe your  coming in and your going out"...........( Psalm 121) 

For he shall give his angels charge over thee....... (Psalm 91 v11) 

So Remember let us take courage and have faith, for God is with us.

Deuteronomy 31:6: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

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EMA has been sent!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 5 June 2025, 10:40

That's it I have finished my final EMA and I have submitted it!

Despite my difficult circumstances.  I have managed to complete my final EMA for better or for worse it has been sent off.

Now it is the waiting time. Waiting for the result and will I pass my BA Degree in language studies at last?

I am looking forward to going out for a walk and relaxing for a while.  I wonder if I will miss studying? Perhaps I will,  but I will definitely keep up with my all reading ,so I don't forget anything, and to keep my new found skills polished !

I hope everyone is getting on well with their EMAs  this week. Best of luck to you all!

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A Warm May Day

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Tuesday, 13 May 2025, 12:22

🌞☁️☁️

I woke up a bit too early this morning feeling alert and hot! My other half was in a tidying up mood, so I did my best to  actively encourage him!

We stopped to have a coffee with  pain au chocolat. I texted eldest son, in nearby town, to say 'good morning' he was already up and about and  answered back to say 'good morning ' and that he was off to see his friend, who lives on the other side of the town. I wished him a lovely day and will phone him later. The other half took the Charity bag full of books,  crockery and set off for the local Charity shop.

I on the other hand intended to spend a relaxing day in the garden. After a busy morning tidying up and my homework finished for now, I sat quietly on the deck chair on the porch, with my poor leg up,  my sun hat on and drank a nice cold pineapple juice. I watched the garden, where all  kinds of variety of birds were landing on the bird table. I counted 2 magpies, 2 collared doves , 4 starlings, 3 blackbirds, thrush and wood pigeons also the smaller blue tits, bull finches and sparrows.

 I didn't notice any butterflies at all today. I had just intended to sit here and  read my current  book, but I soon found myself dozing off to sleep!  Zzzz🕊🐦🦅🦅

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A Hospital Garden, With Woodlands

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 23 May 2025, 13:15
I went to the hospital today for my results of the scan. The consultant told me that I had fluid on my knee and this was causing me all the trouble!

They said they can syringe the knee, but the swelling seems to going down now slowly on it' s own, so we will just wait and see. So good news, no blood clot just fluid in the leg.

While waiting for the appointment. We walked in the hospital grounds,  then followed a path way through the woodland, it was very pretty! 

This garden really relaxed me,  it calmed me down before my appointment!

Hospitals with gardens can have positive effects on patients and their health and well being.

Photo of hospital garden with woodland.

Green Space with pond

A pretty centre piece

Trees in the woods

Trees in the wood

A footpath leading through woods

A foot path within the wood.

Green clearing with trees

A green space with a pond. 

Trees in woodland

More trees in woodland with flowers.

People living in the nearby area, can benefit from these woods and this also contributes to  improving air quality in the town.

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Putting on the finishing touches for TMA05

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 5 June 2025, 10:43
Today I studied the Resource text for Block 5. I listened to a recorded Tutorial, I found it very helpful. I looked at what I had written in my essay, and wondered if I could change or improve on anything else.  I changed some words here and there, I also used some more technical words,  but on the whole I couldn't really think of much more to add to my essay.
Checked out my references to see if it was all in order.
Maybe I will think of something else. Word count 999 out of 1000. So I am there now!
On Thursday I have to go to the hospital to have my leg checked over again. It feels a lot better lately Hopefully it will be ok this time.
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Colourful Vegetable Spaghetti Bolognaise

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Saturday, 3 May 2025, 03:23
Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognaise with lots of a colourful vegetables!

As the weather was slightly cooler today after a big storm. I decided to cook up a Spaghetti Bolognaise with lots of tomatoes and cheese. What is so good about it?  it contains vegetables from my friend's allotment like broad beans, fine beans and carrots. I cut them smallish and steamed all the vege carrots, beans, few root vege some lentils, onions, courgettes, red pepper, mushrooms. I then added tomatoes and tinned tomatoes,herbs, parsley and Parmesan cheese on top. Cooked Linguini spaghetti to go with it. It was so amazing so colourful and delicious!

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Writing out the references correctly

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I got myself into a bit of a spin today with writing out my 🙈 references correctly.  I have now decided to do less references and more paraphrasing instead. My reference list was getting far too long and I needed to write more in my own words. It is hard especially in this heatwave! But I am slowly getting there! 😓

The weather is hot today and I am drinking a cold drink of pure pineapple.🍹juice.

Good luck to everyone doing their final exams!👍

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Tartine au Fromage

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 7 May 2025, 17:52
A slice of bread with cream cheese and chives on with a side of cucumbers.


2 Lightly toasted breads, or crusty bread, with cream cheese, chopped chives and onion rings. Accompanied by sliced cucumbers, or petit cornichons in vinegar. Florets of Parsley. 
Serve with a side salad or mixed vegetables of preference in a little white sauce.
 Makes a light tasty meal for a sunny summer evening!

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TMA 05 almost sorted!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 5 June 2025, 10:52

L185 English for academic purposes online

This morning I have been tidying up my essay, I am spot on with the word count!

I hope I have managed to include everything that is important about "Deforestation" ,  and not missed anything out!

I have also been co-ordinating my reference list. Hopefully it is now completed correctly.

Next I have to proof read the essay, to see if my spelling, punctuation  and grammar is ok.

I am hoping to find a recorded Tutorial, as I am busy and up to my neck in appointments, for family members and myself at the moment. Feeling the pressure now!

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More Lovely Green Spaces!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Sunday, 27 Apr 2025, 00:20

Green space with fruit trees

Blue grape hyacinths

Pear tree

There was lots to see out doors today, in between the April showers. Flowers along the footpaths and  some lovely green spaces behind the supermarket. Here they have planted apple trees, pear trees and plum trees.  The pear tree is in white blossom at the moment. I sat on the bench to admire the new trees  and listen to the birds. Wow, all this behind a car park and a housing estate !

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Taking a Break?

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 5 June 2025, 10:53

I am ahead with my assignment so just having a couple of days off. However it doesn't feel like a holiday or a rest, as there are so many things to do around the house!

My family take up all my time and there is always some drama going on!

Oh well that's life!

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Prophecies from the Bible

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 18 Apr 2025, 13:30


Throughout the Old Testament, there are many scriptures that point to the coming of Jesus before the new testament was even written. We have the account for example in Isaiah 53 of the suffering Messiah, and in the Psalms of David(Psalm 110) where David talks about the Messiah as 'My Lord.'  This points to the expected Messiah that was to come in the future New Testament times.

"The Lord said to my Lord" is a direct quote from Psalm 110:1 and is also quoted in the New Testament. In the psalm, "the Lord" refers to Yahweh, the covenant name of God, while "my Lord" refers to the Messiah, whom David acknowledges as his superior. This phrase highlights the Messiah's authority and preeminence, a key point in Christological interpretations of the Old Testament. 

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The Story of Easter ✝️

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Saturday, 17 May 2025, 12:44
At this time of the year Christians around the world are remembering the sacrifice of Jesus. He gave his life for the sins of the world,  for all who believe in him and in God the father.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3.16 (NIV)

We all have a past and nobody is perfect. We have all done things sometimes that have been wrong, that have hurt ourselves or others.

Now God offers us the way to salvation through his son Jesus.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

• Romans 6:23 in context:

This verse contrasts the wages of sin (death) with the gift of God (eternal life through Jesus Christ). It suggests that while sin leads to death, God offers a path to eternal life for those who believe in Jesus. 

This verse emphasizes the serious consequences of sin and the need for salvation through faith in Christ. It also highlights the grace and generosity of God in offering eternal life. 

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! " 1 John 3:1

The account of Jesus's crucifixion by the Romans is told in the gospels in the New Testament of the Bible,  where it doccuments much of Jesus's life story. Jesus born of the virgin Mary and Joseph her husband.

Jesus was a man chosen by God to preach the good news to the poor. To speak wisdom through parables and to heal those who were sick. His teachings are to be found in the four  Gospels of New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Many people followed Jesus and loved him but not everyone,  like some who wanted Jesus to rebel, to raise an army to overthrow the Romans and drive them out, but Jesus was a man of peace.  This then caused divisions among his followers and led to   problems with the temple authorities and Roman occupiers at that time, in the land of Israel .

Finally at the end,  despite his miracles, wisdom, and love for the people, the authorities wanted to get rid of him,  especially as he had gone into the temple to protest and to drive out the money lenders. This had angered both the  Romans and the Jews,  who didn't want any rebellion in the temple.

Jesus, had drawn attention to himself and now the temple authorities were going to hand him over to the Judge pontious pilate,  to be put to death. Among some of  the people, were those who had their own agenda, those who did not want Jesus to continue and succeed to preach.

Consequently he was handed over to be judged, but the Romans left it to the Jewish authorities to condemn him. When they asked the people what to do with him,  the people were given the choice to either release a popular petty thief called Barabas or Jesus.
However, some in the crowd were in favour to release Barabas, so they became agitators within the crowd. "Release Barabas!"  they shouted. What about the other prisoner Jesus? the temple authorities asked them.
"Crucify him!" the crowd shouted even more loudly!
"Are you sure?" the authorities wanted to be certain. They called out  again " "Crucify Jesus!" "Crucify him! Crucify him, Crucify him!" the crowd chanted. Then the Romans took Jesus away and nailed him to a cross as was their tradition.

During his ministry on earth Jesus had sometimes alluded to his death and resurection.  "If you want to be my follower you must be prepared to take up your cross."
Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.  "The Son of Man must suffer many things,” He said. “He must be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Jesus was indeed raised from the dead and on the third day his body was gone, his tomb was empty!

A Prophecy from Revelation chapter21 (The Bible) concerning the coming New Kingdom. A New Heaven and a New Earth.

Chapter21 

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2) I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3)And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

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Vegetarian Casserole

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My meal today was  chopped aubergine, beans carrots and mushroom casserole, with vegetables, lots of tomatoes and herbs, roast potatoes.Casserole containing Aubergine, carrots, beans and mushrooms.
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The fourth Draft TMA 05

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 16 Apr 2025, 02:04

L185 English For Academic Purposes online.

I did some reading again today from the e-books, just gathering more information. I looked at my 4th draft of my essay and realised I have repeated myself in 2 places, so I edited it a lot. It is important to read an essay out loud,  so you can then see where you are going wrong. Now, I have room for a few more words, but I must choose carefully what I will include. After that I will make a reference list,  before I forget where I quoted from!

Hoping to get this finished before Easter,  then I will return to it again, after the break.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Red Tulips

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Vegetarian meal

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 16 Apr 2025, 01:34
Green Curly Kale with pasta in a creamy white sauce.

This evening I ate one of my favourite meals, which was Curly Kale , pasta on top of a layer of vegetables and a creamy white cheese sauce with plenty of grated cheese on the top! Delicious!

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A visit to the woodland- in Spring time

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 14 Apr 2025, 19:37
This afternoon I went to my favourite little wood and I took a few pics. There were grape hyacinths, pink bells and primroses by the the woods. I sat on the bench and listened to birdsong in the woods.It was very relaxing after a morning of serious studying!

Blue grapes

Blue grape hyacyinths

Woodland view from the bench

From the other side a woodland scene

Woodland view 3

A woodland view with a log seat.

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Feeling Positive!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Sunday, 13 Apr 2025, 01:31

I have been busy today working on my essay assignment again, even though there is plenty of time left, until the cut off date!

I just want to get ahead just in case there are any unwanted interruptions to my schedule. 

I feel quite confident after receiving  the results from my last TMA which were better than I had expected!

This has given me the incentive to charge full steam ahead  with my next TMA.05 "Deforestation of the Rainforest" .Hopefully with good results too( I wish!).

A Rainforest

Source Open University

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Cold Root vegetable tart with Wild Berry Sauce!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 2 May 2025, 17:23
Today's meal was a Cold Mixed Root Vegetable Cheese and Onion Tart with Cashew nuts with a mixed  berry sauce. The berries were frozen and from my garden.   


A Mixture Root Vegetable Tart with Berry sauce.

Scrumptious !

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Jack fruit Vegetarian (no meat) meat balls with a Plum Sauce

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 16 Apr 2025, 01:44

Jack fruit vegetarian (no meat)meat balls made with a mixture of vegetables

In the balls - Jack fruit, Onions, Courgettes, carrots, (flour and egg to make balls)
Beans, Leeks, celery and a plum sauce.
With healthy greens on a bed of creamy mashed potatoes.


Jack fruit and veggie meat balls


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