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The Rose- ⚘ A poem by Christina Rosetti

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 7 Dec 2023, 14:01


The Rose

The lily has a smooth stalk
Will never hurt your hand
But the rose upon her briar
Is lady of the land

When with moss and honey
She tips her bending briar
And half unfolds her glowing heart
There's sweetness in an apple tree
And profit in the corn
But lady of all beauty
Is a rose upon a thorn

When with moss and honey
She tips her bending briar
And half unfolds her glowing heart
She sets the world on fire.

Christina Rossetti.

(from The Rose &The Lily)

Mary the mother of Jesus is often called the Rose.



Ola Gjeilo the Norwegian composer has composed music called 'The Rose'
Which takes inspiration from Christina Rosetti.
Poem.


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DPh44oJ7WpGU&ved=2ahUKEwispvy4rZeCAxV9QEEAHQP2DAcQwqsBegQIDBAB&usg=AOvVaw1QzT1EJnsuOdolvRLiHe4d



A red rose

A Red Rose from my garden.

⚘In Memory of my sister on her birthday.⚘


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Amazing Autumn Trees

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 26 Oct 2023, 13:52

Autumn Tree with colourful leaves

Tree with red leaves

Photos taken on autumn country walk.

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Technology just got better!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Friday, 20 Oct 2023, 21:03

Hurray! I have managed to get onto "view site entries" on the OU blog using my mobile. Good to be back!


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Book Review - Genesis 📚

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Sunday, 22 Oct 2023, 12:10

Book review - The Bible "Genesis 12:1-7 is the beginning of Abraham's story.
From Abraham-  to recent times.

What we are witnessing today with the war between the Jews and the Palestinians, can be traced a long way back !  through to Biblical times and Abraham.

Abraham had two sons named Ishmael and Isaac. Ishmael was born from the women Hagar and Isaac from the women Sarah.

Sarah had been barren for many years and was unable to conceive a child for Abraham, so being impatient, she persuaded her husband to sleep with Hagar her servant girl,  in order for them to have a child that they could bring up as their own child,  so that is how Ishmael was born.

Between Sarah and Hagar some rivalry broke out so she begged Abraham to drive Hagar out into the desert.

He did so but God soon saw Hagars distress and sent the angel Gabriel to protect her and help her.  God spoke to her through the angel, he said not to be afraid and that  he would also make Ishmael a great nation too one day with many descendants.

In the meantime God had finally allowed Sarah to bear Abraham a child, a son who they named Isaac.
Isaac was of Jewish descent (from Sarah) and Ishmael was Arabic descent (from Hagar) They became 2 seperate nations of peoples.

This then was how it all began, and from then thats when the sibling rivalry started between these two brothers(or tribes)

It was also about land and establishing a state of Israel for Jewish people and for Palestinian people.

In more recent times after World War 2 for example, the land
since 1948 has been divided into Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.

The land of Israel is also the birth place of  the three great world religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It has been ruled over by many kingdoms and powers throighout history,including Ancient Egypt, Ancient Israel and Judah, the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great and his successors, the Hasmoneans, the Roman Empire, several Muslim caliphates, and the crusaders. 

"The area was ruled over by the Ottoman Empire, then the British Empire.
Going back even further the land was annexed and the area in 63 BCE. Roman Judea was troubled by large-scale Jewish revolts, which Rome answered by destroying Jerusalem and the Second Jewish Temple."
*
"In the 4th century, Palestine became a center of Christianity, attracting pilgrims, monks and scholars. Following the Muslim conquest of the Levant in 636–641, several Muslim ruling dynasties succeeded each other as they wrestled control of Palestine."


"In more recent history, relations between Israel and Palestinians have been marked by many conflicts, especially with the Islamist group Hamas, which also rejects the PA. In 2007, Hamas won control of Gaza from the PA, now limited to the West Bank.
In November 2012, the State of Palestine (the name used by the PA) became a non-member observer state in the UN."


These clashes of ideology has remained critical ever since and pose very difficult theological issues and unsurmountable debate. Pray for peace for all tne people of Israel and Palestine.🙏

References-
The Bible(Old Testament Genesis)
*Wikipedia*

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Some night music 🎵🎶

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Saturday, 3 Feb 2024, 16:10

Listening to some📱🎧 beautiful music this evening on Classic FM.📻 I also found some links on youtube.

Northern lights by Ola Gjeilo

Ola GJEILO: 
Norwegian Composer
Other works include;

The Rose
Winter
The universal

Very good music to chill out with after a busy day of work or study!

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Reading about different faiths 📚

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 16 Oct 2023, 18:01


I am reading about different faiths and cultures at the moment and was interested to read that Muslims believe that Jesus (called “Isa” in Arabic) was a prophet of God and was born to a virgin (Mary). They also believe he will return to Earth before the Day of Judgment to restore justice and defeat al-Masih ad-Dajjal, or “the false messiah” —  known as the Antichrist. This is also similar to what christians believe as found in the New Testament.

    

  ☪️✝️✡



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Reading - The Thirteenth Apostle 📚

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 31 Jan 2024, 19:06

The book I have just started reading is called;

 'The Thirteenth Apostle'
Written by April D DeConick.

Inspired by the National Geographics release of the first English translation in 2006,  of the gospel of Judas, a second- century text that was discovered in Egypt in the 1970s.

Her fully revised and updated version edition, includes two new chapters 'Judas the star' and 'The Magic Judas' She brings a new and accurate perspective on the subject of Judas the apostle and friend of Jesus, who becomes the one who finally betrays Jesus.

'The Thirteenth Apostle'  has generated fresh debate about this imfamous Biblical figure of Judas.

April D. DeConick
came to Rice University Texas USA as a professor of Biblical studies. She is author of numerous books including - Recovering the Original Gospel of Thomas, A History of the Gospel and it's Growth'

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The Scandal of Shrinkflation!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 31 Jan 2024, 19:05


Have you ever opened a packet of food lately and noticed that the portions are much smaller?

The other day I opened my usual brand of kitchen roll and it has become much thinner, so much thinner,  that when I tried to mop up a small spill the paper completely fell into pieces!

My deodrant is now in a narrower can, there's less biscuits in the biscuit packet,  less in the cereals, smaller portions, it is getting ridiculous, what's going on?

There is shrinkflation everywhere! but apparently it is also happening abroad too. In France 'Carrefour'  have been the first supermarket to shout it out. They are now informing the public about this issue and naming and shaming the offenders!

The food manufacturers that are cutting corners, that are chopping bits off soaps, taking crisps out of packets, scrimping on sizes of cans etc. They should be ashamed of themselves treating their loyal customers like this.

The quality and the quantity is falling and the sizes are shrinking!
They do all that but the prices still seem to be going up and not to be coming down!!!

So how is it then that we are getting less from a product and yet we are still having to pay more?

That's the injustice of the capitalist system!

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Walking through fields!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 11 July 2024, 20:52

Appreciating Nature.


Some woods with footpath

Walking through some woods

There is nothing better than having a lovely long country walk at the weekend, it is incredibly good for your mental well being as well as your physical health.

Green fields and yellow wheat

Green fields and yellow wheat.

I usually like to plan a walk in advance, so I take a map of the area that I want to walk,  and my friend S and I we plan the route ahead that we will take. However, if we know the route pretty well we will just walk it, follow the designated footpaths and occasionally we will discover a new footpath,  but mainly it is the old familiar footpaths that we have already travelled upon and have enjoyed in the past.

Today was a sun drenched Saturday,  but with some nice fresh cool breezes. We decided today to walk across the sunny fields  to the next village through wheat fields, vege fields and green meadows , where cattle were grazing near to the little old chapel. There we stayed and rested indoors a few moments in the cool chapel.

When we left the chapel we crossed over the now quiet main road, to the footpath. Followed the footpath down hill, down past a grassy green field, where there were some lovely horses grazing peacefully, there was a beautiful little biscuit-  coloured shetland pony, a piebald horse,  a white horse and a Chestnut mare.  

Further on we came upon a small wooden foot bridge, over a flowing stream, here we sat down on the wooden bridge to rest, with our legs dangling over the edge. The stream was running quite fast as it had been raining recently

 After resting a while we walked again, this time through a lovely ancient cool wood, which contained a variety of tall trees, found a place to sit, a low but strong heavy branch, where we sat and drank a ice cold sweet fruit tea, while  looking out across the fields that we had previously been walking through, bathed in sunshine.

It was cool in the woods away from the heat of the day. I closed my eyes and could feel myself breathing in the fresher oxygen from the trees, it was so refreshing and restorative! especially after the heat we had endured, while walking in the hot fields .We both wished that could have stayed for ages in that wood it was so calm, cool, quiet and relaxing. The smell of the wood and damp earth was quite intoxicating!

Eventually we began wending our way back again through wheat fields,  that had only been harvested a few days earlier , so they still smelt fresh and sweet and had large circular hay bales standing dotted about in the field. The sun was still shining brightly, but starting to slowly sink quite low now in the sky, as the sun was almost getting ready to set. On reaching the cross roads my friend and I we hugged each other, parted, and went our own seperate ways home. It had been a  wonderful walk!

🌳🌲🌲🌄⛪🐎🦄🐴🐄

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Reading another of René Girard Books! 📚

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Tuesday, 26 Mar 2024, 01:42

'I see satan fall like lightning' by René Girard

Rene Girard (1923-2015)   A french writer and historian, literary critic, and social philosopher. The author of more than 30 books, he taught for many years at Stanford University, and was inducted into the Academie francaise in 2005.

Girard's pioneering work especially in mimetic theory has influenced many academic disciplines from anthropology and psychology to literary theory and theology.

The title "I Saw Satan Fall Like Lightning " was Jesus' reply to his 70 disciples on their return from preparing towns to receive him, reporting that "even the demons obey us when we use your name" (Luke 10:17-18) Girard persuades the reader that even as our world grows increasingly violent the power of the Christ is so great that the evils of scapegoating and sacrifice are gradually being defeated, and a new community, God's spirtual.
visible and invisible, nonviolent kingdom, is coming about even now.

I recently read "violence and the sacred" and I think this book is similar but has a more contemporary feel.

The first chapter concentrates on the Biblical knowledge then the mimetic cycle  The character of satan as the embodiment of evil what his purpose is, his character and how he tries to influence us.


Themes Explored


• Part Two - The enigma of Myth resolved.  

•  Mythology.     

 •   Sacrifice  

  • The Founding Murder.


Part three

• The victory of the cross. 

•The uniqueness of the Bible.  

• The scapegoat             

• The Modern concern for victims.  

• Conclusion.


"René Girard brings our attention to three facts without which we will never make sense of our lives, our world or our faith............" Gil Bailie author of violence unveiled.

English publication 2001.

Well worth a read if you are interested in Philosophy, History, Human behaviour or Theology.

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Tomato- Chutney

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Tuesday, 26 Mar 2024, 01:45

Green and red tomatoes

Tomatoes from my neighbours allotment

Jars of Chutney

Chutney

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Making Chutney

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Saturday, 18 Nov 2023, 13:51

Our kind neighbours had a bumper harvest of tomatoes on their allotment this year, (see above photo!) as they had too many, they gave us a large tray. We decided to make a spicy tomato  chutney. Chutney goes well with cheeses or cold meats, burgers, pies, chips, veggie burgers and so on. It is very easy to make a chutney!

Ingredients

• 1kg tomatoes, chopped

• 750g  Braeburn Apples, cored and chopped but keep skin on.

• 375g light muscovado sugar

• 250g onion, chopped

• 250g raisins/ or Sultanas

• 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped

• 1 garlic

• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp all spice
• 1/2 tsp Ground cloves
• 350ml cider vinegar
•  1/2 tsp salt if liked

Put all the ingredients together into a very large pan. Bring to the boil stirring occasionally then simmer for about - 1hr 1/2 - 2 hours until it sets. 
When cooled spoon into clean glass jars,, place wax cover on top of filled jar and seal with lid. Label them with date.

Enjoy your chutney!

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Une Semaine caniculaire!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 13 Sept 2023, 11:47

🌞
🏡🏘
Aujourdhui Il faisait tres chaud partout,  presque 30° degrés.
J'ai lu mon livre en français pendant  deux heures.
Je pouvais entendre tous les bruits de mon quartier

Il n'y avait pas de bruits de voitures mais seulement
les voisins qui bavardais dans leur jardin.  Les autres voisins, les plus bruyants,ils avait décidés de partir très tôt ce matin!

J'ai rempli la pataugeoire et pagayé les pieds dans l'eau.en même temps de continuer de lire mon livre.
Le soleil brillait et mon mari m'a apporté un verre de vin. Les oiseaux qui chantais, brusquement devinrent silencieux. Le ciel etait sombre avec beaucoup de nuages.
Tout d’un coup, le tonnerre se mit à gronder. Nous avons attendu quelques minutes puis une pluie battante est tombée ! et nous avons du courir à l'intérieur très vite!
Heureusement J'avais bu mon verre de vin!

🌞🌫⚡☔ 🍸

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Reading in French 🇨🇵

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 5 Aug 2024, 20:51

I'm rereading a book I read last year entitled in french 'Nouvelles' by Salinger an America author translated into  french.  These are short stories I read it last year so I wanted to see if I have made any progress with my french language!

Je suis en train de relire un livre que j'ai lu l'année dernière intitulé (in French)
'Nouvelles' par Salinger
Je voulais voir si j'avais fait des progrès avec ma langue française!

📖 📚

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More Climate Change!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 6 Dec 2023, 00:09

As the planet gets warmer and the polar ice caps melt, scientists say that the Mediterranean coast, is also at risk from the rising sea levels.

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A Meditation ❤

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 20 Nov 2023, 13:12

Peter tells us that "Love covers a multitude of sins" He echoes the old proverb, "Hatred stirs up strife but love covers all sins"

Christs loving sacrifice for us covered all our sins. Once we realise we can have this wonderful gift from God and embrace it, then in the same way our love for one another and for God covers our sins. Therefore, Love is the fulfillment of the law.

❤ 🌺⚘🌹 ⚘🌺  ❤

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A Doodle

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 10 July 2024, 13:58

Doodle

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Autumn Arrangement - Still life

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023, 03:35

Collection of red flowers and pine cones

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Autumn collection - Still life

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023, 03:37

An arrangement of flowers and plants


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French Books 📚

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Thursday, 23 Nov 2023, 16:26

Finished studying french for my last module french L332, Now whenever I come across an unfamiliar word in french I look it up immediately in my french/english dictionary or on google translate.
•  Watched the News in french I have watched France24 a news channel you can access it online for free.
I also read le monde and le figaro newspapers online. Now I have finished all my french modules but I am still regularly reading, watching the news in french online which I find very interesting.

Read books in french. I have collected quite a few books from the book shop in the nearest city to where I live. The prices are quite reasonable (2nd hand) If I am really lucky I can even obtain a nearly new copy which is in excellent condition. I also return books that I have finished reading.
I have read the following in french ;

• Jules Verne- Voyage au centre de la terre( voyage to the centre of the earth)

• Victor Hugo - " les miserables,"                  

• "le Bossu de Notre Dame"(the hunchback of Notredam.
• The Poems of Victor Hugo.                 "Madame Bovary"by Flaubert.            •"Germinal" and "Nana"  by Emile Zola.              •"Le petit prince" Novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

• Honoré de Balzac- "Comedie Humaine"  •Marcel Proust- "Swanns way"                 

•"L'étranger" by Albert Camus

•Poems de Baudlaire.

Also read books by these authors;

• Simone de Beauvoire
Collette.                •Philipe Sollers,  •Salinger 

• And many of the books from the "Maigret" french detective series by George Simenon of which I am totally addicted to!!


Now Watching films in french Some fims I have liked to watch are; Les miserables, Germinal "Manon des Sources" and others like  "Amelie"  "Cafe de Flore"  "Paris Je T' Aime"

"Le regle du jeu"  "Jean de Florette"  " Three colours blue"
"La Vie en Rose", "La Haine," "An Andalusian Dog," The 400 Blows" and "The untouchables"     "Portrait of a lady on fire " (2019)I intend to watch all these films just again to make sure I can understand them.

The TV seies "Paris Police 1905"

The detective films like "Maigret" and "Spiral"
And many of the books by french authors that have been adapted for film.
I have also being watching some of the latest modern french films that have been shown on TV. Using the subtitles in english until I become more proficient in understanding french.

Each day I try to keep to studying one or more of these three mediums including online websites each day to try to  keep my french skills polished and up to scratch!

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Funeral for a friend

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 1 Nov 2023, 19:47

I went to a funeral last week.

It was only this last week we had been in the little church of St Marys, for the funeral of a good friend. He had been elderly, but it was still a bit of a shock to find out he had passed away.  He was a very nice, gracious gentleman. 


During the funeral service there had been comforting and wise verses, spoken out loud to the congregation by the priest, these words have stayed on my mind this week. I much prefer a funeral than a wedding there is a lot of wisdom to learn! I hope these words help anyone who is suffering a loss at this time!

"Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. [2] He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not." Job14

" The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
(Job1)

"Therefore be ye also ready: (for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh!)"
(Matthew 24:44)

Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.”

 Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”


💐⚘🌼🌺🌸

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Two weddings and a funeral

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 10 July 2024, 14:03


This month we have been to 2 weddings and a funeral!

I saw 2 lovely weddings, the first was my kind neighbours son, the second a relative(husbands) down in the south. Sadly we are going to the funeral of a very good friend of ours this Friday.


👫🎪 👫 😥

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What I am reading. 📚....

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Sunday, 29 Oct 2023, 07:45

A book by René Girard

The book I am currently reading is called

 'Violence and the sacred.' by René Girard

I have had this book on the shelf for a while. In light of what is happening in the news lately about these serial killers, I decided to make a start on reading it!

 René Girard explores violence and the way it is reported through history, using Biblical as well as Greek tragedy, myth, rituals, philosophy and psychology. Why do human beings do evil things to others is investigated.
Violence belongs to everyone, not just some  people. It just takes certain conditions to bring it out. Everyone is capable of violence and wrong doing, even those most seemingly sacred can have evil in their heart!

The Bible says  "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked"

If we are Christians we are guided by the law and the 10 commandments.

'Violence and the Sacred'  by René Girard

Bloomsbury.

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Jam Making is fun!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Wednesday, 31 Jan 2024, 19:10

The cost of living crisis is still on going in the country, so some of us have to be resourceful and go foraging for fruit and berries! Always wash the fruit very well. This Jam contains bramble berries, apples,  strawberries, blackberries sugar, lemon juice then add the gelatin at the end.

A Stainless steel pan with stewed bramble berries

Some black bramble berries

I always make sure I wash the fruit very well! I rinse them 3 times! I only use the black ripe ones.

The bramble berries came from a bramble berry bush in my back  garden. You can find them growing wild or  sometimes in the supermarket. 


           Method 

Bramble berries about 2 medium punnets.
2 sweet Apples of your choice, I chose royal galas peeled, cored and chopped
1 Punnet of strawberries (shop bought)
1 Punnet of blue berries

1 punnet of black berries.(from shop)
1/2 the juice of a lemon
Pkt Gelatine (from local supermarket) add this at the end!
Place fruit in a large pan (no addedwater) put on medium heat and stir occasionally add 3 or 4 large tablespoons of 50/50 sugar thats half sugar and artificial sweetener or any sweetener, or sugar, if you prefer. Just taste test it now and then to find out if it needs more sweetness.
When the liquid has reduced, after about a couple of hours, add the gelatine just to thicken it up.
From the big pan I cooked them in,  I managed to get about 4 or 5 jars of jam.

Bramble berry jam is so versatile! you can use it as a jam on scones topped with cream or on toast. On top of desserts, like ice cream, cake, or even as a sauce on some savoury dishes, like meat or cheese.

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Some lovely views on the way!

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Edited by Gill Burrell, Monday, 11 Sept 2023, 09:11

A view across the wheat field

View of field with trees in background on a sunny day.

Trees and footpath

Today we went for a picnic. These are some of the lovely views we saw as we walked. The bottom photo is the last place where we sat in the shade and had our picnic in a picnic area.

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