About Me

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antrim, antrim, Ireland
Hello and welcome to my blog. If you like flowers and gardens, housey stuff, food and banter, then this is the place for you. I am a decorative artist, florist and maker of things. I sell painted furniture, plants and crafts, through a local retail shop, in my native Ireland, and wedding flowers from home. I am married to a lovely patient man and have a smashing little girl. I blog for the fun of it. Thank you for listening.

Tuesday 21 February 2012

Breakfast in Blue

Do you eat like a King at breakfast time? What do you like? I think breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, probably because it is an excuse for me to have 'pudding' and get away with it. I love all the bread based lovelies, toast, scones, croissants, pancakes (oh happy pancake tuesday),waffles, brioche,etcetera, etcetera, etcetera! I do apologise to anyone planning to give up these things for Lent, I did think about it, for a brief second, but no, no, no self control, sorry.

My daughter isn't very keen on breakfast at all, and if I do manage to get her to eat, she likes very peculiar things (in my eyes), like tuna and mayonnaise, olives, or chocolate spread on toast.

My husband loves a fry-up, an Irish fry, with a big long list of ingredients, such as, sausages, bacon, black and white pudding,tomatoes, mushrooms,fried egg, potato bread,pancakes, soda bread. (Have I missed anything?) Needless to say he doesn't get this very often (heart attacks and all that!)


We normally have pancakes on a Sunday morning, but recently I bought a waffle maker and we are very partial to these, with maple syrup and a few blueberries.


 Croissants always go down rather well too with a little butter and jam. I never warmed to the French way of dipping them in your coffee. For Valentine's Day, my husband and I bought each other a pear tree, to add to our growing but tiny orchard. I must confess to being more excited about the fact that the trees came in little burlap (as our American friend's call it) sacks.(How sad am I?) See the above photo. I will have to think of  a creative project for these.



I have scones occasionally for breakfast, but generally prefer to keep some freshly baked scones in the freezer, in case someone should unexpectedly call. I really do not understand anyone buying these, unless you really are a hazard at baking, or you have a particularly good supplier. They are so easy to make yourself, and can be done from start to finish in 20 minutes. Because I am bad, I like mine filled with fresh raspberries and chocolate and all kinds of yummy stuff, but Mr. OK prefers his plain.

Porridge is very popular too in our household, again I like to add fresh raspberries, honey and almonds, or apple puree with cinnamon (pudding...I told you), but Mr. OK is plain again. Coffee is a must, or occasionally I like hot water with a slice of lemon and a shaving of fresh ginger. I would love to know, what sets you up for the day, do pop in and tell us what float's your boat! Love Linda x

Oh yes I nearly forgot, my daughter Lois asked if she could borrow my camera for a 'project', and look what I found......






Poor Sparky!!

19 comments:

  1. You are good eating a proper breakfast. I'm a shocker when it comes to this - I'll just about manage a slice of toast. On the weekend however i do like to indulge a bit and will have something a bit more substantial. Not particularly healthy substantial I must admit, more like croissants or Danish pastries with coffee.
    As I read this I realized that I should probably try and think of breakfast as more than being just cereal and toast. My Sibs sounds a bit like Lois, as she will have her cereal and then maybe something like a few tomatoes or carrot and dips.
    x

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  2. Forgot to mention that the photos of Sparke are just hilarious!
    x

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  3. On work days, a quick fix!...Greek yogurt w/ berries, a slice of toast with peanut butter and marmalade or a bowl of oatmeal w/brown sugar, walnuts and almonds. On the weekend...eggs with bacon, hash brown potatoes and toast, biscuits and gravy (only when my son Jay is home), cinnamon rolls, quiche, waffles, or Swedish pancakes. We're big on breakfast at our house!

    Lois is great with the camera! Sparky is adorable!

    I loved having my breakfast in blue with you this morning. It's 6:30 am here in the Pacific Northwest!
    ~Lynne
    [w/L]

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  4. I love breakfast too, though I'm pretty basic with it. Usually fruit and cottage cheese tor an egg and toast. I like pancakes for dinner once in a while. Your dog is adorable, and the pictures are great.

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  5. Reading your post makes my mouth watering! It all sounds very tempting to me! I am a diabetic (since 40 years) and all the things you describe are a no-go. Once every three months I have a croissant... First thing I do in the morning is making coffee. The have a second coffee with crisp bread and cottage on it - but a real THICK layer! Your photographs are lovely. I like Sparky's carnival costumes! Greetings to beautiful Ireland! Christa

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  6. Hi Linda,
    The photo's of Sparky are just great, they really made me laugh!
    I'm definitely of the 'Breakfast like a King' school of thought and find it much easier to eat a big breakfast than I do a big supper in the evening. Truth is though time is often short first thing so its usually either porridge or toast and a strong coffee for me, weekends are usually something more substantial!
    Have a good week, Essie x x

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  7. Oh my goodness!!! No wonder you like breakfast. I found myself getting hungry just reading about all the yummies! I am afraid that I have to "watch it" when it comes to eating because my family (and me) have heart problems. Cereal, oatmeal, and occasionally eggs with a couple pieces of bacon. Not so exciting. :)
    I LOVE the photos of Sparky. ADORABLE!!!
    Have a wonderful week, Linda!
    Hugs,
    Zuzu

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  8. Hi Linda,
    What a great photo's of Sparky!!
    I find it amazing that he does this on a voluntary basis.
    And your teacups are beautiful.
    With warm regards,
    Silvia

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  9. Your daughter certainly has an interesting taste in breakfast choices and a very patient pet!

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  10. Linda,

    I very often just have tea and then black coffee, for breakfast. I occasionally will have an English breakfast, but I try not too, though I love it!

    I am very adaptable: In NY I will have a bagle with cream cheese (whipped Philadelphia and smoked salmon) or omelette (Americans have omelettes for breakfast- with potatoes!) In Italy,and here, I sometimes have to make omelettes for my husband or he likes bruschetta. I actually like a little panino, in Italy, with something truly delicious in it!

    The best breakfast ever, I have had in Germany! THey really know how to live! You name it, they have it on the breakfast table: cold meats, cheese, hot smoked salmon, shrimps... WOW! WOW! WOW! In Baveria, they have cheese and cold meats, plus eggs on a Sunday. My goodness me... their bread is to die for! Little delicious panini with sunflower seeds in the bread mixture and on the crust...

    The little doggie is very cute, by the way! All red and white... reminds me of those lovely red and white bunnies: "Hop! Hop! Hop!"... you know... the biscuits...

    Good night!

    ANNA

    xxx

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  11. I like two boiled eggs, 3 spoons of baked beans and a fresh tomato, sliced. That's my favourite.

    Second on the list is a mix of muesli, walnuts, Greek yoghurt, honey and a mix of berries - I keep a bag of berries in the freezer and defrost half a cup in the microwave with some honey, then pour this over the muesli and yoghurt. It's lovely.

    And my best indulgent breakfast is an almond croissant and a butter croissant with strawberry jam.

    Your photos are lovely Linda - beautifully set up and crisp and clear.

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  12. If it weren't for the fact that (a) if I don't eat regularly I feel headachey and nauseous and (b) I have a plethora of medications to take first thing, some of which require being taken with food... then I probably wouldn't bother with breakfast other than a cup of tea. Can't/don't drink coffee though love the smell of freshly roasted. So it's a child size portion of cereal and a slice of toast eaten standing up... I find if I sit down for it, then I'm ruined for the rest of the morning. The exception is Sunday, when we have elegant dishes of preserves, lots of lovely fresh toast and a big pot of tea. But it's interesting reading how others start their day.

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  13. Poor sparky!
    I love breakfast and of course any type of baked good is my fave, along with pancakes, or waffles. Unfortunately I've recently become insulin resistant and have had to make major changes to my diet so nothing with white flour, sugar, syrup, rice or cereal. Luckily I love smoothies made with berries, banana, protein powder and yogurt or porridge with cinnamon and flax seed. Exciting, huh?

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  14. Weekend breakfasts are the best - scrambled eggs with our own eggs - we have little bantams so we save them all week to have enough to feed the four of us! Our eldest son is very partial to Tuna, pasta and mayo for breakfast too - seems very odd to me! I'm usually a toast kind of a girl - but this week its been hot butter hot cross buns - yum!!!!
    Looks like spring is creeping in to Ireland - are the muscari and little daffs from your garden?

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  15. I love breakfast too, and all the different things you can have! The waffles are a yummy idea! Your photos are lovely, and the ones of Sparky did make me smile, especially the last one!
    Have a lovely weekend, Linda.
    Helen x

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  16. Sparky looks adorable with his colourful outfits. You daughter must have had lots of fun making him look handsome!

    I love breakfast too. Especially a simple one with just some bread and yoghurt. Know and then I enjoy having a cooked breakfast too.

    Your waffles look delicious Linda!

    Have a lovely weekend,

    Madelief x

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  17. Well, I am coming to you for breakfast Linda! And my husband will want to come too if he can have an Irish fry (his family are Irish so we may never leave!).
    I think Lois and Sparky should have their own blog. Sparky is a star, and Lois is clearly very good with styling and a camera... a great combination!

    All ok here, I really appreciate your thoughtful comments Linda, it means so much... thank you.
    Much love, Abby xx

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  18. I think that the final look is going to be a huge hit this season :)

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  19. MMMmmm, I'd love to come to breakfast at your home! I'm like you, I love all the croissanty brioche type things, but instead try to be a good girl and have healthy cereal or porridge with banana instead (although its usually a choccy one or white choc and raspberry porridge!)
    Poor patient pooch! But Sparky does look smart!

    have a great week Linda!
    Gill xx

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