#8 Feed the birds Tuppence a bag

BEER
Cuvee Des Trolls – Belgian Beer 7% 250ml
This little number was bought with an arm full of Belgium beers from a bar in Keswick. The Magnolia (serves nice home made artisan pizzas). Love the first wiff, fruity with a hint of hops. Oddly the fruitiness reminds me of my favourite Italian sweet wine, Michele Chiarlo's Nivole Moscato D' Asti. For me the fruit and hops is the right balance, neither one is overpowering. Think maybe it would be a good one for a Lager drinker who's wanting to ditch the chemically churned out water for something far better. Or even a nice introduction to Belgium beers. When it's warmed up (usually I have beer straight out of the fridge) there is a creamy taste. According to their website it is naturally cloudy. I also found out why it has a fruity taste – they add dried Orange peel during the boiling process. And before you could say “Who's that trip trapping over my bridge?” It's out of the bottle and in my belly. Hic! Very nice. Want to find out more about the people who brew it, here you go!

---

ART
Kazimir Severinovich Malevich was born February 23, 1878 near Kiev Russia and died May 15, 1935 Leningrad. Both his parents were Polish and he was the first of 14 children! Malevich was said to be the pioneer of Geometric Abstract Art. The painting featured named 'Suprematism composition 1916' was auctioned in 2008 for £37 million. It is the most expensive work in the history of Russian Art . I stumbled upon him whilst I was working Part time at a Primary school before turning Brewer full time. I was challenged with after school art club (which I loved) and I wanted to introduce the children (by creating their own work or copying) to different types of art. Abstract was on the agenda and I thought Malevich (and a few others) was perfect. Not only could they paint it, but, they could do it with paper cut out shapes. I had some amazing interpretations of Abstract art and discovered some talented 5/6 year olds. One of whom decided to sell her painting at a Yard sale for £1 and gave it straight to a charity! Even telling the buyer what type of painting it was.

---

COVERED IN WEEDS
Some of you may or may not be aware that the RSPB are having a Big Garden Birdwatch on the 24th - 25th January. It's simple all you have to do is register on the RSPB website and then pick 1 hour on that weekend to count the birds who visit your garden. However when you do the count its not a tally, you need to count the maximum amount of that species that appear at anyone time within that hour. I've pretty much done it every year they started it and it makes me sit still (which is a mean feat in itself) and watch the world go by. If you have children get them involved, there's a family pack designed with children in mind, telling you of the birds that may visit. Register, and, then when you've counted the birds go and tell them your findings.

have a great bird seed company you can use too. If you want to feed the birds but didn't know where to start I know the RSPB will give advice and there are some great books out there. I've always feed the birds but when I came to Cumbria I couldn't even get a Starling. I bought a branded bird feed from a famous birdie person and that didn't work, so I went to The Birds Bistro in Penruddock, Cumbria, for advice and to try their seed. Within three days as they predicted I had pinched almost all the birds from the neighbourhood including the three families of Starlings. However as always I didn't keep on top of the feeding (that's why I don't have pets) so at the minute I'm not a reliable source, but give them time and they flock including the Goldfinches. The Birds Bistro were very helpful and still are when I go back with questions about the pesky Starlings. They deliver locally and nationally, check out their website. Alas I don't think they deliver to the USA or anywhere else across a big stretch of water, but there is no harm in asking.

---

MUSINGS
Last week I decided I was going to finally paint the bedroom. My excuse for not doing it back in September was because either I didn't have time and was doing something far more exciting, or, I didn't want to do it with My Man in the house. I had one full day when I wasn't at work and My Man was. January 2nd came along, as soon as he was out of the house, the furniture in the room was out. Realising it was better to leave the bed and mattress in the middle of the floor and take off the sheets etc, I was asking for it. The wardrobe was not going to shift and in any case how the hell was I going to get it through the door. Downstairs I went to get the roller, brushes and tray. “Oh no where the heck are they, he's only gone and moved them!” Off I went on a brush hunt, didn't delve into his cupboard full of man toys and gadgets how the hell would I get it all back that neat. So off I went to that Orange DIY store. Glad I did I found a 5metre square plastic sheet – perfect for the bed. Anyone who knows me, knows that whilst I may enjoy painting if you give me a blank wall there will be more on me, the ceiling, the floor, the door (see where I'm going with this). I am what you would say a disaster. Imagine Frank Spencer, and you have an idea. 30 minutes of Frog taping the ceiling (not the entire ceiling although it did cross my mind), the skirting boards and plug sockets I was ready. Oh wait, the floor, Hmm what to use? A white fleece blanket was neatly placed on the floor. I set to work. Panicked when the warm blue looked more like dark blue but carried on regardless, I'd started so I will finish. By 4pm after having lunch during drying time I had redressed the room, with only one splash of blue paint on the carpet, oh and a spot I had walked in. My white blanket amazingly only had 2 blobs of paint on. I was so impressed with myself I thought for a second I might enter the Great British Design Challenge. I have no idea how I didn't get paint everywhere and any other disaster that is normal for me. Then I remembered a story my mum told me when I was little. Apparently I used to like painting at Pre-School and would come home covered in it head to foot. One day my mum gave me one of my Granddads old white shirts which drowned me. She told me I was to use it when I painted. I did. That day the only thing that had paint on it was the paper and my shoes. The shirt didn't have one slop of paint on it, after all it was my Granddads shirt and I didn't want to get it mucky. Seemingly this is the way I should paint rooms. Oh yes I ran out of paint, but luckily the wardrobe was in the way.

For anyone unaware of Frank Spencer here's a little clip  and this weeks music will be brought to you by my "Hero" who had his 68th birthday the other day.

---