Gardening World - Spring 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle from Ravensburger

"Sometimes since I've been in the garden I've looked up through the trees at the sky and I have had a strange feeling of being happy as if something was pushing and drawing in my chest and making me breathe fast. Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing. Everything is made out of magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all round us. In this garden - in all the places."

Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

I grew up in a big city. We always lived in flats, so having a garden of our own was out of question. Until I was 14 we lived in a ground floor apartment, with a big yard and a front garden shared by all the flats. My Mum used to plant flowers and shrubs under our windows. I loved the smell of lilac in late spring, wafting in my room, when I was sitting by the window, doing homework.

My Mum has green fingers, and always grows lots of flowers and vegetables on her balcony. And now that we live in a house with a big garden, she loves to visit and work in our garden.

Right now my garden is full of hyacinths of all colours, as planted by Mum last autumn when she stayed with us.

Our garden is beautiful, but not as tidy and orderly as the one in Gardening World - Spring 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle from Ravensburger.

This garden is immaculate.

The garden scene in the puzzle is truly idyllic. A couple are working in unison, tending to the vegetable patch. (If only my vegetable patch was as neat. And I'd love that cold frame too!)

The dog is watching its owners with great interest.

The garden around the vegetable garden is full of trees in bloom and flowers.

The birds are busily working on the bird feeder.

The round pergola would provide a good cover against the strong sun and the rain. Imagine having tea and enjoying a book there, listening to the bird song and smelling all the scents of the garden.

The attention to detail in this puzzle is striking.

This beautiful puzzle measures 70x50cm when complete, and is suitable for ages 12+.

Like all Ravensburger puzzles, this jigsaw puzzle is made from strong premium grade cardboard, with linen finish to minimise glare on puzzle image.

This colourful puzzle will make a lovely gift to a garden loving friend or family member. If there's a lady in your life, who enjoys puzzles, this could be a wonderful gift for Mother's Day.

Disclosure: I received the puzzle for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are my own.

Photo diary: week 10, project 365

March has been a busy month so far. I'm running around a lot and trying to do so much that having a double to split the chores would be helpful.
I'm just back from taking Eddie to a birthday party, and I have a splitting headache from all the screaming party animals.

Sunday: Eddie's practicing the guitar for the next day's class...

There's a tree in town, which I pass by when I plan to visit the Polish deli and a couple of charity shops. It reminds me of a grumpy witch's profile, with a hooked nose.

Tuesday was a Pancake day. In the morning I had a dental appointment - thanks goodness, the last one for the time being.
I wasn't overly enthusiastic about making pancakes for breakfast from scratch and bought a tub of M&S fresh batter. OMG, how vile was that. The pancakes were greasy and tasted truly awful. Never again.
To remedy the morning disaster I made a fresh batch from scratch in the afternoon after school.
Now we're talking!

Walking through the garden to pick up a few things from the summerhouse which is now officially my storage for crisps and ice cream, I spotted a lost marble under the cyclamen leaves.

Thursday was the World Book Day, and Eddie went to school in a t-shirt, showing one of his favourite book characters - Edgar the raven from The Raven Mysteries. I drew it the day before with fabric pens on a plain white t-shirt.

A friend was visiting us on Friday, and I have opened a box of French mini eclairs. You need to defrost them for 3 hours. They were just the right size. The pastry wasn't as good as the freshly baked one, but quite edible, and the fillings were varied and tasty.

Saturday was a crazy day. We had guests coming over for dinner, so I've been cleaning the house and cooking most of the day.
I've spotted the first ladybird of the season. She was very businesslike, running around the flower pot.

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Edgar the Raven t-shirt for World Book Day

You couldn't possibly miss the World Book Day: if you were out at the school run hour today, you've seen children in all kinds of outlandish, brightly coloured outfits.
Eddie's school is taking part in this annual event by inviting children to come to school dressed up as their favourite book characters.
Some of the costumes we've seen this morning were wonderfully imaginative.
On the way home from school Eddie was telling me about the school assembly, where the teachers were trying to sort them out into groups. Apparently half of the kids were dressed up in Harry Potter outfits, there were plenty of Hermiones and one Ron Weasley too.

Last year Eddie went to school as Greg Heffley from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I made a t-shirt for him and a mask.
This year we were torn between The Raven Mysteries by Marcus Sedgwick and How to Train Your Dragon.
I was happy to draw either of the main characters on a t-shirt.
Raven won. Not surprising really, as he's called Edgar. How could we resist?!

Just like last year, I used fabric pens and a white shirt. You will need to place a piece of paper inside the tshirt while you're drawing, so as not to mark the other half.

Edgar is the Raven who resides at Castle Otherhand. The Otherhands are a literary version of the Addams family, with Lord Otherhand, his wife Minty, Solstice, Cudweed, twins Fizz and Buzz and the monkey named Fellah.

"Castle Otherhand is home to all sorts of oddballs, lunatics and fruitcakes. It's just as well for all of them that they have a secret weapon: he's called Edgar."

The Raven Mysteries are Gothic novels for children. We love the illustrations by Pete Williamson, they complement the story perfectly.

I tweeted the photo to Marcus Sedgwick this morning, and was thrilled when he retweeted it to his followers. That's our five minutes of fame.

What did you child(ren) go to school as? Did you make your own costume?

Degusta and Chill (February'19 Degustabox)

February brings lighter nights and a promise of a new spring.
If you've been carrying on from Veganuary, the latest Degustabox has a few new products for you to try. If Veganuary has never been your thing, there are cracking new foods for you to discover as well. As always, Degustabox is full of foodie surprises.

This monthly food and drink subscription box is an excellent way to discover products which have only just appeared in the shops or those which might have been around for while, but you haven't had a chance to try them yet.

Thanks to Degustabox, I have found new favourites to add to our shopping list, including some products which I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise.

Each time the box arrives, it's a total surprise. You get a good selection of foods and drinks.

If you haven't tried Degustabox subscription box yet and would like to have a go, I have a whopping £7 off discount from your first box (and you can unsubscribe any time) - just use a code 8EVI8 when you place an order.

What did we receive in the February'19 Degustabox? Let's have a look.

Appy Kids Co Whole Milk (£1) is produced using Red Tractor approved milk to enforce excellent standards of farming and preparation, the range is 100% traceable and packed in British factories for the freshest taste and longer shelf life.
Available at Morrisons stores nationwide. You should receive two packs in your box.
Useful for lunch boxes, if your child drinks milk. It comes in packaging with Paw Patrol characters.
My sons don't drink milk as such, the younger one would occasionally ask for a hot milk with honey at bedtime. As it is a long life milk, I will be using it for my own coffee and with cereals.

Orangina Original (£1.30) is one of our elder son's favourite drinks.
With its unmistakable orange flavour, sparkle and real citrus pulp, they come in distinctively shaped bottles.
Drink them on their own, straight from the fridge, with ice or without, or use as a base for cocktails and mocktails.

Clearspring Organic Seaveg Crispies Turmeric Multi-pack (£2.59) will thrill the lovers of seaweed crisps. They are light, tasty toasted nori sea vegetable snack, made with just four simple ingredients.

They are baked just for a few seconds to create their unique and moreish flavour.
Gluten free, vegan, high in fibre and contain only 18kcal per bag.
I can easily gobble up the whole multi-pack, as they are very addictive.

Deli Kitchen Folded Brioche Flatbreads (£1.25) are a range inspired by breads from around the world. Deli Kitchen wants to encoruage us to rethink traditional sliced bread sandwiches and use different breads.
This brioche folded flatbread is a tasty receptacle for any kind of filling. Put it under a grill with cheese inside, or warm up and serve with hummus and falafel.
This is a fresh product, which you can put in the freezer for eating at a later date.

I served it with an aubergine, sweet pepper and tomato appetizer which I cook quite often.

Explore Cuisine Organic Chickpea Fusilli (£3) is a pasta made from plant-based protein and fibre.
It is organic, vegan and naturally gluten free. This pasta is made in Italy.
Ingredients include organic chickpea flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch and pea protein powder.
Nutritional information - 361kcal per 100g, which is surprisingly much higher than the standard Italian durum wheat fusilli (160kcal per 100g).

Sacla' Reduced Fat Basil Pesto (£2.50) is a new product from Sacla' which has 30% less fat than Classic pesto, and no added sugar or salt.
The cheese is replaced with tofu, and thus is suitable for vegans.
We haven't tried this pesto yet. I am not a fan of tofu. I will give it a go, but to be honest, pesto with tofu doesn't sound authentic.
My worry is that the brands are trying too hard to appear trendy. Don't. Classic and traditional products should be protected.

Whether you receive Degustabox or just bought the new pesto, don't forget to enter an Instagram competition to win a hamper full of pesto, pasta sauces and antipasti.
You will need to follow Sacla's  account on Insta - @sacla_uk
and upload your best pictures using the Sacla' Reduced Fat with the hashtag #DegustaSacla
Competition runs until 18/03/2019.
Good luck!

Snaffling Pig Pork Crackling Low & Slow BBQ/Perfectly Salted (£0.75) is a treat for pork crackling fans. Winners of 9 Great Taste Awards, premium cuts of pork are double-cooked and bursting full of flavour.

You should receive both flavours in your box.

Choc Chick Quinoa Pops and Plantain Bites (£1.85) are vegan treats, which combine wholegrain goodness of quinoa and tropical flavours of plantain with the finest Ecuadorian single origin organic cacao.
Dairy and gluten free, with 50% less sugar than average chocolates, these sweet bites sound very healthy.

Bebeto Watermelon Jelly Gums (£0.50) are Bebeto's biggest selling pack in the UK, with over 3m sold in 2018. They are sweet, made with real fruit juice and watermelon-flavoured.
For obvious reasons they are very high in sugar (46g per 100g).
These sweets are not suitable for vegetarians as they include beef gelatine.

What's your favourite product from the latest Degustabox?

Children’s World Map 3D Puzzle from Ravensburger (180 Pieces)

Midterm break whizzed past like an arrow - blink and you miss it. We've been reading a lot, playing games, watching Netflix, baking cookies and, of course, doing puzzles.

Children's World Map 3D puzzle from Ravensburger is an excellent educational gift for any school age child.
This globe is a great way to introduce a child to world geography.
Open the box to discover 180 curved puzzle pieces and a display stand which allows for the finished globe to be rotated.

All the plastic pieces are curved and have numbers on the back, plus a little arrow pointing where the next piece should slot in.

The pieces are perfectly crafted and don't need a glue to hold the globe together.

My son loved the puzzle, and didn't want any help. I confess my hands were itching to have a go, but no, he didn't want me to meddle.

The finished globe measures 20cm and goes on the display stand. The design shows different animals on the continents where they live. There are also some famous landmarks as well as transport and buildings typical of the areas where they appear, for example, there is a wooden house in Siberia, and Taj Mahal in India.

The globe is easily assembled, and would be easy to disassemble if you wish to keep it in a box.
It will make a lovely gift for young children, who are learning about geography and zoology. It's not just an entertaining jigsaw puzzle, but an educational tool as well.

This puzzle is not suitable for children under 3 due to small pieces.

Our only suggestion is that it would have been great to have a leaflet with information on all animals per country. I'm no zoologist, and couldn't quite figure out what some of the animals are.
For example, when looking for the place where my Mum lives, we could see a goat or deer-like animal, but I have no clue what it is supposed to be. I even discussed it with my Mum on the phone.
From my description she couldn't guess it.
And a leaflet with data on the animals per country would be a great way to learn about their names.

Eddie loves his globe. In fact, when we were in Oxford before Christmas, looking at the gifts, he spotted a few differently-sized globes and told me he would love to have a globe in his room.
And now his wish is granted.

Disclosure: We received the puzzle for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are our own.

Photo diary: week 9, project 365

Last week has passed in a blur, and hopefully the next week will be quieter for me.

Sunday is often a mad day of grocery shopping, homework for Eddie, a pile of ironing, and other boring chores.
Eddie went out with his Dad to the play ground (my husband took this photo).

On Monday we went out for dinner to celebrate my birthday (it was later in the week, but that was the night when Sash was staying overnight at his respite centre).
We went to The Fleece, which was one of top 20 pubs in the UK over 10 years ago. I've been there before, and find it vert much hit and miss. Sometimes the meals are excellent, sometimes disappointing.
With the current menu there is hardly any choice for vegetarians. Looking at the mains, it was either a beetroot salad or Moroccan spice vegetable tagine with beetroot barley. For someone who doesn't like beetroot (looking at you, dear husband) it's not exactly a good choice.
I know we should have checked the menu in advance. But the wine was good, the ice cream and cheese were excellent, and the warm mini loaf of bread with garlic butter was delicious. It's the mains which were a letdown.
We walked home through the dark town centre, and looked at St Mary's church in the distance.

On the way home we wanted to stop by a sewing shop, which we passed by earlier. It was dimly lit from inside, and there were four headless mannequins deep in the store. They looked so creepy, as if they were moving towards the door. So Eddie and I wanted to show the sinister-looking mannequins to his Dad. It happened so, that as soon as we approached the shop and stopped by the glass door, the lights inside went out. Eddie screamed: Run!
We were running home, and laughing that the zombies were after us. And that's how we rock.

I love cheese, and enjoy trying new flavours. I bought this French goat's cheese coated with petals in Waitrose. It looks so pretty, and is lovely with grapes and sourdough crispbreads.

More food pics - this is an aubergine, tomato and sweet pepper appetizer, something similar to Italian caponata or Hungarian Lecsó. I like it cold, straight from the fridge, on a nice chunk of bread.

It was a downpour on my birthday. I came home after the school run with a hat soaked through.
I snapped this crocus later in the day, when I needed to pick up some stuff from the summerhouse. I keep ice cream in the freezer there, as well as a stash of crisps and some chocs. If I hide them at home, Sash will definitely find them and gobble up.
It was a super busy day for me. I met one friend in the morning to have a coffee together, then another friend treated me to a lunch. Needless to say, I was totally stuffed by mid-afternoon.

Hazelnut trees are in full bloom right now. They are pretty, but they are also a hay fever irritant, and Sash needs his medication when catkins release their heady pollen.

Today we once again took a bus to Oxford. This time we visited the Natural History Museum and Pitt Rivers. Eddie and I were more interested in the minerals.
This Nantan iron meteorite is from the asteroid belt, between Mars and Jupiter, and is as old as the Earth itself. Isn't it amazing?!
You're allowed to touch it. Eddie and I were joking that he might turn into an alien after he touched it.