FRANCINE’S PARTICULAR BLOG FOR FEBRUARY.

There are signs in Appleshire that spring is waiting close by. Mackintosh has met his good friends the purple crocuses when they returned the other day at the edge of Dark Shadows Wood.  He found them chatty and lively and not at all like “crows” who are often quite shy, but dear Mackintosh often gets confused over his words. Everyday it seems that we wait a little longer before we light our candles at twilight and the frogs are complaining croakily that as this year is not a Leap Year, they have been cheated of an extra day to leap and spring about!

Each year, I try and think of new ideas for Valentine’s Day. My top suggestion for you to try this year is to paint a twig a shade of pink. This could be in the deepest raspberry, fondant pink, or the soft pink hue of a rabbit’s nose, whatever you prefer. Then, cut out some paper hearts and colour them as brightly as possible and write the name of someone or something you love on them. This could be a member of your family, a pet, a place you love, or even your favourite thing you like to eat.  Then hang them on your tree with cotton or string. Mackintosh is going to write the name of his Teddy, Digby, and his favourite dish, cheesy pasta bake, on his!

I have also been busy in my kitchen cooking up some sweet treats including chocolate and hazelnut truffles, melting meringues moreish cream of strawberry fillings and a chocolate cake decorated with raspberries. Make sure that the chocolate icing on the top is shiny enough to reveal the image of the person you love if you look at it! There would have been more raspberries on the top if Victor had not eaten so many. He made sure that he had one in his mouth and ten more on each claw like a sewing thimble! I had to be a little cross with him.

‘Victor’s Voice’ for this month is about the origin of the name of the month February. According to Victor, the Latin word ‘februa’ meant ‘to cleanse’ and the Romans held a month-long festival called ‘Februlia’ (imagine that) to both tidy up things and to amends for things that they had done wrong. Perhaps, if you wanted to imagine being an Ancient Roman, you could consider tidying up your bedroom. Just a thought.

Stay safe, Francine and Friends.

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