Hoggie blog :o)

Last Saturday the West Midland Hedgehog Rescue held their open day to raise funding for their worthy cause.  I had collected together a few things and baked some hedgehog biscuits to help with the fundraising.  I totally forgot to take some photos of the biscuits :o(  But because I felt SO guilty I've made a batch today from my Oat Dreams recipe*...

I bagged them up in cellophane and added a tag.  They looked like this:

And the tags I made, with a description of the contents on the back.

Over 150 folk attended, and a fabulous £700 was raised.  Hopefully, that will go some way to helping the costs for the coming over-wintering under sized and sick hogs.

I did manage to get a couple of decent pictures - here they are.

This little soul is under treatment in the 'Hosprickle'

and this little sweetie had been hand reared, it was one of the lucky hedgehogs that were taken for release by some of the carers that day, five in all were released.

There was also some other creatures/reptiles there.  A python, a tarantula (ugh), a giant centipede (shudder) and a bearded dragon.  As I'm truly not 'fond' of tarantulas and giant centipedes I didn't even go and have a peep at them - I wanted to sleep that night!

I had never seen such a mountain of cakes!  I think most folk that attended brought some with them.  They went down very well with a very welcome cuppa. 

I was lucky enough to guess the weight of the tea bread - but again I was a naughty blogger and forgot the photos :o(  It tasted lovely though :o)

I've been having a busy but enjoyable week so far.  OH is on holiday, but after discussion we decided not to go away anywhere.  So we've been going out visiting places.  One of the places we've been to is Shrewsbury. We had a good bumble about there, but I forgot the camera :o(  We've been walking down the lanes looking out for hedgerow food.  Founds LOADS of sloes and I've got my first sloe gin already working away!  I've made delicious damson jam from my friends loaded tree, yellow bullace jam from our favourite lane and lemon curd - just because!  A neighbour had given me a huge red cabbage that's now destined for braising and freezing :o)

*Oat Dreams Recipe

4ozs very soft butter

2ozs caster sugar

4ozs SR flour

2ozs porridge oats

Oven 180 deg C

Beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until creamy white.  Add the flour and oats, stir in until amalgamated.  Roll into small balls and flatten slightly.  Place on a non-stick baking sheet leaving space to spread between.  Bake for approx 10 minutes until golden brown.  Cool an a rack, and store in an airtight container.  Makes approx 20 biscuits.

(I also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract as I always have plenty in the larder!)

Today - well no plans so far, but I'm sure we'll come up with something ;o)

Hope you are all having a great week too!

Best wishes