~ Time for a Change of Direction ~

That's right....

There's no easy way to say this so I'll just blurt it out.

I'm taking a break from my Potato Jewellery for a while.

There, I said it!! 

Life has thrown a whole lot of other things my way recently and something has to give. Spuds are very generous souls, and so they put their hands up to say, "We'll take a back seat for a while Jane, while you do whatever else you have to.  We'll be around when you feel like coming back to us."  OK ~  well thank you my potato partners.  You have helped make my decision a lot easier. 

However, don't think for a minute that you will get rid of me that easily!  I've got photos to share that are just jumping out of their seats, shouting "Choose me, choose me!!"

So that's what I'll be doing, sharing photos and thoughts along the way.  Would love you to pop by when you can and join me.

I'm sure you've found at some stage that you can't keep those juggling balls up in the air all of the time.  How have you coped with this dilemma?  Would love you to share your ideas for making life's journey a bit smoother.

Don't Miss St Patrick's Day in Ireland!

That's right, it's Paddy's day on Sunday 17th March so I thought I would share with you some Irish goodness from five bloggers I have recently come to know.  This is the delight of the internet, connecting with interesting & inspiring people the world over.

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Excitement number one! Susan from Vibrant Ireland asked me to do a guest post (my first ever!) for St. Patrick's Day. Take a look here.  Susan has a lovely blog about all things Irish and we share at least one thing in common, we both live in a country other than the one we were born in! Susan came from the USA to Ireland, just as I came from the UK to Australia.

   Graiguenamanagh from Susan's blog

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Aoife writes the Daily Spud, so how could we potato lovers not follow that!  I thought you'd enjoy this amazing Potato Risotto ( Ristato!) recipe of hers which is pretty appropriate for St Patrick's day because of all the green, and of course the Guinness! Find the recipe here 

Irish Risotto with Potatoes,
 Mushrooms and Guinness 

And while we're on the subject of potatoes, you'll be fascinated by this post on the Daily Spud about Lumpers, the variety most widely grown in Ireland at the time of the Great Famine in 1845.

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Catherine writes a beautiful blog called Foxglove Lane and this recent post is a wonderfully evocative one of a Real Irish Pub that really hasn't changed at all.  The photos are fantastic and Catherine's personal recollections  bring it to life so that you can really taste that Guinness!

"Smoke from the fire and a kettle on the boil. The clock tick tocks. A lad sits at the counter. He dropped in "just for one" to his home away from home......"

Photo of Morrrissey's of Abbeyleix, County Laois from Foxglove Lane

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And for dessert how about this scrummy Potato Apple Tart from Caroline at bibliocook.com. A freelance journalist & broadcaster married to a Kiwi who makes beer in Ireland, Caroline has some tantalising recipes to share from both sides of the world. Potato Apple Tart I hear you say!  I know, but just take a look and you will be hooked! 

Potato Apple Tart

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I found Felicity, through my guest post with Susan.  Felicity lives between Bermondsey in London and rural Ireland, and writes a blog about these two disparate places.

Felicity is a professional writer whose book  "The House on an Irish Hill". looks to me like a fascinating read.

 'From the moment I crossed the mountain I fell in love. With the place, which was more beautiful than any place I'd ever seen. With the people I met there. And with a way of looking at life that was deeper, richer and wiser than any I'd known before. When I left I dreamt of clouds on the mountain. I kept going back.'

 Look out Amazon, here I come!

"When you know where you come from, you can see where you are going".

Take a look at this interview with Felicity about St. Patrick's Day for discoverireland.com.

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Thank you Susan, Aoife, Catherine, Caroline and Felicity for all graciously allowing me to share insights into your lives through this post.

According to the website timeanddate.com about 30 percent of Australians are believed to have some Irish ancestry today. And that is in no small way due to the Potato, and the emigration from Ireland in the mid 19th Century due to the Great Potato Famine.   So let's join hands across the oceans and say a very happy St.Patrick's Day, one and all!

How are you celebrating St. Patrick's Day?

  Here's hoping it involves a potato!  

Jubilee Potatoes!

Diamond Jubilee photo ITV news anglia

That's right,it's Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee,

 so let's join in the  fun with our own potato slant on things!

First cab off the rank is this wonderful bunting from What Katie Did Next.  Katie hand makes textile gifts and treasures,  and here she shows us how to make a fabulous patriotic bunting using as the main ingredient the one and only potato!!

Isn't it so effective?

Take one potato..........

See how Katie does it!

She designed the bunting for the Royal Wedding of William and Kate, but I think it is just as appropriate for the Diamond Jubilee, don't you?

I know you want to know more, so hop on over to Katies fabulous blog to learn how she did it !

And next we have red, white and blue potatoes......

Red, White and Blue potatoes 
from gardening express

Highland Burgundy Red:

This variety dates back to at least 1936 when it was used to add appropriate colour to a meal for the Duke of Burgundy in the Savoy. Highland Burgundy Red is mostly burgundy red inside with a definite ring of white flesh just under the skin. Highland Burgundy red has a dull russet layer over a bright burgundy skin. The tubers are oval to long oval. They make excellent novelty chips, crisps and mash. Nutritionalists say that the antioxidants provide many health benefits, including protection against cancer and other diseases.

Salad Blue:

First grown in Scotland in the 1900's, Salad Blue is very blue. The skin and flesh are both a strong, deep blue. The potato is not a salad - it has high dry matter and fries and mashes well but it does not boil well because it is fluffy and disintegrates. Tuber shape is short and oval. Flavour is mild although texture is quite good. The blue pigment is an anthocyanin. It is an antioxidant, and nutritionalists say antioxidants provide many health benefits, including protection against cancer and other diseases. Makes great novelty blue mash and chips!

British Queen:

Over 100 years old and highly prized for its yield, shape, floury texture of delicious flavour. Use for Chips, roasting, jackets and general purpose. In this Diamond Jubilee year, what could make a better potato to plant in your garden?


And finally.....a right royal table featured in The Telegraph!  

Jubilee spread Photo Yuki Sugiura 
What would you have on your table?

So, where ever we are, we can join in the jubilee fun

and I would love you to tell me what you would include on your
 Jubilee Menu 
(but make sure there are potatoes in there somewhere!)