Strawberry Rum

You need
Strawberries
and rum, obviously - I used white rum because then it will go pink with the berries
castor sugar - I used about 4oz
and a large jar to steep it all in.

Prick the strawberries all over with a cocktail stick, shake the sugar up in the jar with the rum
Add the berries and that's it.

Shake the jar every day for a month then strain the berries out. I plan on adding these to an apple jam - I'll let you know how that goes - and leave the liquor to mature for another three months.

Drink when you have nothing planned for the next day!

Eastnor Castle

Bank Holiday weekend found us at Eastnor - for some reason I always want to call it Southden - a pretty little jewel of a castle in the Borders. It is not medieval at all, in fact it was built in the early 1800's but it is crammed full of treasures - armour, tapestries, four poster bed and weird curiosities like stuffed cheetahs.

It also became temporary home to a smallish party of re-enactors who enjoyed themselves very much on a teeny little patch of flat ground in all the rolling parkland.

We had cooked breakfasts, pottage, a battle and gunfire - very loud this, courtesy of the Kings Ordinance group. Not my favourite thing loud bangs...

I also had my first archery lesson (and got a bulls eye on my first shot!) The bow belonged to Jane, a girl from the Levy Archers, so it wasn't too heavy but it still made my arms ache! However, this is something that needs further investigation I think, particularly as V was placed second in the archery competition and he has only had three goes ever - so proud of my fab husband. I am only sorry that I did not get to see him compete as Lily came down with a weird virus thing so I mostly stayed close to camp to keep an eye on her. She perked up towards the end though, enough to trot around in the park and play under the trees.

Ludlow Castle next weekend and I am looking forward to it already!