The holidays so far
Well, most of the holidays have been spend working, but we decided that the end of the December days were ours. It's one of the few days both Mr. Richardson and I get off, and we decided against going to the folks for a big dinner there and just spend those nights between the two of us.
We did pass around the folks for the obligatory gift exchange. All of us are tight when it came to money this year, so we were all told NOT to get each other anything. I haven't even been able to send out any holiday greetings (sorry!). Of course, none of us were able to stick to our vows and each got the other tiny stuff.
I bought Mr. Richardson's mom a wee bottle for aromatherapy oils, along with those wooden sticks you put in it to diffuse the scent. No burning, no smoke.. just lovely Jasmin-y goodness. His Da got some candy and some nuts, with which he was most pleased. We both got a new supply of socks, new pajamas's and some other small bits and bobs. It was really nice.
Coming home that night Mr. Richardson started fidgeting and asked if I 'wanted my pressie now'. I asked him if it wasn't the custom to wait until the morning, but immediately got the defense of having bought his present in November and him wearing them since then (new hiking boots). He apologized it was only one present.. but said he hoped I like it anyways....
Now, to re-cap quickly. At the start of this year there was an exhibition by Andrew Whitson, whom had just finished illustrating the story of Balor. He had a modern representation of Goibhniú. As many know Goibhniú means a great deal to me personally, and ever since I saw it I wanted that piece. Short on money, I figured that the piece would sell at the show, as almost all of the pieces did there on the first night. So, I took a digital picture and kept it in my mind. After the show I did post again; In this post. but I never thought I'd see it again.
Apparently, a certain Mr. Richardson got in contact with the artist about 6 months ago, and by some miracle, managed to get me the original for the gift-giving month! I am still at loss on what to say.. It's finally here! I can touch it! Talk to it! (Okay, you can stop looking at me in that way now)..
..As I said, the piece means a great deal to me.
I felt a bit iffy getting him a set of Hugo Boss stuff as a sneaky secret. But I hope he realizes how happy I am with his gift to me
The next morning we went around to see the family, and chat up a bit, before heading out in the afternoon to walk Oscar in Crawfordsburn Country Park. Sadly it was closed, but I knew there was another entrance near the Helen's Bay train station. We got there, entered onto the beach which leads to the country park, but sadly Oscar was having none of it and getting through the wide open space that is the beach to get to the forest cover was just too much. He climbed me, and crawled into my jumper. We carried him about like that up and down the beach but decided to go home anyway because I had 'some cooking' to do.
After about two and a half hours of cooking, I presented Mr. Richardson with our feast. Decadence galore!
TEH feast!
It consisted of wild boar, wild red deer, portabello mushroom stuffed with bacon wrapped pheasant breast in a cheese, tomato and cream sauce. Cream based mashed potatoes, sprouts, cauliflower with a hint of nutmeg and apple wood smoked cheese, carrots and broccoli and maple syrup roast parsnip with a cranberry and red wine&cloves sauce.. Sauces were a heavy port-based gravy and a cup of apple sauce for the boar, a normal gravy and rosemary for the deer and a hot cranberry and wine sauce for... well.. what-ever you'd please it for! All pretty much locally sourced and/or caught.
It was epic! The deer and boar were cooked to perfection and the pheasant was out of this world!
Sadly, the apple-mead hasn't finished fermenting yet. And although I've been known to open up on half finished home-brew I didn't want to touch this one yet as it's a recipe I made for Mr. Richardson.
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After taking a break from taxidermy work, to get myself back together again, the time finally 'felt right' to sit back down to work. I had a long-eared owl to do and a female kestrel to finish up, and I'm very proud of the end results. They'll go to a good home with a game-keeper in Carrickfergus, whom has already requested a copy of my stock list to see what else he'd like me to work on.
Long eared owl, alert after landing
Female Kestrel all fluffed up, resting
Slán go fóill!
~Ingrid Houwers
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Artistic
Top of teh mornin to ye! 
all the best to you and Duncan 
