Have you seen the new Squidoo review pages?

I like the format of the new Squidoo review lenses.

They ask you to write short, to the point recommendations of things you know and like, with personal input about why you like the items.

I've now written two, and the first one, A superb book of baby knits from designer Debbie Bliss was actually made "Lens of the Day", which was a nice surprise.

My second one is about something I use every day, Clinique Repairwear Intensive eye cream- the only eye cream I'll ever use. I'm not a big user of makeup- just a dash of eyeliner, a blob of foundation and a slick of lipstick and I'm done.However, I do look after my skin, and when you get older, the eye area needs extra special care. Hence my mild obsession with this product!

Readers in the UK can buy this from Amazon - here's the link should you want to...

Celeriac- are you using this wonderful vegetable?

Celeriac- the "ugly one" aka "the unsung hero of the vegetable world."

Use celeriac in soups, purees, roast veggies, raw in remoulades ( salads) make celeriac chips, celeriac mash, add to vegetable casseroles- take a look here for all you need to know about celeriac.

I've got lots of celeriac recipes from top chefs too.

Go on, be bold, get to grips with celeriac.

We're offering great rates at our Lake District B & B and our holiday rental cottage this autumn/fall.

I know many of you reading this will be thousands of miles away, and will not be able to take advantage of our special offers for this October, but for those of you who might be able to get here, why not take a look at this page about our Grasmere Bed and Breakfast and this page about our holiday rental Lake District cottage ?

There's lots of information, useful links, and great bargains to be had. Pass it on! Thanks!

White Moss House Grasmere Bed and Breakfast- the terrace.

Have I got time to make a Christmas Stocking?

3 months to go until Christmas, and I've just updated my selection of the best Christmas stocking kits to buy for Christmas 2013 Most of these are to be found on the amazon.com site for US buyers, but you can find a huge choice of Christmas Stocking kits here from amazon.co.uk.

You may know, if you read my other blogs ( I've started a new one Doting Grandmother ) that I have just become a first time grandmother. I've already knitted quite a few garments for him, and I thought I might turn my had to Christmas stockings. I like the appliqued ones best. People say they take 20 hours to make. As a beginner, I'm thinking I should maybe double that.
The kit shown below gets lots of good reviews. I'm about to take the plunge and put in an order........

Blackberry and apple crumble recipe- with a hint of ginger

It's nearly time for blackberries and apples to be ready for picking. Here in the Lake District the blackberries look like they need a week or so before they'll be ready, but when they are, I'll be making our famous "Blackberry and apple Grasmere" recipe. Why Grasmere? Well, Grasmere is famous for gingerbread, and our recipe has a hint of ginger in it.

You can find this autumn dessert recipe right here Or, if you're from the USA - our recipe for a great Fall dessert- blackberry and apple crumble.

Cheers Andy Murray! Get the kit and see if you can play like Andy!

It's sunny and warm, and British Sport is on a roll this weekend.

The Lions smashed Australia in Rugby,Chris Froome is leading on the Tour De France, and now Andy Murray has become the first Brit to win Wimbledon since 1936.

I love tennis, but don't play a lot. I do know though that if I just go our on the court in any old top and shorts I look a mess. To play well you need to dress in the best tennis clothes you can find. Take a look here at the clothing worn by the top tennis players

Many of the photos are my own from my visits to Queens Club London for the June tournament.

Here's Andy Murray from June 2011.

Andy Murray, Queens' Club, June 2011

Goodness me, someone is fast off the mark! You can buy this tee shirt here from Amazon right now! It says "Andy Murray, Wimbledon Champion 7/7/2013

I'd rather be outdoors than on a computer right now

I've got a mug that says "I'd rather be gardening!" and that just about sums up how I feel right now. I have to spend some time on the computer, keeping up to date with emails and marketing for our B & B White Moss House, Grasmere bed and breakfast, and also for our holiday rental cottage Brockstone- Grasmere holiday rental cottage with amazing views.

Apart from that I'm taking a break from writing new pages on Squidoo, which has been going through a tough time lately. I plan to start writing more on Wizzley soon.

If you want to see what I'm doing in the garden and round about in the Lakes right now you can follow my Lake District Garden blog or my White Moss House blog- lots of photos and news from White Moss, Grasmere.

So spring is here in the UK- summer must be better this year surely?

In 2012 we had a warm early spring. Hot even. By mid April all the daffodils and spring flowers had come and gone in a couple of weeks.
Today ( May 6 2013) there are still daffodils in bloom ,the tulips are only just coming out, the magnolia is just starting to turn white, and in the English Lakes the temperature is heading into the teens . Today it's reached about 14C (57F) for the first time this year.

Time to get outdoors, and think about buying summer goodies.

If you have children and grand children, you may have bought them a swing, or some outdoor water toys in the past. If not, then take a look here at why you should buy a swing- a guide to the best swings. If theweather is getting really warm, you really can't beat outdoor water toys like the ones I've picked here for good, clean, healthy fun!


This is the best selling toddler swing on Amazon.co.uk right now

Great Gatsby going Great Guns

I've just finished reading The Great Gatsby- for the third time. This time was for my reading group, and also because I'm looking forward to the new movie finally being released.

I love the fashion of the Great Gatsby era, so much so that I've written a whole article that you can read here about how to get the Great Gatsby look.  It's turned out to be a very popular article- in fact, it's in and around the Top 100 on Squidoo, which is a first for me.

If you've not read the book, you should. IMO. It's short, so no excuses. If you think The Great Gatsby is all fun and fashion- you're wrong. The book is dark , sad, thought provoking and beautifully written. Let's hope Leonardo di Caprio can do Jay Gatsby well- I have high hopes......

Here's the picture I use as an into photo on my Great Gatsby page. It's from wikimedia commons and is of Violet Romer. Wonderful!

Paisley- not just for aging hippies like me!

I've always loved the Paisley pattern. I was around in the 60s and 70s when the Beatles and the summer of love made Indian styles and patterns so popular. Now that Paisley is back in fashion, you can click here to find more about it, and see some lovely things to buy ( mostly from the US amazon site)


UK readers- do you ever buy clothes from Amazon? Did you know they sold clothes? I've never bought any
clothes from amazon ( though I'm one of their best customers for my Kindle, music, and lots of other stuff)

If you're in the UK, Amazon UK is featuring a huge range of Paisley items here.


I really like this dress- it's a bargain! Click on the image for more information.

Two top fashion trends for 2013

Two trends ladies might like to follow in 2013, not too extreme or frightening, are The Great Gatsby Look and the Shift Dress. With the movie of the Great Gatsby finally arriving in May this year, the 1920s look, already so popular with Downton Abbey fans, will be all the rage at parties and wedding this year. I've picked out some stylish, classy dresses with the Gatsby look right here. Don't make yourself look like you're going to a fancy dress party (that's what you call a costume party if you're American). Be subtle. It's a very flattering look. Shift dresses- anyone can wear them, and there's a shift dress for you right here..Did you know that Amazon have an amazing range of clothes? You can find a great ranges of shift dress on Amazon here- for those of you in the UK If you live in the USA or Canada, Amazon.com have a fantastic range too. That's all from me today in my fashion advisor role. Thaks for reading.

Thinking of going on a New Year Diet?

Are you one of the many people planning to start a diet in the New Year? I've put on weight over the last few months, especially over Christmas, so I'm going back to the Dukan Diet, which I followed very successfully last year. I've written two helpful articles which will help if you're thinking about trying the Dukan Diet for your New Year weight loss. Tips for Starting the Dukan Diet does what it says- gives you lots of help and tips. This article tells you what you need to get started, and allows you to think about the best ways to plan your new diet.Read this article first, and decide if the Dukan Diet is right for you. The Dukan Diet Attack Phase takes you through the first stage of the Dukan Diet. The "Attack Phase" will only last a few days, but it is crucial when you start the Dukan Diet to plan and start your diet fully prepared. I'm going to be on this blog more regularly in 2013, so if you want to leave a comment or message, I'll be able to get back to you. Happy New Year! Readers in the UK can buy the Dukan Diet book here.

Time to plan ahead for Christmas with these helpful tips

I've written two articles with tips for adding some easy home made, (homemade if you're in the USA), items to your Christmas 2012. I'm not suggesting you go to extremes, but a few hours spent making some home made sweets or candies, or making a lists of how you can organise easy home made decorations, will pay off, as you'll get a warm glow of satisfaction at a job well done, as well as praise from you guests. I've hosted our family Christmas for over 30 years- I've built up lots of tips.Click through here to find a collection of tried and tested tips for easy gifts to make this Christmas I've written another page here, that gives you some easy and inexpensive ideas about decorating your home and Christmas dinner table. Start planning now!53 days to go!

Turn your photos into gifts

These days, lost of us have lots of photos. We take them all the time, using our phones or easy digital cameras. I've got an idea - why not use these photos to make some unique home made Christmas presents. I've got some good ideas - even if I say so myself! Click through this link to find ways to turn your homemade photos into presents this year Here's one of my latest photos. I think it would look great as part of a series on the Lake District on a digital photo frame. I could give this to someone who love the Lakes, but doesn't live here- like my relatives in the USA.

Reflections in Grasmere Lake, taken just a few days ago.

Will someone please buy me a Diptyque candle?

Top of my wish list for Christmas would be Diptyque candles, but I know no one will ever give me a Diptyque candle as they don't really, truly believe that they're worth the price. Here's why I think Diptyque candles are worth it! Is there someone in your life who would be thrilled to receive something from Diptyque this Christmas? Readers in the UK can buy their wonderful Diptyque gifts here.

The humble celeriac takes the Number 1 slot

My Squidoo lens How to use celeriac has risen to the top of my lens list this morning, overtaking the long time #1 How to make homemade chocolate truffles. There's a food theme here of course- I love good food.

That may be why lenses #3 and # 4 are on the topic of The Dukan Diet!

Back to celeriac. Someone left a message that they'd read the page but couldn't be bothered to try celeriac as it looked too weird. Sad. Celeriac is tasty and healthy. Celeriac is easy to cook. There are lots of great recipes for celeriac. Top chefs love celeriac. If you don't use celeriac then try it. If you do use celeriac, you might pick up some new ideas. I'm thrilled it's my # 1 lens!

 Readers in the UK can buy this book by top veggie lover Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall for more great veggie recipes.

1 September- time to get back to the blog

I've neglected my blog "What's she going on about now?" She's not been going on about anything. At least, not on the blog. Now, there's a nip in the air, and it's the start of my favourite month. Last Monday was Bank Holiday in the UK, but it rained so hard that lots of events were cancelled, and I couldn't get out for my usual afternoon walk- so I made a new lens for Squidoo . It's called The Best Christmas Stockings to make and Buy I didn't know that you could buy these great kits. I don't really have the time ( or the inclination if I'm honest) to make one, but if you're good with a needle and thread, you might like to try this.

It's hard to feel summery in the UK

We're having a wet , cool summer in the UK, and it's hard to feel in the summer mood right now.
Over in the USA, my online friends and experiencing temperatures that are too high for comfort. Guests from the USA tell me how lovely it is to be staying in England- "it's too hot at home"!

Anyway whatever the weather, visitors to the beautiful English Lake District can enjoy the scenery. Our guests have all been brilliant, telling me that they love the White Moss walks which you can start at the front door of White Moss House. "All you need is proper waterproofs"

If you're buying waterproofs for hiking, don't go for the cheapest- they really don't work. I love Berghaus, and in fact all my waterproof gear is Berghaus. If you're visiting the home of William Wordsworth, Grasmere Village you can buy your hiking clothes from a wide choice of shops, stocking all makes at a range of prices. Alternatively you can order ahead from amazon.
Here's my choice of the best Berghaus jacket right now for women.

London 2012 Olympics

Here's my own London 2012 Olympic souvenir.The Olympic torch on the top of an open air bus going past our house, White Moss House, (award winning Grasmere bed and breakfast!)

For more conventional London 2012 Olympic Souvenirs you might like The Best London 2012 Olympic Souvenirs. I've picked my favourites.

It's less than four weeks now to the Olympic Games. Are we all getting excited? We've left our flags up from the Jubilee and hope to have lots of celebrate!

Anyone for weeding?

I took up the challenge from Squidoo to write a "weird" lens.
I've written about how I love to weed! I hate housework, but put me in the garden with a hoe and I'm happy as Larry ( whatever that means).

See what you think.by taking a look at "I love weeding. Is that weird?"

Here in the English Lake District we're waiting for the Olympic Torch to come through today. It's going right past us at White Moss House, though for our bit the Olympic Torch will be on a bus, not on foot. I'm told the whole procession is huge and noisy, so I'll be outside with my camera.

With the London 2012 Olympics getting closer, I've picked The best Olympic Souvenirs.. No tat- just a few classy things that I'd like to keep. Here's my favourite