Still not truely a crafting blogg but stick with me.  Today we came home to find a starling trapped in our woodburning stove - this is the second time it has happened in a month. How they are managing to get under the cowl on the chimney pot is a mystery.  The only good thing about it is that if they are trapped in the fire they are safe from the cat who has access to that room and who would think all his Christmases had come at once.

I made a batch of strawberry and raspberry jam at the weekend.  I now need to check how many jam jars I have so I can do a batch of mixed fruit.  This will clear the freezer so that I can think about advance baking for Christmas.  My mincemeat needs to be made soon so has plenty of time to mature.  I seem to have convinced a large number of my friends that jars of homemade jams, jellies and chutneys are the best presents ever. The only jar of mincemeat left in stock is one of my sisters - we did a compare and contrast last year and both got very nice but different mincemeats.  Lemon curd, if I decide to make it, will have to be very last minute.  I do try not to have too many last minute things to make or I get to tired to enjoy Christmas.