Marilyn and Lionel Partridge have grown a marrow in their vegetable patch which looks just like a duck!

Marilyn Partridge, 62, said, “I have never in my 40 years of gardening and growing my own vegetables come across anything that looks like an animal before.
“I am absolutely delighted. The marrow just looked a bit odd at first, but we then realised that it looked like a duck.
“When I saw it, I burst out laughing. It is so realistic. We haven’t done anything to it, it is perfectly natural.
“It is in the shape of a duck with its head turned about to preen itself.
“We couldn’t eat it because it looked so adorable. Besides, would it be a meat or vegetable course?
“My two-year-old granddaughter Sophie loves it. She kept looking at it and saying “duck, duck”.
“Everyone thinks we must have done something to it to make it grow like a bird but we didn’t. In fact we completely forgot we had planted it.”
Marilyn added, “It would be great to grow another odd-shaped plant but seeing it took us 40 plus years to find this one, we won’t hold our breath.”

Marilyn and Lionel’s marrow is now part of a display in honour of Wild Bird Care Week at the garden centre where they bought the original plant.
‘Marilyn said, “When our grandchildren, Matilda, Henry and Finley Doel told us that they had entered a bird modelling competition at Sanders GardenWorld, we decided to take it along to add to the garden centre’s display.”

Posted on ZEITGEIST

ZOQY

I wonder what Burberry will make of the Norwegian artist who has painted the exterior of his house, which used to be a public toilet, in the brand’s signature Haymarket check?
Artist Jens Werner, 33, has covered his entire house in the famous beige, black and red tartan design. Jens Werner lives in Larvik, and he said the painting took several weeks and cost thousands of pounds.
Jens said he thought it would be ‘a fun idea’ to repaint his house, which he has owned for six years.

Burberry is over 150 years old, and is worn by lots of celebrities including Alexa Chung and Agyness Deyn.
The Burberry brand was commissioned by the War Office to adapt coats for officers which would be suitable for the conditions of contemporary warfare. When the war ended the macs became popular with civilians.
Burberry’s signature print, the Haymarket check, became incredibly popular in the 1990’s with football fans and then the chav generation took a liking for the design, and millions of cheap imitations were sold at markets across Britain.
Daniella Westbrook, an actress on the BBC 1 soap EastEnders, is often blamed for the chav love affair with Burberry after she was papped whilst out with her daughter, both of them were dressed head-to-toe in Burberry tartan, even the pushchair was in the matching design.
Burberry fought hard to rid itself of its association, with ‘Chavs’ and U.S. businesswoman Rose Marie Bravo transformed the brand’s image after joining the company in 1998. She set about Burberry’s renaissance using Kate Moss, Rachel Weisz, and Emma Watson to star in its advertising campaigns.

I’m not sure Rose Marie Bravo has completely managed to rid Burberry of its Chav associations, as the Haymarket check is still pretty common.
I definitely wouldn’t wear it, or any other piece of Burberry clothing for that matter, which is a shame as I do like some of their stuff, especially their coats, but I still associate Burberry with the word chav!

When I first saw the photos of Jens Werner’s Burberry check painted house I thought it was a photoshop project - maybe it is!

Posted on Zeutgeist

Life in France

Sparkling wine from the Supermarket beats Möet et Chandon Champagne in blind taste tests conducted by Which magazine.
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown chose a supermarket sparkling wine for his own wedding in 2000.
According to the taste test sparkling wine from the Co-Op and Sainsbury’s supermarkets beat the real thing from Moet & Chandon.
Which magazine tested 14 champagnes and 10 sparkling wines.
Splashing out £30 or more for a bottle of bubbly means you are effectively paying for the luxury brand and not simply the taste.

In the Which magazine taste test, top of the list was Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut, priced at £31.91 it scored 90%.
Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs Brut, was priced at £15.98 and came just 1% behind the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut. On Monday the price will be reduced to £12 a bottle.
The Co- op’s Les Pionniers Brut, priced at £15.55 was a further 1% behind the Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs.
The tasting panel said the Co-Op Les Pionniers Brut’s aroma had notes of honey and it was full, dry, and fruity with a lively mousse.
The tasting panel said the Möet et Chandon, priced at £29, was a disappointment. It scored 79%. The experts said it tasted slightly medicinal and it had an aggressive acidity and lacked flavour.
Lanson Black Label, priced at £27, also scored low, it was placed equal 10th on the list of 14 wines.

Which? magazine editor Martyn Hocking said, “‘With the party season ahead of us it’s great to know that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a good quality champagne.
Sainsbury’s own brand is a corker.
“It’s also worth considering sparkling wines which can keep the party flowing at only a fraction of the cost.”

Other sparkling wines that scored well in the taste test were the Marks & Spencer Bluff Hill Brut, from New Zealand, priced at £8.99 a bottle. The panel said it was well balanced and refreshing.
Also praised was Asda’s Griffith Park Sparkling Brut, priced at £6.98, and Aldi’s Phillippe Michel Crémant du Jura Brut, priced at £6.99.

• 1 ~ Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut ~ £31.91 ~ scored 90%
• 2= ~ Sainsbury’s Blanc de Noirs Brut ~ £15.98 ~ scored 89%
• 2= ~ H Blin & Co Brut (Oddbins) ~ £24.99 ~ scored 89%
• 4 ~ Les Pionniers Brut (The Co-Op) ~ £15.55 ~ scored 88%
• 5= ~ P.Boutet (Wine Rack, Threshers, The Local) ~ £29.99 ~ scored 87%
• 5= ~ Waitrose Blanc de Blanc Brut ~ £21.99 ~ scored 87% ~ £19.99 ~ scored 86%
• 8= ~ Veuve Joubert Reserve Speciale (Majestic) ~ £20.99 ~ scored 85%
• 8= ~ Comte de Brismand Brut (Lidl) ~ £ 13.99 ~ scored 85%
• 10= ~ Lanson Black Label ~ £26.98 ~ score ~ 85%
• 10= ~ Veuve Monsigny (Aldi) ~ £9.99 ~ score ~ 84%
• 12 ~ Tesco Finest Premier Cru Brut ~ £18.99 ~ score 82%
• 13 ~ Moet & Chandon Brut ~ £28.88 ~ score 79%
• 14 ~ Asda Extra Special Premier Cru ~ £17.88 ~ score 78%

The UK is the fastest growing champagne market in Europe. While the French knock back 166 million bottles a year, Brits manage to quaff 34 million bottles.

Not surprisingly the results of this Which magazine taste test have received a lot of press coverage with one ‘wine expert’ claiming, “It wasn’t the wine that wasn’t good enough, it was the wine tasters.”

I know that any drink that is called Champagne must be from the same area of north east France, but as with many things it’s all a matter of taste, and ‘Champagne’ is only sparkling wine - from Champagne!
When you purchase one of the more well-known and expensive champagne brands you are not only paying for the contents of the bottle, you are also paying for the advertising and marketing.
Whether you prefer the taste of Champagne from Champagne in France, or ‘Champagne’ from a British supermarket such as the Co-Op or Sainsbury’s, it’s all subjective.
Obviously there are some people, who despite actually preferring the taste of supermarket champers, would purchase a bottle of Cristal, Veuve Clicquot etc. purely because of the label, presumably to say ‘look how rich I am’ - but they’re just shallow.
I don’t like wine snobs!
Surely the best champagne is the one that suits your own personal taste, it really doesn’t matter what the experts say.
I’m not a lover of Champagne or any sparkling wine, but if my arm was twisted I suppose I could manage to knock back a glass, or three, of Krug! Cheers.

Posted on Zeitgeist

The Wine Connoisseur

Crazy kite surfing thrill seekers Lewis Crathern, 24, and Jake Scrace, 25, used the recent stormy weather that has hit the UK to propel themselves over Worthing Pier, in England.
In this video Lewis and Jake talk about how they used mother nature to fly 70 feet over the pier.

I’ve seen people kite surfing at our local beach here in France and it looks like a lot of fun, but as I’m not a fan of water, or heights, I don’t think I’ll be flying high anytime soon!
I’m sure Lewis and jake enjoyed the thrill, but rather them than me.

Posted on Zeitgeist

LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE

I only recently became interested in the work of Andrew Wyeth, and now I can’t seem to get enough of it!

Daydream (1980) by Andrew Wyeth

I really like the images of Helga Testorf that Andrew Wyeth painted, especially the one above; Daydream.

Posted on ZEITGEIST

ZOQY ~ Zeitgeist Opinion Questions Yatter

I’ve heard of the 7 wonders of the world, but I hadn’t heard of all of the latest 7 must-have beauty wonder products of the world!

• 1 ~ Bésame Enchanting Lipsticks

They cost £11 each.
This lipstick is reportedly very long-wearing, and super-hydrating, thanks to its beeswax formula. The beeswax means the colour will stay put all day long.
The lipsticks are a mini sized 55mm in length, which means they will fit in to the tiniest of evening bags.

• 2 ~ Euoko P-00 Extreme Cellular Nutrition Masque

It costs £45.
Its list of ingredients include Canadian Willowherb, to seal in moisture, and natural peptides to protect skin from nasty chemicals, stress, and poor diet.
Its being called a facial in a jar, which leaves your skin looking fresh and youthful.

• 3 ~ Dr Kadir Matrix Serum

It costs £95.
Israeli plastic surgeon Dr Kadir has created a range of products including cleansers and moisturisers that promise the same results as surgery!
This serum is expensive but apparently worth it as it contains special enzyme inhibitors to prevent the breakdown of collagen, and give your skin a youthful glow.
Celebrity fans are said to include Jennifer Aniston and Madonna.

• 4 ~ Jean d’Estrées SoNature Spa Fitness Anti-Water Express Balm

It costs £42.
This cellulite product is a miracle product from Paris. It contains ruscus flower, elderberry, and lemon to boost the skin’s circulation, banish water retention, and drain away excess fluid. Paraben free.
Used morning and night it claims to give your legs the ’silk stocking’ effect; smooth, dimple-free skin.

• 5 ~ Ginvera Marvel Gel With Green Tea

It costs £15.
This product shrinks pores, dissolves blackheads, and blitzes spots.
Its two main ingredients are aloe vera and green tea, which help reduce redness, minimise spots, and make your skin look much brighter.
This product is best used once a week as a mask to slough away dirt, and it can also be used as an emergency cure for breakouts by applying it every few hours as soon as spots appear.

• 6 ~ Superdrug’s FSC Wooden Radial Brush

It costs £7.
This may sound like a bargain product, but don’t let the price fool you!
This brush has the softest bristles, it’s completely eco-friendly, it’s made from trees grown especially for the beauty industry in Poland.
The round bristles of this brush smooth your hair gently without snagging.

• 7 ~ Silksleep Eye Mask

It costs £12.95.
This eye mask is made using 100% long-stem mulberry silk which is the highest quality silk you can buy.
The eye mask protects the delicate skin around your eyes, helps retain moisture, and staves off wrinkles.

I think I need one of the Silksleep Eye Masks as over the last year my eyes have really aged a lot.
I guess my new eye wrinkles could be caused by my internet addiction? Looking at a computer screen for several hours every day can’t be good for skin!

Posted on Zeitgeist

Life in France

Patrick Roger, the Paris confectioner who built his own Berlin Wall made of chocolate, has knocked it down.
The chocolate wall reportedly weighed over a ton.

What a crazy mixed-up world we live in.
I hope the chocolate didn’t go to waste.

Posted on Zeitgeist

The Wine Connoisseur

A chimpanzee riding a segway.
No doubt health and safety will be happy as the chimp was wearing a helmet and overalls!

I only watched this video because Tim Lovejoy mentioned it yesterday morning on ‘Something For The Weekend’ which is why I am blaming him for the segway song now being stuck in my head for the rest of the day!

Posted on ZEITGEIST

ZOQY ~ Zeitgeist Opinions Questions Yatter

Shaun Clark, a former soldier, has had the names of every British soldier killed in Afghanistan tattooed on his back.

Shaun Clark, 43, served with the 8th Battalion Light Infantry Regiment from 1989 to 1996.
The first name was inked on to his body on Wednesday morning, the 11th of November, at 11am, just as the traditional Armistice Day two-minute silence began.
Shaun said, “I don’t mind suffering for a few days if I can let the lads know that people really care about what they’re doing out there, and raise some money for the guys coming home wounded as well.
“The family thought I was mad to begin with, but they’ve come round to the idea now, and my wife is backing me all the way.”

Shaun Clark, a married father-of-two from Doncaster, England is hoping that his challenge will raise £500 for the charity Help for Heroes.
Speaking before the tattooist started working on him Shaun said, “It’s going to be painful business but it’s nothing compared to what the troops are going through every single day on the front line.”
He added, “I know it’s a bit extreme covering the top half of your body front and back with 223 names, but it’s my way of honouring all those men and women and it’ll be there as a memorial for as long as I live.”

Speaking about his aim to raise £500 for the Help for Heroes charity, Shaun Clark said, “I wanted to do something to raise money for the heroes who still need help and to honour the memory of the fallen.
“I’ve still lots of friends from my days in the Army over in Afghanistan and there’s lots of Donny lads out there as well.
“Lots of people do things to raise money but I wanted to do something different and something permanent.
“It’s not just about raising money - it’s also about letting these lads know that people care about what they’re doing.”

Shaun Clark served in Denmark, Gibraltar, and Norway before he left the Army in 1997.
He says he has received lots of messages of support from his from former colleagues and soldiers who are still out in Afghanistan.
Shaun has set up a page on the Just Giving fundraising website and has raised £165.
His page is full of supportive comments from well-wishers.
One supporter wrote, “Good luck Shaun it means a lot to me what you are doing as my husband is there soon.”
Another supporter wrote, “Top bloke. We will remember them.”

A spokesman from Help for Heroes said, “We are used to people going the extra mile, but this goes far beyond the norm.
“Shaun was in touch a few days ago to confirm everything was going ahead.
“It turned out to be a very poignant conversation because the volunteer who took the call lost her husband in action earlier in the year and, of course, his name is among those on the list.”

The tattoo artist Kevin Kent, donated his services free of charge, and said, “We’re going to start just as the two minute silence begins at 11am on Wednesday, and I’ve told Shaun that’s it’s going to be a slow and painful process.”
Kevin Kent drew up a list of all the British casualties in Afghanistan since April 2002 with the help of the Ministry of Defence.
Shaun Clark and Kevin Kent have said they will update the list of names each year if necessary.

Help for Heroes is a charity that raises money to help support members of the Armed Forces who have been wounded.
In just over two years Help for Heroes has raised over £30 million from over than 10,000 individual events.

Posted on ZEITGEIST

ZOQY Zeitgeist, Opinions, Questions, Yatter

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’erbrimmed their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind,
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twinèd flowers;
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cider-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too, -
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

by John Keats 1795-1821

Posted on ZEITGEIST

Life in France