A Year In Redwood

Another year over, and we are another year older and wiser? Well the latter two are definitely questionable!

2011 was a year of mixed fortunes.  There were some lows (very lows) but these overall were outweighed by the highs.

Some highlights for us here in Redwood were…..

I was lucky enough to be invited to lunch in Chapter One – totally memorable and enjoyable!  We both got to have lunch in Cava in Galway – I am still trying to replicate the Sweet Potato and Chorizo soup – it was so so delicious.

There were many blogger meet ups – but I guess the outstanding one was the Inishfood trip in March! Looking forward to what the team at Harry’s have in store for Inishfood 2012 – not to be missed.

It is always such a pleasure to meet up with food bloggers – there is lots of chat (about food, of course), lots of photographing (again, of food!) and lots and lots of eating of wonderful food.  Some other meet ups this past year was a trip to Dublin to eat totally Danish food cooked in her home by Joanna of Smorgasblog, a Mexican cookery demonstration by Lily (again in her home) from A Mexican Cook in Ireland.  And we even had some bloggers come here on visits too!

We have also made so many new friends through the world of blogging!  It is so good to meet such nice people.

Major ‘thank yous’ go to so many food bloggers and journalists who gave us such wonderful coverage in various media throughout 2011.  I even got to go on TV for the first time ever.  (I am not counting my briefest appearance on The Restaurant as a TV appearance!)

This year was the year when I finally succumbed to having a polytunnel installed.  I was sceptical… but we have had an amazing array of vegetables this year…. and best of all tons and tons of our own tomatoes! The joy!  And the even greater joy of home-grown sweet corn – so incredibly delicious!

We had some wonderful visits from friends and family throughout the year…. many of whom got stuck in to helping out with the many projects that need doing around the place… you know who you are – thank you!

Personal stand-out moments from 2011 – I volunteered with Age Action Ireland and had lots of fun teaching computer skills to some wonderful people.  I finally also got to take a photography class!  Still a lot of work to do in that area!  I mastered the art of making cappuccino truffles thanks to Gillian from Chocolate Here – they were very very successful Christmas presents to friends and family.

And, yes, we finally got our diningroom finished – just in time for Christmas (the joys of an old house!)

And plans for 2012…….

well,

the usual ones of course – be thinner, healthier, wiser, happier!

Also, I would like to continue with my photography classes… and sort through the thousands of photographs I have taken!

We hope to welcome many more bloggers here – schemes and plans are afoot already!

Happy New Year to you…. and thank you so much for stopping by and reading and commenting! It has been fun to meet (even virtually)!