I snapped some tree reflections this morning on the way to school.  I flipped them and popped on a filter in Camera +.  One of the  many advantages of walking to school every day, we get to spot the cool stuff and I get to photo it.   Bodhi assures me that walking to school gets his brain working every morning!  Who am I to argue?!

#52lists ‘Great Things I have read lately’.

I liked this weeks list, I will read anything which stands still long enough!

‘The Vanishing of Katherina Linden’ is an audio book I picked up from the library because I liked the cover!  Yes, I do choose books by the cover quite often!  I always choose wine by picking the label I like best, because I am a wine expert……  Anyway, I have just started to listen to this book and I like it so far.  In the first few sentences someone explodes, so that’s a promising start.  Dark humour is one of my favourites.

www.abeautifulmess.com, written by sisters Emma and Elsie is one of my favourite blogs.   They take great photos and make stuff and bake stuff and always look gorgeous.  Well worth a read and a look at their inspiring ideas for life in general.

‘The Dinner’ by Herman Koch is a great book, I have nearly finished it and I am enjoying the story and the writing.

My Mum and Dad got me a ‘Mollie Makes’ subscription for Christmas.  It is one of my favourite magazines and one of the few I keep rather than handing over to the YMCA or recycling (depending how much I have hacked out of the mag) when I am done reading and cutting.  Usually I cut any interesting bits out to keep and stick them in my notebook, but this one is chock full of greatness, so the whole thing is kept and piled up.

Meet Me at Mikes is another fab blog and the home of #52lists.  Go see.

I like to read the WSJ at the weekend, especially when it is the edition with the magazine.  I can pretend I am reading a newspaper like a grown up, but really I just want to get to the magazine!

‘Extra Yarn’  is a wonderful kids picture book, amazing illustrations and lovely story about a little girl who finds a box of never ending yarn.

‘Wonder’ is a book written for kids and young adults, but everyone in the whole wide world should read this, it is excellent.  Makes you think about the world and people in it, but it is not sappy, just a thoughtful book.

Craftwhack is not a craft blog, but it certainly is a brilliant blog, funny, acerbic and fabulous.  Well written and well worth a visit.

‘What Katie Ate’ is my new love in the kitchen.  Her salads are full of great ideas and ingredients.  I just made the granola from the book and it is the best.

Granola (adapted from Bob’s Granola in What Katie Ate)

5 1/2 cups oats

3/4 cup ground flaxseed

3/4 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup sunflower seeds (I used Trader Joes salted and roasted sunflower seeds)

1 cup pepitas

1 cup almonds

1 cup pecans

4 tablespoons canola oil

4 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 3/4 cups raisins

1/2 cup chopped dates

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 cup chocolate chips (I used mini chips, but chunks would work well I think)

Makes about 12 cups.

Preheat oven to 300F and line 2 baking sheets.

Mix the oats, coconut, flaxseed, nuts, seeds and cocoa powder.  Separate about 1/3 of the mix to add later.

Heat the honey, oil and syrup until it is runny and melted together.  Pour the hot mixture over the oat mixture and mix well until everything is coated but not clumped together.

Put the mixture into the baking trays and bake for about an hour, regularly checking to make sure that the granola isn’t getting too dark.  Keep moving it around on the trays to keep it baking evenly.

When it is done, remove from the oven and let cool completely.  Add the fruit, chocolate  and the reserved oat mix.

Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.