The icing had set on the Palace and so last night we moved it for the first time and hurrah it stayed in tact!!!!  It looked lovely in the sunshine and I am confident now that we will be able to carry it up to the village church for the concert on Sunday without the roof collapsing.  What good news!

To say that I have spent a few hours this weekend baking would be an understatement!!!! After 10 hours of solid baking and icing, I can now proudly unveil my gingerbread creation - hopefully you can tell that it is meant to be Buckingham Palace!  It is a meter long and is completely edible other than the cardboard Queen and Prince Philip on the balcony.  The windows are made of sheet gelatine which give a very pretty stained glass effect (future church gingerbread house is planned - but that's another story).  The crown decorations were made with ready roll icing and sprayed gold and the bunting is cut from union jack sugarettes.  I am hoping that it will still be OK by the weekend!!!!  My village is fully entering into the spirit of the Juliblee with 3 days of events!!!!  Quite inpressive given the limited number of houses in the village - with a parade, organ recital of Coronation music with Pimms and Canapes, fireworks, dog show, cake decorating competition (I am the judge and no my Buckingham palace is not entered!), hog roast - I can wait!

Lovely Kim from Naturally Gluten Free blog has very kindly published a nice interview with me about my Gluten Free Baker book.  To read it click here

The good thing about the British is that we never let bad weather get in the way of a good old fashioned tradition.  These were the rainy May Day celebrations this morning at 6am in Ampthill Park near where my Mum lives.  Have you ever seen Morris Dancers dancing with Umbrellas?  Priceless!!  They danced as the sun rose (what sun you may ask!!!)  I have to confess that at 6am I was tucked up in bed and it was my Mum and Mike who went but I thought you would like to see the photos all the same!