How to make a lemon sponge (with no lemons)

I thought it was about time I did a little bit of baking - a simple victoria sponge seemed about right. It came out of the oven thinner than it went in. 

I pondered long and deep about what foolishness I had committed, but I couldn't see that I had left out any vital ingredients. I ran the oven back up to temperature with the thermometer in it, and that was closer to what I had dialled than normal. I really thought I had lost the plot! Then I saw that I had not put the baking powder back into the cupboard. This time I didn't have my thumb over the print on the plain white tube. I had used Vitamin C! It comes in the same shape and colour package as the baking powder.

So now you know - adding Vitamin C to a sponge gives it a nice lemony flavour, but does nothing to help it rise.

Recently we have had this little chap in the garden, feeding alongside the sparrows. Spring cannot be far away - he is smart as paint in full breeding rigout.

Good Day

A bit of sunshine makes everything feel better, and this lady was enjoying it on the brickwork of our porch this morning. I wasn't sure what to place in the photo to give an idea of how enormous she was, but the book says about an inch and a half (3.5 cm) She is a Queen Hornet - Vespa crabo, and supposedly the most docile of wasps - that's a relief!

My OH says he doesn't really like Hellebores, but he knows I do so he takes good care of the ones that were here before we arrived.

And he has even grown some more from seed - this one has a lovely refreshing colour in the sunshine.
 

The little iris bulbs are only supposed to give one flowering, so these one that have come back again are extra welcome.
 

My much loved Witch Hazel is looking good this year.

All this photography was done after I had walked up the road to the post box - always a good indicator of how well I am feeling. I have a lot more confidence in my ability to recover from this bad time. A bit of sunshine helps.