Catching Up

Hello there! It's been a very chilly week or two here with some clear, star-studded skies at night and some very sparkly frosts in the mornings. We haven't had much rain and the sun has shone almost every day. On bright days it's noticeable that the days are lengthening just a little bit, and that really does make a difference to the end of the day when I walk home in wonderful sunshine. It lifts my spirits and gives me a bit of a spring in my step, making me want to go outside and be active instead of closing the curtains and battening down the hatches. The mornings have been beautiful too, with some fabulous frosty sunrises. The last two mornings in particular have arrived in a burst of cold wintry colour. Just beautiful.

The little plumes of smoke rising from homes with real fires and stoves look cosy in the morning, and I find it pleasant to think that people around me in the little terraced stone houses that characterise this area are also getting ready for work and school, making breakfast and putting on coats, hats, gloves and scarves ready to go out. In the pastel skies birds rise in the morning air, already about their business of keeping warm and fed. I must admit I would very much have liked to go out with my camera yesterday morning to take frosty photos. 

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post. As I'm a bit of a sporadic blogger these days I'm always thrilled that you take the time and trouble to read and comment on my posts. I've been plodding on with my scarf. As you know, I'm not the world's fastest knitter, but I do plan to finish it this month. I'm getting better at finding small moments in the day when I can knit two rows here or three there. It's not quite long enough at the moment, but I am getting to the stage where I'm beginning to wonder how long it will end up. I guess I'll probably measure it against one I already own. I'm even starting to think I could use the leftover yarn to make a matching hat, albeit a simple one, as it is so soft and squishy. Hmmm, one project at a time, methinks. 

At the weekend we popped over to Frome, one of my favourite places. We were there late in the afternoon and the light was fading. As we parked the car I looked at the tree above me and thought at first that it was hung with Christmas baubles. On closer inspection I realised that it was a plane tree and the 'baubles' were its fluffy seeds. Against the sky, they made fascinating silhouettes.

Frome is such a creative and inspiring place, and St Catherine's Hill is full of the prettiest craft and vintage shops. I've mentioned it before in my posts here.

I do like the higgledy-piggledy houses and rooftops against the darkening sky.

The wintry window display of this fabulous natural toiletries shop caught my eye - isn't it gorgeous?

The herby, flowery smells which waft out of this shop are amazing, and it's all so very twinkly too.

Another old street, Cheap Street, is full of unusual gift shops, tearooms and cafes, and has a water channel running down the centre of it. There's a lovely cafe at the top where we sat and watched the world go by for a short while whilst enjoying a coffee.

It was B's birthday last weekend, and we celebrated with lunch at a lovely Italian restaurant in Bristol and finished the day with a chocolate cake. I made a chocolate sponge and filled and iced it with chocolate buttercream, covering it in chocolate and caramel buttons, raspberry dark chocolate, mini chocolate mint sticks and mini gold buttons. Quite a combination, but it did work. 

Back home I lit one of the teacup candles which I made at Christmas, and admired B's birthday roses. 

She had a lovely day, and I can't believe that we're already almost at another weekend. Time does fly, doesn't it? I'm planning on spending some time blog-hopping this weekend - fingers crossed!

See you soon x

Gardening, Reading, Baking

Hello! The fine spell that we've been enjoying of late has finally broken, and we had grey skies and light rain yesterday. However I didn't mind at all because the garden was in desperate need of a drink. We've had to water it a few times lately as the soil was very dry indeed. So I seized the opportunity to go shopping at a nearby garden centre to buy some plants for our hanging basket as I've not yet got round to planting any seeds. I only had an hour there, and after a quick whoosh around the polytunnels choosing a small selection of brightly-coloured annuals, I treated myself to a raspberry milkshake. Here it is along with my purchases - a jolly good start to the weekend, I think.

Over the Easter holidays I started reading H is for Hawk which is Helen Macdonald's story of how she trained a goshawk whilst grieving for her father. I found it a poignant and well-written novel and just couldn't put it down. Macdonald describes in great detail her beautiful wild hawk and the art of falconry as well as how she came to terms with her father's death. It was a brilliant read, engrossing and intense.

 I finished it last week and I knew that whatever followed it would need to be quite different. I found the perfect book - The Land Where Lemons Grow by Helena Atlee. A description of the history of citrus-growing in Italy, it's full of history, horticulture and cookery, and I'm loving it.

Inspired by this lovely book, the lemon and orange groves of Italy were calling me. Instead I lit one of my scented candles - Sicilian Lemon of course! Close your eyes, and you could be there. There's something about citrus smells; they're almost more like perfumes than food smells.

All this reading about lemons, oranges and the like has meant that I felt the urge to bake.

First of all I made some of Sue's Lime and Coconut Muffins and they went down very well indeed with a cup of tea.

 But my citrus-fest didn't stop there. I also made a Grapefruit Cake by replacing the lemon zest and juice in a lemon cake with those of a grapefruit. I adapted a recipe from a lunchbox ideas leaflet that we were given free when my children were at primary school. Here it is:

 Granny's Lemon Cake

200g self-raising flour

2 large eggs

125g butter or margerine

1 lemon

200g caster sugar

1/2 small cup of milk

1 tbsp hot water

pinch of salt

Pre-heat oven to Gas Mark 2

Rub the butter or margerine into the flour. Add 150g of the caster sugar. Grate in the lemon rind. In another bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and water, then add to the flour mixture. Bake in a 20cm greased cake tin for about 1 hour. Mix together the lemon juice and remaining caster sugar, ready to pour over the cake when it comes out of the oven. Now leave to cool in its tin.

I've made this recipe many times and it always goes down well, and this grapefruit version was a success - several pieces have disappeared already. Time to bake something orangey next, I think ...

Whilst I was at the garden centre I was drawn to these fabulous orange and lemon trees. They were quite expensive so I didn't buy one, but I'm thinking that I might have a go at planting some pips to see if they grow. I've read that it's quite easy to grow them from seed. Have you tried it? I'd be interested to hear how it went, if you did.

Right, time for me to go now as we're heading off to the woods this afternoon ... I'll tell you why next time.

Hope you're having a relaxing weekend, and thank you for dropping by x

Happy Easter!

Just dropping by to say 'Happy Easter' to you. I hope that you're enjoying some spring sunshine,

 seasonal flowers,

oh, and not forgetting the chocolate of course!

Hope you find the time to do some relaxing too x

This Week

It's been a quiet week here with everyone now back at university, work and school and feels as if we're finally back into the rhythm of everyday life again. The Christmas cake and chocolates are all finished now and after last week's daffodils finished flowering I headed off to buy some more. I couldn't find any, but came home with these lovely deep pink roses instead.



I've been a bit restless creatively and have been trying to work steadily on J's blanket (I don't know why it's taking me so long - it's not very big). I think it's because I know it was meant to be finished back in September so it feels like an autumn project. And I have a confession to make. Remember I said that I would not begin making anything with this yarn until the blanket was finished? Well, it's been calling to me from my knitting bag all week, reminding me that it's very soft and a lovely shade of icy blue, just perfect for making something in January, don't you think? How could I resist? Yes, dear reader, you knew I'd give in didn't you? I've decided to make a cowl and knitted a few rows of moss stitch which is my favourite stitch 'just to see what it will look like' (that doesn't count as starting another project, does it?)  I don't knit as often as I crochet and tend to keep it pretty simple stitch-wise, enjoying knitting rhythmically in front of the tv without having to give it too much thought.

I love the chalky blue colour - it's called 'Foggy' - and the soft texture (it's a linen/cotton mix).

This week we've had a good deal of rain, with some bright moments of sunshine thrown in. Here's yesterday morning's view from the loft bedroom window. It was actually snowing but it didn't settle, melting as soon as it landed. We're still waiting for snow here. It snowed on Wednesday night but didn't settle then either, much to the great disappointment of local school children who were hoping for a snow day. 

This morning was bright, sunny and cold when I opened the blind, and there were the most beautiful fern-like shapes on the outside of the glass which sparkled in the sunlight. They were difficult to photograph, but I just about caught them, I think.

Since outdoors has been so cold, wet and dark I've been tidying up indoors and thought I'd show you our dresser. It used to be an orangey pine colour, so a few years ago I painted it blue, a sort of lavender blue which we'd used in the bathroom (it was one of those any-surface paints). I was very pleased with the results and it's stayed blue ever since. My dad gave me his old pale yellow china coffee set to put on it, and I've picked up pastel-coloured china over the years to display on it.

It does make me happy to use it, and it's a very cheerful item of furniture to have around. The pretty colours on it really brighten up a dreary day, and throughout the year I like to put small pots of flowers from the garden on it. The very large fruit bowl (above) is actually part of a washstand set that would have had a matching jug and belonged to my great-grandmother. She was born at the end of the 19th century, and I have very faint memories of her from when I was very little, so it's lovely to have it in our home. There are lots of flowery things on the dresser.

Some of the pretty plates are from charity shops, or have been handed down to me, and the rest of the china jugs and cups are presents or souvenirs.

On the kitchen windowsill the pots of bulbs are blooming and smell lovely, scenting the whole room and bringing a bit of spring into the house.

The hyacinths are a lovely pure white, fresh and fragrant.

This weekend my oldest, B, has turned 21 and she and her boyfriend came home so we could all go out for a celebratory meal. J was able to pop back from his uni too, so it was lovely to briefly see them all again. It really doesn't seem that long since she was born, and feels strange to be the parents of grown adults, but wonderful to watch them flourish and make their own way in life.  I made her a quick birthday cake with jam, buttercream, lilac icing and sugar snowflakes. As you can see it went down well!    

It's been a good week here, with a lovely mixture of creativity, colour and family togetherness. You can't ask for much better than that, I think. Right, I'm off to do a bit more tidying and sorting. See you soon x

This week

This has been the final week of the summer holidays, and I have tried to dispel the yearly sense of gloom by trying to make the most of it. My youngest and I will be back to school and work next week, and in a couple of weeks or so my two older ones will be heading off to the first and final years of university. I have always found this to be a bittersweet time of year, as I mourn the passing of summer, but absolutely adore early autumn with its ripeness and abundance. So, despite the rain and having a bad back this week, I have managed to cross a few things off my seasonal 'to do' list.

1) I have been picking small bunches of flowers from my garden, as well as sweet peas which are still going strong, and roses which are in their second flush.

2) Windfalls from our little apple tree have started to litter the lawn, and I have used them to make Norwegian Apple cake from Mia's excellent recipe. Served with creme fraiche, it was delicious, and my good friend Jane and I enjoyed a slice with a cup of tea when we had one of our creative get-togethers.

 3) Inspired by another blogger, Sue at The Quince Tree, I made Damson Gin. I have been talking about making sloe/blackberry/damson gin for years, and am very pleased with myself, now that I've finally got around to it. The damsons came from the local farm shop.

I love the fact that in just three days in it's already gone a lovely rich colour.

4) With the rest of the damsons I made damson ice cream which was yummy, and very pink.

5) I am working madly on a granny square blanket that I'm making for my son when he starts university. Not long to go now, and it's not as far along as I'd hoped. Oh well, he won't need it yet as it's not too chilly.

6) Despite the rain I've been popping out in the garden to pick blackberries and raspberries which are ripening fast now. The raspberries also seem to be having a second flush, as I already picked lots back in June.

7) The roses and peonies which, like the lavender, I dried in the airing cupboard, make very pretty pot-pourri. The colours do fade quite quickly, and I add a few drops of essential oil, but they are a lovely reminder of summer.

I love the intense colour and crinkliness (if that's a word) of these dried roses.

8) This morning (Sunday) is wonderfully warm and sunshiney after all that rain, so I've taken time to sit on my favourite bench in the garden with a cup of tea. Despite the garden being a bit untidy in that end-of-summer way, I'm concentrating on how good it feels to be almost in September - bring it on!

Things I Make With Lavender

Lavender is endlessly versatile: it is used to scent things, has antiseptic qualities, aids relaxation and can be eaten too. For centuries people have valued it in all kinds of ways, and I too try to celebrate its different uses. I love to think that I'm keeping some traditions alive in my own little way in my home.

Elizabethans used lavender water to sweeten washing and put bundles in bedding and under pillows to repel bugs and lice. It was also used to disguise bad smells and ward off disease. Thankfully we no longer need to use it to ward off plagues and such-like, but I still put lavender bags in with our folded bedding to make it smell sweet, and also in my drawers and wardrobe. 

In his Herball of 1597 Culpeper suggests you make a drink of lavender, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves 'which doth helpe the panting and passion of the heart, prevaileth against giddinesse, turning or swimming of the brain'. I find that description of an agitated heart and brain so vivid, and like to think that lavender played a part in helping to relax such anxiety in Elizabethans. It has long been associated with relaxation and calmness, and I always put a couple of drops of lavender oil on my pillow when I change the sheets.

Here's my lavender after it's been dried. I've managed to accumulate several bags of it over the last few years, and it does keep its scent well, if kept in a sealed container. The perfume is absolutely intoxicating, and I love to run them through my fingers to enjoy it. The lovely smell stays with me long after I've handled it.

Lavender has been with me throughout my life, ever-present from childhood and always associated with my mum. Here is a sweet little plastic pomander which mum gave me when I was a small child. As you can see, it's a 70s design, a kind of Chinese lantern. I still fill it with lavender and hang it with my clothes.

She still grows lavender now, picking and drying it, and making it into lavender bags. She always edges them with lace and embroiders them with pretty scenes and flowers. She made me this one a few years ago, and embroidered a pansy onto it. She also made me one for my wedding, heart-shaped and embroidered with our names and the date. It hangs in my wardrobe, delicately scenting my clothes.

A couple of years ago I decided to make some lavender bottles after seeing them for sale. They are fairly easy but a bit fiddly to make, and must be made while the stems are still fresh, so that they bend without breaking (I followed instructions from a magazine, but there are lots of tutorials on the internet). I really like choosing lavender-coloured ribbons to make them with: purples, blues, lilacs and greens.

I also make lavender bags, like my mum. This one is crocheted from Lucy's pattern at Attic 24 (you can find it here), and it hangs on our dining room door. I used woollen yarn which I bought a few years ago in a yarn shop in Edinburgh, and some which was spun locally. I love the soft colours of the wool, and its texture and warmth.

This is a simple little bag made from calico, lace and a piece of lavender-embroidered ribbon. I love lavender's association with fresh laundry and cotton sheets. The name comes from the Latin lavare

which means 'to wash', and I think its associations with freshness and cleanliness means that it goes brilliantly with these materials.

I often make simple hearts from pieces of cotton fabric and old pearly buttons. I like to use offcuts of fabric like this one which is an old Laura Ashley design, and I used to enjoy selling them on my craft stalls.

You can also use lavender in cooking, and for centuries it has been eaten in savoury dishes. The dried buds can be ground up with coarse sea salt to make a seasoning for things like roast potatoes. Nowadays, though, it tends to be eaten in sweet dishes and pairs well with chocolate. It can be added to caster sugar to make baked goods  - here's some I made last year.

I also make lavender cake every summer from this recipe, and this year is no exception. It's a very moist cake and has that unmistakeable flavour. It can be an acquired taste, however. Someone I gave it to once remarked that they thought it would taste like soap and were relieved that it didn't!

Lavender shortbread is very good too, and this year I made it from this recipe. It was definitely the best batch ever, and I was really pleased with it. The flavour is quite delicate, and the biscuits are pretty with their topping of sprinkled caster sugar (although they're not great for the waistline!).

Lavender's blue, dilly dilly,

Lavender's green.

When I am king, dilly dilly,

You will be queen.