Mbutterfudge

Right now in our garden...

Seed collecting.

 

Planting new plants.

 

Seeing the beauty.

 

Falling in love with new finds. (Achilea Terracota, we also have it Paprika, how could I resist that name?)

 

Using the paddling pool, secretly, when the children are at school.

 

Discovering hidden lego and playmobile in the greenhouse.

 

We're loving the long warm summer days.  Greg's recovering well from swine flu.  The dogs cost almost £500 in vet bills....but the children finish school soon, and we all just cant wait to spend more time all together, in the garden.X

Living with a teenager

 

 

 

My oldest baby has now turned 13 years old!  How did that happen?  13!  A teenager!

Happy Birthday darling Antonia.

A good excuse for hot chocolate cake with butterscotch icing and edible glitter. X

Potatoes and Lemons

Is there any better way to start a weekend than to harvest veggies?  Except for Harris who never likes to come downstairs until he's dressed, we were all still in our pj's.  When I was doing my morning garden round (to check what had survived the slugs/dogs)  I thought even though we are a few weeks early, how cool would it be to tip out our potato bucket?  When I mentioned it, everyone (Antonia, sadly would not stir from her bed), even Greg, rushed out to see the results.

 

I can't stress how excited we all were.  Our neighbors must think we are completely daft.

 

There was some real tiny ones (should have been left a few more weeks), but lots and lots of big lovelies.  Each one was met with "Oh wow!".  Such fun.

 

The tiny ones made a lovely garlic chive salad.  They were buttery, soft, and so delicious.  And so pretty, like perfect little marbles.  Today the bigger ones made a much loved by all creamy, herby dauphinoise.  Mmmmm.

A huge success story.  We have another tub of potatoes, which I'll leave for at least another 3 weeks, if I can bare it.  But I'll be planting out some more as soon as I can. 

 

For pudding I stumbled on this wonderful site and had to make these Lemon Bars. 

 

As expected they were really fabby.  Very gooey and naughty.  Lots and lots of sugar, lots and lots of lemon....seriously could you resist?X

Mice, bees and dreads...

I wanted to show you this cute little flower.  Its a Cuphea Tiny Mice.  I'm going to keep them on the garden table so that they are at eye level, because they are just adorable, and a real talking point with Harris.

Can you see my black and grey honey bee tattoo?  I wanted it to look like a drawing, almost like a drawing from an old encyclopedia.  I'm hoping he'll bring me luck with my garden, lol.  Antonia isn't too embarrassed by him thankfully.  It took two (painful) sessions at the tattoist to get him right, and he's only just healing.  Not to outrageous right?

 

Can you see how this looks like a mouse, its two red ears, nose, eyes?  Cute. Amazing.  Mother nature just blows me away.

Now that Antonia has got used to my tattoo, I've planted a seed in her mind that I would like to grow my hair and get dreads....shocking.  Bless her little wise head, she just explained that it will take at least 18mths for me to grow my hair to a decent length and by then...I should be over my midlife crisis!!!   I laughted so hard.

I won't change my mind though.  Seeing some lovely examples on flickr has only reignited the desire I had years ago.

Poor Antonia. 

Check out this lovely ladies journey My Dreadlock Journey X

Some spice and some greens

German Spice and Hazelnut Cookies; recipe from my newest library book, Bake.

 

Making cookies for the after school/work munchies is a big hit around here, isn't it everywhere?   I had parked myself on the sofa after a busy morning of car hoovering and cleaning (it still has sand in it from weeks ago), town shopping dash (always stressful), recycle run, and the said library stop.  So anyway, I was parked on the sofa, with a nice cup of tea and my new book when I came across this cookie recipe, full of spice, nutmeg and cinnamon.  I just had to make them then and there.

 

The dough had to sit in the fridge for a bit, which was perfect because I could collect the children from school and then get them to help roll the walnut sized balls into some brown sugar and spice, sprinkle with hazelnuts and bake for 10 mins.  Which is just enough time to change out of their uniforms, wash hands, empty bentos, and grab a glass of milk.  The smell of these cookies baking is just so lovely.

 

I had put some extra profiter rolls in the freezer yesterday, silly me, these were made up for pudding tonight also. 

Lots of treats.  But we did also have some fresh veggies from the garden for dinner, so it wasn't all sugar today.X

 

The cookie recipe is;

4 1/2oz butter

3 1/2oz soft brown sugar

1 egg beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

7oz plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarb

1/4tsp grated nutmeg

1/4tsp mixed spice

1dsp caster sugar

1dsp ground cinnamon

1oz chopped hazelnuts

Cream the butter, then add the brown sugar and vanilla. Sift in the flour, bicarb and spices, make into a dough. Wrap in clingfilm, refrigerate for at least 30mins.  Mix up the caster sugar and cinnamon in a different bowl.  Make walnut sized balls with the dough, roll in the cinnamon mix.  Place on baking tray, sprinkle with nuts. Bake for 10mins @ 180C, roughly.  Enjoy.  These are sooooo good. X

Having faith

  

Today we watched our little man stand so tall, completely focused. 

I will treasure always that look he had when he sought out our faces in the large crowd. 

That pride. 

Telling us he was ok. 

We all told him again and again how much we loved him, how proud we are.

I wish I could bottle that feeling he felt. 

He did so good.  

We are so proud.  Did I say that already? X

Little things and some retro.

A few marigold and nasturtium seeds were planted by one little girl. 

The seeds grew in to little flowers. 

Pots were chosen.  

Flowers grew.

A perfect spot was chosen.

 

Under the washing line.  Which when full (of bedding or towels especially) can become a secret den.

 

Its the perfect spot for laying on her tummy, and playing make-believe with fairies.  And I love my new improved washing pole.  I put a pot of thyme there too for her to touch and smell, she approved.

    

And, this is not the best photo (sorry about that), but Harris makes his Holy Communion tomorrow.   My brave little chap has to muster all his courage to stand up with his class in front of a packed church.  

He wanted a bright cake, not white or gold....so I came up with a rich carrot cake, with vanilla buttercream, bright orange icing and some sparkly orange glitter...its so retro...he loves itX

Raspberries & Apples

Almost everyday there are changes out in our little garden.  Today...the raspberries had turned red! 7 of them!  They were sharp, juicy and full of strong flavour.  The children couldn't believe they really came from the funny looking stick we bought back in April.  I must get some more plants.  What was I thinking only buying one?  Its going to take all my will power not to gobble these treats up before the children get home from school each day.

But there's something extraordinary about standing inches from eachother, all tasting home grown goodies at the same time.  Watching eachothers reaction.  Sharing the magic.  We're noisy eaters it turn's out.  There were lots of "ooooh's" and"mmmm's"  Its wonderful.  Can't wait for more.

 

For ages now I've been after some oil cloth.  Our home is open plan, and I just hadn't been able to find anything that would work right with our other furnishings.  Everything I did like was just too expensive.  Until today.  I found a cut off 4m x 1.5m for £15 in John Lewis.  I am so happy.  And after cutting some off for our dinning table there's plenty left for me to make a bag.  That's if I can tear myself away from the garden for a bit. 

The other goodies are some plants I found, oh so cheap.  And 2 boxes of napkin rings, £1 each!  Happy days X 

An explanation

 

Our first courgette.  All the worry about growing them in pots seems silly now.  Although I only have 3 plants out of about 10 left (b****y slugs!).  If you have problems getting your children to eat greens I strongly recommend you growing your own.  Letting them watch, care and feel the joy of harvesting them.  Such fun.

 

I have decided to take the plunge and go back to college.  I'm doing my RHS level 2 in Horticulture, through distance learning with HCC, and (between you and me) at the moment feel slightly overwhelmed.  I haven't studied for almost 20 years.   I am surprised by how much I know, but honestly there is sooo much I don't know, so many names and rules to remember.  I have started a glossary to keep on me, to go over again and again, which is great in the car.  But just getting my head around how toactually study and organise my notes has been challenging.  Latin names that were fun to learn before, are now a tad (gross understatement) frightening.  The plan is to become a professional gardener, but that seems like such a long way off...  I can dream right?

But this is the reason I've been so rubbish at blogging lately, forgive me? XX

Whitstable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Call us crazy, but leaving home at 7am to drive 90miles to the coast is not everyone's idea of how to spend a Sunday.  But it was so worth it.  

Just an old fashioned British seaside town.  Full of treasures and the most beautiful beach huts.  We hated to leave.  We have fallen in love with Whitstable and are already planning our next trip, camping.  Good timesX