Garden Goodness

Lots of things have been happening in the garden recently. This year we planted a couple of small raised veg beds to try to grow a few veggie plants in. 

a leek amid the strawbs

This week its exciting to see that we finally have a very small cob on the sweetcorn! 

There are other treats growing wild in the hedges, lots of blackberries, and rosehips - many, many rosehips - I can't wait to try making rosehip syrup with them.

The hydrangea's are in full bloom and are in various shades of purple, pink and the most vibrant peacock blue. Just lovely. 

But I think I am most excited about my courgette plant. Every year I listen to people speak about their glut of courgettes and every year I watch as mine are eaten by giant slugs, wistfully dreaming about the courgette cake recipes I have just waiting for my non existent glut. This year, there will be no glut, but thanks to my darling friend who gave me a very healthy plant this year, I may just be able to make that cake with my very own courgettes! Thank you V x

Happy days x

Crafty weekend fun!

Here's how the weekend is panning out so far....



A bit of baking - Made a little carrot cake for a friend.

SEW fantastic -Working on finishing off some spring creations for the shop, sew excited to use my new machine.

Happy flower time - lovely flowers from a  dear friend and I was properly excited when I popped into the garden an found the rhubarb thriving under its dark forcing cover (AKA a cardboard box!!)...

Saturday 24th December 2011 - It's the most wonderful time....

Todays Three:

1. The tent is finally finished, hope they love it!

2. Lovely Christmas Eve Beach Walk - weather was lovely, charlie had such fun running in and out of the sea, throwing pebbles and being chased by my dad...ahh!

3. Loving the Christmas Spreadsheets. Some time ago I mentioned my Christmas Geeky Spreadsheets. Well, so far so good, and they appear to be making the festivities go swimmingly so far! I am pleased to say that as it stands presents are bought, some wrapped, food planned and ordered without any further trips to the supermarket! Fingers crossed...EDITED...the ultimate quest for organisational nirvana has hit a couple of pre Christmas bumps that could have ended disastrously! So, I ordered all food online to avoid crazy supermarket shopping with millions of people. For the last couple of weeks I have thought gleefully about it all arriving on 23rd Dec between 6pm and 9pm. Turkey, veg from a local place and a big supermarket shop. Turkey email confirmation lost, and credit card used to pay for massive online shop had expired. All rectified, but dangerously close to time! Those were a couple of dicy moments...lessons learnt though and all the mega panic thoughts that I'd ruined Christmas a distant memory after a couple of glasses of mulled wine :)

Saturday November 5th 2011 - Bonfire Night, Baking and Cloud Dough?!

Yippee its the weekend! A long old week, this week, so so glad to have a couple of days off work to enjoy the best things...

1. Fireworks Fun - watched a firework display at a friends house last night, Charlie surprisingly liked the spectacular views and noises, while little Edie was not convinced!

2. Bumper baking - some River Cottage Booster Bars today (click for the adapted recipe), rather de-lish looking, honey, oats, peanut butter, dried apricots...mmmm...Charlie has just help dig a couple of potatoes from the garden("they're very tiny potatoes mummy")and its rather chilly outside, so we're looking forward to them cooling down before we tuck in!

3. Cloud Dough - saw this lovely idea on pinterest which mixes flour and baby oil to make a lovely sensory dough. Charlie and I made it today and he absolutely LOVES it. He's been hiding dinosaurs all day - so adorable!

Sunday October 16th 2011 - Today's Three Things!

My daily bread!






1. Home baked bread - a cheats version of soda bread, turned out rather well, house smells delicious and I'm now mega inspired to make our daily bread rather than buying it, so have tried to start my own starter...just another 10 days of waiting to see if it works :)

2. Lovely long walks - we've spent a lovely weekend outdoors having a couple of hearty stomps - todays was topped off by a lovely roast with runner beans and purple sprouting broccoli from our allotment! Cornwall is one beautiful place, beaches, countryside, woodlands and stunning gardens, super lucky to live here.

3. So excited to have made my first sale in my Folksy shop! Admittedly it was my friend, but very happy all the same :)

- Happy Days!

Life is sweet - especially when you make it so...

Today's Three:










1. Healthy Wholemeal Banana Breakfast Muffins were made at 7am with the help of a happy little 2 year old, happy that was, until he realised that you have to cook them! Bless him, a long 25 minutes followed until they were ready! But they were a yummy start to the day!









2. Summer Berry Jam finally made with blackberries from the garden and Cornish strawbs, now to find some cool labelling ideas...hope my neighbours like jam! So easy to make and such a tasty result!







3. Happy lovely people - today I've seen one of my bestest friends the beautiful Poppy! She's getting married on Saturday and i'm so excited for her, it's going to be a wonderful day! Can't wait! Also so so looking forward to the arrival of my mama, she's coming to stay tomorrow and she's having the babies overnight when we go to the wedding - such an unbelievable treat. So lucky :)

The sweet peas are from my lovely neighbours and smell so divine, as I say life is pretty sweet right now!

Monday August 29th 2011 -Sun, Sand and Sewing!

Today's Three Things!










1. Finally a little sun has come and put his hat on in Cornwall - hip hooray! We've had such a wonderful, wonderful couple of weeks with the family visiting from London, it's so wonderful when they come down and see how much the babies have changed and grown - happy days were had and memories made! We are so lucky to live near the beach and have spent some fab days there recently, building sandcastles, splashing in the sea ( with Charlie falling over lots) and eating sand ( mostly Edie).












2. Sew much fun! This time it's been PJ pants for Charlie - he thinks they're brilliant ( if a little short!), but I'm really looking forward to having another go and making a matching pair for Ross!


3. More neighbourly love! I absolutely adore my neighbours Roma and Roland, they are so unbelievably kind and thoughtful. Roland has given me a beautiful bunch of home grown sweet peas again, the smell divine! I'm hoping to return the kindness with a pot of homemade blackberry jam, with berries from the garden, which I plan to make tonight!

Happy days!

Tuesday April 19th 2011 - Todays 3!

The Daily 3!

1. Sunshine - my oh my the weather here in Cornwall is just marvellous! Such a joy to potter around the garden avec les enfants! Today was particularly lovely, pasties for lunch in the garden...mmmmm.

2. My peas - they're coming along a treat, can't wait to plant out in the allotment this weekend.

3. The Cornish Food Market - a fab new local online grocery delivery service, that offers FREE delivery, locally sourced produce and is cheaper than other supermarkets - amazing idea! I was thrilled with my order when it arrived on time last night!