Countdown to Christmas

I know, I know, it's only November - but I have a little tradition to kickstart the season in the right frame of mind. Citygirl, Gardengirl and myself head off to the Countryliving Christmas Fair for a spot of dreamy Christmas shopping. We're also joined by Cookgirl, our lovely friend so named because once you've tasted her Sunday roasts you never look back!

The dates marked on the diary all year and I've been saving my spends since spring. On Friday night we packed up the tribe and headed for the big smoke. We all met up on saturday morning and headed for the show - no need for a map, just following the trail of Cath Kidston and Boden.

This is a shot of inside the show...



It was hard to get any decent pics as it is really busy! It takes serious shopping stamina but it's worth it just to soak up the cinnamon soaked atmosphere and hunt out artisan goodies for special gifts.

We do stop off in the foodhall for a pitstop and my favourite snorker makers Debbie and Andrewa are always on hand with tasty morsels to tempt us into filling the freezer!

I'd love to show you some of the things we bought - but of course they have to be wrapped and sent to Father Christmas for delivery (and Freerangenana might be reading this trying to get a sneaky peak!)But I do have a picture of my dream shed...




This was the view through the windows. I suppose shed is a bit of an understatement, more of a grotto...


Either way, it's a good job it was roped off or I might have had to move in and claim squatters rights...



All in all it was a very successful trip, topped off with mojitos in St Pancras. But now were winging it back up the motorway, back to work and real life. To be honest it's a good job we don't do these things too often as I'd probably be bankrupt... But I do feel ready to head into the Christmas season fully prepared...I just have to wrap it all now!

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My little ponygirl...

I couldn't resist sharing this. My mini freerangegirl has become ponygirl and I couldn't be prouder. She's been hankering after riding lessons all year but I had to draw the line somewhere as she was dancing and swimming and all the other stuff that seems to be de rigeur for the average 6 year old (Its no wonder they just want to lie down a lot when they're teenagers, they're probably exhausted!) So when she decided to give up dancing we said she could have some riding lessons...and shes loving it!

I know I'm biased as I used to ride a lot as a teenager, but I just think its a great sport for kids to get into. Riding has certainly boosted ponygirls confidence as she proved on Sunday when the pony she was riding was spooked by a stray dog (who knew there were stray Alsatians wandering the country side). Before we moved to the country she was terrified of animals, but now she was able to hold tight and carry on  - no tears, no hysterics, she even laughed about it when she got home and was very proud to have a tale of daring do to share at school.

BH is not so sure, he thinks Ponies are like motorbikes with a mind of their own, so why would we put a six year old on one. I kind of see his point  but then I'm terrified of motorbikes and I know I'll go nuts when they come home saying they want one of those!

But for now, I'm just going to get my old Thelwell cartoons out and look forward to rereading the Pony Club sagas with my girlie - before I know it she'll be wanting hair straighteners and be too busy texting her friends to talk to mum, so I'm making the most of it!

Hand me down heirlooms...

I just wanted to share the surprise parcel I received from my great aunt recently.  A cardboard box came home with BH after he'd been to see her and all he knew were there were some 'bits and bobs ' that I might want. After digging through the many layers of newspapers this is what I found...

My Great Grandmas rolling pin!

BH couldn't quite work out why I was behaving as though I'd won the lottery. It was just a rolling pin after all, and one with a pretty extreme squeak at that! But this isn't just any rolling pin, and it wasn't just my Great Grannies either, but the rolling pin that I learnt to roll pastry with every Friday night as  a little girl with my Great Auntie.

It was like biting into a Proustian Madelaine and being whisked back through the years in an instant. I had forgotten so much about those Friday nights that all flooded back. The two of us would squeeze into the tiny kitchen, me wrapped tightly in a flour dusted pinny and she directing proceedings from the well worn Bero book. We almost always baked the same things, jam tarts, coconut macaroons and of course the seasonal mince pies and fruit cakes. I don't actually remember us baking much else but I do know that we would occasionally experiment and then try out our produce on my Great Grandfather, who was more than happy to be our guinea pig.

It was my job to roll the pastry, and the rolling pin squeaked on every roll,  the cause of much hilarity between the two of us. I look back now and know that Auntie P obviously finished the pastry off but still she made me feel as though I was in charge of it, I've also no doubt that the squeaky roller probably drove her crackers but she played along never the less - bless her!

I know we used the moulds occasionally for blancmanges and the other bits and bobs are all familiar, but nothing quite brought it back like the the squeaky roller! And when It did I looked around my own kitchen and realised how much I owe to those Friday nights, I store my flour the same way as her, I know how to make a macaroon in an egg cup and I do like a dusty pinny - dusty with flour that is!

Auntie P suggested that I might want it for my dresser, but I know it's got another job first - I've got two apprentice bakers who are quite ready for baking night and making some memories of our own!

The road to recovery...

Thank you everyone who wished us well. I am very pleased to say that BH is up and moving. It was either that or he was beginning to run the risk of being hoovered by me or having Lego built on him by mini freerangers! He has damaged his back in the past and so these old war wounds tend to flare up from time to time - especially when he moves skips around ( I have to remind him he's not Superman or the Hulk!) We've done Osteopaths and Chiropractors, he's had Chinese ladies sticking needles in him and bruising him with hot suction cups and attended Pilates with the most flexible grandmothers on the planet - but still the back goes! So we're trying a new tack, the no cake for a while diet plan (well we couldn't no cake ever!)


This is the plan...

Inspired by Mrs Nesbitts health kick over on her blog, were going to go for it and see if it makes a difference. I don't know if I can stay away from the oven though, so healthy, low fat, high taste recipes would be much appreciated!

I need to build my own back strength if I'm going to get all the bulbs planted in the garden for next year. The 80 allium bulbs I preordered at Chelsea Flower show arrived this week and its a race against time to get them in. I didn't get much in last year and come spring I was looking longingly at the early colour in other peoples gardens - never again! We've planted forsythia, aubretia, daffs and tulips and now alliums, lots of 'em! I even got round to planting some indoor bulbs ready for Christmas, but it seems they couldn't wait...these paperwhite narcissi burst open over the weekend and have filled the kitchen with a lovely smell.

and thank goodness they do smell nice as Ive got a large bowl of onions soaking in brine ready to pickle, and blimey do they whiff, but more of those tomorrow... 

Pumpkins, pasta and plenty of painkillers...

Well I feel as though I'm a stranger to my own blog at the moment. Once again being able to sit down and type seems like the greatest luxury, perhaps when I talk you through the last week you ll see why!

It all started pretty well, I was following Jamie's thirty minute suppers and we made porcini tagliatelle, mushroom pasta in fact. The raw materials were assembled, the timer was started and I'm pleased to say that before the thirty minutes were up...pasta was served.

That Jamie really knows his onions, and his mushrooms for that matter. The result was delicious...

The only thing I would question are his portion sizes, this made enough for both of us and packed lunched the following day, Jules Oliver certainly doesn't fit into those frocks on this this diet!

So far so good... then came the day of the great support. No, not a fitting for ladies undergarments, but the the day the steel support were lifted in through the window and put into place ready for the hall wall to be knocked out. Now on Grand Designs this always involves a crane and lots of men in hard hats shouting 'steady on ' - not in this house it doesn't! Instead the sturdiest chaps we could muster were assembled and the thing was lifted in by hand to cries of , well its probably best not to repeat them to be honest!

So the blog was put on hold again...

And then just as the skip arrived and the all of the rubble needed removing BHs back took a turn for the worse. Skips don't fill themselves so sleeves had to be rolled up and wheelbarrows had to be filled. Of course children had to be fed and pumpkins had to be carved too!

So the blog was put on hold again...

So now I'm glad to say wall have been demolished,  rubble is removed, children have been fed, pumpkins carved, tricks treated, invalids medicated and were all well on the way to recovery.

Its nice to be back...Happy Halloween!!!

From all of us xxx

National Baking Week

Did you know that it's National Baking Week here in the UK...I know, any excuse to fire up the ovens!
We got ahead of the game on Sunday and continued our adventures in breadmaking. We started with a bread machine but reverted hand kneading over the past few months. My first loaves were solid little affairs best used in self defense rather than self sufficiency! But I'm proud to say that after lots of trial and error... We're getting there...



But of course Freerangers cannot live on bread alone - they need cookies too, white chocolate and cranberry to be precise ( they started as Nigella white chocolate and pistachio but I'm always looking for a reason to crack out the cranberries).



Since the oven was already on ( that's my favourite baking excuse of the moment) I put some brownies in too. C'mon it's not baking without brownies! Again the recipe is courtesy of Nigellas Domestic Goddess, but this time without the walnuts (little freerangers spit them out - heathens that they are!) I replaced them with cherries and cranberries and I was quite pleased with the end product if I do say so myself. They taste quite Christmas cakey but still with plenty of chocolate loveliness...


The other thing I want to bake this week are some scones - mostly as a challenge as Ive never baked them before...I know shocking! But what about you... What will you be baking this week?...

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A room with a view...

We are so bogged down in building and chores and trying to keep on top of everything that the idea of taking time for ourselves right now seems very distant and strangely surreal - even sitting down for half an hour to blog is the greatest treat! So today in amongst the building and cooking and cleaning and all the rest of it I thought I better stop and take stock. I was summoned to the build to see where we've got to by my little rebels shouting from the ramparts!

                                     

I dread to think how they got up there, but before I could say 'wheres your hard hat?' I was up there too. Well if you cant beat them , join em! This was the first time I've stood in the first floor room - our future bedroom. I was so excited I hardly trusted my self on the ladder!

I think BH must have seen the look on my face and guessed that my mind was skipping on to curtains and cushions as he was very quick to point out that things will take a long time yet - oh if only it was like on the telly and we'd all be sorted by teatime! couldn't resist getting a quick preview of what our view will be one day, so here it is....

                                               

I'd love to say the view will be much tidier, but I'm not asking miracles, just a bit of greenery outside the window will make a very very happy mum!

So my top tip for today is to stop - stop and take stock, stop and look around you , stop and climb a ladder if needs to be to get a better view, but definitely stop and smell the roses, or soak up the asters because its all alright really!!!

Nightbuilding...

Bh has taken the suggestion that there's not enough hours in the day to heart. He's invested in a light rig so that he can carry on into the wee hours. I'll be so glad when it's done just so that he can chill out a bit - no doubt he'll have another project by then so it's unlikely that he'll slow down soon! At least he stops for the occasional cake break - got to keep him well fuelled!


This is the first time I've blogged from the phone. Fingers crossed it will work!

Jack Rustling and late harvesting...

Its been a busy day in the garden today and I still don't feel like we got all of our jobs done! Before we get to anything we had mountains of leaves to rake up and apples to collect. Arthur our Airedale has calmed down a lot this year and so we managed to avoid having to wrestle the rake off of him - as was the case last year! But Pearl soon put paid to any plans we had of getting the job done quickly!

As soon as raked them, she jumped in and rustle them!

She tried hiding but no-one was falling for it!

At this rate we'll never get anything done!


I did manage to clean out our little green house which had been taken over by the butternut squashes which grew everywhere but never bore fruit. I learnt too late that its better to cut them back and force the fruit on - oh well - there's always next year! We got the lawn cut at last - we weren't the only ones trying to make the most of the good weather, the hum of lawn mowers and the scent of Jeyes fluid was in the air! It does feel like a race to get these jobs done before bad weather sets in - what did you get done this weekend, or are you like me and still have a list as long as your arm to get through?

We are still picking though. Tomatoes, chillis and cucumbers are coming in thick and fast. After dropping half the harvest on the way back to the house I finally got these to the kitchen... that'll teach me to take a basket with me!

Autumn colour at Harlow Carr...

We had a trip out at the weekend to the stunning RHS garden 'Harlow Carr'. I start to lose interest in the garden at this time of year as it just seems like one chore after another - but this proved the perfect antidote to yet another days leaf raking!



A shot of autumn colour to chase the blues away!

 The Harlow Carr Garden is just over an hour away from us, just outside of Harrogate. I wasn't sure if there would be much to see at this time of year, but I was definitely wrong. Shades of Autumn coloured the landscape and the planting was so well thought out to ensure that the very last drops of colour would be around to see out the season...

 The long border garden was beautiful - Ive made a promise to myself to go back and see it throughout the year. How did it inspire me - well for one thing I wont be daunted by the size of my border any more, I mean look at the size of these! and I'm determined to plant on a bigger scale. When i put one or two plants in they just get lost in our long border and have no effect - not any more - scouts honour!

 I love this tea 'leaf' pot - although I'm not sure how its poured!

 My next resolution for next year - to plant more foliage. I didn't used to see the point of plants that weren't showy and flamboyant. My how my tastes have changed!

 But I couldn't give up colour completely - these pinks and purples were much brighter than they came out on camera - and a joy on a cloudy October day...

 We found these in the woods - sorry  - arboretum! I did wonder about something like this as a garden feature, BH just rolled his eyes!

 and the Freerangers had the bestest time with miles of garden to run round, log mazes to explore, willow whales to hide in and plenty of ice cream - a grand day out indeed!



Hats off to the WI...

Reader, I have a confession. I am a member of the WI. No, that's not the whole truth. For the previous year I've been the president of my WI, leading monthly meetings and attending council meetings as and when required. At first I was just offered a taste, just the odd meeting when I could make it so I could get to know people in my village, but before I knew it I found that it wasnt enough and I needed more - what started as a voluntary membership became a fully paid up place on the committee!

Last Thursday we had our group rally where we get together with other local Institutes and enjoy an evening of entertainment together. This evening marked the end of my year as President as I decided that although it was fun, what with my new job and all I can't really give it the time it deserves.

But in celebration of what was a fab year I wanted to share some of our competition entries to show just how creative the ladies of the institute can be! The theme of our competition was  'a hat for all seasons' and every institute interpreted there own way...

 This was ours...not a bad effort I thought, in fact we came a very respectable second...

 This was our neighbouring village - to be honest I'd wear any of these - I think they're so glam!

this was the winner, and deservedly so... the hats were very detailed and beautifully presented.

I don't know if I'd wear it , but this was definitely my favourite. just a shame that none of the ladies would model it...perfect for a mad hatters tea party!

and it wouldn't be a WI meeting without a bit of a spread - the ladies did us proud...

So there it is, my year as 'El Presidente' has come to an end. Its been good but I'm more than happy to hand the baton on! I wonder how many of you belong to secret societies also! I still have my Tufty club badge and my Dennis the Menace club badge - guess I've always had the joining gene!