My friends and I used to joke that I have enough clothes to wear a different item every day, without ever having to repeat an outfit. While it’s true that that was (is) a joke, the reality is that I have far more clothes than I need. The reason for the glut of garments relates to … Continue reading
Late last year my husband volunteered our house for a New Year’s Eve party with our friends. Theoretically I was fine with the idea of hosting, but practically it was another story. Our house looked like a bomb site. And I’m not using hyperbole here, the house hadn’t had a proper clean in longer than … Continue reading
I’ve read a host of international blogs – particularly those based in the US – that will talk about “blogging awards”. I’ve often thought it a tad disappointing that blogging here doesn’t seem to have the same prestige (or is it interest?) as it does overseas. I’ve been especially disappointed at my ability to see/vote … Continue reading
For some reason, despite the fact that I own eleventy billion cookbooks, my first port of call for a new recipe is almost always online. When I do happen to find something that looks nifty I end up printing it out (or sometimes copying by hand, when we’re out of ink…which happens far more often … Continue reading
Happy New Year – I hope you all have a wonderful and safe 2014. Continue reading
I have long been an avid reader of blogs of all things gardening, homesteading, self-sufficiency and preserving. I’ve loved reading blogs out of America like The Broken Plow and Food In Jars and one that I read many, many years ago that I can’t recall the title of. But it was beautiful. Every time I … Continue reading
A few months ago one of my friends approached me and told me, rather excitedly, that they’d FINALLY received planning permission to build a house on the 18 acres that she and her partner own. “That’s brilliant!” I exclaimed. “What are you planning?” And as she told me about her design for the house (a … Continue reading
The use I grew up in had two fireplaces. Once I remember using for warmth before my parents could afford to have central heating put in. The other was more ornamental; an open fire. Years after we no longer needed the fires for their heat, I still remember lighting the open fire. So, for me, … Continue reading
For most people, when they think of Spring, they think of colour. Of garden beds filled with Spring flowering bulbs, and roses bursting into bloom after months of being dormant. But for me, the colour of Spring is green. The green of trees putting forth new leaves. And new fruit. Of apricots ready to ripen. … Continue reading
I was meant to upload a post last night, but I got distracted because I was babysitting my niece, Miss T. Miss T is currently 0 years old – though she is due to turn 1 on Friday (happy birthday!). While I was babysitting I was lamenting the fact (as I often do) the fact … Continue reading
