I’m not big on New Year’s Resolutions. If something needs to get done I like to get on with it rather than waiting for a special day. However the downtime between Christmas and New Year, the dark nights and the extravagant weather is a good opportunity for a bit of reflection by the fire about one’s [...]
Archive for the ‘food for the soul’ Category
Blazing into 2012 – part 1
Posted in family time, food for the soul, tagged candles, fireside activities, lights, wood fires on January 3, 2012 | 2 Comments »
The gentle art of preservation
Posted in food for the soul, pantry, tagged gardening and cooking with victims of depression, health benefits of red onions, preserve making, red onion marmalade on November 30, 2011 | 1 Comment »
I think I planted a few too many of these this year and have limited space in my garden shed/veg store. What’s a girl to do when she has a stall at a Christmas Fayre to stock and an overwhelming desire to stay indoors? Red onion marmalade , of course. The health benefits of onions in improving [...]
The (not so) Secret Garden
Posted in books, food for the soul, tagged garden therapy, Gardening Leave, The Secret Garden, why gardening is good for you on November 22, 2011 | 1 Comment »
I’ve been reading ‘The Secret Garden’ with my eight year old daughter of late. It’s one hundred years old this year and remains one of my favourite books. Amid the rambling roses and intoxicating lilies a troubled girl finds hope, her wheelchair-bound cousin learns to walk, and his father finds relief from the grief of [...]
Cotswold Inspiration
Posted in food for the soul, out and about, school gardens, special places, tagged Daylesford Organics, Garden Organic, horticultural training for teachers, places to visit in the Cotswolds, school gardening clubs on October 18, 2011 | 3 Comments »
Sometimes it does you good to get away for a day or two – even when the logistics are not dissimilar to planning a military operation. So, having arranged a veritable army of ‘aunts’ to manage my three children and their increasingly complex commitments in the absence of BOTH their parents for the first time in their lives [...]
Mandala magic
Posted in activities with children, family time, food for the soul, out and about, Special events, tagged Brigit Strawbridge, Harvest, mandalas, nature art, permaculture on October 8, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
In view of the fact that growing things is now very popular at my children’s school, the recent Harvest assembly was designed with local food in mind. In previous years they have focussed much more on global awareness with fundraising for Water Aid and sending cows or goats to African farmers. At other times they have taken [...]
Things to do in the Summer hols…..4. Read a book in a hammock
Posted in books, food for the soul, special places, tagged how to make a hammock, Jane Brocket, Rpping Things to Do, school holiday activities, school hols, summer books for kids on August 25, 2011 | 2 Comments »
Our local library (whilst we still have one) organises a reading challenge every summer. This year the apprentices have embraced the experience with great enthusiasm – not least because they have created special reading places to which they retreat with a book, a cold drink and something yummy to eat. Needless to say, all these places are out [...]
Stepping into January
Posted in family time, food for the soul, monthly jobs, pudding club, Uncategorized, tagged January, Janus, St Clement's cakes on January 18, 2011 | 2 Comments »
So have you started off the year with all sorts of good intentions – less alcohol and cake, more fruit ,veg and exercise? New hobbies taken up; old habits dropped? I ought to be determined to blog more regularly and I will try. I have to admit I rarely make resolutions but January is a good time [...]
Sunset
Posted in food for the soul, out and about, tagged sunset on October 18, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Some evenings are just perfect and some pictures need no words. Wish the children had been with us to see this.
Come rain or shine
Posted in family time, food for the soul, out and about, tagged Cley Hill, Royal Victoria Park Bath, Gareth Malone, Gwyl y Glaw, rainy days on August 31, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
We’ve just got back from a quick trip to Wales for our school holiday beach fix. As you see the weather wasn’t unusual but we built a sand fortress of suitably epic proportions and explored the rockpools dressed in wetsuits and fleeces. Perhaps that’s the modern equivalent of sitting on the prom in overcoat and rainhood licking a cornet? We [...]
Snowdrops, eucalyptus and the end of Winter.
Posted in feasts and festivals, feel-good plants, food for the soul, tagged Candlemas, signs of Spring on February 2, 2010 | 1 Comment »
If Candlemas Day be fair and bright, Winter will have another fight. If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain, Winter will not come again. Happy Candlemas Day everyone and happy birthday to this blog, for I have been writing it for a whole year. This time last year I was snuggled up in the kitchen making [...]
