{ Mu'Mu }

Back At the Farm

Another trip to the farm, this time for plums. Plums, plums and more plums. As well as a stash of good old fashioned organic vege for the table.

Some really late raspberries and blackberries are also still available, and I know there will have to be a few more trips to the farm before pumpkin-picking season. Sweetcorn ready for picking will be a couple weeks away, and I have a lot more jam I need to make first.

Oh and that crazy dog. What trip to the farm would be complete without that silly mutt and her doggy friend joining in the fun? She thinks she's human you know.

Forest Foraging

Well, I'm glad to say that summer has made a welcomed reappearance again in these here parts. It was getting decidedly autumnal at one point, so having some late summer days to play in is a really welcomed treat.

And better late than never! Berry picking time, a whole month after schedule, in one of our favourite forests. Wild blackberries, although smaller than their commercially grown cousins, are a lot tastier. They also happen to be abundant and free. Elderberries were also foraged and destined to become Mama's much anticpated Wild Berry and Apple Jam.

It's definitely canning season, people.

At the end of the road

 

 

 

They say there is gold at the end of the rainbow, but at the end of the road, about as far West as you can go, you find something better - a little bit of heaven.

Stocking Up

Our library; a source of endless delight to my Eldest who loves books like you or I love chocolate. 

This is one place I see as a sanctuary - a place of reprieve and rejuvenation for information-thirsty seekers of knowledge. A place of quiet. A place where Mama can sit and watch two people relax, learn and have fun - all under one roof - for free!

Truly, a place to inspire gratitude.

At the Farm

Gather ye rosebuds whilst ye may... fruit picking time, people! How long have we waited to go back to our favourite farm? A looooong time!

Enjoying the weather and glut of fruit, there is simply no better place to be at this time of year.

And the bonus - you get a farm dog to play with after all that hard work!

London Calling

It's been a long time since I've been up to London. A very long time. I think I was still a real person and not even married the last time I went. That's a LONG time.

Last week my sister and I went to catch a show in theatreland - All My Sons at the Apollo a much needed child-free, brain reviving, intelligence fodder, sister bonding session that was sorely needed.

The show was, unsurprisingly given that it stars David Suchet and Zoe Wanamaker, brilliant. There simply are not enough superlatives to praise this show enough; it borders on being an absolute masterpiece and if you are in London this summer and can catch only one show I highly recommend it.

I also highly recommend having a fun sister who encourages you to do it all again soon.

And really I should - I have forgotten how much I love this city, and how deep down in my bones I've always been a city girl at heart.

So next up? Well I haven't been to the Tate Modern in a good while and I'm sure there are a few places I haven't even thought of that would be just the place for two giggly women on their next bloke-free get-together?

Sounds good.

When Plans Fail...

When your best plan fails, when life sends you an unexpected bolt out of the clear blue, when somewhere you had hoped to spend the day is just SHUT, then resort to Plan B.

Find somewhere outside, preferably near water and play equipment, kick off your shoes, sit back and watch the show. And to make Plan B seem better than Plan A a treat never went amiss.

No harm was ever done to a day by adding a big slab of cake.

{ this moment }

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Ballet, not Belly, Dancers

Mama got her trip to the ballet this week, with boys eagerly in tow. No desire to be ballet dancers, though, although the Midget has expressed an earnest desire to marry a ballet dancet because she was so pretty. Hm.

It was such an enjoyable performance, not least because I don't remember the last time I went to the ballet! And having company of two loud whisperers asking WHAT'S GOING ON NOW??! - well funnily enough the company was the icing on the cake.

Back to more Memories tomorrow.

x

My Little Take-along Friend

Lots of outdoor play means ::

Lots of oudoor knitting!!

On the benches, watching my babes use all that energy, I steal five little minutes all for myself and melt into a little pool of calm.

"MUM!! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE PICTURES OF US NOT YOUR KNITTING!!"

Uh, yeah. Maybe next time...

A Very Autumnal Nature Walk

Fallow deer. The Red Deer rut has ended, but the fallow deer are just gearing up for theirs, which usually gets going in November.

My new house - I've extended a bit.... OK OK not my house; I admit it - I'm not Landed Gentry. I know. Shocking.

Even tough Stags need a mid-morning snack....

Do not be fooled by these brown doe-eyes... er, I mean, stag eyes - he may look like a pussy cat, but that's only if you happen a bag of apples and conkers and not an antler in sight.

Observe his true colours - he's on the left:

See - testosterone on legs with horns sticking out.

Unless you have apples. Of course.

Weekending :: Fun of the (Agricultural) Fair

Masha'allah this little family has had quite a full weekend, culminating very nicely on Sunday with the Autumn Fair.

Lovely weather and great company (albeit briefly!) made the day really enjoyable as we witnessed all that farm life has to offer.

Many, many showings to watch; many rosettes to see, so MANY different breeds of everything. It quite made the head spin - chucks, geese, waterfowl, ducks, sheep, goats, cattle, pigs - piegeons for heavens sake!

We enjoyed a lot, we learned a bit (did you know the UK has the biggest variety of sheep breed in the world?)

The pygmy goats were just adorable. I can envisage a couple of those in our future insha'allah. They are like cheeky, impish children; I had to be dragged away from these pens. Oh and the turkey? Stalked endlessly by my two - a very firm favourite - it eventually took refuge in its owner - the love got too much for him. I think I see a turkey in our future too insha'allah!

Spinning and weaving and yarn, oh my! Had a good natter with this spinner and hope to see her again very soon!

All in all a great weekend. Mama got to dream a little about the smallholding she hopes to have in the future (pick your own? That would be nice), talk to like-minded people, find kindred spirits, get advice on growing food and best of all, to see two people she really loves grin from ear to ear as they rode the carousel. Many times.

Yup. I love Autumn.

One for the road

Sorry if it's been a little quiet here the last few days. We took the opportunity to hit the road and see our  folks before Ramadan starts; the weather largely sucked but managed to get a few good days in.

Here are a few snapshots - how's life with you?? ::

Weekend outtakes

Hit and run summerdays...

I don't really want to moan about the sucky weather, but it's getting hard to avoid - constant rain? Thunder and lightening daily? For FOUR weeks?? Come on - by any standards that sucks.

We have spent a lot of time indoors, or garden-based ready to run for cover when the deluge hits. Summer activities have made way for Autumn and Winter-time pursuits : games, drawing, dressing up, whilst Mama reacquaints herself with slow crafting in the easy chair.

So when the forecasts predicts something crazy like a whole morning with no rain (sun optional but oh so good) we hit the ground running.

And *because* of all the rain, we usually make it to the allotment to do mortal battle with the damn weeds. It works out great -  I get digging practice and the babes watch and catch bugs, paint in their nature journals and eat what they find. Bugs optional.

And s l o w l y I y I can see the tide turning a little our way. Bit by bit, patch by patch from jungle to farm.

And bug hotel - very important...

 And whilst wondering just why the hell I went for an allotment and made all this work for ourselves I overheard the youngest say to his brother as they sat in some long grass catching crickets::

"Brother: I LOVE our allotment"

And as the sweat dripped down my back, for that one sweet moment I really loved it too. And so what if the weather sucks. When it rocks, it really rocks.

Weekend Leftovers

Chasing the sun

You know how it is - you've been under the weather for several days, doing nothing except wallow in illness and having the occasional glass of water, and when you finally feel perky enough to leave the bed you are met with? Well, in our case it would be scenes of aggravated burglary - oh the mess! The piles! Where - where did they come from?? And how?? I mean, everyone has been curled up in the same bed for over 36 hours so just how did all this devastation happen??

So, you sigh and shrug your shoulders; put the first load in the washer and tackle the dishes which seem in imminent danger of cascading over the edge of the worktop. And it's your favourite pyrex so you *have* to do something....

You make mental notes of which piles need your immediate attention first, then in which order you will attempt to conquer the rest.

But there's that quiet nagging in the back of your mind: the babes need fresh air; the babes need OUT.

You try to be Grown Up and tell yourself you have responsibilities, that housework won't do itself you know. But then the sun comes out, and as it has been such a rare sight these last few weeks you know the battle is lost. You've been out-manœuvred. You quieten the Grown Up inside your mind and you listen to what your body and soul is telling you. Instincts take you farthter than To Do lists. You down tools, size up your new mission and get to work.

Basket. Drinks. Snacks. Paper. Paints. Brains. Eyes. Willing disposition.

Off we go.

And you know what? The piles are still there -  they'll get sorted eventually insha'allah, but life? Well, that has to be grabbed with both hands, doesn't it?