{ 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.

Winding Down

Are we at the end of August, really? Can it really have flown by THAT quickly? Yes, I guess the chill in the air says it's a quarter to Autumn; the gardening year is winding down somewhat. Plans being made for food growing are being made for 2011 (!). No more sowing this year.

Plans for next year and beyond? Well, Mama is keen on a beekeeping course in the spring. I have grand plans for polytunnels and raised beds. Chickens? I do hope so - depending on the patience of DH.

The babes are keen to get started on their guerrilla war on terra after scouring the web for red clay powder and wild flower seeds; I hate to break their heart and tell them they'll have to wait til spring.

As we slowly wind down from the summer rhythm, I am hoping and praying for good weather for an Autumn agricultural Show this year - and maybe even a few last runs up to the PYO farm for plums and the last of the late summer raspberries.

And aren't the blackberries late this year? A long walk in the forest for some free food and a long weekend of canning, and I think I can safely say plans for the next few weeks are all pencilled in.

And you? What are your plans for this late summer period?

Last Child in the Wood ..... is a rotten egg!

Forest. Fungus. Fresh Air. Fun. Foliage.

Honestly, what more could anyone want??

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!

Real Simple Patchwork Blankets

We've been lucky enough recently to have had some real summer days. Hot, hot sun. Perfect summer weather with no complaints from me!

Following on from the hot days are sometimes some rather muggy nights and in an attempt to aid restful sleep I made the babes some summer weight patchwork blankets for their bed, just in case it got too hot for their duvets.

I can't sleep without  covers - the summer patchwork blanket I made for our bed last year does me very well on those nights when it's too hot for real blankets, and too cold for nothing, and with the same plan in mind I whipped these up.

4x5 12 inch patches, blanket back, sew right sides together, turn, and finish by stitching all around the edge and tying for good measure. That's it. Just real simple patchwork blankets.

And I can confirm the boys love them. And if nothing else it adds a lively splash of colour to their room

Summer Mealtimes

Last week it was so hot here that many of us went off food. It literally was too hot for a meal.

And given that summer is gone all too soon we opted instead for fresh fruit salad and icecream. And iced fruits drinks, iced tea and iced coffee. You get the idea - it involved a lot of cold stuff.

It's amazing how food tastes so much better eaten outdoors.

Pretty soon after these pictures were taken I was KO'd by a bought of flu and throat infection and life has been a miserable living waking hell, hence my absense (nearly wrote abscess, hmm) here. And although the pain has gone somewhat I'm still wobbly, so if I don't post then don't flounce off and leave me.

Hopefully too I will announcing my new shop and  blog here next week. Are you intrigued?? Are ya? Are ya? Yeah well too bad, I'm going to be telling you all about it when everything is finished.

Stay tuned!

xx

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.

I can never get tired of spring flowers

And I get never get tired of the colour 'mustard', or yarn.

And mustard-coloured yarn?

I think I could live on the stuff....

A Lazy Weekend

A lazy weekend with lots of sun, lots of outdoor play, lots of gardening, investigating and whole load of nothing after nothing.

Uh, as well as load after load of washing.

Lazy weekends in early spring. All weekends should be like this.

The shop has been updated too.

Season Opener :: First Picnic of the Year!

Oh we have waited a long, cold winter for this moment. We have endured Crazyville Central to get to this sweet spot. The first picnic of the year. The first crazy warm day eating outdoors. It just doesn't get better than that in my book.

The picnic blanket I made years ago had been washed in advance of the coming season, and stands at the ready at the back door for more adventures insha'allah; and what better way to kick off the season than down at the allotment after a roasting morning's hard work?

Bliss.

Enjoying the Garden

This year is the first time ever that I have bothered about the garden; previous years have been left to DHs pottering ways and good luck.

Despite having a rather long garden there isn't really anywhere to plant flowers except a narrow strip of mud along the edge of the path, which lends itself only to straight lines of boring flower arrangements. So to try to get the garden looking more like an Eden and less like a slag heap  I have decided to try a container garden along with hanging arrangements nailed up along the fence. The idea being I can generate height and illusion of depth.

Last autumn for the first time ever I took the time to plant bulbs of various traditional spring flowers. The slow-burning firework display so far has been breath-taking - first the crocus, then the daffodils, the hyacinth and the tulips following on. It's been a lovely spring-like garden this year, which I'm chuffed with.

Now summer flowers have been placed lovingly in their seed trays waiting for the magic to happen, and I can't wait to see what the summer show will be like. Watch this space insha'allah...

Hello, Yellow

Just in case you can't get enough yellow in your life. Is it any wonder yellow has been making it's way into my crafting recently?

More on that next week, hopefully.

Spring! At Last!

The equinox was a rather damp squid here, for many reasons. But still, so glad the Winter has finally been kicked into touch.

Do you celebrate the spring in a special way?

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...

Game on!

A whole lotta outdoor fun. The boys are enjoying having the space to spread their wings a bit more, I'm enjoying fresh air and garden weather, and the ducks - well they get some free food. It's a win-win situation.

Hoping for more good times this weekend -

have a good one!

x

Why, Hello There! We've Been Waiting For You...

March! Hello! Oh, how we have awaited your arrival! And how you blessed us with a glorious spring-like day on your very first day! Giddy with oxygen from all day outdoor play, here are a number of 'firsts' to couple the First of March! :: the first daffodil in the garden, the first and only spring flower in the garden. We thought it deserved a break so we brought it inside for a while.

The first uncurling leaf from our first apple tree.

Surprisingly, the first of the Winter Jasmine (had no show this year til now).

The first outdoor play for a looooooong while. The first time outdoors without jackets for several months.

The first warm day since Autumn. The first blue sky that wasn't followed by snow.

The first bit of silly garden whatnot - patiently looking on from the kitchen sill.

.

The first, we hope of many, many glorious days of sun. Hello, March - Oh how welcome you are!

Here Comes the Sun

The weather is still crazy here - one day the weather is cold and dry, the next is two inches of snow followed by a day of bright sun. Seven seasons in 24 hours. I'm still not convinced Spring is even nearly here, but am heartened that everytime the sun does make it's way through the cloud coverage that it's stronger and brighter each time.

If nothing else I can get decent pictures without a flash now! Huzzah!

Impatient for Spring

You know, come late January and February I'm watching for Spring. I know, I know. Even on a good year it still doesn't count til after the equinox and still then anything can happen. End of March/early April is spring. I know.

But still - the solstice has been and gone, the light is creeping back, we might have had snow and ice and acts of God but one day of sunshine, a thaw and a blue sky - in my book that's game on.

These flowers are just what I need right now - colours of spring, tiny pockets of sun and life to keep the hope from dwindling. Not exactly tulips from Amsterdam, more like Lincoln, but same difference.

A little promise of the season to come. To stop me going completely off my rocker.

Welcome 2010

{View from my window 2pm yesterday}

On the benches...

As Winter play gets colder, there's only one thing for a Mama to do...

Get comfy on the benches with yarn and knitting needles (and a hot drink).

Midwinter - moving into the light ...

I know some people claim that the Winter Solstice is the *start* of Winter, but for me it doesn't matter; the good news is we are now starting to climb out of the trench of deep midwinter with ever shortening days back into the light. 

We have turned a corner, people, and I am happy to say that with each passing day my hope increases by increment along with the strengthening sun.

Back into the light. Back to life insha'allah - Finally!

Making Our Way in Winter :: 1 :: Embrace what the season has to offer

{taken with old camera}

Seasonal rhythm

Grey is November so sayeth Elsa Beskow, in case we didn't quite get it. And yes, yes it is, let's rub it in shall we?

I love these sweet books by Beskow (and others); I love the sense of seasonal rhythm they bring into our lives as we constantly shift them in tune with the time of year, year in, year out. The books we read in Spring and Summer have given way to Autumn and Winter offerings. At the start of every new month we read 'Around the Year' to centre ourselves on where we are; what came before and what will come after. I think for the little ones this is a soothing repetition for them.

Instilling a sense of season, and reinforcing the seasonal rhythms is important to me. But encouraging imagination is just as important.

I love the gentle nature of these stories, but also the imaginative play they instigate - simple tales of fantastical characters in nature. And the artwork is a feast in itself.

These books are heirloom books; I hope someday my children will pass these on to their babes too.

*************

Talking of seasonal rhythm, wherever you are have a great Bonfire Night! Stay safe! Wrap up warm! I hope whatever traditions you are making for your children that tonight forms some magical memories for them.

Hello, November

Crafting regardless

This time of year really affects me badly. I miss the light. I miss the light so much. I lose interest in everything. I just want to hibernate. Craftwise I've slowed way down, but am forcing myself to do things - to stay creative.

Oh but how I want to go to ground and sleeeeeeeeep.

Anyone else out there feeling the winter funk? How do you cope in the winter months?

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.

Weekending :: Forest Fun, Fungus, Foliage

Nature where you find it

A couple weeks back the littlest and I had to make a semi-emergency trip to the hospital. Thankfully there was nothing broken and we were discharged with lightening speed.

Finding ourselves with a little time on our hands we sat in the car park to take in the view of, um the cars, and the general hubbub of everyday nee-nor life of a hospital. Until I spied apples in trees over-hanging the car park.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, "I see fruit - want to go apple-picking today?"

"Yesh"

So we did. We shook the trees and there they fell, plop! plop! plop! at our feet. There were other goodies too and so, in the middle of the ghetto that I call 'home', the babe and I sat in a car park having an impromtu picnic on free food.

And it was tastey!

We got more apples than we could carry, poured them into my poncho, made a sack and threw them over our shoulders and went home, to core, slice and freeze our little harvest ready for more pies.

And I suppose it was mini-lesson in life :: you can either plan, and plot and schedule your life and get nowhere, or you can take the blessing out of every opportunity, this very second and grab the sweetest moments and happiest memories with both hands right now, for in reality Right Now is all we ever have in life.

And if you could manage not to fracture your finger falling down the stairs landing on the vacuum cleaner? That would be good too.

Just sayin'