Cooking with fire!

 I LOVE using my trusty Kadai firebowl and accessories.  Learning to cook this way and how/where to move coals and when is something that takes time and practise.  I have a host of books to teach me ancient, tried, tested ways but am swiftly finding that the best knowledge comes from 'having a go' and making changes where need be.  Invested in two sizes of Dutch Ovens (these mighty heavy cast iron pots with feet on bottom and a specifically designed lid for various uses).  

   It's all about having a flame retardant, heat safe pair of large gloves - welders gloves basically.  

Beige, flat, powdery worms sighted in Baldock! ;-)

 Nah, it's just my attempt at making fresh tagliatelle pasta.  Was fun, if not a little messy! 

Next time I'd like to think I'll make it somewhat thinner as these ribbons were a bit thick.  However, it has to be said - it's mighty easy and cheap to make! 

Thank goodness for my old fashioned marble big board - as it ensures the pasta doesn't stick!

Who says it has to be 'ideal weather' to go to the seaside for a walk? ;-) It was fabulous! No one around!!!!

 A gorgeous and bracing cold, wild seaside hike and meditation. A monthly jaunt off to Frinton, Essex.

Angry skies off to the right/above here, don't they look menacing and yet majestic too!? 

A slightly calmer spot to sit and just 'listen' for a while....

....

Then it got out brighter and with the promise of dry weather.

Golden opportunity!

 Drove up to Therfield Heath on the evening of the Summer Solstice this year to sit and watch the beautiful sunset on this, our longest day of light for the year. 

Turns out many folk had same idea so it was hard to find a spot on my own, especially with the phenomenal coming-out-party of those hard-backed moths that bang/slap into you in their hundreds and look akin to cockroaches! :-o  

Ah 'deer', you wait long enough?.......

My chosen clearing.

Lovely light to setup here!

      I found a wonderful clearing on a hot sunny day in a dense woodland, setup my space for a LONNNNGGGGG meditation for few hours and a visitor who didn't realise I was there, hidden, 1/3rd way up a tree - decided to mosey on over and grace me with it's presence!  How serendipitous!  A truly glorious day with just me 'n' nature! The video is a Muntjac deer, not native to UK but these days a well bred, typical sighting.  Super tiny and cute breed.  

Freezin' seeds!

 Glorious but harsh wintery walk in the countryside mid January and the familiar but rare sight of frozen bushes, wild plants and seed heads that I'd not seen since bitter winters of my childhood.  Icicles hanging from weeds in the field edges.  Glorious to witness, biting winds and the air so cold it felt like knives being hurled at the back of your throat upon each breath!  Not a bugger in sight, no surprise really!  Determined to take it all in I was out for as long as I could handle.  

The old lane up to Quickswood from Baldock airfield

Lunch break

Keen to exit the din of school I like to take my lunch break into the quiet of outdoors amongst trees, yes to eat but also to do some stretches and re connect with myself and nature. 

there are frames everywhere in the world, like picture frames but in nature and everything!  I saw this window frame amidst the trees and couldnt help but lunge into it!  teehee. 

As old as time!

 Much like many folk, I love collecting what I deem 'special things' that I find on trips to the coast.  Years ago I bought a big heavy marble bowl that seemed to have no purpose other than solely to hold my rocks in.  Or that's what I told myself as I glanced horrified at the price tag in the store but keen to swiftly justify the purchase! .... :-o 

In said bowl are fossils and rocks and corals from various travels around the world, nothing too exotic though but if you look carefully you'll see a very small ammonite!  This is so special as its mighty old!  My son found it in the grounds at a wedding we went to one summer years ago. 

Goodness knows where its travelled from and how it got there.  How fortuitous. 

Early park yoga...

Every Saturday I cycle to a nearby park in the next town for a 6.45am yoga class.  It's a wonderful time of day to cycle actually, no one is around except those that seek to get out to loosen up their limbs early on an morning, I pass various elderly folk wandering slowly and mindfully along a roadside.

 I like to get to the park early so I have time to climb down and catch my breath and stretch before the others turn up.  I love my re sprayed bike I did a couple of years back. Remember? ... It used to be just grey and with a brown basket!  Blurgh!!!  ;-) 

A-jar! ;-)

Well I don't know about you all but I always seem to have an abundant of jars around!.... I stash them in the garage for some unknown intended purpose eventually and now and again find one.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Currently I'm knocking out various little jackets like these to adorn a few jars, some in vibrant clashing bright tones for outdoor in summer and some more seasonal like dark reds/greens/golds for Christmas. 

 Here is the orange one for the table in Autumn, I'm making three different oranges to sit together in a cluster in centre of table.  Then I found an old sweet jar and popped one on that too.  Only trouble is, I now cant seem to find ENOUGH jars and want to keep going!  each one only takes an hour to make, such fun. so cheap and so colourful.  

Eggscellent! ;-)

The girls are really going for it on these sunny long days this summer and laying fast!  My egg-skelter is already full!  Superb!!!!  

New thing.....

Im trying my hand at embroidery!  Never done it before really, using a book of stitches possible and a nature greetings card I found and embellishing my otherwise boring white linen napkins.  Each one will be different. ..... 

Bee gone!

How amazing!  I was out on a hike and stopped to adjust the tension in my walking shoes when a lovely tired Bumble Bee landed on my foot!  

He took a bit of respite there for a few moments as I chatted to him and then flew off!  :-)  

Lesson basket.

I made what was titled 'large tote bag' in crochet from a pattern website I use frequently but after having followed all the instructions and finished it, I didnt like it, so it sat for a short while squished in back of cupboard until one day whilst out on a walk I serendipitously found a metal basket in a field edge! I know! It resembled a basket you'd find in a high street chemist, sturdy, oval and ergonomic so I brought it home and stretched said crocheted bag over the outside of the basket, cut the top off the crochet and re did the edging to attach it firmly in place.    

Still not happy with the result I crocheted some miniature bunting and attached it round the edges! ahhh, thats better!  Its now my 'Interventions basket' I use every afternoon in school when working one to one with some children to boost their learning.  

I love how cheerful and amusing it looks and how it livens up and makes fun the contents of maths and English things inside.... :-)  

Low cal ice cream for the heatwave! ;-)

During the unbearable heatwave in summer I stayed indoors and put aircon on and made this low calorie ice cream for myself!  Best part is it doesnt melt too! ;-) About the only thing that doesnt melt in these temperatures!  (mid 30's). 

The icecreams are all joined together and made into seasonal bunting for my bright pink (was boring brown but sprayed it!) bicycle basket.



 It brought immense joy to me whilst pedalling in the soon-to-follow, cooler breeze of summer.  It also got a lot of interest and comments from the public. 

I found the pattern very hard to follow but that's possibly just my experience in this sort of work being lacking, however anythings doable. 

I got a bit crafty this year... ;-)

I have made many things this year, most of which I truly enjoyed, some of which were laborious indeed.

Here are some of my favourites.  All have been new techniques to me and impossible to apply without the concentration tongue coming out! teehee.

Above was a wonderful crochet workshop at a local venue that had an entire field full of sunflowers, the workshop was on a balmly and beautiful summers evening perfectly timed when the sunflowers in the field were all in full, glorious bloom.  It was hard to learn on the workshop as it was friendly and full of fun so I barely paid any attention to the craft but managed to master it in my home over the days that followed.  I'm SO VERY PLEASED WITH IT.  Its a mandala, you hang them and they look pretty.  ;-)  This one is to hang in my dining room at the french doors. 

I made a photo frame for a friend and quite simply knew nothing about her colours or what she liked so I did as many as I could to kind of cover it! ;-)  Was fun.  
I'm hooked on making these cute little flowers, I've made oodles since this project and adorned and embellished everything possible!  They also make great hair slides or brooches.  Glass pearl beads as the flower centres on some. 

 Well, this year in the craft world it seems 'mandalas' are the thing!  they're everywhere and some without seemingly a purpose when completed; inspired by some of them but with the mission mine having a purpose I thought I'd try my hand to this wall art one I found a pattern for.  

It was incredible fun to make.  The choices of colours are endless and personal to you, I'm hooked! 'scuse pun!  I shall be making lots more.  next summer I will endeavour to up my game and make one on an exercise hoop! HUGE!  :-)   Next here shown on the right, is another mandala, using similar pattern to that on my sunflower one above but this time I was thinking 'Daisy', not content leaving it alone I had to pop this cheeky little bumble bee on it too.  It lives in my library on the wall which gives a childlike joy to the otherwise grown up space.  ;-)  

 Once Autumn came I wanted to get making some things that I could pull out each October and enjoy, I have oodles of ideas but for now and for this year I made this pumpkin for the mantle piece and the wreath for the front door.  

Intention is they'll be on display for two months a year.  I love them both!  

The wreath cheers up the otherwise dull porch as the season turns more grey. 

 I also love how it welcomes me home if I pull onto the drive at night in the dark..... 

In summer I bought some cashmere yarn in baby blue and got to work on this sumptuous soft giant triangular wrap which took me about 3 months to finish, the pattern repeat was simple but since it grew on every row it made it hard for me. Ugh! However, I LOVE the end result.  

I think I'll pop a teeny tiny matching pompom on the corner of each of the long ends..... 

Here to the right you'll see Tobias!  lol. tobias the toucan!  It was a theme at my school and I just felt compelled to make him.  He's super tiny and has a brooch pin sewn into his right wing so he can stick with me throughout the day in class.  ;-)  Needless to say he got a lot of attention and intrigue.





Also for school we did a rainforest theme and talked about creatures we see in the trees, so this is Gump (called such as in Forest Gump, as in he lives in a forest) ;-)  

He's a tree frog with wire in his legs so he can bend them back and inwards ready to pounce!  teehee.  


 He now lives in a large tree plant in my library room, subtle in the grown up space waiting for onlookers to notice him.  ;-)


And another mandala! They are a delight to make and fast too, this one I've designated as the doily for the orchid plant in my dining room.  I love it and I dont think it looks too old fashioned... just a slight bit of 'twee'.  :-)  Colours to match the room which is yellow and white .

Fairy HQ! :-o

Found the ACTUAL Fairy-HQ for sure whilst out on an ancient woodland walk!  ;-)  

Growing with vigour

Wow. Little Luther (Rottie) has grown sooooooo very much and is still growing! His chest has dropped dramatically and he has a big-boys-swagger that is almost funny to observe.

 He's a gentle GIANT!  No dog lead is strong enough so now we use a horse lead! It's short but very mighty thick and strong and the clip attachment is about the size of Brazil!  :-o

Meditation and Mindfulness retreat in the Surrey Hills. Spring 2018.

An impromptu retreat this time by way of this little last minute deal.  Drove down for a lovely weekend living in the wild woods with no power or hot water.  


Was a great chance to really connect with nature and 'notice' things on a deeper level; which is mighty easy when you're laying down amongst it!  :-)  


Was lovely and soul nourishing. Looking forward to another longer and totally 100% silent retreat later in the year... 

I was so lucky with the weather, the second day started very early with glorious sunshine and fog, swiftly clearing to a bright golden warm day!  wow.  


There were about 6 huts on the site in the remote woodlands which you couldnt drive to, you had to park and walk across some fields and down a muddy track to get there.  

Each hut was small and had just beds in and a tiny wood burning stove which was gloriously cosy at night.  The solitude meditation sessions were done where ever you wanted,  I loved walking and choosing my spot that felt right each time.  

The bluebells were all out in bloom and whilst didnt smell individually - the collection in the woodland was intoxicating.  beautiful.   

At night the woods were not quiet, they were filled with wondrous nature sounds of tawny and barn owls, pheasants, partridges and deer, along with the crackling from our huge fire pit where we did a session on the nights as it came in dark with the bats swishing about overhead.  

 I loved how this woodland had so many dead trees! An odd thing to admire perhaps but they leant themselves well to places to sit or as a host to other living newer nature such as lichen and moss and a cacophony of bugs! 


Through the middle of the woods was a lovely gentle stream which at the farthest point was more of a babbling brook, I found that meditating facing the upper bank was ideal around early afternoon here as the sun reflected off the ripple of the water and then projected that moving live image constantly onto the moss clad steep bankside behind it.  It was mesmerising!  

Next to my hut was a hammock attached to two tall fur trees, I wasnt sure to begin with, after having seen many humorous videos on youtube etc of people almost eaten up by a hammock and falling out.  After a couple of minutes I'd got in!  right. .... now its time to try and lay back and see what happens.....?




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TADAAAAAH! did it. phew.  oooh its rather lovely!  Now then, how to get out? no idea, will stay put for a while..... :-)