A bloggerary work of art...

I love these colours!

This blog entry is especially for my friend, Michelle, who, when she catches me at the school gate, will berate me for depriving her of the next installment of her bedtime reading. It's funny how blogs are fast becoming the new reality novel.

Personally I love reading blogs. I love reading books too and blogs cannot replace some of the amazing literature out there, but blogs are good in a different way. Perhaps in a fly on the wall type way, but more, I find, in an inspirational way. Blogs that I follow tend to inspire me in some shape or form, either for their craft ideas, beautiful photography, deep wisdoms, ideologies or unusual lifestyles and adventures. Currently mine is none of the above with any calibre, but I'd hate to deprive anyone of their relaxation and, much as I don't blog as much as I did in the US for fear of boring everyone, I will aim to update more often - so Michelle, this is for you xx


Is your crafting seasonal?

Mine is, but I'd never really thought much about it. In the winter I knit and bake, in the summer I garden and sew.

I don't know why either particularly. It's probably all just association; knitting with yarn for the cold weather, bake for comfort and then in the summer (that's a laugh up here - ours has been and gone over the space of this weekend!) I want to be outside and fabrics with lovely sunny prints just call to me and it's so easy to throw together a quick skirt or top. I feel I've really let the latter go over the last few weeks as I've been studying for my exams, but it's time to get some patterns and fabrics out of the stash and run up some new play clothes for the Little Miss.



The garden has done me proud over the winter. I was sure we'd lost a lot of stuff, not least an apple tree that snapped in the wind last winter and was bandaged (literally) to try to graft it back together. Sadly the graft didn't take, but the tree decided to flourish anyway underneath the snap.

We're going to have a great crop of redcurrants, gooseberries and raspberries this year as long as I've not just cursed us.
We've chosen not to grow much this summer as we're both incredibly busy, me with exams and a doula client and classes and Mr Beehive with random financy-person travel. We're just growing a few courgettes, tomatoes and spuds. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the toms get enough sun this year to ripen.

We've got a fun packed summer set up, the boys are going to go on a cooking course and play lots of cricket and I'm trying to curb my enthusiasm for our big jollybob to Kenya.

I've also bought this book as it seemed to have some great ideas both for now and future summers in our own home where we can finally have our chickens, grow in the earth and make things like the clay oven on page 60!! - mmm.... woodfired home made pizzas baked in a clay oven - yum:


Anyway, it's been a while since I did one of my speedy throw it all together recipes for you, so here's one that is fantastic as a spread in a wrap with a load of veggies or as a baked potato filling with a bit of cheese.

"Good-Green avocado spread"

1 whole avocado
1 can of beans (butter or any white beans)
2 garlic cloves (or less if you're b-feeding)
1/2 a well chopped chilli pepper
1/2 lemon juice
salt
pepper

Summer days - kick back and relax.