Category: Life

LM baking 8

Almost baked

She’s growing up fast. Not so long ago Little Missy was taking her first adventures into food, relishing an early taste of wild blackberries; now she’s getting stuck into baking and, as you can...

13

Granny

My Granny, my father’s mother, was always the Christmas cake queen. Her cake was always dark with promise, richly laden with dried fruit, plump with cherries – a big favourite of ours – and...

Kitchen installation 17

New kitchen taking shape

It might feel like a long time but thanks to my wonderful builder (on time, on budget, fantastic to deal with), the cottage is finished – all, bar the painting. And the flooring but,...

4

An antidote to packing? O’Brien Chop House

On Saturday evening, fed up with a day of boxing and hefting various items around, I decided that Sunday was going to be treat time. Before anyone could protest, there was a phone call and a booking made: we were going to our favourite local-ish restaurant, O’Brien Chop House, for Sunday lunch.

4

Final countdown: Cranberry, Orange and Port Relish

href=”https://www.bibliocook.com/2010/12/christmas-bakin.html”>baking is done, there are jars of homemade mustard sitting on the counter alongside Lemon and Passionfruit Curd and the second turkey is almost ready to go. We’re due to leave the cottage tomorrow, abandoning our iced up windows – it’s just not melting these days, and that’s inside – for a few days of central heating and living with the family at my parents’ place.

2

Pickin’ spuds: Spiced Lamb and Homegrown Potatoes

Little Missy with her newly picked potatoes

This has been a rather mixed year in the garden. Despite all my busy sowing early in the year, there wasn’t a whole load to harvest after those pesky rabbits got stuck into all the tasty green shoots. Still, the arrival of four cats (and the occasional extra stray or two) has put a stop to the dozen or so rabbits that we used to see in the mornings, carvorting in and around the raised beds, and we have managed to get our hands on some of our own garden produce.

2

Un voyage à France

LM at Château LagorceJust picture the scene: an ancient chateau set amidst vineyards in the heart of the Bordeaux countryside, guests from all over the world gathering together on the terrace to celebrate a wedding, May sunshine breaking through the clouds as the couple stand in front of friends and family. C’est tres romantique, non?

6

New shoes

New shoes

It’s been a big week in the life of a Little Missy. She’s been happy to stand up and cruise around the furniture ever since we were in New Zealand then, two weeks ago, just shy of 11½ months, she took off. Starting with little unsteady forays in the sitting room, she started to walk on her own, chortling with pleasure, arms windmilling by her sides as she tried to balance and master this new means of locomotion.