Just a Lovely Week

Last week was our half-term, and we were so very lucky in that it coincided with some absolutely glorious weather. The sun shone every single day, and I did my best to make sure we made the most of it - after all, this could be our summer :) When it is like this I often find it tricky to find a balance between trying to get out whilst the weather is so nice, along with taking some time out to relax at home. This is a consequence of living in an area where it usually rains - a lot! You would think I might be able to take it easy and enjoy it for what it is, but I do so love the warmth and sunshine, that I make sure to soak up every bit of it while I can. 

The countryside is looking incredibly  beautiful just now. In fact, I think June might just be my favourite month of the year, when the weather is like this, at least. Cow Parsley is spilling out onto the lanes, we've been watching damselflies in abundance down by the pond, and everywhere is looking so incredibly green.

After a lot of hard work, the garden is now looking so much tidier than it had been. I managed to dispose of the large trees I'd dug out, cut back a lot of the groundcover shrubs beneath the wall, and pulled up an impressive amount of weeds. The borders are now much clearer and I have replaced just a few of the frost damaged plants with new ones, which I have been assured will establish themselves quickly and be able to cope with the cold winter weather. 

 

The apple trees are coming along nicely and have been moved to a new position alongside the shed. And I don't know if any of you remember my experimental lockdown lemon trees, but just look at how well this one is doing! I can't tell you how excited I will be if it ever grows actual lemons. I believe they can take between 4-7 years to produce anything, so watch this space.

 

Lily and I have been out walking with a friend, and it actually felt rather special to introduce her to this beautiful part of the world that we know so well. We shared a tour of Rydal and Grasmere, which included waterfalls, caves, two lakes and a fell summit. We cooled off with a paddle in Grasmere, then of course we just had to treat ourselves to an ice cream when we returned to the village.

Towards the end of the week, and as the temperatures rose even further, we went swimming in the outdoor pool. I'm really hoping this will be the first of many visits this season.

I've enjoyed lighter meals, eaten outdoors.

Then just before returning to school, at the beginning of the week, we walked through the fields and into the woods, along the old tracks that hold a comfortable familiarity for us. It's elderflower season, and we needed to gather just enough of those frothy white flowers to make our cordial. So quick and simple to make, it has the taste of summer that I find so deliciously refreshing.

Also, we managed to squeeze in a few short days away in Stirling. But more on that in another post. 

J. X

Life Lately

 

Recently, there has been a gentle shift in my outlook. I have found myself placing fewer demands on my time outside of work and any other necessary day to day happenings, and I am beginning to feel much more relaxed for it. A weekend without set plans, household chores that need doing, those DIY tasks which keep getting overlooked, well, I am trying not to worry too much about any of it. I'm not sure how long this feeling will last, but as someone who has always been a bit of a worrier and a list maker (I do still love a good list!) I find it strange that for some reason I no longer feel the need to put pressure on myself to complete certain tasks within a set time frame, besides the essentials, of course. Perhaps it's an 'almost summertime' thing :) Whatever the reason, I am here for it. 

The wildflowers are growing apace around here, and at the weekend we took part in a survey of Cowslips and Yellow Rattle along with our  local wildlife group.  It's surprising just how many more varieties you discover when you are actively looking for them. It is also surprising how important you can feel while carrying a clipboard! ;)

In the garden, the Welsh Poppies are currently in charge of catering for pollinators, with our bed of wildflowers almost ready to take over the task. It looks like there are some of my favourite Cornflowers in this year's mix and they have grown significantly in the few days since this photograph was taken.

There are an abundance of blackcurrants just waiting to ripen and even the neglected strawberry plants have provided us with a very small harvest, although I suspect the birds may have had a part to play in the lack of fruit this year.

As the hedgerows and verges begin to spill over, our pathways become narrower and more tricky to navigate. The Cow Parsley tickles but the nettles sting! 

During the week I gathered in some Elderflowers and made up several bottles of cordial. It is such a delicious and refreshing summer drink and it smells wonderful, but I still haven't tried it yet. Perhaps at the weekend I might enjoy some in a glass of prosecco, as hopefully I will have a small accomplishment to celebrate. The recipe is on the sidebar if you would like it. 

And I finally got around to baking this Bakewell cake, from a recipe I came across earlier in the year. If you have been here a while, you will know how I prefer simple recipes that don't need too many ingredients, and this cake definitely ticks that box. It has all the delicious flavour of a Bakewell tart but without the faff. Perfect! 

J. X

June

Lately, I feel as though I've lost my blogging voice. Misplaced, rather than lost, perhaps. Then again, day to day life has become hectic once more and, I suppose, I lose track of time, then I can't seem to find the words to pick up where I left off. Therefore, I'm going to use the advice of another blogger and let my photographs (hopefully) lead the way.

Much the same as last year, we've been spending a lot of time in the garden and I'm chuffed to bits at how it has changed in such a short space of time. Earlier in the month, the pea shoots which  Lily brought home from school were already growing quickly, as were the runner beans and the wildflowers. She even won another packet of seeds in a school competition, so we have since sown those as well. We are receiving a lot more feathered visitors this summer, including a friendly little robin who pops in regularly to sit on the swing and then onto the rotary drier. I put food out each morning while Mog is upstairs fast asleep.

Last week we enjoyed a walk from the village of Patterdale up over Arnison Crag, Birks and then on to Saint Sunday Crag. It was a beautiful day and not too warm - perfect for being up on the fells, especially as it was lovely and quiet there. There may have been some protestation from Lily, as the walk, although straightforward, was a little steep in parts, but she was perfectly happy once we'd  reached the summit. It must have slipped my mind as to quite how high we would be climbing :)   

The next day, a far more gentle walk along the lane and through the fields meant we could collect some elderflowers for making cordial. It's a favourite of mine and so simple to make, although it continues to frustrate me as to how the best flower heads are always just out of reach. Never the less, we collected enough to make the cordial, which was ready to drink the following afternoon. It tastes delicious, and this year, as well as bottling some of the cordial, I have also frozen some in ice cubes trays, so it will be more convenient to store and make it easier to use just the right amount for each drink. The link to the recipe is here.

Back into the garden. As you can see, many of the wildflowers have grown rapidly since the first photograph, which was taken two weeks ago, and just as we had hoped, there is a constant buzz from the bees as they go about their business. We've also got some peapods now, the cornflowers are just about ready to open  and, more importantly...

I can pick fresh strawberries to eat with my yoghurt 🍓🍓🍓

J. X

Where Elderflowers Grow

Watching the rain through the window just now, it could be difficult to imagine how different the weather was just a matter of days ago. The sun was shining and the breeze was soft and warm, perfect for collecting elderflowers.

In these parts there are an abundance of elder trees, especially amongst the hedgerows, although they often go unnoticed until the beginning of June when they become covered in large creamy white flower heads. Therefore, with a bag in hand and a small pair of scissors just in case, off I went on my mission, certain in the knowledge I would be able to gather more than enough flower heads to make some delicious cordial. Previously, I have gathered my flowers whilst enjoying one of our favourite walks, but with this being inaccessible for the time being I needed to source some a little closer to home.

The flowers I wanted were easy to reach - often the large blossoms are typically much too high or obstructed by thorny branches and nettles - so I soon had enough for my needs and we continued up and along the side of the hill, pausing along the way to spot a wide variety of wildflowers, moths and caterpillars.

During a brief pause for a rest Lily asked me why I had a yellow nose. Being a little relieved not to have passed anyone else by this point, I realised my face had a light dusting of pollen from all the elderflower I had been sniffing. Oh well, their delightful scent had proved a little too tempting for me 😊

On returning home I prepared the syrup, the flowers and lemon steeping in the sugary mixture overnight soon filled the kitchen with their delicately sweet aroma.

In the same way that making wild garlic pesto marks the arrival of spring for me, the making of elderflower cordial is another indicator of the year passing by. In little over a week the longest day will be behind us and very soon it will be raspberry season.  This week I feel as though I've been a little more productive, and with a very gradual shift towards a semblance of normal life resuming again I'm beginning to feel a little more optimistic. Other concerns have been alleviated for the moment, so I'm feeling grateful for this time to be able to sit back and appreciate what is important.

Next week I have plans to visit a National Trust garden and I'm looking forward to being able to take small tentative steps out into the world again.

Stay well.

J. X

I Love to Go a Wandering....

Between Monday and Friday each week my days are fairly predictable. I get up as soon as my alarm goes off, or when Lily wakes, whichever is earlier (usually Lily!). Then there is the usual hurried morning routine of breakfast, making Lily's lunch, and getting washed, dressed and out of the house in time for work and school.

At the weekend we try and do things a little differently. Although I don't bother setting the alarm, we are still usually awake bright and early, especially at this time of year with the lighter mornings. I don't mind as it gives us a head start. We enjoy a slightly more relaxed breakfast, I make up a lunch, then we get washed and dressed and out of the house, but this time for an adventure.

We are very fortunate in that there are so many great places available to explore right on our doorstep, and we like to make the most of this whenever we have the opportunity. Recently, however, we haven't really spent any time on the fells. In fact, I think the last one we climbed was Silver How back in January, so I'm hoping an improvement in the weather will see us getting out walking more often. Therefore, in a bid to ease ourselves in gently, last weekend I suggested a climb up Helm Crag. Helm Crag is one of the lower fells, just north of Grasmere, which is easily accessible and a reasonably short walk.

The pathway was quite steep in places, but there were plenty of opportunities to stop, catch our breath and admire the view. For the most part the weather was overcast, yet bright, although as you can see from the first photograph, there was a brief glimpse of blue sky. The track was lined with bracken and so many pink foxgloves which are in flower at the moment or, as Lily likes to call them, foxy gloves! Occasionally we would catch sight of some of the many sheep in amongst the bracken and we could clearly hear a  woodpecker somewhere in the trees down below us.

It was quite windy on the summit, so we didn't hang around too long and, after a quick scramble onto the Lion rock - the highest point - we instead chose to eat our picnic lunch on our descent to Far Easedale.

Before long we were back down in the valley making our return to the village, where we always make time for a visit to the park and a game of Poohsticks at the river. Also, I might just have bought some Grasmere Gingerbread as a treat for that evening. It was delicious. 😊

Although this weekend the weather has been very mixed, I was determined to get out and gather some elderflowers for this year's cordial making (recipe on sidebar), before I left it too late. Fortunately I timed it just right, as there is an abundance of delightfully fragranced flowers lining the hedgerows right now and, along with  a quiet walk through the woods and fields, it was a lovely way of spending our morning. And it was so quiet. I'm sure we had the whole woods to ourselves. We saw rabbits, squirrels and all kinds of mini beasts and flowers. Lily has a fascination with  all of these, especially at the moment, as we are participating in the Wildlife Trust's '30 Days Wild' nature challenge, which I will share more of later in the month.

In the meantime, if we could just have some sunny weather.....

 

J. X