Resting

I've had a busy week, and I was already feeling extremely tired, when Lily became poorly during the night. Instead of going along to our wildlife group, as planned, today has been filled with rest and laundry. Lots of laundry. Thankfully, she feels fine now and has even managed to eat a little, she's just wiped out. Hopefully, a good night's sleep will see us both feeling much brighter in the morning. 

At least the weather has been good. Sunny and breezy, perfect for getting all the washing dried. The windows have been opened wide and the house filled with fresh air. Mog has spent most of the day fast asleep on my bed.

This morning I spent a while pottering around the garden. I've picked more of our ripened blackcurrants and spent some time photographing the wildflowers, which have grown significantly, thanks to the recent wet weather. Due to a lack of garden activity, the bare patches of grass have completely covered over now. I had hoped we might have spent more time out there, but we just haven't had a decent spell of hot weather so far this year. There's still time and I'm feeling hopeful :)

Earlier in the week, we enjoyed the school sports day, and I'm very proud to report that Lily came second in her sprint and what has now become tradition, first in the skipping race. I swear she runs faster if she has a rope in her hands! It was so heartening to see all the children encouraging one another and joining in the fun, the later finishers receiving even louder cheers than the race leaders. As the results were announced the children were all given ice lollies for their efforts.  A thoroughly lovely afternoon. 

J. X

Sunny Thursday

It is beautiful and bright here today. Several loads of washing have been hung out to dry, and earlier I even witnessed the rare occurrence of the base of the laundry basket becoming visible! A small but important victory. 

This morning, I visited the supermarket for what should have been the weekly shop, but in reality what I have bought will only last us for the next couple of days, as I just could not be bothered to think any further ahead than the weekend. I am quite sure I'm not alone in finding meal planning tedious at times, but then comes my guilt at knowing that having a choice is, indeed, a first world problem to have. With that in mind, I have settled for Spanish Omelette this evening - simple, but tasty.

While I was in the garden hanging out the washing, I had a potter around. I enjoy spending time looking at the plants and checking for new growth. The wildflowers are beginning to open up now and there is a constant sound of buzzing in the air. The little lemon trees appear to be growing well, and I can't think how I have managed to keep them alive up to this point. The lavender and hydrangea are creating a nice border for the lawn and the large dry patch beneath the swing has grassed over - for now, at least. The solar fountain is currently working hard in the sunshine.

The blackcurrants are beginning to ripen now, and it is already clear that the bush will produce far more fruit than it did last year. I've collected a bowlful this morning, which I will wash and freeze later, ready for making jam in the coming weeks. 

Cycling home this afternoon, I couldn't help but notice the sweet scent of the hedgerows, from the honeysuckle, meadowsweet and elderflower, which spill out onto the lane. It is a lovely ride to and from work, and I feel so lucky I don't always have to drive at this time of year. Instead, I get to experience the beautiful countryside views and warm, gentle breeze as I ride along. I will enjoy it while I can, as it will be a very different story when the days begin to shorten and there is a chill in the air.

Talking of elderflowers, just as I'd hoped, I did enjoy some of my cordial in a glass of prosecco at the weekend. It was a small celebration of myself and a friend having completed The Ullswater Way, which is a 20 mile walk around - yes, you've guessed it - the lake of Ullswater! It is a really lovely, waymarked walk, which we started and finished in Glenridding, at the lower end of the lake. The walk can be completed in shorter sections, but we decided to walk it all in one day. It took us around eight hours in total and I certainly slept well that night. 

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

Jubilee Weekend

Better late than never, but wasn't it a wonderful weekend! Around here, the bunting is gradually being taken down now and everything feels a little flat, much like the morning after an amazing party. I'm not usually one for such occasions, but even I was drawn into the celebrations and I can't remember the last time I watched so much TV. I really enjoyed the concert, even if some of the performances were a little underwhelming :)

On Thursday morning we went out walking in the Uldale Fells, setting off from the tiny hamlet of Longlands. A gentle 7 mile loop, pausing only to enjoy our picnic lunch beside a small stream (yes, we had a paddle), before making our way back to the car just in time to avoid the rain. Fortunately, it had been a lovely bright morning and we managed to tick another five fells off our Wainwright list. 

There were showers on and off for the rest of the day, but in the evening I was out with friends and there was a huge downpour and the rain was literally bouncing off the pavements. Not ideal for the lighting of the beacon, but we didn't manage to see it anyway. In other news, I wore a dress! Lily's response, 'Mum, that dress is nearly as beautiful as you!' You can see why she is my favourite ;)

On Friday, I woke ridiculously early, especially seeing as I hadn't fallen asleep until the early hours. Undeterred, I made the most of my extra time by throwing on my trainers and heading out for a run, relishing in the peace and quiet of the morning. Later, we enjoyed a short bicycle ride into the village to take a look at the Platinum Jubilee Exhibition, which included details of both worldwide and local notable events from the past 70 years. A lot of work had gone into the displays, which also included many beautiful keepsakes and commemorative items from previous Royal Jubilee celebrations. Some events were lovely to be reminded of, some not so much. 

On the Saturday we had been invited to a celebratory barbecue, which in the end turned out not to be an actual barbecue, which was fine by me - I much prefer a buffet any day, and I'd already made a quiche and some 'Jubilee' gingerbread men to take along with me. It was a lovely afternoon sat out in the sunshine, and on one of the warmest days we have experienced recently. 

On Sunday we rounded off our weekend by going down to the lake. We took our lunch with us and, of course, some more of the gingerbread men. We even enjoyed the company of a mother duck and her four ducklings, which looked incredibly cute, especially when the wake of a larger boat would occasionally wash one of them ashore.

J. X