Of Fires and Moans.

Hmm, it all started so well, this blogpost which I began thus several days ago now...

The sun has continued and today looks set for another blissful day of lounging on the beach, though truthfully yesterday didn't feel quite so loungy as usual. Somehow I found myself spending more time ambling over rocks than usual as I had a need to search for shells and crabs, neither of which were abundant for some reason. beautiful, perfect tides which stayed balmy blue over the golden sands forming a huge lagoon of long, long shallows where the children could safely play while we swam close by and chatted with them.



Dave and Elias - and several other children who attached themselves to Dave giving him the air of the Childcatcher only much nicer - snorkelled in the calm waters. I had lent my snorkel and mask to a friend and so missed out (nothing to do with the fact that the sea was freezing despite the heat of the sun!). Instead I opted for a leisurely swim which made me regret the loaning as the water was so clear and just perfect for spotting fishes darting through the seaweed fronds. Oh well, today maybe? Remember what I said about beach hair? Isabella is modelling her 'look' just beautifully don't you think?



Ok, that's where I got to and then the sun disappeared... again. It popped back for a brief hour or so in the late of an afternoon sending us scurrying for a stroll in the warmth of its glow armed with bowls and tubs just in case. Hurrah, here's what greeted us.



We did quite well for a first picking, these ones being put in the freezer until we have enough to make the first batch of blackberry wine.



Since then the weather has been a mix of dull - we chanced the beach anyway and almost froze after picking through rockpools full of icy water - weak sunshine and mostly rain, endlessly pouring rain. We left the beach and I lit the campfire hoping to cheer at the sight of its rich flames. It worked and the sun returned albeit late afternoon yet again



Dave and Isabella joined me and we lazily passed the time away chatting as Isabella perched on the little log reserved for her

.

And today? Well, today I have the grumps due to yet more rain and am aimlessly skulking round the house, grumbling away at the unfairness of life in my bestest Eeyore manner - I do so like that donkey - and dear Davey has taken pity on the children, baking a cake with them to cover my moody moaning (with which they are more than familiar I might add!). Hey ho, I suppose I must go and 'DO' something useful in order to banish the glums...sigh



Normal cheeriness to be resumed shortly (I do so very much hope)!

Have a good day x

Partings.

Not much happening here at the moment. The crisp, frosty weather has gone taking my inspiration with it and leaving grey drizzle in its wake. I'm not so good at this side of winter and will need to work hard at not letting it get to me. Perhaps I should use my camera as a way of seeking the beauty in even the dullest of days? I have cheated a little by bringing in sprays of camellia and snowy white viburnum tinus to cheer the rooms.



Things are set for change here in the next few weeks and it is a change I feel most strange contemplating. My son, Sam, leaves for New Zealand for four months on Thursday and while it is the trip of a lifetime, I have never had him away home for more than a week. Lauren, eldest daughter, leaves for Belgium at the end of the month for five months. By the time I see her again it will be closer to six. Though I am used to Lauren taking herself of all around the world - she toured Europe for almost six months and went to Thailand for a month on a Gap Year scheme - I still feel the loss of her. We drove her back to her University digs in Clifton on Saturday, a three hour drive from Cornwall, and as we left I realised I wouldn't hug this precious child again for such a long time. She will be undertaking part of her course through the Erasmus scheme and will not know anyone when she arrives, just like when she flew alone to Thailand. Like her mum she seems to have a need to challenge herself, but it is her mum who will worry despite knowing she will be fine, more than fine. It will all be fine, just most odd and our Walton-esque family will have shrunk for the moment.



In the meantime, I feel the need for cooking and homemade carrot, celery and thyme soups, breads and cakes seem to proliferate; seeking comfort in food? Maybe, though doesn't such food feed the soul whatever the mood? The herbs in the garden have survived the frosts and the chives continue as though Spring were already here, and in some ways the contrast does make that so. So much milder, hence the rain which the gardener in me says we need...hmmm.



Sunday brought a day where Sam was treated to one of his favourite meals: lamb pasanda slow cooked till the meat melts away in the sauce of cream and almonds and the mildest of spices. As it gently cooked in the oven and the kitchen filled with the promise of things to come we played Tarot, the last time for Sam for a long while. He is getting thoughtful about his trip and the loss of his family albeit only temporarily. A first trip, a long way, and yet only the other end of a phone line thank heavens.



I bake more cakes and think and ideas for new designs finally begin to form, hazy at first, ephemeral, but there nonetheless, and for the first time since Christmas I begin to feel my head can return fully to the business. It is a relief. So much going on, so many impending partings. It is time for us all to get on with what faces us and that will be fine too. I'll raise a glass of our cider made with such fun in the autumn, delicious and flowery having survived the barrel being left in the cold of the garden, and drink to what lies ahead remembering all the while that time passes and they will return to play more cards, make more cider. The circle will be whole once more.



The sun has come out and I feel ready for it all.

Bye for now xx

A weekend mix.

What a mix this weekend turned out to be - rain, grey and cold for most of Saturday followed by beautiful sunshine and brilliant nlue skies for Sunday. Typically, we arranged Isabella's birthday party for the wrong day and instead of playing in the garden with the paddling pool and bubble machine to hand, the children were racing around the house bravely clutching their chocolate cake to help them on their way!



Ah well, it was still a lovely day consisting of my bestest friend popping over in the morning for a cup of tea and a chat as Dave and I cooked pizza toppings, pasta salad, brownies and of course the gorgeous chocolate birthday cake traditionally made by dave. Actually, Mr Dave was a bit of a star as he donned his apron (a blue and brown deckchair striped pipany version obviously!)and had cooked a batch of scones, loaf of bread and sausage rolls, aided and abetted by Isabella, by 9.30 am!



The picure above is of the posy I picked for my friend as it was also her birthday. Funny how all the flowers in the garden just now seem to be shades of purple, from soft lilacs through to the deeper mauves of the aquilegia. The contrast with the rich orange of Black Prince marigolds was quite startling and not something I would usually use without a few toning shades to soothe it a little, yet the whole made a very pleasing nosegay (love that word) for a very special person.



Sunday consisted of yet more cooking - a roast for lunch and a marmalade cake made with our own marmalade - then up to the allotment in the afternoon to find rabbits ahd got in despite the fence and eaten our lettuces! Arghh!! Obviously we need to sink it a bit deeper, but at least we found this out before everything else got too far forward - determined to start looking on the bright side as we have had weeks of things going awry: tumble dryer broke, lightbulb went on the sewing machine as I sewed late one night, still having car problems, etc......



Still, the runner bean canes are in and sown, more of the field is skimmed and dug, spinach is planted out and I can almost taste the iron goodness to come. Just hope the rabbits aren't of the Popeye variety! As Dave and I worked the children picnicked on egg and mayo sandwiches (made form our own duck eggs - yum) and basically just watched apart from Elias who is a fantastic little worker and is never happier than when he is chopping, digging or lugging weighty things around! Next weekend we are hoping to build our own pizza oven, so watch this space!



And in the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the tour I took of the garden this morning accompanied by Fatty Arbuckle (one of the cats) and chook (the cuckoo maran) who can both be spotted in some of the pictures - aren't foxgloves just gorgeous with the velvety softness of the stems and those gorgeous spotted petals? The peony is in bud as are the papavers and chives are all around. More pictures soon.

Pipany xx