Lately in verbs

Celebrating the mister's birthday with pizzas and chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes.

Looking up at stunning skies and a super moon.

Visiting an open garden to check out the impressive collection of snowdrops and be mithered by a professional singer (retired) cum volunteer hospital driver (I know because she told me a hundred times and no, I wasn't counting but it truly felt like a hundred).

Participating in a sock making workshop at the coast.  Using tiny needles with points at both ends.  Four at the same time.  Just two words.  Never. Again.

Baking crumbles with the pinkest of Yorkshire rhubarb and syrupy stem ginger.

Watching Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace (I loved the novel) on Netflix.  Highly recommended.

Reading.  Always reading.  I've enjoyed every book so far this year, though some more than others. Highlights have included Little Deaths by Emma Flint, based on a real life crime committed in 1960s New York and about the dangers of making assumptions when presented with difference, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, about parents, babies, adoption, rights, and Alex by Pierre Lemaitre, a twisty turny crime thriller which is very much a tale of the unexpected.

Catering for hungry visitors of the feathered variety.

Poking around the 12th century with that feeling of being watched.

Gazing out on a decent fall of snow and stamping welly prints in it on night time walks with the Boo.

Packing for a city break.

Crossing everything that we actually make it to the airport.

 

Lately in verbs

Celebrating the mister's birthday with pizzas and chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes.

Looking up at stunning skies and a super moon.

Visiting an open garden to check out the impressive collection of snowdrops and be mithered by a professional singer (retired) cum volunteer hospital driver (I know because she told me a hundred times and no, I wasn't counting but it truly felt like a hundred).

Participating in a sock making workshop at the coast.  Using tiny needles with points at both ends.  Four at the same time.  Just two words.  Never. Again.

Baking crumbles with the pinkest of Yorkshire rhubarb and syrupy stem ginger.

Watching Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace (I loved the novel) on Netflix.  Highly recommended.

Reading.  Always reading.  I've enjoyed every book so far this year, though some more than others. Highlights have included Little Deaths by Emma Flint, based on a real life crime committed in 1960s New York and about the dangers of making assumptions when presented with difference, Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng, about parents, babies, adoption, rights, and Alex by Pierre Lemaitre, a twisty turny crime thriller which is very much a tale of the unexpected.

Catering for hungry visitors of the feathered variety.

Poking around the 12th century with that feeling of being watched.

Gazing out on a decent fall of snow and stamping welly prints in it on night time walks with the Boo.

Packing for a city break.

Crossing everything that we actually make it to the airport.

 

Venturing

Over a weekend, the baking Boy ventured into the world of Italian patisserie, a la GBBO.  Making sfoggliatelle, to be precise. It looked a laborious and messy process but he ended up with some lamination and a tray of pastries.  And a new respect for the current series' participants.

Venturing once again into the realm of small knits for small people has produced mixed results.  A friend is about to welcome triplets into her family so I picked up the long rested knitting needles and various patterns which didn't appear too taxing, aware I need three of whichever item I decide to knit and that I'm currently bothered by a painful golfer's elbow.  No, I don't play golf, it's just my elbow seems to think I do.  A pair of boots turned out looking more or less like they should (they're not perfect but they're intended for feet) whilst a beanie hat was just tiny.  Far too tiny, unless my friend's daughter gives birth to three boiled eggs. 

It seems I've ventured into the writing world of Nigel Slater.  Never a fan of his TV shows (I prefer it when it's just the potatoes that look like a good scrub wouldn't go amiss), never having bought any of his books and skipping his column in the Guardian, I finally succumbed (his latest publication has the word 'Christmas' in the title and was half price in Waterstones, so of course a copy came home with me).  Surprisingly, I'm enjoying his words (I doubt I'll be giving any of the recipes a try as they're far from vegan friendly),  particularly those describing his obvious love of the colder, darker months of the year (which pretty much matches my own).

Today is the last day of October and I'm about to venture into the loft to retrieve the bag of spooky stuff.  There's a bowl full of sweet treats for anticipated little (and not so little) callers, a giant pumpkin has a face, a batch of vegan pumpkin cupcakes is awaiting a topping of gingerbread spice buttercream, pumpkin, butter bean and coconut curry is simmering away on the hob and a couple of seasonally scented candles will soon be lit.  In between answering the door knocks, I'm planning to watch the remaining episodes of the second season of Stranger Things (it's so very good and so hard to ration), followed by the obligatory viewing of Hallowe'en and a creepy book at bedtime (I really shouldn't do any of this as I've been having a few too many bad dreams of late).

And now I'm signing off for a few weeks as we venture east in search of Richard Parker and friends. 

 

Snapshots

A batch of home baked bagels cooling in the kitchen, courtesy of the baking Boy.

A butterfly in a corner of the garden shed.  Resting?  Deceased?  I didn't probe.

A new library book and reading until far too late.

Colourful blooms, delicious treats and dog spotting at the farmers market.

A bowl of quickly produced spicy coconut noodle soup.

A visit from the littlest and a play session with belated birthday toys (Q:  How many moos/neighs/baas/oinks is too many?)

Walking the neighbourhood and relishing further signs of autumn.

An encounter with snow bears of the edible kind.

Revealing the winners of the books giveaway. Happy reading, Gina and Cat.  Please send me your details via e-mail.