Ten things :: the summer edition

I love this time of year. I’ve written about it before (and still not made a start of the shawl in this post – I’m feeling brave maybe I’ll make a start). I always think of that line from You’ve Got Mail where Tom Hanks’ character (Joe) says “Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils”. That is exactly how I feel about this time of year. Although the last time I was in New York in the Autumn was 20 years ago!! I'm still excited for the start of a new term. The new academic year is nearly upon me...I've spent all summer prepping my new modules and getting ready for the next intake of students...

So this might be a good time to round up on summer happenings. I returned to work today. BigR goes back to school tomorrow (a cunningly placed INSET day today catching people off guard) and so it continues. It’s also her birthday on Thursday, which to me signifies the true end of the summer.

:: We made our annual (can you say annual on the second year?) trip to the pick your own farm for strawberries. It was much easier this year as LittleR is older and can follow instructions (apart from don't eat too many). I didn’t overdo it either (well not too much) and we got 6 jars of jam plus plenty for desserts and general snacking.

:: The garden has flourished…perhaps with a few more weeds than last summer (but I’ll take that over having time off with a poorly child) but all in all there’s been colour since the springtime. The cosmos grew and grew but no flowers apart from one. Well, I shouldn't have been so impatient...they're full of flowers now!!

:: Although our fruit crops were meagre this year. We did enjoy a few home grown strawberries, raspberries and (just ripening now) blueberries. We only managed 2 plums – biggest child was put off by finding a worm inside and that was that!

:: The roses were beautiful too and still flowering on their 2^nd or 3^rd flush. All the deadheading was worth it.

:: In the kitchen I made pesto which was stirred into pasta and put in a crust on top of cod, bread and various cakes. The biggest girl has requested a chocolate cake for later this week.

:: We had some fabulous days out. Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Castle Howard (where Brideshead Revisited was filmed) and of course our regular pre-paid with membership haunts Fountains Abbey and Harlow Carr.

:: I took the girls to McDonald’s one lunchtime and they thought all their birthdays and Christmases had come at once. Ketchup, balloons, plastic toy, ice cream. Their joy was unreserved!! Who knew McFlurries were so tasty though?

:: BigR has learnt to knit. She needs help on occasion wrapping the yarn round but overall does a good job. I'm there to pick up lost stitches and undo any mistakes (for example the row she forgot to slip the stitch off and ended up with 40 stitches not 20). She’s made a blanket for Barbie’s little sister, Chelsea (no I didn’t know she had a sister until it arrived as a present for her birthday last year but she does) as her patience in getting rows done didn’t last to make one for Barbie! Of course, her side of the story is that Barbie already has a blanket for her bed (this is true, my children have too many toys!!)

:: I was given a beautiful kit to knit a cowl by my very talented knitter friend. It’s coming along although I have had to unpick rows where I’ve missed part of the pattern whilst talking!

:: I’ve managed to complete two embroideries as well…the ones I bought in New York picturing NY scenes. The plan is to intersperse them with hoops of fabric along the wall behind our sofa. Now I’ve just got to hang them. I can't believe I don't have 'finished' photo....

Ten Things :: February

:: February has been the month I've been suffering from inertia. A feeling I should be doing something but not knowing quite what that something should be and as such not doing very much at all...at work and at home...until I suddenly think about it or write it all down and realise I've just not been doing anything particularly blogworthy in the ta-dah finished object sense of the word but have actually had a really full month.

:: In February, I finally, finally unravelled the delicious ball of malabrigo sock yarn. It's actually a lovely striping green colour, not that you can see that here. It was definitely a labour of love (with much swearing). I'm planning to make this hat with it, but in the usual way, I now have another project on the go. That project being a scarf for the ABO. I've chosen a simple pattern, mistake rib stitch and thank goodness for that as I've already had to frog back and restart. Maybe that's why it's called mistake rib stitch? The yarn is a beautiful charcoal grey but doesn't look quite right here, i'll blame the electric lighting, Anyway, seems to be going OK...for now

:: February has been the month I've been making bread. Quite a bit in the breadmaker (just a regular white loaf) but also pizza (since discovering that using semolina on the baking tray stops it sticking!!) and this challah. It's a traditional recipe with egg and honey meaning it's really light and tasty.
I was somewhat surprised that the loaf rose to fill the entire baking tray...

:: February was the month of rainy afternoon TV viewing. We watched 'Frozen' (again...and again), 'Cinderella' and 'Room on the Broom' and the girls' favourite....'Four in a Bed' (the show where B&B owners stay in each others' businesses and rate them). They're both really taken with the idea of checking for dust in the bedrooms and giving marks out of ten for the facilities. hopefully they won;'t be looking too hard for the dust here!!

:: February is Christmas all over again. Or that's what the Christmas cactus is thinking.

:: February is actually July. I found roses flowering in the garden! The weather just has no idea.

:: February was the month when my very good friend L, gave birth to her second child. A girl this time round. I'm so excited to meet her. I'm also thinking of what to make for her. When her son was born, I did an embroidery, maybe I will again.

:: February meant that it was half term. BigR had a great week. A couple of 'Daddy days' whilst I worked and LittleR was at nursery. Then some family days out, long walks and a trip to Yorkshire Wildlife Park and ate a picnic outside without our coats! 

:: February was the month of trying a new cake. I (with BigR's help) made an almond, orange and cardamom cake that Jen suggested on her blog. I didn't have a blood orange so just went with a regular one. Yummy.

:: February has been the garden planning month. What to plant, what jobs need doing. We definitely need to make the gate to the garden more secure as the Littlest is planning her escape at any opportunity. The ABO dug up  a dead rose today...you wouldn't believe the roots on those plants! We bought a wendy house for the girls; it's already been put to good use. It's very cosy. I might take up residence if I get badly marked for the facilities in the next game of 'Four in a Bed'.