We arrived back from a week down south via my Mother’s place. She keeps sorting through the accumulated ‘treasures’ of the last century or so of our family life and sends me back with things she thinks I want, will enjoy or at least will look after for the next generation. My heart is not in it! I’d like an uncluttered house but that’s obviously a longer term goal.
Our son arrived here from Kalgoorlie that evening and it was wonderful to see him. He has worked extraordinary hours since October as it has been impossible to get workers, despite offering great wages. So he stayed for three days to really have a break. We did all the usual family things we like to do; eating yum cha, eating curries, sitting and talking. It was lovely.
Some of our favourite yum cha: Siu Mai, Prawn and Coriander dumplings, Prawn and Chive dumplings.
Baked Salted Egg bun.
After he’d set off for Kalgoorlie we settled back to our usual interests and occupations. I went to my Drawing in Nature class. Sadly the course ended this week. I have learnt so much and met lovely people and hope I can catch up with some of them in the future. I will be watching for other classes being presented by the tutor, Jane, too.
Leaf drawing, using Aquarelles. LIke coloured pencils, adding water spreads the colour. The small leaf, top left, is the real leaf!
It’s the middle of winter and I have been reading a lot. I have finished We’ll Always Have Paris. by Emma Beddington. This is the biographical account of a bored teenager who discovers French Elle in the school library and decides what she wants to be; she wants to be French! So begins an exciting, frustrating and very funny attempt to live in France like the French. She meets a Frenchman during her gap year and later they both live in London and have two sons. She doesn’t feel settled there, they move to Paris, then back to London, then to Brussels, then she leaves him and goes to Paris when he has the children. Eventually they reunite in Brussels. Apparently she now lives back in the UK. As much as I enjoyed Beddington’s accounts of living in each place I think her capriciousness would be better tolerated by younger readers.
Also read the latest Marion Keyes book, Again, Rachel, a sequel to a previous book of hers, Rachel’s Holiday, which I haven’t read but will order from the library. Keyes is a warm and witty Irish author with a huge following. I’m always pleased when there’s a new book because they are so entertaining. Again, Rachel is classic Keyes with all the usual twists and turns and dramas and it was a really clever, satisfying read.
cooking
Winter foods need to be warm, filling and full of flavour, so I often make Beef Bourguignon, a French beef stew. I make it in the slow cooker because I think it enriches the flavours. The smell of this cooking throughout the day is very enticing. Apart from beef, it’s got carrots and potatoes in it, so I just need to steam some green vegetables and dinner is ready to serve. I also make enough for a few meals.
Traditionally this recipe would also include button mushrooms, but I am the only member of my family who eat mushrooms! My preferred recipe is here https://www.makecookgrow.com/2020/06
covering journals
I set about covering four new journals. I start with red and black A5 notebooks. Leaving the red bound spines, I glue paper on the front and back covers then fold them in and glue them down. I measure, trim and glue marbled papers into the front inside cover and the back inside cover and finally, I add a calendar. I add an elastisized loop with three stitched slots for feltpens and sometimes, my reading glasses. I usually marble ten papers at a time as each journal requires two A4 pieces. Information on covering the notebooks to create a personalised journal (here) and how to marble recycled paper (here) and the elastisized holder (here).
The frido kahlo cushion
Saw this Frido Kahlo cushion online, really liked it, looked at it again the next day and decided to order it! Visited the Frida Kahlo exhibition in 2018 at The V&A Museum and loved the vibrant works of this Mexican artist (06/07/1907 – 13/07/1954) She was famous for her colourful artworks, feminist beliefs and her monobrow. It was impractical the carry any of the artworks or other products back from the UK so I was pleased when I found these products for sale online from an Australian seller. Now the cushion lives upstairs on the red leather couch. Not sure where the door stopper, ordered at the same time, will go but I know I will find a place.
in the garden
Twelve tulip bulbs have germinated, the spearmint scented lavenders are covered in flowers and I am making so much weed tea because i have so many weeds. I’ve pruned the rest of the hydrangeas and planted a few ‘sticks’ to give to my mother. She lost hers in a heat wave in February.
The last of the roses.
I have planted so many tulip bulbs over the years, they are one of my favourite flowers, I always hope that they will come up but I think they are too tasty for the mice, something even ate my flowers this year so I didn’t get a single one :(.
Hello!
Hello!
You have mice eating your plants, I have river rats. They love garlic, tomatoes and snow peas, so all the things we like, actually.
Your comments about ‘how it’s supposed to be’ really resonate with me! I’m still pondering the impact of expectations and how I need to make changes. Needs more thought!
The words which caused you hurt sound like somebody else tipping their frustrations and disappointments onto you, a sad way to behave.
Deborah