"With Pomp, Power & Glory the world beckons vainly, In chase of such vanities why should I roam?While Peace & Content bless my little thatched cottage,And warm my own hearth with the Treasures of Home."*Beatrix Potter

Thursday 28 August 2014

Celebrating Tasha Tudor Day

                                 Tasha Tudor Day 2014

Photo from my Richard brown book's.


                                 Today Tasha Tudor would have been 99 years old.

             The day is drawing to a close here in England & what a wonderful day we have had remembering Tasha Tudor.
                                                     

The twins & I celebrated by watching the Take Peace dvd, reading many of her books, painting, a dolls tea party & enjoying a lovely cup of English tea with a piece of fruit cake.

 
I do love boiled fruit cake. This is the cake I will be making for Christmas but with marzipan & royal icing on.
 
 
These are a selection of the twins books, the Christmas one's we only read in December.
 
 
Painting in Tasha Tudor style.
Such concentration from Mary.

 
They are always together.


Kitty loves to paint, she says she is going to be an artist when she is a big girl.
I wish she wouldn't become a big girl, this age is so perfect.

 
Here are their finished paintings.

 
How many hours have I spent going through these books again & again!
 
 
Dolls tea party.
It was so wet today so they had to play indoors.
 
 
I do enjoy knitting, back done & am on the front now.
 
 
So such inspiration, Tasha taught me to be happy in the way we live & be comfortable in who you are.
 
Photo taken from my Richard Brown books.

 
 We are not the only one's celebrating, so please pop over to Rookery Ramblings for their blog link up.
 
Hope you all enjoy this post, we had a wonderful day.
Fondly Michelle

 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday 27 August 2014

End of Summers Country Walk, Preserving & Baking.

 

 The sun was shining, so out the back gate & across the grave yard to the country lanes we went.


 
The church path right next to our garden is such a magical place, full of imagination for children & so much history.
Can't you just imagine those fairies coming out of the trees.

 
Down the lane
Not many blackberries left now, so many have gone in to preserving in our home.


 
The wheat has long gone but the poppies in the field still hang on for the last of the Summer sun.

 
Across the field looking back at our little church, nestled down in the trees is our little cottage.
All I can see of home is the wood smoke coming from the chimney.

 
Back along the path to home.

 

A bit of baking

This is our twist on Empire biscuits, all ready for Sunday tea.
I made a wholemeal & a white cottage loaf, the wholemeal one was for tea to go with beef & garden tomato stew.
 

                Homemade apple & sausage rolls, apples are ending up in everything at the moment!


 
Freshly picked beetroot from the vegetable patch.
I was making beetroot pickle yesterday, a Christmas favourite.
 
 
All washed & ready to be cooked.

 
They have just been cooked & are ready to be sliced with the onions.
There was plenty of crying going on with slicing onions & boiling vinegar!
I used my collection of old English Kilner jars for this recipe as the pickle does not need processing.



                                                I made five 2 pint jars & one 3 pint jar.
                                                            How jewel like they look.


I managed to catch a photo of some the many squirrels that are gathering hazelnuts for the Winter.

 
Enjoy your day
Michelle