Seasonal Living in Middle England – with a family of seven
We take the scenic route from Aviemore through Bonor Bridge and into the mountains. We wonder if anything can match the sheer splendour of the snowcapped Cairngorms in the early spring sunshine, and I feel a reluctance at having to leave so soon. We drive due west, straight across the country to the bustling port […]
When driving through the countryside in Charnwood we watch out for a line of steam trailing through the fields and up beyond the hedgerows. If we spot it, we will make a diversion for the heritage railway station and watch the train pull into the station. We had a lucky day, this January, and managed […]
Our first full day in Scotland, early April 2019. We spend the morning in Aviemore, enjoying a hearty cooked breakfast of veggie sausages, mushrooms and potato scones before browsing the outdoor pursuits stores. With newly purchased OS maps of the North West Coastal footpaths and a lovely waterproof map holder for all-weather hiking, we are […]
It had rained for days, weeks, it seemed like endless months and then, one Sunday, it suddenly stopped. The ground would be water-logged and our boots would likely sink in to the mud to a depth of a foot – but it felt so good to finally get out and hike. It was at this […]
It started on Burns Night 2019 – a family promise that we would definitely tour Scotland this year. My husband was raised in England though is actually Scottish, our children are therefore half-Scottish and in the late 1800s my ancestors on my father’s side lived in Scotland too. We definitely felt the mountains calling. In […]
There was a countrywide storm on its way to us today, with predictions of driving rain and thirty mile an hour winds, so we had to quickly sneak some garden time before the gales blew in. One pastime I love in the winter months, when flowers are in short supply, is to start looking for […]
Scottish Raspberry Shortbread (Original recipe by Sue Lawrence in Scottish Baking) I’m going to file this recipe under “Autumn” as raspberries are in season from August-October here in England. However, they do make a delicious treat for Burns Night. I’ve reduced the number of raspberries from the original recipe, as my children find the shortbread very crumbly […]
It has been a long time since I have written for the blog and we would first like to introduce our newest addition to our potager garden – our little girl, born in the heatwave summer of 2018 🙂 In 2019, baby in tow, we toured Scotland – from the Cairngorms, to the North Western […]
We spent our bank holiday hiking in Staffordshire in search of wild garlic, however we are now back and tending to the garden. We have been getting all of our late winter and early spring baby plants settled outside, and making room for lots of new seedling trays in the kitchen.  Any sudden frosts and I’ll move […]
Homemade natural orange and candelilla furniture wax We have had the same french pine kitchen table for nearly 20 years. It started as a big desk for writing university essays in my late teens, and it is now in the centre of our kitchen, where our family of six have our meals everyday. With a bit […]
Eco-touring Derbyshire by Electric Car Tesla Touring for a family of six – Where to charge, visit, and park… High Peak Estate, Derbyshire We love the High Peak area of Derbyshire, especially Mam Tor, which was the first “serious” hill our little children ever climbed.  Tesla announced this week that there is a new bank of […]
This coconut body lotion is really quick and easy to make, and results in a lotion with a light, soufflĂ©-like texture. Recipe: 1 cup coconut oil, room temp 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil 5 drops essential oil of your choice (effective essential oils for skin lotions include lavender, frankincense and geranium) Whip for 6 mins in an […]
Hazelnut Milk and Dark Chocolate Vegan Fudge Inspired by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s recipe in The Joy of Vegan Baking We make this for Christmas and Birthday gifts – and it also sells well at charity fundraisers. If it’s been in a fridge overnight, it holds up well on a hot day on a stall. We keep […]
