I won’t lie. The garden is still a mess. But there are some small things I would like to get done despite feeling a bit like a failure every time I go out there… This post (although it’s written for Northern America, it’s the same hemisphere, isn’t it?) about garden duties in July is good [...]

There was a request for the recipe for that carrot cake. Here it is (it even comes with an article attached! Scroll down for the recipe). It’s also in Nigel Slater’s book Tender (which is fantastic and well worth the money). I make it with regular flour instead of self-raising because we don’t have that [...]

I’m swamped with work and it’s not making me happy – today I had to miss a birthday party for it. I keep thinking of all the great, fun things I could be doing instead – and hopefully will be doing when I get off work in just a few days. So, here’s a list [...]

Next week my summer begins – no more work until August! I want to spend some of all that lovely free time sewing, and what’s better than using old men’s t-shirts to make cute clothes for your kid?
Oh, and by the way – we didn’t go to Aamanns this time, we found something even better. [...]

SEE
rain, rain, rain
my parents, today
the ocean (more water!)
HEAR
the buzzing of the bumblebees that are nesting in our roof
happy 2-year-old talk
a nightingale!
TOUCH
woolly yarn
boy hair
the big plastic watering can
TASTE
homemade sandwiches with pastrami, mustard and finely sliced cabbage
dark chocolate cake
ice cream
SMELL
the sharp, fresh smell of chilli flowers
lilacs everywhere, fading soon
bread on the toaster
Plans for the weekend: Lunch in [...]

I have chocolate cake. A huge stack of work is waiting for me, but there is flourless chocolate cake on the counter and I was thinking that actually, mint tea would go very nicely with that. The garden is doing more or less all right, but there are so many things that need doing (the [...]

Take a look at these string gardens (via poppytalk). How magical they look. Not very practical, perhaps (would you water them with a bucket underneath?) but so beautiful. Imagine having one at your workplace.
I did my sitting yesterday and realised just how tense my body has become from these past months. I’m grateful for the [...]

I’m taking part in Penelope’s seven day sit this week. I think cultivating happiness is sorely needed this spring – the stress of the past months has left us running on fumes. Not really unhappy, just worn out. A little calmness will be a good thing.

“…eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably.”
C. S. Lewis

I went into the greenhouse just to look at my tiny little seedlings. I wish they’d grow more quickly, I want to eat them. Instead I picked the first mint sprig this year for tea – the plant is big enough now. It would grow faster in the ground but it would spread too, and [...]