Bread of heaven! Bread of heaven feed me till I want no moooooorrreee!!!

Disaster, I took this photo just before Andy's back decided to give way on him! Digging holes for cement doesn't agree with his dodgy lower back and as a result he can't move, and is laid out on the sofa with an ice pack on his back. Our summer of stone walling is looking in dire straits right now. I can see me trying my hand at it under his watchful eye. The stonewalling part I could do it's the actually getting the sand into the cement mixer. Anyone who knows me well will tell you my hand eye co-ordination is awful........it should be interesting!!
For some bedtime reading Andy and I got these in the post yesterday. The bread books are for me and the River Cottage Edible Seashore is for Andy. We have a good friend he goes out fishing with who regularly forages the seahore with his wife and kids, but on our own we aren't so confident in what to eat and when. This little handbook was just what we were after. In fact the boys caught Bass the other night and being conservation minded, Andy released them back into the sea. They were within the limit of size but knowing they are struggling he wnated to let it go. The amount of fellow fishermen who threw their hands up at this was well quite a few. That's why I love Andy though he's thoughtful about these things and he didn't feel right keeping it so back it went for next time when he's bigger. My best friend of 18+ years has been here this week for some R&R, that is the amount of R&R you get with a puppy 2 cats and 2 kids here- and he had a brainwave about the lemon muffins which I've listed the recipe before on my blog. How about filling the middle with some zingy homemade lemon curd. Disaster or genius?

Lovely creamy yellow eggs from our friendly neighbouring chickens which we chickensit sometimes.
The finished lemon curd, I am always amazed at what a doddle it is to make in the microwave and it is zingy and mouthwateringly yummy even when napalm hot!
We made 2 big jar fulls and kept this wee bowl for filling the muffins with. I was a bit dubious as to if it would work or not...................................
But look at that yummy stripe of homemade lemonlicious curd sitting there, they were in fact better than we thought, moist yummy and creamy lemony and there's none left today.
On my ever changing list of things to make my reworked reversible bag pattern, which is smaller and sewn differntly is ever evolving. I have had this chicken pattern fabric for a while and decided to finally make myself a shoulder bag with it. Fellow talented bloggers out there like 23Beechill may cringe a bit at my dodgy zigzag applique, it's the first I've really attempted and the green felt was thicker than I remembered, but I really liked it and have 4 more on the go!!! You know me never one to sit still for long.
From my River Cottage book the kids and I attemoted a basic loaf using Spelt and White flour this was how we should knead.....
These are my mits minus my wedding ring as it has silver flowers on it which make a perfect haven for sticky dough! My arm muscles can testify it's a good work out for those bingo wings.
This is K having a good bash at it.
And yay hey presto! 2 Loaves, did we wait for it to cool? Nope no way we got half way and then caved smeared them with Cover (* I'm not a butter eater) and devoured it in no time.
It was hard work, it took some time, and yet i'd make more it was quite theraputic.

Crusty yummy bread. I like the spraying the loaf with a mist of water and having a tin with boiling water splashed in inside the oven it really did seem to produce a good crust that didn't shred our gums. The book also said to keep some of the dough back to add to my next mix each time, after chatting to the kids about yeast being a living thing and venturing into making a starter for sourdough which we have to feed "be still my pet" Homer Simpson they had this vision of it growing and taking over the house I think!! I'll let you know if they start having dough monster nightmares.
Glass of wine in hand, sewing machine having a pause I'm thinking of the week ahead. There's plenty of computer work to do, bags to sew and small puppy to persuade that he wnats to wlk to heel and that the front door does not need sprinkling with pee on a regular basis. I have in fact read all my doggy literature given to me by the dof trainer, I'm such a swot! It was really interesting though I think I need the training as the lead work is very hit and miss at the moment. My best friend heads home tomorrow and so on to Sports Day ( bring back the three legged race I say!)camping at the school, trying to get hubby's dicky back sorted and the household sort out that having 4 of you entails.

Ah yes and I must FEED the STARTER someone wrote on the pot it's in feed me now!! Let's hope it can't read.

Woof woof!

Woof wood, that's Olly's conversation at the moment, along with the odd letting off of wind very charming. My poor garden is starting to look neglected what with trying to keep an eye on Olly and all, there are triffidlike weeds all over the place. I had forgotten how wierd the Acaena looks up close, it has an air of strange martian plant life about it with the red spiny burrs popping up like little sputniks.

For the benefit of Mum I apologise for my every occurring typos I type at speed when I get time and not by touch typing!!!!! I poopped in to the wool shop in Mumbles this morning to get some wool for the girl's crochet and to hunt out some hot pink wool to post off to Mum. Success on all fronts yay. Just look at the lovely raspberry colour of this poppy, it looks good enough to eat...

The giant scabious are up to 6 feet already with their hairy scaled buds waiting to pop open to reveal beautiful creamy green flowers within.

Of all the foliage plants I think ladie's Mantle is the prettiest in the early morning, they may seed willy nilly but it's worth a bit of weeding to get shots like this.My other fav plant is the drumstick alliums, mine have been in 5 years now so they are gradually getting smaller, but as they flush with colour they are very pretty.

I have my best friend coming to stay tomorrow for a week with us K and L can't wait, luckily for Nick he gets the ned room with the mezzanine so our early waking at the barn shouldn't disturb his holiday lie ins:D We've got a roller blading party to take the kids to in the nmorning. Last time my friend Cath and I with much hilarity and taking the pee out of each other got up, got blades on like the kdis and had a hilarious time!!! Andy on roller blades? Like Bambi on ice he said and sadly they don't have any in HUGE size, can you tell he was soooooo sad about that (not a bit) so he's got orders no laughing at Cath and I or else!

Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me!

Happy Birthday to me, happy birthday to me! So today I am 35 blimey where has all the time flown away to? It wasn't quite the birthday mrning we all would have liked we had to get up at 6am to let the neighbour's dogs, chickens, ducks etc out, this in turn wakes up poor old olly who was out for the ount and then our 2 with the early morning grumps! Whew. The animals are in our care until friday night, this time it has been a week too long I think especially for Andy who is sorting them all out before heading off to school to teach. I had some yummy choccies ( got an ulcer so they'll have to stay tucked in their box for the moment, some wine, a DVD my sewing machine, some birthday money and my LADDER which is up ready to give access to the mezzanine an dlooks just the ticket. Not bad after 10yrs of a step ladder. I spent yesterday making an insideouty bag for a gift for someone, with the help of L. I was sewing away thinking isn't this lovely? and then realized my machine was doing something very wierd.My little helper had adjusted the stitch length as I'd been sewing to teeny weeny stitches arggh so I had to carry on that way or unpick the whole thing. On the plus side it makes for strong seams. Bless his cotton socks...

The fabric came from Ikea and is very surfy/Roxyesque so I hope it goes down well with the recipient. I'm being cagey in case she reads this. You'll soon know who you are:D Some of mum and my felt/crochet flower combinations were appliqued on, one on each side of the dark denim.

All in all it's a really easy bag to make, Andy rescaled the original pattern for me as it was huge and uses up a lot of fabric leaving you with oddments you can't do much with.

The denim is quite heavy weight and came from a real aladdin's cave of a fabric shop ehre in swansea, it's torture if you like fabric soooo much to choose from. Ikea was a fluke I've never really looked at fabric in there generally it's quite wacky but I picked up some lovely fabrics last time.

Reversed the insideouty bag looks like this..

Or reversed the other way like this......

With one off at friends for a picnic at the ebach the rest of the Banbury tribe headed out for a walk down Stembridge, a lovely wooded glade kind of ramble along a stream and through billowing wild flower meadows.

Here's Olly having a swim!!! he is scared stiff of the sea but on seeing the stream leapt in and started doggy paddling his way down it, bless Mr B here in soggy walking shoes, that man loves his dog.

I'm told this teeny bridge is the oldest one out here on Gower, I'll have to try and find out just how old it is.

At this point in our walk Andy doubled back to move the car so Olly didn't get too tired and L and I carried out executing something that was very Waltons meet Little House on the Prarie, leaping through the long grass with our dog. you'd like to think it lookes very picturesque, I'm sure in reality we looked like a right mad bunch but Olly's springer character was in full swing, chasing butterflies, diving in and out the long grass.

Run Olly, run!......................................

Blue skies on a sunday walk througha quite natural wildflower meadow what could be nicer?

A lovely it somewhat tattered butterfly spotted by L, we made sure Olly left it well alone.

This is the last bit of wooded walk before you pop out in a field, 2 villages down car waiting thanks to MrB.

On an unusual birthday morning I'm waiting for the oven repair man to come ( yes my life's that exciting) heading out for a coffee with my sister in law, if the oven repair man arrives before midday and then tonight en masse we are taking Olly to see the gun dog trainer, follwed by? Curry on the way home mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Hearts and Hell's Angels

Lovely lovelies made by Mum for me in the brilliant bamboo yarn that's turned out to be perfect for crochet. Clever mum that she is , she's been making up her own various patterns and adapting others, what Mum has that I don't is great tension for making these wee pieces.

This on reminded Mum and I of forget me nots, maybe the shape or perhaps the colour? Ha ha Mr B is meant to be getting the kids quietly to bed and I can hear great hilarity and jumping about from up there!!! Honestly.

We lovingly call the the Leggy ones, their skinny chain stitch petals work really well against the felt for me.

Rose pink bamboo yarn heart adpated from a german pattern by Mum.

So now the klaughing is crying *sigh* hey ho it's his turn to settle them tonight before popping out for a spot of fishing , I shall say nothing and carry on my typing:D

A whole box full, how lucky am I, I know I harp on about it but what a clever Mum I have!

I sorted Father's Day prezzies for the 2 dads by ordering a box of Kate's fab Brownies. If you are lloking for a differnet totally delicious I am going to die happy eating it gift these are they. try them that's all I can say. She lives just up the road from me and I went for the "Buy 2 get one for you offer", picked mine up and it was tirture. All the way to the park with Olly the delicious smell of fresh cooked warm brownie was wafting out the box at me....shall I eat one..... shall i? Yum yum in my tum *sigh* Here's the link pop over for a look. Kate's yummylicious Brownies

Here's my growing stock box 4 deep inplaces. I have a gift of a handbag to make first and then onto necklaces this week, Olly depending! On nosing through other blogs I found this one Pam de Groot have a look at her spectacular designs.

This wee wierd specimen was found by K on llangennith beach yesterday whilst walking Olly and is a masked crab, funny little thing it spends it's life under the sand, sadly his spectacular feelers fell off in the car on the way home, to the tune of tears and "Can't we superglue them on?" Nope crab and superglue was a dismal failure!

And so I am now ing here at the computer, lulled ( ha ha ) by the sounds of the hells angel biker festival that lurks in the next village. When we first moved here there was no sign of it. Now don't get me wrong I have nothing against the bikers, in fact the kdis and I like to check out all the wierd and wonderful bikes and sidecars, but the big BUT is the heavy metal music goes on until 6am!!!!! Friday, sat and sunday. Sunday is taking the mick when everyone has work the next day. Lying in our bed, velux shut we can here all the words to Yingwe Malmsteen's "Woo, Oh Black Betty....Bam a Lam wooo oh black betty ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," My plan is to have too much wine for once and sleep through I hope! Last year at 8am they started up again. They don't even offer free tickets to us locals, not that I'd go but the thought would count. Mustn't grumble, I know!!

Olly is out for the count whilst farting still whew! Success tody in finding agreat gundog trainer who sees me for what I am not a shooter, let's face it my family know if I tried to shoot anything I'd end up shooting myself by accident- but a new dog owner with a pooch with strong instincts and very intelligent. We are all popping over to him on monday(My Birthday 35 here I come) for a trip with Olly. Wierd birthday I hear you say, well no I'm really looking forward to it. Not so much the oven and tumble dryer repair in the morning I think that bill is going to give me a premature heart attack. My birthday prezzie? A wooden aldder for our mezzanine!!! Who says romance is dead? Honestly I own up ok, I actually asked for the ladder so our poor guests can get to bed safely at last after 10 years of a wibbly step ladder. One too many G&Ts and woops there you went. It arrived today with snap crackle and pop bubble wrap which had driven the driven mad for 2 hours and was it just the ticket? Yes it was I am a happy bunny, brownie in hand, trouser button undone to fit said brownie in, glass of rose in other hand ahhhhhhhh

Olly's first beach trip!

Mum, there's something up my nose!! Olly's first trip to the beach happened yesterday, it was all new for him and his sniffer. His first reaction was to sniff the sand and then sneeze then he thought maybe it was edible, blurgh nope. I think my favourite part of him is his nose and chops just look it's like a chocolate button nose with sea lion whiskers.

On Horton beach where we took our walk there was one lone sea holly plant, busy growing away looking healthy and sharp, I'd never noticed it before and there was just one. It is the most fabulous colour. Olly was fascinated by the sea and had the odd foray into it but I made the mistake of going down when the tide was coming in and he kept keeping half an eye, I think he thought it was chasing him! At the barn it was blowing a gale when we left so I'd donned my thick Plain LAzy hoody, however at the beach it was boiling, sunny and now wind! Whew.

Now some people love to live right next to the sea, I can understand the attraction, but these lovely houses really are right by it and in the winter storms the path we walk along just after these houses ghets washed away. Several attempts have been made to shore up the cliff but the sea is mightier than them. I don't think I'd rest easy at night!!

You could certainly say you had a sea view from your garden though couldn't you?

WHilst Olly took a moment to lie down in the sand I took a few rock piccys, this beach has all kinds of wierd striped and swirly rocks as well as rocks with holes all the way through them. I used to come here to collect small rocks with holes to use as weights for my mobiles. I thought initially someone had drawn these cirlces on and then i noticed they are some kind of quartz. Nature's great.

Now it may be my eyes but that looks like a B to me! For Banbury, I took this to show the kids, they thought it was fab:D

Hey mum look at me!

A happy pup on a lovely beach....................

Hair cut at last i'm starting to feel like the wild woman of borneo! Oh and the grey hairs boo hoo, still the bonus of my blond hair mysteriously becoming more redish is the grey ones aren't too obvious! I'm going to sit there and enjoy the pampering, try not to nod off and sip a cup of tea. Did I mention both our neighbours are away? So we are in charge of chickens, ducks, doves, 2 dogs and lots of chicks one side and 4 cats the other side plus our own 2 cats and a pup! Bonkers, miaow, woof, cheep, bok, quack, coo and cock a doodle doo- well "doodle doo" the cockerel has lost the other part from his call!!!

Wow it's been a busy busy term already!

Welcome to the mad house,it has been bonkers here what with one off sick for a whole week and trying to keep up the good work with Olly's house training, sewing, typing etc etc! Last week just wooshed past and in contrast this week seems to be in sloooooowwww motion so far. A good friend who is the double bass player in hubby's band was here for the cake and coffee session last night and informed me how well my stuff is selling in the 2 shops. It's good to have some friendly spies now and again:D With that in mind I've been trying to beaver away making some more stock with partial success, last week was a washout in terms of production, one small eprson wanting to cuddle up as they felt poo and one small dog going bonkers, neither are good companions with getting lots of work done. Still that's life with family and pets:D The Bloomin' Big felt brooches are selling very well, I even sent one to Dubai and another to OZ. I shall have to get that map and pop some pins in for all the countries they've winged their way to.

I certainly couldn't produce such lovely brooches without the talented crochet of my Mum she's churning them out like no one's business! The brief lesson I had showed my creative flair does not stretch to crochet. k however seems to be picking it up, she's even got her mates crocheting at break time! Clever girl. I'm noticing in the shops there is a lot of aqua and green together so I've included some of these in the deisgns.

Meanwhile the recent rain after the hot spell ( yes we had 26C here in Wales) has meant the veg bed has gone mad, the broad beans are gigantic, the roicket is well- rocketing away, red onions are swelling nicely, peas are flowering and courgette plants sprouting their new leaves. Yummy, can't wait. As a family we've had about 20 salads from the garden already, I can't believe the wee people will eat the peppery mustard leaves and the rocket!

How happy is he? I love those velvety chops..............

Olly in his bean bag, letting it all hang out so to speak. he's training well, although not in the puppy classes as they were booked up for 5 months!!! So far he has mastered "hup" as sit. "wait" well sort of, "Come" for return to me and "Give" for drop it clever boy. His only vice is shoe stealing, hubby's size 11 crocs have a multitude of tiny teeth marks in them! Crocs the new dog toy. Olly and I are off for a brief beach wlak, avoiding the sea as there's lots of algae after the hot weather and I'm informed by friends with pooches it can make the dogs sick. Then when he's snoozing on with sewing and some computer work tonight. I may just have to take a raspberry and redcurrant muffin along for our walk yummy.

When I have some peace I must catch up with all your blogs!

Olly and the holys....

Perfect poppy.... The centre of these is sort of strring some felty ideas in my head at the moment, not sure what....A felty middle couched and some crochet bits...

Now how's about that for a pollen covered bizzy bees bottom? Finally the bees has discovered the bee house we mad 2 weeks ago and they are packing it full of pollen and bees. I noticed today just how much the bees adore the flowers of the broad beans, and that they are scented I'd never taken the time to smell the broad bean flowers before they were sweeter than I expected.

I have to admit I don't like broad beans but to humour my dad I agreed to grow my own and to eat them when young an tender I think my memory of them was from school hard boiled icky ones. An suggestions as to how to cook etc welcome:D

The weather seems to have suited the Rocket plants which have appeared like triffids and are very yummy and psicy, nothing like the limp expensive bags of yuck from the supermarket. With continuous cropping in mind, the second planting of peas are up.

Life here is busy what with Olly, Half term and visitors. The visitors were the best bit though having my Mum and Dad here for a couple of days. mum was crocheting like a demon. We spent a bit of time surfing the net looking for new flower and heart patterns to try. Now I know I may be biased but I reckon Mum's own designs are the best. I mean besides designing her own she's reading patterns in German, French and Dutch!!!! On the off chance I may have inherited the crochet gene I attempted a go, and nope no chance. I have no tension ( plenty in my shoulder) none in my hands! In fact K was better at it by miles. I'll stick to the felt and the sewing.

One white ear passing by my camera at great speed today in the gorgeous sunshine.

One brown ear at slower motion going back the other way! He's certainly full of beans our boy. I can't thank Laurie enough for all her helpful advice on springers you're a star (PS survived the pasta, even enjoyed it oh and found the Croc under the bathroom sink) 9pm is mad dog hour every night just when you'd love to sit and relax with CSI or Grey's Anatomy. Anything on the floor seems to be fair game for test eating including sticks, shoes, poo (I know gross) my plants and pants. Nice

But just look at him he is so cute and playful! Just after this he ripped up my thrift plant...hmmm cute hmmmmmm

His yellow dummy which he adores for retrieving I wonder how long it will last for?

Like I said sticks are fair game, thank god he's got pet insurance!

Now tell me those spots aren't just so strokeable? I like to smooth them when he's fasto on the bean bag...

Fetch!!!! It is still warm here after a boiling day when by 2 I gave up weeding the garden for fear of heat stroke and came in to potter. Oh I hate creeping twitch grass and down with creeping buttercup and ban the cleavers too, they have gone mental in the garden it's a take over bid!!

Yum.

Love me, love me, love me it's all in the eyes or are they saying "FEED ME" "FEED ME".................................................................... Here comes my glass of wine 2 hrs until Olly turns into the roadrunner. Kids and pets I think I need a holiday, oh wait we've supposed to have just ahd one, why then do i feel knackered!