A batch of photos too nice not to share, I decided!
7 miles of walking yesterday, oohing and ahhing at the first new wildflowers; bluebells, cowslips and periwinkles…
This was a route we walked at the beginning of Lockdown, and occasionally throughout that strange period. We kept remembering how we would get the sanitiser out of the backpack for the other who would open the iron clasp on gates, or pull jacket cuffs over hands, or in colder weather even pull on a glove. It’s not that we don’t carry sanitiser anymore, but the nervousness and general jumpiness as has now long passed.
Back via the local shop, dry roasted peanuts as a post-walk treat for Someone. I didn’t fancy any snacks, or felt that I needed them. Of course when we got back it was a different matter and I ended up eating half the packet of nuts! He tried hard not to sigh too loudly, but I think I heard a little one.
Later Nigella’s Chicken & Pea traybake from At my Table for dinner with steamed baby potatoes and spinach. I adapted the recipe into two separate elements, with the vegetables covered until the last five minutes to keep in the moisture, while the chicken roasted at the top of the oven. The recipe timings didn’t seem work at all. I’ve googled and found I was not the only one with dried up, nearly burnt vegetables and chicken which could have been more golden and crispy. The second time of making was much more of a success. Fresh dill, garlic and a drop of spirit is tasty with leek and peas. It would be a great side dish to bung into the oven with plain roasted chicken or whatever you fancy. I’ve made the carrot and ginger cake for Mothering Sunday. It’s one I’ve made before, I can’t recommend it enough. Delicious! A few more recipes to make and then a new book pick soon.
Has spring sprung in your area? Any new recipes being made?
Reading: A Literary Christmas – a lovely collection of writing and poems put together by The British Library. It was delivered last night
Mr Scrappy went to his first non-essential items shop this week. He was the only customer. He felt like dancing and treated himself to some glitter gel pens for £2
Tenby – still so light at nine in the evening 
Would love to whirl around in this beauty
I spotted seven parakeets in trees near the Serpentine in Hyde Park, London. They were picking at the blossom then scattering it on the ground, the hooligans! 
There was lot more besides: more trees, more decorated rooms both upstairs and downstairs, but I make a conscious effort not to take hundreds of photos There has to be a balance between wandering and enjoying the atmosphere and not seeing it all through a screen. I’ve captured the look of the house and gardens, which hopefully gives you a flavour of the property.
You might have to look at these for a minute to work out what they are. Clever eh? Saw in an Antiques Centre
Sparkly and sumptuous, Waddesdon Manor always looks beautifully dressed at Christmas. The garden light trails and the Christmas fair were the best ever this year too 
Adoring: no-knead sourdough cooked in my charity shop treasure. The moisture in the bread means it cooks in its own steam. You then take the lid off for the last bit to burnish the top. It needs to be just this side of burnt for the flavour and crustiness.
There’s something about the joining of these motifs that has turned them into a thing of real beauty. I loved stumbling across, fortunately not literally, this bicycle after a walk and a chat to the coastwatch guard at Cape Cornwall.
Do you see why I absolutely love West Cornwall? The sea there from left to right as we like being in the villages, along the coast roads and South West Coast Path which stretches from St Ives to Land’s End. As you’re basically on a peninsula the sea is all around, it’s bliss for a land-locked water lover like myself. It wasn’t too hot either with the sea breeze to cool things down, but there was still a fair bit of slapping on sunscreen as the temperatures were high. We are having a proper summer here, it’s begun to feel unrelenting now actually; gardens and the land need rain.
And everywhere, and I mean everywhere, you could hear ‘Its coming home, it’s coming home, football’s coming home’ playing, singing, chanted (while staggering) or shouted. The euphoria of England winning the quarter-final against Sweden was tangible. Noisy. Jubilant. By Sunday evening I had to slowly sing ‘Happy Birthday to You’ through twice to get rid of the ear worm which plagued me from hearing that damn song so much!
The plan for Sunday was meant to be shopping for an expensive, boring-but-sort-of necessary thing, but I totally subverted that by lobbying for a day out. It was another lovely sunny weekend and Saturday had been spent in the sunshine at a family BBQ. I wanted the good time vibes to continue. Admittedly I didn’t have to try very hard! So we went to 
Falmouth 
Rhubarb Sour and a Negroni
Thatchers Blush and Vintage cider 
Rhododendron at 
Foxgloves, whitebells, bluebells, cow parsley, buttercups and clover along the lanes and coast path
Pendeen lighthouse and the 
Trevethan gin at Porthleven Nauti pizza place 
Fowey (pronounced Foy to rhyme with joy) 
Cowslips with a background of bluebells make such a pretty picture. I always think of 
A glimpse of a field of rape flowers through the trees.
This week I added to my garter stitch blanket. I like the look of the navy with the lavender a lot. As I did another 6 rows (250 stitches each) I reflected on how much I’m enjoying knitting. It’s as meditative as crochet when easy, good to have two hands in motion, I like the feel and look of the fabric. 
I’ve also added a few more colour blocks to my patchwork blanket. Also satisfying once I get into a rhythm, but a bit boring to contemplate doing masses of linen stitch which is why this has been very slow in the making. I much prefer the swoop and flow of trebles to doubles.
A host of golden daffodils. They’re probably all dried and crinkly now. I’m glad I saw them looking so lush.
So in the last week and a half I’ve knitted; ‘that’ sock, the garter stitch blanket and finished my lace cowl using chunky needles, crocheted and done the other craft which requires very fine motor skills. And my point? My hands hurt. My arms hurt. My elbows are stiff. The side of my hands are tingling. (I should probably not be typing this, but dictating.) That is a big warning sign isn’t it? I think I might have done too much knitting with the chunky 5mm needles, the lace pattern required lots of different manipulative movements and then there were hours of sock knitting. I’ve been disciplined at only doing one set of repeats max with the cowl, but got carried away one day with the sock. I unravelled and reknitted for far too long. In all these years of crocheting I’ve never experienced this, I’m in a sulk with knitting. Stupid chunky needles, stupid tiny circulars, stupid lace, stupid sock. I think this means a total ban on craft for a month. I’ve put a note that I can try again on 19th May….unless they feel magically better sooner. Sniff.
You can stay in this 
It’s ok Mum, I’m not coming close. I’ll just use my zoom.
Rachel means ewe in Hebrew. There’s a random fact of the day for you.
I love this tall variety of snowdrops. 
Look! It’s a carpet of cyclamen.
A stream runs right through the woods. There are various bridges to cross, but I drew the line at one which was little more than a plank. Guess who had walked a mere ten steps at the beginning of the walk, then slid in slow-motion to the left, ending up lying in mud? B helped me up, like the old lady I felt I had become and then cheerfully stated: “It could have been worse; you could have choked on your pear drop!” I was walking and squelching for a while, until the mud and puddle water dried off a bit.
More cyclamen, and a close up of some of the patch.
Cooking : the above to eat with potatoes, petit pois and kale
Regents Park croci
Icicles on the water features at Waterperry Gardens shop
Celebrating: the busy garden birdlife, since I’ve been typing I’ve seen: a Robin, multiple Blue Tits, a Coal Tit, a couple of Great Tits, a male Blackbird and the female Chaffinch is back
It continues to be a gorgeous sunny warm Spring here in the South of England. Walking at Cliveden (6.5 miles, now pretty much a breeze apart from really steep bits!) in beautiful sun, seeing abundant wild bluebells and primroses feels like such a treat. You need to catch bluebells while they bloom; it never feels as if they are around for long. I’m sure we usually go to the bluebell woods of my childhood in May, everything seems earlier this year. 
Today we parked at Bridlington’s North Beach and walked along looking for sea glass. We had a little bag of mostly green pieces by the end, but unusually I’d found zero! My sea glass spotting skills seem to have deserted me, mind you I’ve never thought my beanie would blow off before!
We knew that Dad’s Army has been filmed here recently, isn’t it perfect
For a fan of the oldie but goodie tv programmes this week is turning out to be a delight! But wait there’s more…
Initially I was horrified that they would remake such a classic but now after today’s sights, and hearing who is in the film I am looking forward to seeing it. The helpful lady also said there is a Facebook page with photos of the actors and the filming, if you’re interested.
On our way up to Yorkshire we met my cousin and family for Sunday lunch and she gave me this box of freshly laid eggs from her hens. Aren’t they pretty colours? The labelling on the box made me laugh. I think there might be a lucky rooster in the mansion!
On the way up I’d checked my emails and had that heart stopping email titled ‘We have news about your lottery ticket.’ It wasn’t a life changing amount, but £25 is good pocket money. I treated myself to a ball of Marble Chunky I’ve admired for ages because I love the colours, and the new Simply Crochet.
As a fan of Last of the Summer Wine I was delighted on Monday to see some of the haunts of Foggy, Compo and Clegg in Holmfirth, with Trish of 
We mooched around a few yarn shops and both bought marble chunky. Then we browsed in a secondhand bookshop which is tucked away in one of the narrow lanes. Holmforth is built up the sides of the Holme valley so has many steps and winding alleys, it’s a great place to explore. 
After the 8.5 mile walk I really felt I deserved my pint mug of tea and chocolate. Today we’ve walked 5.5 miles. I’m keeping a record so I can see how far we’ve walked by the end of the week.
The Little Room of Rachell 
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