Channel 4 | The Little Room of Rachell

MAKING lots of salads now the warmer weather is back. Chicken korma salad later. A version of this this CoOp recipe but with quick pickled za’atar red onions instead of raw

COOKING a small cheddar & jalapeño sourdough loaf at the weekend

SIPPING lime cordial & fizzy water

READING the new Rachel Hore: The Hidden Years (an advance reader copy, it’s being published here in September.) Enjoying it so far, but I’m halfway through and going to read a chunk tonight, instead of watching any TV. I’ve got to the point in the story where I just want to know where it’s heading, and get there faster

LOOKING at my plum tomatoes, they’re getting some colour

WISHING for a late summer during September and October

ENJOYING remembering the sunflower field we visited at the weekend. I’ve never walked amongst sunflowers before

APPRECIATING lying on my really comfy zero gravity lounger, but knowing I’m in danger of falling backwards and cracking my head open, if I keep doing that thing with my legs!

LIKING picking fresh plums near the end of a walk

EATING green lentil sprouts. Of the puy and lentil vertes I’ve used to sprout, the green are the sweetest and freshest I’ve eaten (ready on day 2-3)

LOVING plump tart blackberries ripe on the brambles and milky sweet cob nuts

PLANNING to pick enough berries to make a BlackBerry & gin jam recipe I’ve saved

HOPING not too many others have seen the same recipe, or eyed the same brambles!

BUYING mango chutney for tonight’s salad and Coronation chicken salad next week

Now’s the time to haunt your local garden centre, these were only £2 each in the summer sale. The yellow chillis are fruity and hot

MANAGING a lot of different physio exercises. Go me

WATCHING The Power of Parker (BBC iplayer) Ruby Speaking (ITVX) Young Sheldon – new series (Channel 4)

HOPING for some quality new programmes in the autumn. It’s usually a good time of year for tv

WEARING shorts & tee

NOTICING beautiful light at golden hour and wonderful sunsets this week

FOLLOWING more foody and flowery Instagram accounts, probably a fewer crafty ones

ANTICIPATING being able to do some crochet in the autumn, itching to finish a blanket that’s in sections, hand sore now but they’ll settle again. It’s been a busy month

SORTING …everything! Charity shop, fabric bin for old clothes and shoes etc etc. Visited a recycling centre for the first time which I found very exciting (I know…) and asked one of the workers if they’d ever found treasure?

“Only snakes.”

“Live, down the back of an old sofa that someone had lost?”

“No, a huge dead python!”

GIVEN a pack of 8 different seeds to try sprouting and some sprouting jars wearing cover-up blackouts, stands to tilt them downwards so the water drains out and little trays underneath

SPOTTING shoots coming up from the peas I planted in shallow containers in my propagator on Tuesday morning, pea shoots here we come again

FEELING pretty good

HEARING doves coo (And now that Prince song is going round in my head)

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How’s your summer shaping up? Are you reading, growing lots, eating salads and have you been able to get out by the coast and into countryside? Or does it look completely different to mine? (Or are you in the southern hemisphere and in winter time?)

Reading:

Even better than the first book, which was The Thursday Murder Club (as if anyone really needs to be told; it was an instant international bestseller.) It would be best if you read the first before this one.

A 5 star read. Twisty turny, with a slow building atmosphere of menace. I had so many thoughts and questions about what might be happening, when I wasn’t reading. Always a good sign of a compelling book. Also It jumps back and forth in time, which I always enjoy. It keeps you on your toes. Plus it is partly set in a large English, country house. Enough said?

This was a surprise; there was a time when I always used to read new Cecilia Ahern books and then I just felt like I’d grown out of them. This is a new, more real and grittier style of writing. I couldn’t put it down.

Enjoying: all the late summer / early autumn colour in the garden.

Noticing: some beautiful bright sunny days, with magic golden light just before dusk.

Making: hexagons! Too many so now I’m on a self-imposed ban for a week, as my hand is so sore. I did enjoy it at the time though.

Instagram stories questions… Be prepared for lots of responses. Don’t ask if you don’t want honesty! I didn’t mind, as the slightly circular nature was bugging me

New and improved. Sharper corners (absolutely nothing to do with the pattern, just me cutting corners. Literally!)

Planning: to use this book. I’ve now bought the tin for *half the price* of the recommended one. It’s still really good quality. I bought a James Martin one from an online retailer who have a bricks and mortar shop in Dorset too. (Ask me if you’re in the UK, I’ll send a link.) Very happy with the look and weight of it.

Cooking: The days were mostly been so warm at the beginning of the month that I haven’t made a single batch of soup yet. (Plus being unwell for the whole of September didn’t feel like chop, chop, chopping … ) Latterly I’ve eaten porridge with maple flavoured golden syrup and chopped apple on top. Always a sign of cooler weather. Soup making isn’t going to be far off.

Baking: Dark choc walnut brownies to eat with raspberries and creme fraiche, after roast chicken, new potatoes and salad

Rosemary & Cornish Seasalt focaccia

A Facebook friend said it looked like spiders. They were very tasty!

Cinnamon buns

I typed out my recipe for cinnamon buns and sent it to my 13-year-old niece. She made them the next day and sent me photos. They were perfect.

Watching: tomatoes ripen. I’ve been taking a daily photo, then sending it to my friend who loves tracking the changes while he works in his office in London!

Eating: pink omelettes! I had a phase of these, if a phase can consist of two?! One with the spoonful of rose harissa are mixed in and the other a spoonful of red pesto. They taste good. Try it?

Enjoying: my micro-greens which I left to grow to salad leaf size. Much better value for money than paying £2.99 per packet. I feed them a little so there’s enough nutrients to feed the plants. Still going strong…

Mackerel with lemon & dijon dressing & cannelini beans

Learning: Italian on Duolingo app, it’s free. So many languages to choose from, but I’ve always wanted to learn Italian.

Listening: to Mickey Flanagan What Chance Change? If you’re a fan this is a must listen. It’s on BBC Sounds week by week. There are two episodes so far, charting his life and aspirations in the 1970s and 1980s. I’m looking forward to the next two decades. He’s SO funny.

Watching: Upload on Prime. It’s unexpectedly good, lots of twists and surprises. Maybe not for the faint-hearted at some points. We’ve watched six episodes so far.

The IT Crowd classic British comedy from the early noughties, laugh out loud funny.

This Way Up it’s currently on C4 Catch up. I hope it’s on other international platforms soon, so you can all watch it too. You just want to hug Aisling Bea’s character so hard. I sat silently feeling all the feels, at the end of the last episode on Thursday. Stunningly written TV.

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See, I told you I had a lot to tell you! This is what happens when you’re home-based for a month.

Have a lovely weekend, enjoy a bit of reading, cooking, making, watching… Whatever floats your boat!