an adventure

I’m leaving village life behind tomorrow and heading up north to Stoke on Trent with Archie.
We’ve been invited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Emma Bridgewater pottery.

Come back tomorrow to read all about it.

back in the saddle

There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man

Winston Churchill

I went riding today for the first time since May 1999, when I did a 20 mile ride whilst pregnant with my first baby. It was heaven.

Thanks to Nicola for a lovely morning, and to Judith for being kind enough to lend us a horse, and to Puzzle for being gorgeous. I don’t think it’ll be another 11 years before I go riding, somehow.

fennel

I planted some fennel seeds in the centre of my wide border a couple of years ago. I imagined a billowy froth of fronds, but ended up with a triffid which took up about two square metres and which would not die. So this afternoon whilst R was sleeping I dug it out.

Tea break: well, breakfast actually. I was at the chiropractor this morning, grumbling about my aching shoulder. You’ve pulled it, she informed me. No gardening, no lifting, just rest, ice and ibuprofen.

I think she secretly meant rest, ice, ibuprofen and digging, don’t you?

iced tea with lemon and mint

lunch

It’s baking hot. Lunch is a combination of the very English (tiny little strawberries, the first of the season, with cream) and the American: iced tea.

It’s really easy and a million times nicer than the horrible stuff you get in cans.

Make a strong pot of tea, and leave to steep for ten minutes until your teeth are squeaking at the prospect of all that tannin.
Meanwhile, take half a mug of caster sugar, and half a mug of water and heat together, with the zest of a lemon and a handful of mint leaves, until it boils and becomes syrupy.

Strain the syrup and the tea into a jug, and leave to cool. Then add loads of ice and garnish with lemon slices or mint leaves, or both. Yum.