Wednesday 4 February 2015

Midweek miscellany


You always know in this house when things are getting back on track: the kitchen becomes a place of (happy) industry once more. Pottering with food, plants - and (this makes me very happy) - hanging washing out on the line. 

On Sunday things started looking up. A new month, heralded by bright sunshine. I could quite literally feel the clouds lifting; so much so that I felt up to a walk into the village to make the most of the glorious February weather. So off we went. Still snow on the fields (and rather a lot in the churchyard, much to Joe's delight). Dazzling blue skies. Green shoots, buds.

After we came home I roasted chicken with potatoes, lemon and oregano. It was good.


As my appetite has returned I've felt the urge to get cooking again. And baking. Muffins in this case. It's interesting how, over these past few weeks, I lost my appetite for a while and as it's returned I don't really fancy certain things. Dairy in particular - milk, yogurt. Except butter. I'm a real butter girl. 

I was even off tea and coffee until yesterday. Luckily the Lancashire Tea's back in favour. There's only so much herbal stuff I can drink.

Anyway, muffins: This recipe. I've used it for years and for some reason always get the urge to bake these when I've been feeling unwell. They're really good for breakfast, work well with gluten free flour and you can modify them with whichever fruit or nuts you like (I do). They're also very good - ahem - buttered.


I took a trip to the local farm shop/garden centre the other day. It's ridiculously expensive but I needed lots of fresh beetroot. More on that later this week. I also picked up some huge brown eggs and a big bulb of garlic.

The plant section was pretty sparse, what with it only being early February, but I wanted to buy some pots for taking geranium cuttings. The compost and grit were eye-wateringly pricey too so I decided to take a little trip over the border to Yorkshire in a couple of weeks to my favourite garden centre. It's very big, very reasonable and the drive there is rather lovely.


Today Joe went to his Wednesday morning nursery. The walk there's a nice one: along a high road with moors on either side. Again, the sun was out but the air was face-smackingly sharp. Joe refused to wear his mittens. His hands were purple. I felt like a Bad Mother.

It wasn't much warmer in the church hall. And it was heaving with toddlers. It seems the childminders have discovered us. So our little group of regulars sat in a corner being all sniffy and complaining about the mayhem and bemoaning the loss of our quiet little mummy haven. The ladies who run the place were incredibly excited to suddenly have so many paying customers. And they're right I suppose.

Note to self: be more charitable.


I'd just like to say thank you all so much for your good wishes of late. I'm feeling so much better already and am looking forward to moving past those past few weeks and enjoying the coming spring. It is coming.

Oh, and the card holder in my previous post: I'm not the type to take credit for an idea that's not mine. I found it on Pinterest. But I'm glad you like it.

17 comments:

  1. such lovely miscellany. and muffins. I love muffins. x

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  2. Hi Sarah Lovely photos, glad you are feeling better. Lynne xx

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  3. Hey Sarah,
    Your photographs always have such a lovely quality about them. I'm not sure how to explain it, but the clarity and colour is always stunning. I made my Dad a banana loaf cake at the weekend. His taste buds have been affected by the chemo, but he really enjoyed it. I didn't think of muffins, which will probably go down well too.
    Leanne xx

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    1. Hello! The photos - I do like to play around with them rather than do the whole camera in manual mode. That's probably down to laziness but I enjoy getting creative with them too...
      My mum went right off some things when she had chemo, particularly coffee and tomatoes (she said they tasted like soil). It's great that you've found something your dad enjoys.
      Sending you love and my best wishes xx

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  4. I used to run a toddler group and it was always interesting when a gang of childminders discovered it; we live in a nice middle class area, so there were plenty of yummy Mummies there who would sniffily separate themselves... and a whole load of us who got to talking children with the childminders. A good childminder is worth her weight in gold, so cultivate the best relationships with them if you can (and as long as they act like decent childminders; I used to hate the ones who just sat back and ignored their children whatever they did while they drank tea and chatted)

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    1. Oh no, I'm about as far from a yummy mummy as it gets! I think we were just put out that a quiet few hours is now very busy and noisy (and cramped).
      To be fair nobody was ignoring their charges and all the little ones were behaving nicely. And if it generates more funds for the church hall that has to be a good thing (the roof is in a terrible state)...

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  5. I don't think we have quite the same type of playgroups here but I know that I quickly tired of the cliques that would form and the way that people would come once or twice and expect things to be changed for them. Can I admit that I'm glad to be past that part of my motherhood experience? :) I hope it works out, it sounds like a challenging environment now. I'm glad you're feeling better. I always rediscover my kitchen after an illness, I can't wait to get back to regular operation after canned soup and soda crackers.

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    1. Hi Jennifer. Playgroups here have been a real lifeline for me as I've met some great people and made really good friends through them.
      In my old town it was very different - you were either part of the in crowd or you weren't. I was very much the outsider and it was horrible.
      As for feeling better: I love how the kitchen calls once you're ready to start exploring the cupboards again :)

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  6. I remember vast freezing church halls full of toddlers. The noise was quite unbelievable but toddler group was always a highlight. We went to a German speaking one. I am glad you are feeling more upbeat (and hungry). Cx

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  7. Glad you're feeling a bit more chipper now. I remember playgroup very fondly, I still meet up with a group of friends that I met at one now. CJ xx

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  8. Glad to hear you sounding happy and upbeat Sarah. Winter illnesses take it out of us but the pleasure of rediscovering food and the kitchen help to make up for it, I think. I hope playgroup settles down a little and that you get to enjoy the quiet time again. I used to go to one in our local library but it became so busy it was more stressful than calming so I decided to take my leave. With spring coming, a walk or play in the park might be more fin or all concerned. ;) Bee xx

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  9. I like the sound of all that pottering. Those muffins look delicious, too.

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  10. Glad you are feeling better. I like the look of the muffins and the fact that you can vary the fruit. Muffins never seem 'naughty' in the way that cake does!!

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  11. Sounds like you're on the road to recovery......glad your appetite is back and you are getting out into that glorious countryside! :) xxx

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  12. Glad to hear that you are feeling better, if you feel like cooking and eating and gardening that is a very good sign! Just watching as I type a program on the tv that I recorded all about geraniums! xx

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  13. Good to hear that the blue skies of recovery are out for you, now feed up on muffins till you are fighting fit and ready to take on the world!
    Lovely, LOVELY photos x

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