sunday tea

on Sunday we stayed in all day. Other half decided to make an amazing chocolate cake and we all sat down together in the afternoon for some tea, cake and fresh raspberries from the alottment. The weather was quite miserabable all weekend. We were meant to go to the Lantern festival at the Waldorf school in Greenwich but with big button being sick in the night, little button sleeping the effort to go all the way there just seemed like an effort too much. Another weekend of not doing very much. I really need them as we usually have such busy weeks. To gather my thoughts and do little tasks that otherwise is clinging to my mind. I am trying to be more organized and do stuff as they crop up. this must be the way forward in clearing the decks to allow for more creativity.

kale and cake

wow, the autumn is passing so quickly. I love this season but i also find it's much too short until the dark grey winter is upon us. We went to our alottment this morning and picked the last of the pumpkins, found a lonely red onion. The calendula seems to have had a last wave of bloom or it might just seem like that as everyting around them is wilting and going brown. There has been frost so the kale is good to pick now. I love kale. Especially kale salad from Feeding the Whole Family I really like this book and have used it a lot although i find the ingredients a bit confusing at times. But I think it's mainly because the American English uses different names and when I am not sure immediately and think i have to go look something up i kind of give up.

Coming home with veggie bounty like that makes me feel happy. Happiness can be that simple.
I'll save the pumpkin for later, cook the kale for supper together with chickpeas that are simmering right this moment. Curry perhaps? When the two Buttons wake up I'll make some cake with them as we need it. Having had a very hectic weekend, having a few slow days like this are just perfect and I try and relish every moment. Just being together is fine.

apple season

On Monday, it was such a gorgeous day so after having finished all the boring house tasks it was still only 2pm. So we got in the car and went to Hewitt´s farm in Kent to pick some apples. The air was so cool and crisp and the smell of apples so sweet. Alvar sitting like a little king on a throne, chomped his way through several varieties with gusto. Now our freezer and fridge is stocked up with apple sauce until next year. As the Swedish song goes...abundance in August, enjoy it in November. Or something like that. This is the point where we wish we had a larder (one with frilly things at the end of the shelves!) where we could store it alongside with our strawberry jam and tomato chutney. I am starting to view my parents cool cellar in a new light!

autumn cooking

the weather has been so miserable the last few weeks (some might say the last few months) and today I just couldn't avoid it any longer. Autumn food. I had been putting it off as I was still waiting for summer begin properly. So tonight I made a lamb, vegetable and barley stew and let it simmer for hours. Oliver made a bread and butter pudding. Now, that is not summer food is it. But what can one do with skies this grey and heavy with rain? You just want to potter indoors, cook great stews, bake bread and watch movies. We have also finally begun work on building shelves and cupboards in the living room. It will be a bit chaotic whilst all the books and CD's are clogging up our floors but I am sure it will be worth it. They can house all of our books and I won't have a heart attack everytime I see Alvar climbing up the Billy book cases that are currently there. The house is slowly coming together.