Getting Ready .....

Carving the pumpkins...

Putting out the 'witchy lady'...

Mya, Emmie and Molllie are decorating pumpkin biscuits...

Trying on their Halloween outfits...

Mollie say's...

'One more sleep till....

TRICK OR TREAT!

(Pictures 1 & 6 Country Living)

What a fun day.

Happy Halloween

Shelly

Woman to Woman.

Life moves through so quickly, time moves on so fast....

This week has been a really sad time for my family I had to say my final goodbye to my much loved Nana, she was a remarkable women, one of the last of her generation. Born in 1912 she had lived through 2 World Wars and her courage in the face of adversity, her determination to keep her family together, her kindness to strangers, her generosity and her love of life have been inspirational to me throughout my life.

Then one of my dearest girlfriends came to spend the day with me,

It was so nice to have a 'girly' day, we talked (a lot), we had a browse round the town, we had lunch out, we had a look at some of your lovely blogs, we discussed clothes, cooking, house decorating, getting ready for Christmas...and so much more in between.

My spirits were lifted, the strength of friendship - woman to woman.

Also this week I discovered 2 brilliant 'lifestyle' websites:

www. forbesstyle.com

It is run by Emma Forbes (daughter of the talented and beautiful actress Nannette Newman)

and

consumerliberationblog.blogspot.com

This inspirational woman really simplified her life.

So woman to woman - call your family and friends this week, make a date to meet up because time moves on so quickly and true friendship is priceless.

Shelly.

When the North Wind Doth Blow...

This morning we woke to the first frost.

I didn't want to scrape the ice off the car window.

I just wanted to sit here...

(Country Homes and Interiors)

' Or let Autumn fall on me

Where afield i linger,

Silencing the bird on tree,

Biting the blue finger.

White as meal the frosty field-

warm the fireside haven-

Not to Autumn will I yield,

Not to Winter even!

R. L. Stevenson.

It is going to be minus 3 tonight.... Boots, coats, scarfs and gloves at the ready.

Shelly.

Let's Talk Books

I am a real book browser, I can spend hours in a good book shop - just looking.


There is nothing better than having time to sit and browse through your books.

( Pictures 1&2 from Country Homes and Interiors Oct 10)

This month I am browsing through:

Kirsty's Homemade Home by Kirsty Allsopp. A book following the TV series of the same name which I loved.

It is full of great crafting idea's and very stylish.

Nigella's new book, get cooking!

A follow up to the fantastic Olive Farm books by Carol Drinkwater - I love these books
they are an account of her restoration of an Olive Farm, a labour of love and a real love story all wrapped into life in Provence, France.

I am revisiting Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem.

Reading it with any 'little people' spending time with us and enjoying once again her wonderful stories and detailed drawings of the adventures of all those living in the hedge.

It is time for the Autumn wardrobe makeover.. I have been getting inspiration from this...

Not forgetting my favorite monthly Home magazines, just look at these covers for Autumn decorating inspiration.

Happy reading this weekend.

Shelly.

Home Alone

Today I have been home alone!

It is such a treat to every now and then get a day to do this:


Clean, potter and cozy up the house.



Plant White Cyclamen at the front door.

Make Roast Garlic and Tomato Sauce to use during the week.

Roast a Pumpkin and Butternut Squash.

I added a red onion, a bulb of garlic, squeezed over half a lemon and added the rest of the lemon to roast with the squash and I added dried coriander (fresh would be better but i didn't have any)

I served some with the Sunday Roast and the rest will make a curry tomorrow.

Then.......

I made Raspberry Vodka - to be ready for Christmas.

This is how....

You need a sterilized wide neck bottle or spring top jar.

Pour in a 1 litre bottle of vodka.

(keep the bottle so you can pour the raspberry vodka back in it, you can soak the label off and put your own pretty label on the bottle)

Add 450 -500g of raspberries.

Add 200g of caster sugar.

Seal the jar and shake from side to side (not too quickly!) until the sugar dissolves, be patient it will happen.
Put the jar in a cool dark place, shake it every day for a couple of weeks then once a week after that. It will be ready in 7-8 weeks.

For Christmas vodka shots strain the vodka of the fruit into the original sterilized bottle, you should have a bit more than you started with so treat yourself to little glass while you use the fruit to make a dessert or it is lovely spooned on to a good vanilla ice cream (grown ups only please!)

The Raspberry Vodka will keep for a least 6 -9 months if you keep it in a cool dark place.

It feels really good to have something brewing in the cupboard for Christmas!

Happy cooking this week.

Shelly.

Home again.

From this......
To this......

Getting ready for this.....

(this picture from 25 Beautiful Homes)

Shelly.