An Autumn Break In Staffordshire.

I have been trawling through accommodation sites for a house to stay in with all my old uni friends and it accured to me that there are only a few places on people's lips when thinking of an autumn or winter short break - Yorkshire, Peak District, the Lakes etc and I find myself shouting at the screen - Staffordshire!! We have beautiful walks, hiking, moors, deep valleys, hidden streams, history and fab shopping and some of the best cakes in the UK!! Added to all this we are good value too - an ideal choice for a few days away to recharge and relax me thinks.

Thought I would post a couple of lovely pics so you get the idea...come and visit us enjoy....

The madness of multi tasking

I am blessed with the ability to multi task pretty effectively and when I say blessed I mean cursed you understand. Instead of seamlessly floating around achieving all the items on a well honed list I hurtle from one half completed task to the next. Who would say that finding the correct items for sports club x 2 could nearly render me simultaniously wordless and howling?? I can feel the very subtle "vrummm" of the accelerator of Christmas as I start to speed up to the inevitable pre festive crisis that will occur after the 3rd performance of the school play when there are only 6 days left before the big day, I have a cold and the kids are so tired and vile they can barely function. Is it just me?
I have therefore decided to have an anti Christmas - one that is just about relaxing with some gratuitous chocolate eating. I am going to avoid the fraught "Food Shop" when I am persuaded, by who the hell knows, to buy enough meat to cause instant heart failure and goose fat??!? I am going to buy gifts ahead so that I don't have palpitations every time I do online banking. I am going to make time to have friends over for low key, home cooked food with no overpriced canapees or miniture bite size Christmas puddings. I am also going to buy a small tree in a pot in order to fit said friends into the sitting room and to replant for next year. In honour of my wonderful Grandma, who we lost last year, I am going to order all my cards from Traidcraft. Finally I am going to ensure that I have lots of time to slouch on the sofa and make Star Wars lego ships, play the really annoying board game someone will inevitably buy one of the boys and ignore the washing up! In the meantime back to the half finished tasks for today....

Scarefest Staffordshire style!

Alton Towers are doing a Scarefest this year for Halloween and it looks like they are focusing on the younger visitors this year too! It is a time of year that I love - apple bobbing, warm soup, hot toddies and walks through orange woods! The picture is of Dimmingsdale a favourite family walk on a Sunday. Lots of exploring for the boys and fabulous scenery and smells. It is a great place for mushrooms too.

Thought I'd share a fave soup recipe for after a cold Autumn walk.....

2 leeks chopped and washed through.

2 potatoes diced

2 carrots grated

1 tsp cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 litre veg/chicken stock

Gently fry the leeks in a mixture of olive oil and butter. Don't allow to brown - just soften and sweeten. Add cumin and stock and potatoes. Cover and bring to boil and then simmer for 10 mins. Add the grated carrot and cook for a further 10 mins. Finally blend until smooth and add salt and pepper to taste. You can add a touch of sour cream if you're feeling posh!

This really hits the spot after a good walk and goes great with warm granary or soda bread!

Christmas is coming!

I know I know you think I've gone mad - but it is and if you are thinking of creating something beautiful and sustainable aa a special gift then why not try a Willow Weaving course?? Our Christmas Willow Craft days are fun, relaxed and set lovely rural Staffordshire and you get yummy food and tuition as well as all the materials!

It won't be long before I am cooking the Christmas cake and I have already been thinking about the horrible dilemma of card buying/sending. I think I might go Traidcraft this year in honour of my Grandma as I just can't stomach sending an eco email - dull dull dull. At least there will be ebnefit one and recylcing at the other! Will post the cake recipe next time!

Off to church now for the Harvest Festival to watch my boys. I love the service and the singing and love the fact that I can focus on my blessings for a min! Added to that - there is nothing cuter than watching a row of 5 year olds walking to church carrying their wobbly boxes of veg!

Welcome to the new term!

September is a very special month for me and I love the lights, smells and colours. Staffordshire is looking out of this world today. There is a haziness to the sunshine and warmth in the air. There are hues of oranges and yellows in the garden and lazy wasps getting lost. I still need my sunglasses but not a cardy yet and we eat green beans every day! I am looking forward to a long walk through the freshly cut meadows and over the hills tomorrow followed by more courgette soup! Not sure if it quite time for a fire this evening but it's coming....

Life Drawing and other things...

Having celebrated the first day of August in my last post I now feel as if we are heading towards Autumn -one of my favourite times of year just not yet thank you! Did another stint of camping in the Brecon Beacons - what a treat and very sunny so all together I think I might be being a bit negative! There is just a hint of colour change in the trees now - just a jaded look that spells new term and new shoes.

Thinking about the autumn does bring excitement not only the unexplained excuse to eat cake, but the courses are booking up fast and it is so fab to be inviting new folk to join us in lovely Staffordshire. We promise - as always - to warmly welcome and feed well as well as setting the guests up with the most fabulous and inspirational tutors around! We have Rachel Evans of Wheatcroftwillow doing our Christmas Craft Course when you can literally make Christmas in a day! We also have Andrew Brown-Jackson teaching our Hedge Laying weekend - he is so qualified and knowledgeable that you even get a certificate. Finally we have just 3 places left for our Life Drawing class with Jenny Blant who is just such a warm, supportive and talented artist who will help you out your inner artist.

Final word - my courgettes.....or lack of them. Truly the most disappoinintg year and I'm usually drowning in them and using them as currency by now - just nothing! There is a daily war against the caterpillars too, who have set up a 30year Woodstock celebration on my purple sprouting - apparently having the time of their lives. I'm moaning again so time to go and put the kids to bed and cheer up.

First day of August!

Who would believe it the first day of August and boy has it rained. Everything is sulking in the garden and the courgette is still steadfastly refusing to produce anything I can eat. has felt more like Autumn...talking of which have now added the dates etc of our Life Drawing weekend on the 9th October. Already only 4 places left and demand for more dates. Our tutor is fab and full of experience, knowledge and encouraging. We are also putting on a Christmas Willow Craft day for people to learn how to willow weave decorations for the home and future generations.

Camping last week with the kids and had a truly lovely time messing about, choosing shells, playing rounders and eating outside - Bliss! It reminded me the power of just getting away for a few days without the daily chores and somewhere that is beautiful and quiet. Catch up soon and will add the results of new Carrot Cake recipe (experiment cooling downstairs as we speak).