My kitchen

My kitchen

Wednesday 29 December 2010

New Toybox!


One final thing!
Elliot's Christmas present arrived today...a little late, but well worth it.
We've been looking for a toybox for ages and discovered this one at 'Vertbaudet'.. www.vertbaudet.co.uk (in the sale now at only £10.50!)
Am very pleased with it, and thought I would share it with you!

Christmas catch up!




We've had a busy, but lovely few days celebrating Christmas with parents, brothers and sisters, cousin and in-laws. Its wonderful having a house full of people, but also exhausting and so far the last couple of days we've been chilling at home and trying to catch up on the washing, restocking the fridge etc! Yesterday we had planned an 'open house', to catch up with friends, but cancelled a few days before because of the weather. Actually when it came to it, we probably could have gone ahead with it,as the snow has at last melted away.

My Auntie, a New Zealander, sent some beautiful Paua shell tree decorations as a Xmas present, and so I've included some photos of them on a branch my mum decorated. I just love the colours of the paua shell (hope I've spelt that right). My husband and I are off to London tomorrrow for a night away. My Xmas present to him was tickets to see Bill Bailey, and so we've got a night on our own (leaving the children with my parents).
Anyway, enjoy the last few days of 2010 and may I wish you all a Happy New Year ! x

Wednesday 22 December 2010

Seven


A good friend of mine, who has a fantastic blog (The Seventy Tree), blogged about 'Seven' this morning.
The idea is that you reveal 7 new and interesting facts about yourself and then forward your post...also sharing your seven favourite blogs.
So here goes!

1) I have a fear of flying and once hired a car from Scotland and drove home, because I wouldn't get back on the plane.
2)My great, great, great, great, great Grandfather, was apparently King Edward VII (down an illigitmate line!)
3) I would love to live in New Zealand one day or have a house in France.
4) My favourite season is the summer.
5) I am a bit obsessed with cleaning and like to have a tidy house!
6) I play the flute and piano
7) My closest friends are men!

My seven blogs! The Seventy Tree, French Essence, Little Bear Studio, Fabulously French, All things French, Small Acorns My French Country home

Tuesday 21 December 2010

Snowed in...



The snow this year has been beautiful, but I've had enough of it!!
Living in the countryside has its downside and this morning I am pondering whether to get in the car and risk a drive to the supermarket. Once I reach the main road I know it will be clear, but its negotiating the ice in the lane that is the tricky bit. Only a few days to Christmas, and I haven't finished my Xmas shopping, am running out of food and we are also very low on heating oil! This morning we allowed the central heating to come on for just an hour or so (just to warm the house through), but already at 10am the house is cold and I am wrapped up in jumpers and snuggled next to a portable electric heater. I have already warned the relatives coming for Christmas that they need to bring their thermals! Yesterday we blocked up the fire place (it seems to suck any heat up the chimmney) and put a curtain over the inside of the front door. Its made a little difference.
Anyway, wherever you are this Christmas I hope its a warm and cosy one. Vicki (from French Essence) commented that there are many people struggling to travel and get home to loved ones for Christmas) and so despite the snow, I feel fortunate that I'm with my family already.
Happy Christmas from Devon x

Friday 10 December 2010

Getting there slowly




My little one is teething and feeling very sorry for himself. He was up half the night and I'm feeling slightly worse for wear too. Still in between his cat naps today I've started to put up a few decorations. The tree is yet to come, (next weekends project!) when I'm hoping little Elliot will be feeling a little happier and will enjoy lights and tinsel. Happy decorating!

Thursday 2 December 2010

First snow in the kitchen garden





For days now, most of the Uk has been covered in a white blanket. But not us. We have just had cold, grey and miserable weather. But today I opened my curtains to the first snow of Winter...only about 2cms (if that!), but enough to get my daughter excited and my husband panicing about whether the trains would be running.
At 7am my daughter was running around the garden making footprints and I was busy in the kitchen listening to the local radio station. I don't often listen to the radio, but the local station becomes the hub for snow news, announcing school closures and transport problems.
To my daughters disappointment, her school wasn't on the 'closed' list. The school bus however didn't turn up and my husbands train was late. Its funny how unprepared we are in the Uk for snow. In parts of the world it takes metres of snow to cause chaos and yet here....a cm or two.
I went out and took a few photos this morning of our house and garden in the snow. We live in a victorian cottage (built in 1893) with a large walled garden, that was originally the gardeners cottage to a local manor house. The garden orignally would have been a kitchen garden, full of fruit and vegetables. We still have some fruit trees and grow some vegetables, but the garden now is mostly lawned with shrubs and trees.

Wednesday 1 December 2010

My mums Advent tree



Every year my mum makes an Advent tree for my daughter. Like an Advent calendar, you have a little surprise to open on each day in December. My mum decorates a branch with baubles and hangs chocolate coins on, one for each day until Christmas. It has become a real favourite in our family and this year she made two...one for a young friend of ours. I know what kind of Advent calendar I'd prefer!