View From My Window

Here are some views from the wheelhouse today.  These views constantly change depending on state of the tide, weather etc, but that keeps life interesting.  I am so lucky to live here. Sorry about the poor quality of the pictures, but the glass makes it hard to photo.

This and That

The weather has been awful this week.  The beginning of June is supposed to be summer but we had to light the woodburner to take the chill off the air.  And the rain, I think we have had our year's quota in a week!  It has also been half term, so a whole week off work.  I have really just been pottering in my new kitchen, practising new recipes on Pete.  I have made a few loaves of bread and some cakes, here is my spelt loaf and banana bread:

The banana bread was a new recipe and is amazing.  Here it is in the cake box that I inherited from my grandmother.  When I was a child it was always full of homemade goodies, something to really look forward when we visited.  My Nan was renowned for her fruit cakes, both light and dark ones, they were delicious.  I asked for the recipe once and was given a cutting from a 1930s Woman's magazine. I made it and it didn't taste the same at all.  I questioned Nan and she said 'did I remember to tell you I soak the fruit in tea?', no she hadn't, so I tried again, still not the same.  Again 'oh, did I remember to tell you about the glug of brandy' tried again, still wrong.  And so the story goes on and I still didn't get the full recipe!  My Nan didn't use scales, everything was done by eye.  I miss those cakes (and her pease pudding).

I have also been looking after grandchildren this week.  I gave Lucie a break with the new baby by taking Scarlett out for the day to a small local wildlife centre.  She is now two and a half and is such good fun to spend time with. She has an absolutely wicked sense of humour!  We got absolutely soaked but it didn't put a dampener on the day.  Here she is feeding the fish.

Yesterday I found this little guy sunning himself by the boat.  He didn't even scurry off when I took his picture.  The weather is set to improve this week, typical when we go back to work.  However that is the joy of working part time, I get to enjoy the sun.  I need to get to the allotment this week.  The weather has put me so behind with planting, and the weeds obviously like the rain :(. Take care xxx