Purple PawPaw

For the past few weeks people will know that we have been having our house painted, this still continues but the front is now complete. There are some knobs and knockers to sort out but otherwise this is it…are you ready?

On bank holiday monday we went for a ‘Wild Food Walk’. This was organised by a group that we are part of called Buck the Trend (BTT) that is aiming to get people to think about living more kindly on the earth, looking at alternative energy, transport, cutting costs and food related things. This has included looking for some land, talking with people from different groups about how they have accquired land for planting, meeting with people doing fantastic and amazing things in terms of living more simply and small holding and now eating from the hedgerows.

The walk was led by Fiona Campbell who largely feeds her family from the wild. We were encouraged to try things and were also shown poisonous plants which should not be tried at all. We came back with a basket of goodies which formed our dinner for the evening - and with some BBQ meat (foraged from the butcher) and a little light dressing it was lovely. We have said we would collect more food this way, as yet we haven’t made time, but I look forward to another salad sometime soon.

We’ve been to the Devon Show for the past two years and decided to go again. The weather held and we bumped into a number of friends making us feel that Devon really is home. Managed to do some research on bee keeping, clay ovens and pigs as well as having to sample many of  Devon’s exceptional culinary delights.

Below are some photos of the exciting day we had….

Our allotment is growing excellent grass, chickens have had to have their wings clipped after escaping and digging up all our bean seedlings and we are planning great things for later in the summer…watch this space…

We grow potatoes, grass and rhubarb!

The scaffolding is down and you can see that the painting continues, we had some wet weather early on this week which halted things a bit but otherwise everyday the house feels more and more like ours.

The great reveal as the scaffolding at the front of the house comes down

Nearly all the green has gone!

Our house really is in the middle of the street and is pretty unique as it is rarely seen. If you photograph from the bottom you can’t see it and its the same from the top, as we are on a very slight bend. This has advantages. I particuarly like the anonymity. However we are slightly more visible at the moment!

After living here for 7 years and hating the colour of our house every day of that time, plus watching it slip into a stage of shabbiness we are currently having it painted. Due to being directly on the street and therefore dangerous for the painter (who we like a lot and want to do more work in the future and therefore it is our interests to protect) we have had to have the house scaffolded and bridging the road. Mr H has taken photos, which are below…enjoy!

Today was Dads 70th birthday. Gordon and I went down to see him before work to see him open present, cards and to give wishes etc. We had to wait a while for the birthday boy to descend but it was worth it…

Birthday boy poses with picture created especially by the artist Emilie Fiona Frier, at 4 months old

Stunned and amazed...at his present from Mum

We know it will be a wonderful year full of lots of exciting experiences and events - we look forward to spending it with you.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Apparently this is the wooden anniversary - but as we have lots of wood already - see ‘Neighbours’ - we decided to celebrate mostly by eating!

We went to Cornwall where we ate Friday lunch at Restauraunt Nathan Outlaw and quite honestly wanted to spend the day discussing what an amazing meal it had been. Highly recommended - and although I am not entirely an expert in this area from what I can see well worth the rising 2 star Michelin rating!

Onto Boscastle where we stayed at a fabulous B and B - The Old Parsonage - where we were well cared for. A lovely walk across the Stitches into the village in the evening.

Following morning we were again well fed at The Old Parsonage and onto Padstow where Rick Stein has his empire.

More food - this time at St Petroc’s Bistro. It was great - informal, large quantities, well cooked - but even I was beginning to think I may have overdone it a bit as was probably not as appreciative as I would have been had I not had Nathan and Margaret and Morag already having cooked us fabulous food.

Great weekend and a lovely anniversary treat - but its good to come home for a rest!

Did you know it flowered?

If yours does cut it off immediately - apparently it stops the plant wanting to grow and therfore the end of your source of a delicious crumble!

This past weekend we went up to Edinburgh. I have been studying at the University for the past term and this was my final study weekend. Gordon came too to spend time with friends.

We had a lovely time with Ally, John. Rachel, Matthew and Andrew. We didn’t see a lot of Rachel as this was a key weekend for her - a rite of passage, the weekend when she bought her first boyfriend home - it was my job to keep her Mum calm!

Ally had heard about a cake shop which sold enormous cakes…

Matthew wonders at such a huge eclair

Gordon tucks in!

We also went out to the Falkirk Wheel - what an amazing thing…

The Falkirk Wheel