winter song

mid week day off, managed to push ourselves out the door.  it's all for the sun really. we explored cold gardens, getting ready for spring, bare all. 

february is going to be a good one, i can feel it already. proper weekends, like normal people, at least for a while.

And if it gets rough, it's time to get rough

walking towards my local high street today, a walk i used to do daily for work, a tight row of houses, it made me think.
i am the queen of nostalgia, moving to a new country does that to you. or at least it does it to me. but regardless, you really never know what might be coming on the horizon. and so i keep thinking, don't look back. these phrases seem dull and obvious, but sometimes we need reminders.

this is always something that he does well, telling me, if something is wrong, we'll fix it.

december was busy, two new jobs, hiking across town, travelling on the train. freelance is tricky. january feels still, eerily quiet. like i'm waiting. and that's okay. maybe more time to write. maybe any time.


to do list:
don't cut hair  (longhairdon'tcare)
learn manual
do taxes
go to egypt on tuesday !!

low sun

last monday, the sun came out and we went into the woods. perfect light and leaves, and just warm enough for a pub lunch outside. all that good British stuff, wellies and tea and chat. a much needed escape, and it's been raining ever since, so that was it, it's winter now i think.

with more hours in my week, as of late, i feel tired. a fretful tiredness that is hard to shake. so i swim. or i walk. some movement, head clearing action. and order books.
but then things might change again, just like that, i might change them. and so i take back my time, gladly. 

tarte aux pommes

so i didn't make those recipes the other week. i got sick, and then spent six days in bed/couch.

my oven is forever 10 degrees off, so my tart got a little bit crispy, but oh well. i figured i would eat the whole thing, no germ spreading. and my Cereal magazine came, so there you have it, my afternoon last thursday.

the house smelt all warm and toasty, and it helped me feel like a real human being again, capable of completing a task away from the couch, sans laptop.  i think it looked pretty nice really.

it got cold

roasted pumpkin salad via 101 Cookbooks

apple and honey tart via London Bakes

okay so these two things need to get made this week.
fall always gets me going in the kitchen. i bought a pumpkin, i bought apples. i will make time, i will make these. yesterday was sunny and bright, but windy! and today it's cool and grey. and i wore jeans for the first time in months, and lit candles and so everything smelled woody and fiery and i sat by the flames. and wore my ugly socks that he hates.

he went north for work, and told me he got the wood-burner going. 'wish you were here', come back soon, or the electric blanket is going on (yes i said it).

this is happening

i had this can of pumpkin in my cupboard. pumpkin is hard to find in the uk, like really hard to find.
pumpkin muffins, with maple syrup cream cheese centers. and they were so damn good. if i do say so. i feel so canadian sometimes and i love it.
throw in some nice foliage and blackberries for good measure. now it feels like fall proper.

we got cozy today, bring on the red wine and homemade bread, i say. 

camp

we went west the other weekend, and drove to wales for a quick trip. it didn't rain, not even a bit.
mostly just rock beaches and fires, setting up camp on a cliff edge. all i wanted to do was sit, and maybe read my book (i finished my book).  it was quiet, i needed some quiet. and then we sat in the pub garden and the clouds stayed away. and now it's starting to feel like fall.