First Stop Blackwell

We're just back from a week in the Lake District.

The third load of washing is on, we've unpacked, and the cases are back in the loft. We've had dinner etc. and having checked up emails, and caught up with friends' blogs, its time to share some of the lovely things we did over our holiday.

First stop was Blackwell, the Arts & Crafts House. Just south of Windermere, this treat of a place, was everything I had expected to be and more. The White Drawing Room just glows with the light reflected off the lake, and the very clever placement of small mirrors in the panelling, means that even with one's back to the windows, you can still see the Lake. There was so much to be amazed by, the only sad thing is I wonder whether there are the crafts people in England and the will and the wealth to build such places today.

The view over Windermere is just breath taking. On the side of the house facing the lake, there is a terrace with tables, and a long border against the house, but otherwise it is the natural landscape which reigns supreme.

We had a delicious lunch in what used to be the kitchen, before spending more time in the garden. It was good to see that much care had been taken in the choice of furnishings, crockery, cutlery and menu to give an eating experience in harmony with the house.

I was intrigued by the charred wooden piece set in the lawn. It was large in scale, and must have taken so many trees and so much work to construct.

Everywhere were well executed details, which ranged from plasterwork, woodwork, massive stone chimney breasts in the Hall, and even to patterns on the external guttering and hopper heads. The Architect Baillie Scott must have loved this commission.

Living for a number of years on the edge of the Cotswolds, I have grown to love and appreciate the furniture and textiles of the Art & Crafts movement, and used to pop into the Museum in Cheltenham, where they have a very good collection of furniture

Falling off my bike

Yesterday, I fell off my bike. On seeing a taxi suddenly coming out of a drive, I pulled on my breaks, and somehow, I tumbled over, with the bike landing on me! The bike is fine....me not quite so fine. I did not hit the car, and the kind driver was all attention, and helped me, till I felt able to stagger home.

For the first time in a long time, I was not wearing gloves, so one hand was grazed and the other was good enough for me to be able to pick the grit out. When I got home, the bruises started to hurt as well as the other hand and wrist. The little bottle of arnica oil which I bought last year in Morocco is just by me. I have never used it before, and am amazed by how effective it is. There is no picture of the bruises but if you want to know they are very big now and purple, but not as big as I thought they were going to be! I had fully intended going to knitting but last night it was only one hand....which if quite sufficient for eating fish and chips...sorry but cooking was out of the question, and there was no way way I could knit or even drive.

As I am not able to knit or do too much, I am enjoying an afternoon updating my blog.....I am starting to feel much better, and wonder whether typing has helped my wrist not be seize up. So it is back to home cooking for our supper tonight.

Day out with Friend

Its Rita's birthday this week....she's a year older than she was last year!After conferring, Rita chose a visit to Baddesley Clinton, which is our nearest National Trust House as her birthday treat.

On Sunday afternoon, we enjoyed our drive through the glorious Warwickshire countryside. The oak trees are showing their best summer dark green leaves.

The main car park looked pretty full, and I would have to park quite a long way from the house, so I decided to drive up to the disabled parking, close by the ticket office. I said to Rita that we would need keep all her energy for the house, and if needed I would move the car, when we had found her a seat.

At the desk, I explained that I was bringing my friend for her birthday treat, and that I had parked but had no disabled badge, to spare my friends legs. When I asked if I needed to move, not only was I awarded with a smile and 'that will be fine', when I produced my NT card and wallet to pay for Rita, we were told that Rita was to be their guest for the day. She was really charmed by this.

I bought the house guide, which really added to our enjoyment of the tour. Rita managed all the stairs, and with seats available in many areas, certainly did not want to miss any rooms out. After a very interesting tour of the house, yes I did notice the embroidered bedspread in the Blue Room, which on further enquiry I found to be mainly Elizabethan, we sat down for a birthday tea in the grassed area close to the old stables. We enjoyed scones and tea, then ice cream, whilst several mallards walked around searching for and also being fed crumbs.

Finally we walked around the garden, where the peonies were looking splendid. Rita was even game for a walk down to the vegetable garden, which was very well tended. Close by the glass houses we saw a very large yew tree covered in small white roses, it must have been Himalayan Musk or Kifsgate. As I was taking pictures, someone offered to take a picture of us together.

Kenilworth Lions Charity Grand Show

It was a glorious and sunny day.....and people were making their way towards the Abbey Fields. I arrived a little later than I had planned and sans Mr S. After a lovely lunch in the garden Mr S decided to relax at home. When I returned and chatted about the event, he wished he had come!

I sat and watched Elaine Hill and her sheepdogs entertain the crowds with her display of herding geese and teenage ducklings. I found a bit of shade close to Clinton School Steel Band's pitch and enjoyed listening to them which the course was being set up. Later I moved to the other end of the arena, to get a better view of the ducks.

After visiting the stands and chatting to friends and acquaintances, I bought a number of tickets from the Allotment group, not really making a note of the prizes. Just look at what I won....I tried to give it away, but when I called on the local children's home, they were all out, so the egg is now in pieces and hopefully, it will get shared out amongst visitors....and I shall get out my chocolate cookery book.

A Summer of Strawberries

Down at the weekly Market on Thursday, I bought two punnets of strawberries. They were English strawberries, excellent colour and flavour, with a variety of sizes and shapes. The reason for two punnets was that we were having our lunch for Mauritian Ladies at Marie-Claire's, and I had volunteered to make the desert. I rushed back and made the Pavlova base.

Marie-Claire excelled in a variety of Mauritian dishes ranging from fish curry, potato and spinach curry, etoufe of watercress, and an aubergine dish. There was rice and salads, and quite honestly it was more of a banquet that a lunch.

After a bit of a rest, and lots of chattering, I went through to build up the pavlova. I had made up the base that morning, prepared the strawberries, and had decided to use half fat creme fraiche. Because of the walk to MCs, I thought it best to take the components and assemble the desert just before serving.

I had to explain to the gang that I associated Pavlova with Mauritius, as it was one of my mother's specialities: not meringue which is just hard and brittle, but with the addition of cornflour and a little cider vinegar, the center is like marshmallow. She would often make big ones to take with her when dining with friends. Everyone loved the desert and MC's husband was at hand to finish it off!

With three egg whites I had sufficient to make a large base, and a small one. Mr S loves desert

and I kept strawberries, and sufficient creme fraiche for later. With a little sprinkling of icing sugar, there was enough for two!

During the lunch Rita told me that her friend Dick at the Allotment, had asked her to let me know that his strawberries were ready for picking and would I like to get round there prompto. Friday saw me picking several tubs and cycling back via Waitrose to pick up a 2 kg bag of T & L sugar.

I left the berries to ripen a little further in the sun on the kitchen windowsill, and then next morning at 6 started the strawberry cleaning and jam making marathon. Thank you jars have already been delivered to Dick and Rita, calling with four mini pots for Jean. I keep the little miniature pots from cream teas, to pot up for friends who live on their own and find a normal jar a little too big.