Sunday, 17 March 2013

Eight Blogs that Rock!

This month I enrolled on an e-course called Blog Boss.  It is run by Holly Becker, who runs a wonderful and very successful blog called decor8, you can find her blog here and if you follow the links you can read about her inspiring e-courses.



Each week Holly sets her students homework, and this week we have to post about eight blogs we think 'rock'.  Now that might sound easy, but in many ways it is like Dessert Island Discs, how on earth can I choose only eight blogs?

Please don't take it personally if I don't mention you in this list, if I follow you I think your blog is fantastic anyway.

Here are eight fabulous blogs which are inspiring me today:-

First there is  Pine Cones and Acorns.  Elizabeth writes a delightful blog, she posts regularly and always has interesting things to say, additionally her posts are filled  with beautiful images, some are her own photographs, others she has discovered.  It was Elizabeth who first mentioned Holly's courses having completed Blogging Your Way a while a go, and she inspired me to improve my own blog through study.

My good friend Laura blogs about food, at how to cook good food.  She cooks stunning meals for her family and writes about her work as a food teacher as well as publishing recipes in many journals.

Nazima who is a busy working mother writes an inspirational food blog with her husband at Franglais Kitchen.  The blog is well worth a visit, for delicious ideas and stunning photographs.

Vanessa started her blog Goddessonabudget while she was writing her cookery book Prepped, and she has continued writing, championing Fairtrade Ndali Vanilla and embracing local produce, in addition to running her own cookery school.  Every post she writes is thoughtful and thought provoking.

If I want a recommendation for an exhibition or a good read, I turn to Mary at Mrs Minever's Daughter, she writes with wit and great knowledge, I just love her posts.

Tania Kindersley writes a blog called Backwards in High Heels, which started after the publication of her book of the same name, co-written with Sarah Vine.  She is a true writer, and her use of language makes me feel ashamed at my meagre attempts.  Her photographs are beautiful.

We were asked to include two blogs from fellow students, this was tricky as there are 250 students on the course and many, many delightful reads on the blogroll.

After a great deal of thought and consideration I have chiselled my choice down to:-

Fork and Flower, this swiss based food blog is stunning to look at, beautifully styled photographs of simple yet delicious food, I look forward to following Scarlett as she continued to cook in Zurich.

My second blog is also food related.  Simple Provisions is written by Amelia, who lives in Australia.  How lovely to see summery foods, while we are stuck in this forever cold winter here in England.

One thing that all the food blogs mentioned above have in common is a love of seasonal, fresh, high quality produce, and as that is core to my cooking philosophy, I feel that they will continue to be a source of ideas for many years ahead.

The blogrolls on both A Trifle Rushed and Simplicity is the New Black have many more blogs that I find interesting and I know that I will be adding to them at the end of the course, as I discover more new and inspiring writers, photographers and cooks.

Jude x

I do hope that spring is on the way, here are a few photographs I took recently, before the grey, leaden clouds reappeared!

Oh and :- Happy St Patrick's Day to You!

I love daffodils

They are so courageous, battling the early days of Spring

And of course, Wordsworth always springs to mind!

Sweet little crocus, another brave flower

Buds just begining to show on trees

And the first shoots of leaves

After two months with us, the dog is growing more confident
I can now let him off the lead and know that  he will
 come back when I call him

Like a small child, he is not good at posing for a photograph!

Happy St Patrick's Day!






Monday, 4 March 2013

An early spring walk

I had such a busy week last week, teaching at my daughter's school, that I found I had no time to post these photographs.

Today the sun is shining, but over the winter, we have had, day after day of leaden skies.  However with a new, young dog and a six and a half year old daughter there is no excuse not to be out and exploring.

Do you remember the joy of puddles? My daughter loves them, particularly if there is a thin layer of ice to break!  And we're delighted that the dog is gaining confidence, he is now walking off the lead, it's wonderful to watch him blossom!

Testing the ice



Squelchy footprints

An air bubble under the ice

Creak!

Crack!

Look at me...

No lead!

Gaining confidence!

First buds...


I love these early signs of spring


A nest being built...

And a feather waving in the breeze!

Thursday, 21 February 2013

Walking the (new) dog

We have a wonderful new addition to our family.

He's been with us for five weeks now, and he  is gradually settling in.  These photos were taken a few weeks ago when he was still very new and nervous.

He is a rescued ex-racing Greyhound.  Although very large, he is very gentle.

I am just starting to let him off the lead when I have him out for a walk on my own.  This morning he suddenly shot off, and I had to resist the temptation to follow him, I would never have caught up, he really does run like the wind.

Instead I stood still, calling him his name, I was very anxious when he disappeared out of view for well over a minute, so you can imagine my relief when he whizzed back for a piece of Cheddar cheese!  (I am a great believer in bribery when it comes to gaining the confidence of a new dog.)

If you or anyone you know is looking for a new dog, then I can recommend greyhounds.  My last two dogs were also rescued greyhounds.  They are gentle, loving and wonderful to watch when they run (and you know they'll come back).  They are also fabulous with children. And if you have a busy life, they are quite content with two twenty minute walks a day, just make sure they have somewhere comfortable to lie at home and maybe a few toys to play with.

My daughter adores this handsome new fellow, and he has been fine when she has had friends visiting too.



We got him from Hersham Hounds, you can find their website here.  However,  if Hersham is  too far for you,  there are plenty of other specialist greyhound kennels, look at the Retired Greyhound Trust, here, you'll find a kennel local to you.  Please do go and have a look, there will be a dog there who is just right for you.

We have his Pet Passport and are really looking forward to taking him to France at Easter.

I'll be taking many more photographs of him over the next few years, I'm sure you'll get to know him well.











Wednesday, 6 February 2013

Daffodils

I just love those first bunches of daffodils.

They have been transported from Cornwall or the Scilly Isles, and sit beckoning at me with their closed petals.

Will they really be as cheery and bright as I remember from last year?

And before I know it, they are there,  in my shopping basket!

Back home I find an inspiring article about Narcissi in my favourite magazine,  Country Living.

Straight away I'm online finding a British Supplier, and my hand hovers over the complete  order box!



Stunning!

British Daffs

will they really be yellow?

If I only had a decent garden!

But I could order these

Inspiration

They are slowly waking up

More and more joyful

Perfection

And yes, they are yellow

Wednesday, 9 January 2013

Gathering Seaglass

After the stormy weather we expected to be able to pick up some beautiful seaglass, as well as the new beach my husband and daughter had discovered we returned to our old stomping ground, the original Sea Glass Beach.

Despite the cold and damp, we searched the edge of the sea and filled our pockets with treasure.

Once we returned home we emptied the glass onto a white plate, the better to see it.

So lovely, beautiful, calming to look at.

Another amazingly orange shell!

I love the pieces of pottery that you can discover

Perfect

Sometimes we have to guess, is this manmade, or nature?

Emerald greens

A white stone and green pottery

A few specks of sand on a piece of glass

Where is it from? What does it say?

Who lived here?

How can we use this?

A drop of glass

Wonderful

Peaceful