Thursday 11 June 2015

My kitchen shelves ...Eclectic mix plus cobwebs!







A great storm came in the night and tried to mash down the flowers...the red hawthorn tree is so bursting with blooms this year I just had to go out in the wet and bring some inside.


My Indian and African masks look down amongst the cobwebs..who has time for dusting anyway!


My shelves are full of love and light of all kinds. The Hindu goddess in red is Lakshmi...a gift from our dear friend Renu. If you rub her palm it is said she will bring you good fortune and wealth. It's never worked for me exactly but I'm not complaining at the abundance that we enjoy in our western world. So many people have such miserable and perilous existences.


My artist son made this probably ten years ago, when he was a student but I've always loved it.


A little Mexican painting on tin from Irene


Lovely fat garlic


More from my artist children


Beautiful bronze Buddha with little white porcelain hare sitting at his feet


This Christ figure was a gift from Southern Italy 


My mobile phone/camera bag from Panama


This is what my son thought horses looked like when he was about seven years old.Scary scary teeth!!

So as you can see my kitchen is rather bonkers but I enjoy it's eclectic mix that reminds me of so many friends and dear ones.
And to put it into a little context here are a few images of friends enjoying a meal..actually it's more a case of here are some images of a typical meal..I love feeding people!


 Me and Marge..before my hair went quite so bright white! I'm on the right!






And just for fun..Here's a poem I wrote called 
The Meal

Welcome all , relax, sit down.
So glad you all could come.
Have an olive, a glass of wine.
Pass the plates along.

All day I’ve picked, diced and chopped
as the puppy played round my feet.
The onions, grown with love and care
sizzle, watch the heat.

Green beans sliced and gently steamed
salt flaked potatoes
roast with thyme.
Black poppy seeds crack and dance
on tender leeks divine

Self seeding fennel, grows like weeds
their fragrance fills the air.
Bake them sliced with milk and butter,
oh but my, they’re fare.

Cucumber cool in yoghurt
Beetroot slid hot from their skins
revealed as scarlet slashes
gleaming as though full of sin.

Take some fried radiccio
artichokes crisped in tempura.
Have some, help yourselves,
I always cook too much.

Pass the salad down this end
The rockets grown too long
but those tomatoes they’re just fine
they smell of summers gone.

Hunt among the green leaves
you’ll find avocado there,
all specked with toasted pine nuts
and wet with oils desire.

It’s great to see you all
Top up your glass and
Pass the bottle round.
More water anyone?

Here’s A bowl of strawberries
with flowers of feverfew.
Pile them on with clotted cream
and roasted hazel nuts.

Coffee next or herbal tea.
Relax, don’t rush, unwind.
We’ll light the fire and all draw near
Let’s talk the night away

And if you are all too tired to drive
There’s empty beds upstairs
the kids have flown the nest long since.
For breakfast I’ll poach pears

serve them with a slice of cake,

sweet cheese from yellow quince
or toast from bread I’ll bake
the cupboards never bare

I’m so glad you all could come
Life was made to share.



















Monday 1 June 2015

A May Garden on the South Downs

The foxgloves and chives are best of friends and the keen to multiply fennel seem happy sharing their bed. The strawberries are constantly trying to join them..but enough is enough!

The strawberries do have their own patch...and have invited a large mullein to nestle with them. I have stopped using a net as the little song birds get trapped and that is distressing for them and me! I'd rather share the berries with them.

This little banks slopes down to the patio if you could call it that! The place where the garden table sits..and summer lunches can be enjoyed.


The architectural rhubarb just grows and grows!!

Chives are so pretty with their pom pom purple hats.



So that's it for May!! Everything is growing except for the cabbage seedlings which seem to have been eaten by some mini villain...