Saturday 29 November 2014

Monday to Sunday












I'm really not quite sure where this week went.  The tempo of everything is hotting up, and school is suddenly full of demands for all sorts of things.  They want money for trips, items for the tombola at the school fete, handmade and filled crackers for the mystery cracker stall, cakes for the cake stall, books and games for the books and games stall, parental help with trips, money for non-uniform day, pyjamas for non-uniform day, special Christmas jumpers for Christmas jumper day, money for teacher collections, money for new recorder books, cakes for the cake sale (this is different to the school fair cake stall) and money for cakes being sold in the cake sale (are you sensing a theme..?)  All of it times three of course.  I'm doing my bit, but honestly, sometimes I feel like taking out my purse and shrieking "Take it, just take it all".

I tried to photograph the castle on one of the sunnier mornings.  I dropped the boys off at school, but by the time I got back out to the castle the sun had gone in.  You'll just have to imagine how glorious it looked behind that beautiful beech hedge with the early morning sun on it and the windows sparkling.  Of course five minutes later when I was halfway home the sun came back out.  A blogger made of sterner stuff would have turned around and gone back, but I went home and had breakfast.

In the kitchen there's been some therapeutic baking to calm me down.  I grated some uchiki kuri squash and put it in a fruit cake.  That way cake counts as one of our five a day.  I went to the allotment on Friday and planted the two apple trees my friend gave me.  After much deliberation I chose Christmas Pippin and Sunset.  Christmas Pippin is a new variety, and Sunset is relatively modern, dating from the early 1900s.  I have high hopes for them.  There's nothing quite so uninspiring to photograph as a newly planted bare fruit tree.  It feels like a momentous occasion.  Not often in life do we get to plant trees, things which may survive for future generations.  It's a big moment.  But the photo - hopeless.  It's a stick poking out of the mud.  You know I'll be back here the second they burst into life though.  

I also planted some more garlic, and in digging over the ground I found some potatoes that the littlest boy and I missed.  There were also lots of bits of clay pipe and china on the surface of the soil, washed clean by all the rain I think.  It amounted to quite a collection.

The weekend is shaping up to be quite relaxing.  We don't have any football on Saturday mornings at the moment and honestly it's such a pleasure not to have to go anywhere.  I'm a really early riser, but nonetheless it's so nice to just be at home, pottering about, getting things in order.  The biggest boy made vanilla shortbread from his Sam Stern cookbook this morning.  Sam is young and cool and makes cooking for boys cool too.  And in the photos he's sometimes doing his homework and revising for exams, in between knocking up a quick batch of blueberry and apricot muffins or a caramelised onion tart. 

Tomorrow there will be football and an afternoon out.  Nothing fancy, just me and them.  I'm looking forward to it all, I never used to like Sundays much, but I've finally got the hang of them.  Wishing you a good day too.

40 comments:

  1. Oh CJ, you're planting apple trees......wonderful. I want to plant one here, but I wonder if one is O.K., or do they need more than one for pollination? I'd like to plant a Bramleys as they are such wonderful cooking apples, but maybe they are hard to grow?
    Thank you for all your lovely comments over at mine...they are much appreciated.
    have a great Sunday....here's hoping the sun shines.
    Jacquie x

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    1. Bramleys are easy to grow and quite disease resistant, but they do need two other apple trees to pollinate them. You might be lucky if there are other trees in the neighbourhood. If you do buy three trees, just make sure they are in the same pollination group, ie. they have their blossom at the same time. And bear in mind that the Bramley can't pollinate another tree as its pollen is effectively sterile. I hope you do manage to get an apple tree, they are lovely things to have. CJ xx

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    2. Thank you so much CJ, there is an apple tree I can see in a garden three houses away. Don't know when it blossoms though. Maybe I could get one and just see what happens for the first year.
      Jacquie x

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  2. I hope that you have had a good day with no requests on your time or money today and that you will have another tomorrow! I hope that your apple trees do really well for you. xx

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  3. Our school has been requesting a fair bit recently too, it must be the season :) Lovely photos, hope the apple trees grow well.

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  4. I think your castle photo is magnificent! I would be so impressed if my son was becoming a chef like yours! But mine can make a nice home made macaroni and cheese. I hope your Sunday is as peaceful as you want and a happy time with the boys. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  5. I happen to be completely in love with your sticks up there!!! How wonderful that you were able to plant your fruit trees!!!! Ah...what I would do to have space for some apple trees!! And HA! Tell me about the school obligations!! I have NO idea how I'm going to make all of the school parties and volunteer days and performance days for the month of December as I will have to find a sitter for my youngest! Heating up indeed!!! Gorgeous pictures and the castle photo is perfect!!! Nicole xoxo

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  6. I recently bought a Sam Stern cookbook for a friend's son and it's been a great hit and I know what you mean about school obligations, although I think the 'mystery cracker' idea is great! I've made carrot cake and courgette cake in the past, but I've never tried squash and I imagine it would work really well. I love the castle photo and your bits of buried treasure. Have a wonderful Sunday. x

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  7. Sounds like a very productive week you captured lovely. Have a peaceful Sunday, Anita xx

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  8. It's exhausting before you even get to Christmas isn't it? And I used to find Matt was completely hyped up by all the activities. Senior school is easier though - house rugby, house cross country, Boars Head Feast (an old tradition for choir) and the school disco - and I guess this year he won't be involved in the muddy bits either. All good stuff for teenagers, without the drain on mums purse or time. Enjoy your Sunday. x

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  9. I know what you mean about planting trees, something for the future x we have a request for Christmas jumpers too, I do NOT want to buy two Christmas jumpers that will never be worn again.......... (ps we love the Sam Stern books here too)

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  10. When I was teaching we would have faced a parental rebellion if we had asked for all that.Did you forget school play costumes and stuff for parties :D

    Sunny mornings almost forgot what they were like and then this morning the sky was a strange colour - blue.

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  11. Thank goodness for a few sunny moments amongst all the mist, it makes it very hard to take photos, especially ones of bare sticks! I hope they bear lots of fruit for you, CJ. I agree about all the school stuff. Tempted to set up a direct debit to school and have done with it. Thanks for visiting over at mine, you're right about the gingerbread people and the wheelie bin, it could've been much worse! Enjoy your Sunday xx

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  12. I'm completely with you on the joy of planting your tree. I showed a chum around our allotment yesterday and although she was very polite I sensed she was wholly uninspired! I think in our heads we can see what is 'yet to be' whereas some just see the stick! Sounds like a busy week over there - hope you've had time to relax this weekend x Jane

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  13. Beautiful, interesting and colourful images dear C.J., it is so lovely where you live. Your apple tree might not look very inspiring now but wait until it is laden with fruit, one of nature's most beautiful sights. It must be the same in most countries nearing the end of the school year, so much to do and lots of fundraising.
    xoxoxo ♡

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  14. This time of year truly does my head in and of course it is coming to the end of our school year in Australia so there are all th end of year things on as well - the wallet is pretty much a free for all!!! The alottment is looking wonderful CJ, and well I can only imagine stumbling on a castle, definitely not something you'll find here x

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  15. I remember feeling the same about school demands for things. It more or less stops once they get to secondary (phew). Your apple trees sound lovely. We've just planted a hornbeam hedge - I can't wait for it to grow and settle and for the birds and insects to start using it.

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  16. I remember this time of year always being hectic and a big strain on the purse when mine were at primary school. I actually miss it now they're grown, well, the hustle and bustle, not so much the burden on the purse. I shall look forward to hearing about your trees next year, I hope they do well for you. I'm hoping mine do better next year than they did this year. It sounds like you've got a nice relaxed weekend planned, enjoy.

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  17. It is lovely to plant your own fruit trees. I was given one last Christmas - 'Rosette'- which we planted on the allotment and I was SO excited when it was covered with blossom in the spring and produced one apple! Not bad for its first year!

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  18. How golden your days are, in light and activity both. Don't encourage that school: the more you do, the more they expect of you. Best to be eccentric and unreliable.

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  19. I can't believe all of the expenses the school is expecting at this time of year. I'm very surprised, especially with the cost of the holidays and all the things you have to do besides. I'm excited about your fruit trees! I really love having a few, especially my apple tree. I look forward to seeing how yours do. Happy to hear that you've had a quiet weekend, enjoy your time at home with the boys.

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  20. Hi CJ, I found you through Sue (The Quince Tree) and am glad that I did. You had me at the pumpkin photograph! Shall be 'following' and keeping tabs on your posts. And envying you your garlic. I have no luck - every year I try, with agonised encouragement from a friend in Yorkshire who grows hers as easily as falling off a bike. Ah, well, we have a good veggie market!

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  21. Sam Stern sounds like quite the perfect boy! But if he gets them baking, why not?
    I like how you manage to turn cake into one of your five a day. I'm sure with those fat cherries (OK, so they're not fresh ones but so what? It's almost winter) you're on to something.
    I do look forward to Joe going to school and doing all those lovely seasonal things but it looks as though we'll have to start a forking-out fund soon. My brother's little girl started school in September and apparently they have the same problem: there's always something.
    I hope you enjoyed your Sunday. Have a good week :)
    Sarah x

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  22. Oh, your first paragraph...I hear you!! Same at our school, seemingly endless requests for either money or time. I find it wearying after a while, and at a time of year when everyone is extra busy and extra skint...

    But the rest of your week sounds really nice. I hope your weekend was as relaxing as promised. xx

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  23. What a wonderful beehive of activity. The cake looks so delicious. It' sure to be a hit.
    The tree may be only a stick now but in a while it will be a glorious and loaded with fruit.
    Love all the photo's and the castle is beautiful.
    Have you taken up archeology in your spare time? Are those all old pieces of china?

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  24. Oh how right you are, the tempo is indeed hotting up. I feel like hiding some days. Or baking (very therapeutic). I avoid looking into my children's school bag just now, thereby "missing" some requests for money or time (don't tell). I never have any change for the vending machine at work because I give it all to the kids for various charities etc. I feel a rant coming on and force myself to stop, wishing you a lovely week ahead instead. x

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  25. Hope you had a good weekend, and a chance to relax a bit before heading into another week... I must admit to being quite glad that my kids are at 'big' school now - there's less pressure for cakes, costumes and help on school trips! Your fruit cake looks very good, I'd definitely be happy to eat some every day if it counts as one of the five.

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  26. what a wodnerful week you had. before i even read your story i was imagining tales of freshly dug spuds, salvaged ancient china, and wodges of damp cake with strong cups of tea.

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  27. Sounds like the end of the year is going to be a busy time for your boys at school.

    I never added up what we spent on Stephen's school fees all those years. I'm afraid it would be quite frightning!

    Tell your son that shortbread sure does look good!

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  28. The sun always seems to be shining at just the right moment for all other photographers, doesn't it? It is a very pretty view as is. Also like the potato picture - those are some hefty spuds! Every year, we always find pieces of something in the garden from our house's past life. An old Coca-Cola bottle (with a mouse skull in it), pieces of glass, pottery, a small plastic figurine, random pieces of metal - it is really interesting!

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  29. Sounds like a great week. I feel a bit exhausted just reading it. ;) I sympathise with the demands from all the money-raising events etc. Especially at this time of year when people have got enough to think about with Christmas on the way. I love the collection of pipes and pottery. Fantastic! Like your own archaeology dig. Great choice of apples. I'm so envious of your allotment site. You get to have sheds AND fruit trees. We're not allowed either. :( The castle with the beech hedge looks gorgeous. I'm the same with photos. Glorious sunshine outside and I'm stuck on the computer and as soon as I get to go outside it clouds over. Oh well! WW x

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  30. You have been very busy. Love all your photos. Not easy being a Mum, you are busy and of course financially drained.
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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  31. Hope ypu had a relaxing weekend. Your cake looks delicious! We have planted an apple tree this week the same variety as we had before.it has gone into a pot so we hope it will survive and not get damaged by the high winds. Sarah x

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  32. Yum! I can't wait to get growing again. Though I completely know what you mean about 'the tempo hotting up'...it seems so much is crammed into these last weeks before Christmas.

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  33. ahhh cookies. I can't wait to make some christmas cookies with orlaith :)

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  34. There's a really cute movie I just saw with my parents called "Chef". I can't remember if everything about it is kid appropriate (I think there's a few cuss words), but it's a really sweet and entertaining movie about cooking and family. That movie made me want to cook and so does your blog! It's been ages since I made sugar cookies at home. I hope your weekend turned out to be as relaxing as you hoped it would be.

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  35. Wow it sounds like cake ahoy over in your neck of the woods! Lovely pictures, I hope the apple trees bear lots of fruit and grow quickly :) I've always wanted one but I think we will wait until we live somewhere we think we will stay longer than a few years :) Hope you had a lovely sunday :)

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  36. your photos are always so lovely!

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  37. A most enjoyable post with a lovely selection of pictures. The plot's looking good, and like you I've dug up a few missed potatoes recently. Well done with the apple trees, they both look to be good choices. Flighty xx

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  38. We had to find a Christmas concert costume. Fortunately it involved me going to the pound shop for Santa hat and providing a party dress!! I'm glas she wasn't a sheep - it sounded a bit tougher! Also it was non uniform day - where you needed to wear a Christmas jumper. Who comes up with this stuff?
    Lovely photos, your allotment is looking good, Great stuff finding the spuds. x

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