The circus that is life...

First, I want to apologise for not posting mid-week... I had every intention of sharing a little of my world with you, but life happened, bowled me over, and left me with a migraine... You know, one of those heads where even the glare of the television is too much.
Before all this, I had one of those days where you sit back and look at what's going off around you and wonder, 'When did I join the circus?'
As I walked through my front door, I had my youngest screaming 'Coat! Coat! Coat!' at me... you see, she hates clothes, and as soon as we enter the house she starts demanding that I de-robe her... This is all with a sense of urgency, that if I don't do it in seven seconds flat, she'll spontaneously combust...

Add to this chaos, a dog running around, bounding up at said child... charged with sheer happiness... happy that we have finally returned from our 2 hour jaunt... and if I don't acknowledge her and her joy, she'll promptly skulk off to the kitchen and tear apart one of her stuffed animals... leaving the innards of little doggie toys floating around my kitchen like tumbleweed in the desert...

... then there was the 4-year old... asleep in the car... yet to be brought in... the phrase, 'don't wake sleeping bears' was running through my mind... knowing (from experience), that, once awoken, I would be greeted by crying... no, make that shrieking and tantrums... followed by a bathroom break (her) and more tears. The energy level in the house was at 10... and none of it was happy energy (apart from the dog's, although at this point, I think even she had started ripping up her stuffed elephant). After all this had finally calmed down to a dull roar (about 45 minutes later), I locked myself in the kitchen and made myself a cup of tea... I imagined what my house was like 5 minutes before we descended... imagined it still, and quiet, the peaceful haven I try to create... you see, I never see it like this... ever... it's always full of energy, noise... life... that's what a home is... it takes on the energy that fills it and becomes this persona.  One day, it will be quiet... one day, I will hear the tick of the clock in an empty house and remember these 'happy' times... Not on this day, though... this day, the house had a migraine and needed the blinds pulled!

Sorry for the long post today... I just wanted to share a little... Anyhoo, my Friday Flower, was brought by my hubby this week... a pity bouquet... he picked them all out and presented them to me last night. I think they have a country feel to them... they even have a little bit of lucky heather in... I guess he thinks I need it.

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend... Lets make it a relaxing one!
Lx

If you would like to join in with this weeks Friday Flower, simply use the Linky widget below... we all could do with more flowers in our lives! 

Tea cozy love...

I love tea... I think I've mentioned it before. First thing in the morning, I plod down to the kitchen bleary-eyed, and pop the kettle on. It's a red stove-top one... I toyed with getting an electric kettle, but there's something about the urgent whistle of a stove-top that I find quite soothing... like it's shouting, 'Tea! Tea! Quick!' (which is exactly the sentiment I'm feeling when I get that cup of tea).
I start the day by having two cups of tea (to 'wet my whistle,' as my grandad used to say)... I would have more, but by the last sip of my second cup, the girls are awake, and my attention turns to Cheerios, milk, and settling disputes over princess dolls.

Anyhoo, in an ideal world, I would make a pot... When I was little, we had a big brown teapot (a 'Brown Betty'); whoever was first up in the morning would make the pot, and then we would all saunter downstairs at various intervals and take a cup from it. Our big brown Bess was kept warm by a tea cozy... and this is where my problem lay... You see, I'm currently the only tea drinker in the house (this is practically unheard of in Blighty), and so, when I make a pot, it gets cold... and, unlike some, I like my tea piping hot!

Anyways, to circumnavigate this problem, I decided to drag out the sewing machine and set about making a tea cozy. I used this website here to help me... I didn't follow it to the letter (mainly because I have no idea what I am doing), but it gave me the framework... and I would have never worked out how to line the thing without this helpful site. There's a couple of things I'd do differently if I were making it again.. like invest in a compass, so I'd have a more rounded tea cozy, and create a little loop in the top, so I can hang it somewhere... but, as they say, 'practice makes perfect'... so, I think I'll be making another for my English gal pal T... after all, you can't have a teapot without a tea cozy.

Have a happy start to the week all!
Lx

This post is linked to A Beach Cottage- Good Life Wednesday, pop over for inspiration!

A Friday Flower and hope...

It is bitterly cold here in New Jersey. Once upon a time, this would have been a day where I'd have waved the hubby goodbye at the door, and then snuggled up on the couch with my little ones all day... but times are 'a changing...  I now have to bundle us all up and get my eldest to Pre-K ('nursery' for anyone outside the States), much to my youngest daughters displeasure. It feels like a whole lot of effort for a mere 3 hours break. By the time I've dropped her off, settled her in the classroom, cajoled my other one back into the car, and then driven home, it's almost time to think about heading back! Needless to say, on days when it's this cold, I do mull over the possibility of us all staying at home... Does that make me a bad Mum? Wait, don't answer that.

Anyhoo, even though it is in the low teens here (Fahrenheit), I know that we are heading in the right direction... shops are, once again, full of Spring flowers... from hyacinth bulbs, to narcissus, to daffodils and, my favourite, tulips. Spring flowers, so vibrant in colour, so delicate and yet so hardy. A symbol of new beginnings, fresh starts, and better things to come.

With this sentiment in mind, I would like to dedicate my Friday Flower this week to all those individuals that have been tragically effected by the floods in Queensland, Australia. The stories that have come out of this disaster are beyond comprehension... families dealing with the loss of fathers, mothers, and, most tragically, children. Dealing with the loss of their homes... a sacred place to all individuals... Some things can be replaced, but not all... All we can hope for is that time will heal and that each day is a step in the right direction.

If you would like to donate to the Queensland Flood Appeal, please click here.

Take care all and wishing you all a relaxing weekend...
Lx

Blueberry muffins, hot chocolate and bird watching...

We woke up to even more snow this morning in New Jersey, and, even though it came over the top of my wellies, I was quite blase, declaring that, 'it's not too bad at all'... I guess I have been living here a while now. Nevertheless, the hubby got the day off work, and so, I had someone to share the parenting load with me.  While he cleared the snow outside, the girls and I whipped up a batch of blueberry muffins... a little mid-week treat to enjoy later in the day with a hot chocolate... I try to get the little ones really involved in the whole baking process... it makes it a bit more messy, but they get so much out of it... and, while the hubby was around to tag team with the kids, this endeavor appeared less daunting.

Anyhoo, early this morning, when the house was still, I brushed the sleep from eyes, pulled on my wellies, trekked across the snow in the garden, and cleared the bird bath so that I could add some much needed sustenance for the poor little birds that were sat in the trees with their little chests puffed out. By the time the girls woke up, the garden was alive with the chatter of birds. I managed to shoot these through the kitchen backdoor and I just had to share them with you...

As a child, my Mum would teach me the names of all the birds that frequented our garden... living here in the States, I've had to re-educate myself on the birds native to New Jersey, and it hasn't grown old... I still get just as much enjoyment out of watching these dart around our garden...

... but, best of all,  I think I've managed to pass this love of birds along to my little girls. They independently pushed a chair to the back door, just so they can watch our little visitors (although they still have to learn the art of being still and quiet, so as not to scare them off)... hopefully, this skill will come sooner rather than later...

Hope you are all having a great week.
Lx

Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 cup of light brown sugar

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup of milk

1 stick butter  (1/2 cup), melted

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

oats for topping

Method

Preheat your oven to 400f and line 12 muffin pan cups with greaseproof muffin cases. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a medium bowl or jug, using a fork, beat the milk, melted butter, egg and vanilla essence until blended. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture; stir just until the flour is moistened (don't worry, the batter will look lumpy).

Spoon the batter mixture into the prepared muffin-pan cups. (I use an ice-cream scoop to ensure nice even sized muffins). Sprinkle the muffins with oats and a little brown sugar.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center of the muffin comes out clean. Approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool on a wire rack...

I like to eat these why are still a little warm... Mmmmm...

A winter walk and a recipe for pear & raspberry crumble

Today, I took the dog for a walk. There was a fresh coat of snow from the day before, and so, the dirty grey snow left over from Christmas had been given a new lease of life. It was, once again, pristine and white, as though the land had been draped in a crisp white sheet, hiding the messy bed beneath. 

During the warmer months, this path is alive with wildlife... birds darting in and out of the reeds, young rabbits nibbling lush green grass at the side, and butterflies twirling around the sky, as though they were taking part in an elaborate ballet... but, today, it was still and quiet. The only sound was the crunching of the snow underfoot... each footstep pushing the snow back to reveal the glassy ice beneath. I trudged along the path, pulled my hood tighter against me and buried my head into my scarf so that I could feel my warm breath against my skin.

As the wind blew, the dog braced herself against it, until I turned on my heal and declared, 'Come Bea, let's head home...,' to which she returned an almost grateful tail wag.

As I walked into our little home, the warmth of the house was greeted by the throbbing of my cold cheeks. I looked at the healthy snack of raspberries that I had left on the side, pre-walk, and decided that today was a crumble day... it's too cold for diets...

If you're wanting a little comfort food, give this delicious combination a try... you won't be disappointed.

Take care all and have a great Monday!

Lx

Pear & Raspberry Crumble

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour

1 1/4 stick of butter, cut into cubes

1/2 cup of brown sugar

3 pears peeled and cut into slices

1 cup of raspberries (I used a small carton)

2 heaped tablespoons of vanilla sugar (granulated sugar if you don't have it)

honey for drizzling (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the pear slices and raspberries in an oven-proof dish or pie dish, sprinkle with the vanilla sugar and stir in with a spoon.


Sift the flour into a bowl, add the cubed butter and rub in with your fingers, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir the brown sugar into the flour mixture.


Spread the crumble mixture over the pears and raspberries. Don't pat down the mixture... you want it to stay airy. Drizzle the top with a little honey... this gives a chewy texture to your crumble top... it's not necessary, but I like it.


Place the crumble in the oven for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown on top and the fruit is bubbling at the sides.


Serve with either custard of vanilla ice-cream... both are delicious!


Note: I don't precook the pears, as with apple crumble, as they're usually softer already. If you're not able to get vanilla sugar, you can always try and make it. Sarah's blog here offers a tutorial on how to do this. It really does make a difference.

If January were a dress...

December is a month of excess, opulence, and over-indulgence.. the perfect way to end the year. It's as though the eleven months prior were there simply to build anticipation, leading us to the crescendo that is December. During this month, we bid farewell to the year, surrounded by vibrant colours, rich food, drink, glitz, and glamour! If December were a dress, it would be a figure-hugging, swanky, red velvet number, encrusted in rhinestones... the type of dress Jane Mansfield would have worn as she sashayed down the red carpet...

... and now, here we are in January... the beginning... the bottom step. A month of reflection, cleansing, simplicity, hope, and optimism. All the brashness of December has been packed away and we return to normality. I imagine that the sentence, 'it's so bare in here now' has been uttered in many a household this week. Furniture is pushed out and allowed to breathe again. Walls are, once again, bare and uncluttered. Lighting becomes subdued. Meals are functional... During the month of January, I find myself wanting to be grounded, and am reminded as to what is really important in life... If January were a dress it would be a plain, simple, practical, grey, and wool...

... with this in mind, I picked a Friday Flower that encapsulated the month of January. Clean, pure, and uncomplicated... displayed simply in a vintage jar... no hoopla, just pretty...

Wishing you all a great weekend. Looking forward to catching up next week!
Lx

Smile in 2011

I'm a little bit late off the starting block when it comes to the New Year... but I've made it... I'm finally here in 2011. How's yours going so far? I've been trying to get the this little old place ship-shape and ready for the up and coming year (which mainly just involved packing away the holiday decorations). A job which I never relish, packing away all the magic, carefully, in bubble wrap, knowing that it will be a whole 11 months before I see them again (by which time I've usually forgotten what has been squirreled away).

Anyhoo, I was listening to the radio (yes, Santa did treat me to that cream Roberts radio... I must have been a really good girl...) and there was a segment on New Year's resolutions... who makes them and what they were for 2011. There were the usual... stop smoking... diet... be more organised, etc... and then, one women announced that, in order to keep her New Year's resolution, she was setting her goals a lot lower in 2011... My ears pricked up and I decided I liked the cut of her jib... my kind of gal... Anyways, her resolution was to smile every morning... and my first thought was, 'attainable... really?'
This thought was closely followed by 'You cynic, Laura. Is it really that hard to smile every morning?'
I'd love to say no... I'd love to say that I wake up, think of my life, and smile... just as the bluebirds peal back my bed linen and the dog runs in with my nicely warmed slippers, and places them beside my bed... but life isn't a fairytale... I'm not going to go into my morning routine, as I'm sure, most of you out there have your own morning tales to tell. All I will say is that it's like waking up strapped into a roller coaster and knowing that there's no way off until bedtime.

Where am I going with this?... Ahh, yes... to smile every morning... Yes, this is my New Year's resolution... to do it right before the chaos happens... that split second where my eyelids are still heavy and clinging onto my eyeballs for dear life, I'm going to remind myself that I would not have my life any other way... remind myself that, throughout the day, there will be tears and there will be tantrums, but there will be lots and lots of smiles...

Take care all and keep smiling!
L :-)

New Year, a New Calendar...

Someone once said that the week between Christmas and New Year's is like a week's worth of Sundays, and I have to agree. Each day slips by and, at the end of it, I've done absolutely nothing other than eat and enjoy being around the hubby and my girls. The huge amount of snow we've had here in the Northeast only added to my lethargy... not that I'm complaining. I've managed to flick through my old magazines and get some ideas together for the New Year. I'm almost like a racehorse, chomping at the bit, waiting to spring into 2011 and get all my plans into gear.

Anyhoo, the other day, a magazine landed in my mailbox, all the way from Blighty. My mum sends me the January edition of the 'Sainsbury's Magazine' each year... Sainsbury's is a UK supermarket... so why do I get the magazine when I can only dream of doing my weekly shop there? Well, this is the calendar that becomes our kitchen family calendar. This supermarket freebie has been the diary in my house well before I came to America, and ever since I have been here. I scribble down every event in the little square box, no matter how trivial. And, at the end of the year, I pack away the calendar, with all of the others.... but not before I've flicked through them all. These little 12 page diaries show me when guests have visited, the vacations I've taken, my visits to the UK, events from during my pregnancies, and all manner of both momentous and tedious occasions. I love that they are all in the same format... this supermarket recipe calendar takes me through the year via healthy suppers at the start of the year, to Easter lamb, to sumptuous strawberry dishes and juicy burgers mid-Summer, and onto stodgy warming meals when the nights draw in, and, finally, back to some Christmas offering at the end of the year. I love looking back at all of the years of my life, from when there was just me, to the two of us, and then to the four of us... like a stack of maps, charting the path that my life has taken to get me to the present day...

Who knows what will go down in this year's calendar... what will I be smiling at when I pack away my trusty Sainsbury's calendar at the end of 2011?

Oh, and before I forget... with it being Friday tomorrow, I figured I would share my Christmas roses with you (the hubby gets me two dozen every Christmas)... I know I've done these so many times before, but they're just too beautiful not to show you...

 

Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year. I'll raise a glass to you all at the stroke of twelve!
Lx