summery snippets

August 5, 2014 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)37 Comments

Some moments from the first two weeks of our school break…

Amy’s summer hair, dip-dyed blue (which will hopefully wash out before she goes back to school or it will be time to get the scissors out!)

Bluetips

Days of absolutely torrential rain fall (with some local flooding) and others full of sun and red skies at dusk

Raining

Storm

Sunset

all of which make for a lovely lush garden

Hydrang

Veg garden

we’re having a good harvest of peas, lettuce and broccoli but the french beans have been rubbish thanks to the slugs back in spring. I’m rather excited about my kuri squash plant which is growing like stink and the squash themselves are like little balloons which get bigger each time I look at them.

Squashflower

Squash

Squash 2

Squash - Copy

I’m looking forward to making squash soup if we get enough of them.

Tobyswing

Toby is enjoying the garden too, kicking back in his swing with his lego and occassionally having a burst of energy on the trampoline. We’ve also been swimming a few times and had lots of walks in the cool woods which have been lovely on the hottest of days (no pictures yet as Toby doesn’t like me to stop – he likes to keep moving when we’re out walking.)

Cowl

There’s even been a little knitting. This was taken at 10.15pm this evening when I was cowl knitting by candlelight in support of the #LightsOut campaign commemorating the start of the first world war 100 years ago.

#LightsOut’s inspiration stems from the then foreign secretary Sir Edward Grey’s famous remark on the eve of the outbreak of the war. He said: “The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our life-time”. Britain declared war on Germany at 11pm on 4 August 1914.

So with that sobering thought, I’m off to bed feeling grateful that those dark days of 1914-18 are long distant and hoping that we don’t see the like of them again.

general stuff

savouring quiet time

July 18, 2014 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)45 Comments

The final few days before the long school summer break are always held in sacred regard here. It's the last chance for six weeks to savour complete quiet, unadulterated by Black Veil Brides screaming out of Amy's room or the incessant clicking of Toby's lego bricks constantly being taken apart and reassembled. Keeping Toby occupied over the summer hols is always a full time job and I will not have much time to call my own over the coming weeks. So today I am being very indulgent and sitting peacefully at the end of the garden with my knitting. At the moment I'm playing around with ideas for Fair Isle sweater patterns (though there won't be a pattern for a while as I still have lots of tweaking to do) …

End of garden

Fairisle

Bunnies

At the end of the garden, sitting with knitting, is my perfect place to be and right now I'm feeling very lucky indeed to be right here. Though the place that my friends and I spent yesterday afternoon in was also rather perfect, The Mudlarks Garden Cafe in Hertford.

Front

Window2

In a world where high street cafes are often multi-national affairs and look the same no matter which town you're in, such a unique and a locally run establishment is a true gem.

Inside

There's a lovely friendly feel to the seating, with cosy sofas and armchairs, little nooks and sweet tables with mis-matched chairs. Hot drinks are served in pretty vintage china tea cups with proper leaf tea in teapots arriving on a tray with milk jugs and tea-strainers. Food is freshly made, organic, vegetarian/vegan and very tempting (I took these pictures after the lunchtime crowd had been and gone and so most of the quiches, salads and cakes had already been devoured).

Inside2

Inside3

There are books and toys for little ones, a table football game in the outbuilding and a very pretty courtyard garden full of flowers, bunting and more seating.

Outside

Outside2

But what really makes this cafe so very special is it's involvement with and support of the local community. The Mudlarks community garden is a charity very close to my heart. Their stated aim is

to integrate people with learning difficulties and mental health issues into the community through gardening whilst also promoting conservation and allowing people of all abilities to learn and work together.

They also support young people with autism and learning difficulties beyond school and this is something which I'm hoping will be a part of Toby's future when he leaves school.

Many of the ingredients used at the new cafe come from the community garden project and it's a nice feeling to enjoy a well-made cup of tea and delicious lunch and know that it is a virtuous one too because of all those people that are helped and supported.

I know that many of you that visit here with me are not even in the UK, let alone local to Hertford but if you are ever in the area please make a detour and stop by the Mudlarks garden cafe for a cuppa and a slice of cake (and remember there's the lovely Creative Sanctuary just around the corner selling beautiful fabrics, yarn and haberdashery).

I hope you don't mind me plugging this cafe, I've not received an incentive of any kind for writing about it and I've done so purely because I wholeheartedly admire their support of autistic and special needs adults (something that has special resonance for our family).

Right, I'm off now to make the most of the last day of term. I hope to pop in from time to time over the next 6 weeks (if Toby allows me). So until then, thanks for stopping by x

………………………………………………….

Mudlarks Garden Cafe, 12 Railway Street, Hertford, SG14 1BG

Open Tuesday – Saturday, 9am – 5pm

details on Go Hertford

PS: a couple of people have emailed to ask about donating to the Mudlarks charity. They would deeply appreciate any financial support and if you wish to donate you can do so via their webpage or on their charitychoice page. Thanks x

crafts & knitting

sunny day stuff

July 4, 2014 Julie (little Cotton Rabbits)29 Comments

The last couple of days have been so lovely weather-wise. We've spent almost every waking moment outside and it's been hard to get Toby to come in from the trampoline even after darkness has descended. He's also discovered how fun it is to go hunting for frogs after dark and we've left an old tray filled with water out for them which they seem to really enjoy and it makes them gather in one place so Toby can try to touch them (gently with supervision) and laugh with glee when they hop off. There was also some hedgehog poo in the frogs bath this morning so the night-time visitors to our garden are enjoying a little paddle too!

After the children had gone to school this morning I settled down in the garden for some breakfast (I never seem to have time for mine until they've left the house). As I was sitting there munching my granola and yoghurt I was looking over the veg beds and admiring my new watering can which I treated myself to this week and I pondered that it could benefit from a little yarn-bombing. Which is why it now has a crochet handle, why I am even more pleased with it and why H thinks I have way too much time on my hands.

Handle

Wateringcan

This afternoon, inbetween a bit of weeding and lots of pegging out washing, I've been knitting up a pair of mittens in lovely wood and water tones.

Mittens3

Mitts

Unusually for me I'm using double points and am actually liking them for a change. Perhaps it just took finding the right needles to cure me of my aversion to knitting in the round (these are Karbonz from Knitpro and they're lovely to work with). The pattern is a free one from Churchmouse Yarns and Teas and I'm making it in Hazel Knits Artisan sock and Madeline Tosh sock (both from Meadow Yarn). It seems to have become a habit for me to make mittens on the hottest days of the year, perhaps they'll have a bit of extra warmth in them come winter-time.

Well, I'm off to peg out a bit more washing and sit for a few quiet minutes before the children bring chaos back to my little corner of the world. Have a good weekend x

PS: happy Independence Day to all my friends in the USA x