Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

the lizard is awash with blue (bells)...

This evening I am sadly packing my bags to return home. We have loved Cornwall so much!

Hedgerows, woodlands and even sand dunes are covered with bluebells, cowparsley and red campion.

Everywhere I look, these beautiful spring flowers are nodding their pretty heads.

Whilst the Helford river, the beaches and shores have delighted our need for the sea. Boat rides, crabbing, sand castles and paddling.

The Lizard has weaved a magical spell over us. Cornwall you have excelled yourself.

Can't wait to return very soon.

Dreaming of a summer filled with camping under the stars..

I cannot wait for summer camping with friends.
Balmy days spent dreaming of cool ices, playing rounders, swimming in the river, sipping sundowners, the smell of woodsmoke as you cook your evening meal. The laughter and shouts of happy children as they play in the nearby woods. Mugs of cocoa and toasted marshmallows. Star gazing and breathing lung fulls of fresh air.

I love it so very much.

In my mind the sun is always smiling, just a gentle breeze too cool ones skin, and most definitely no rain.

I've been pinning my camp heaven.

Do you do that? Pin an ideal world?

Where do you go camping? Do they allow a fire? (tell me of your secret camping spot, I promise I won't tell!).

Summer on my mind...

Ah this weekend has been beautiful.. sunshine, blue skies, blissed out and spent outside.

I have been longing for this moment all winter. It feels like forever since I sat on the grass and watched the seagulls soar up into the blue.

I've started dreaming. Dreaming of summer, actual hot sunny days and balmy nights. Of sleeping under the stars, rock pooling on beaches, the smell of sun cream on my brown skin. Boys in shorts and dirty feet, barbecues, and sundowners.

BLISS

I've been mentally making a list of things I HAVE to do... I need to write them down so I don't forget. A little list before the main summer list I do every year. So here goes:

* Go to Wilderness Festival. It is the stuff of dreams. The clip above is making me long for it. I need to bathe in that lake, go to the Toast lakeside spa, and feast on delicious food. Yep it's a grown up festival for just me & Dan or maybe just me and my friends (not the kids).

* Stay in a beach cottage in Cornwall. I love the Rockpool Beach Chalet - close to St Ives and footsteps from the white sands of Gwithian Beach. Perfect for family fun.

* Visit Giffords Circus again. Last years show was one of my Summer highlights.

* Go to Legoland - I must be pestered daily by the boys, so yes we have to go otherwise I won't hear the end of it.

* Stay in a dome at the beautiful Coldatnight in West Wales. We were meant to go at Easter, but sadly had to cancel because of my eye infection. So we need to go!

* Travel northwards and go to THE family festival Just so Festival. This one looks perfect to entertain the little uns.

* Camp with friends, have big al fresco meals and watch our kids run wild through the fields

* Wild swim in the sea at every opportunity

* Wear my saltwaters every day

* Spend time at the allotment, growing, cooking and eating

Enjoy every minute.

What are you summer wish list plans?

Roll up roll up, prepare to be amazed...

Yesterday in glorious August weather we drove northwards to Gloucestershire... searching for a big top.
We were in for an exciting time, we had tickets for Giffords Circus.

I have known of Giffords for many years but up until now have never been. I had always thought the boys just weren't old enough to fully be wowed with it. Yesterday was the time.

Driving through Minchinmapton with its butter coloured cottages festooned with bunting we knew we were stumbling upon something altogether magical. Rounding the corner onto the common we were greeted by the sight of burgundy coloured vans and trailers of the circus and pure white big top. Organ music was playing and air of anticipation was around. It was was such a perfect summers evening on Minchinhampton Common. The sunlight casting long shadows, the bell ringing from the church nearby.

We treated ourselves to a Winstonsices ice cream each and entered the tent. Once inside we took our seats around a small saw dust covered ring. During the 2 hour performance we clapped, cheered, laughed, gasped, booed, ooo'd and aaah'd - we were treated to juggling, acrobatics, tight rope walking, horses, geese, birds, clever dogs, tap dancing and the funniest clowns.

I won't go into much detail of the individual acts as it will spoilt it for you when you go! And you really MUST go! Giffords Circus is a national treasure, something you have to experience in your lifetime and is most definitely part of an English Summer.

What I will say is our favourites as a family... Rufus - Goose, Charlie - Tweedy, Dan - Juggling, Me - Bird Lady.

Giffords Circus runs until September 16th at locations throughout Gloucestershire. For more information please check out their website or call the box office on 0845 4597469.

GO!
x

Cornish Holiday part 6 - Minack & the Mount

Before we went to Cornwall there was 2 places high on my list to take the boys.

One was the Minack Theatre and the other was St Michaels Mount.

Both magical and steeped in history.

The Minack Theatre is a place of wonderful beauty. Carved out of the rock face over looking the Atlantic Ocean and Porthcurno Beach, a steep amphitheatre of granite seats and beautiful planting. We made our way tentatively down to the bottom, stepping down the cliff face. The sunshine blazing away. At the bottom a small stage with a carved ornate set, behind the sea as a back drop. A place of true magic.

Rowena Cade bought the craggy headland back in the 1920's and began to carve out a small theatre space for travelling theatre companies... the Minack Theatre was born. An incredible story.

I had booked our tickets to the theatre before we had left. The show was designed for kids called Skillywidden. A silly slapstick comedy about Cornish little folk the piskies, fairies, brownies, knockers and skillywiddens. It was hilarious. Silly & captivating. Stories of the fairies, of the hedgerows and of Cornish folk lore. My two boys absolutely fell in love with it's charms.

After lunch we headed along the coast to the National Trust property St Michaels Mount.

A castle on an island out to sea... to small boys, that is pretty magical!

As we arrived the causeway (footbridge) was covered by high tide, so we caught the ferry to the island. That in itself was pretty special. Sailing out to the castle.

Once on the island the gardens were beautiful. Italianate terraces filled with tropical planting, palms, succulents and far reaching views.

Charlie completed the children's trail that the National Trust has for each property. Ticking off landmarks as we went. His final drawing of the view with boats and a helicopter was pretty cool.

By the time it was for us to leave the causeway was revealed and we walked across water back to the mainland.. rock pooling as we went.

Magic!

x

This is my final episode of our Cornish Holiday. I do hope you have liked it.. I've really enjoyed writing about it. If you have any favourite spots I should check out on future holidays please let me know... or (being very cheeky) if you have a holiday cottage or home you'd like us to 'test drive' please let me know (as if, but it's worth an ask!).

If you have missed the past posts you can check them out here:

Part 1 - National Trust Trenwaington
Part 2 - Barbara Hepworth & St Ives
Part 3 - The Beach
Part 4 - Beach Food
Part 5 - National Trust Glendurgan

Cornish Holiday Part 4 - Beach Food

As a family, time spent on the beach is so precious... it is only a handful of days a year that we manage to spend by the ocean. In the past we have had typical British weather ... rain. But this holiday we were so fortunate with days of glorious heat and sunshine... that we didn't want to be anywhere else.

Days were spent getting up early, and heading to the beach before breakfast, staying until just after lunch. Then heading off to a cooling garden somewhere and then back to the beach for a BBQ and sundowners.

Eating inside was not an option. So this meant carefully planning of our daily menu and thinking of quick and simple meals to feed starving children and evening suppers that was worthy of such a glorious setting.

Breakfast. We took our small gas burner, a frying pan and fried bacon for butties... using soft rolls and lots of ketchup. The smell of it cooking wafting across the waves bought many an envious look from ravenous surfers! Dan took his Kelly Kettle to the beach, so within minutes we had hot boiling water and a good cup of tea... perfect.

Lunch. A packed affair. Ham and tomato rolls, cheese and cucumber sandwiches. Crisps and fruit. Ice cold water. All kept cool in our cool box with many frozen ice packs for company. I prefer to use a hard sided cool box as it's easier to clean, stays upright (no sloppy spillage into the sand) and the lid can be used as a table.

Dinner. A BBQ whilst watching the sunset. We opted for using disposable BBQ's purely because it's lighter to carry along the beach... and with all the other stuff we have to carry (food, wine, body boards, buckets & spades) a small, light BBQ was the best option.

So what did we eat...

Asparagus spears wrapped in pancetta
Thick slices of Haloumi
Chipolata sausages
Corn on the cob
Salmon foil parcels
Beefy tomatoes
Side salad
Hummus dip & carrot sticks

Cold beers, crisp rose wine & apple juice for the boys.

Salmon Parcels (one per person)

Salmon Fillet pieces
Slice of Lemon
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Foil

Cut foil into squares and drizzle with olive oil (to prevent the salmon from sticking).
Place salmon onto the square. Place slice of lemon on top. Season.
Scrunch the foil around the salmon so it forms a little bag. This allows the fish to steam.
Place on to BBQ and let it cook for 15 mins.. or until the fish is cooked through.

I found that quick simple food that needed little preparation time was the best. In the morning before I left for the beach, I quickly made the lunch and prepped the evening meal and left it in the fridge so all we had to do was to swing by the cottage and pick it up on route back to the beach.

We absolutely loved cooking on the beach. Do you? What recipes do you use? I would love to know. If the sunshine returns I am sure we will head to the coast, as I want to do this all over again!
x

Cornish Holiday Part 3 ... The Beach

We arrived in Cornwall on Monday evening. - Dan had returned from his charity cycle ride on Sunday night... the following day we headed off for our summer adventure.
As soon as we got to the cottage, we threw our bags in and immediately headed to the beach.

Sennen Cove.

It was our first time at this beach.. and it took our breaths away.
I am actually in LOVE with it.
Wild, natural, beautiful.
Much like beaches in med.... white sand and turquoise sea.
On that first evening, the tide rolled in fast and furious... on lookers on the beach shrieking as the waves engulfed their towels.
It felt alive, wild and full of energy. Surfers braved the Atlantic Ocean, children dug moats and squealed with delight as the waves knocked them off their feet.
We had FOUND our beach... the bar was set high.
Every day we returned here. Early in the morning for breakfast, frying bacon on our little burner. Staying until lunchtime, heading off to a garden when the sun became to hot to handle. Then returning for a beach BBQ in the evening, to watch the sunset.
It reminded me of years of travelling... my days spent worshipping the sun.
Bliss.
x

the summer list 2012...

This is our summer list for this year....

Again we sat down and thought through what we would like to do... and yes there were the usual crazy ideas of riding lions and going on a plane (yes it's crazy)... to buy a camper van (mine) and to stop working (Dan's).

So we disregarded the unachievable and went for more do-able things.

Fingers crossed for some sunshine!

This was last years...

What will you be doing on yours?

If you do make one... please share it.

p.s. point 40 is a phrase that my friend says to her boys.. and I like it - a lot. (Rufus the dude)