Spring is sprung

                                                          

Der spring is sprung

Der grass is riz

I wonder where dem boidies is?

Dem little boids is on der wing

Ain't dat absoid?

Der little wings is on de boid 

                                                Anon

Tentatively... I think ... Spring is sprung.  And what a difference a week of sunshine makes.  We have fed lambs, ridden ponies, turned 2, hunted snails, terrorised ducks, collected frog spawn, got muddy, made pies, eaten lots.

Waiting to feed the lambs

A gorgeous day to be 2.  Overdosed on pink and Dolly Mixtures.  Even I went to bed feeling sick.

This pair.  Exploring and collecting.  

Sunshine lunch.  Plus Wotsits obviously.

Evening snail hunting ..... 

A good haul.  Some not so dead.

3 things I learnt from frog spawn collecting:

#1 A fishing net would have been useful

#2 Little boys are compelled to cuddle frog spawn.  Before they accidentally kick over the jam jar.

#3 There is a BIG hole in my left welly.

Smug Blog Alert

Anyone want to hear about our 3 day, child-free, all-expenses paid, what can only be described as, bender last weekend? Excellent.

Actually the 40th birthday trip of 2 very generous friends, 21 of us headed to Rioja in Spain.  Activities revolved around eating, wine-tasting, bad homo-erotic dancing and sleeping past 6am without being kicked in the head by a 3 year old.

We kicked off the gorging with a 3 Michelin Star meal at Azurmendi.  Here are just a few of my favs of the 15 courses...

These egg yolks are injected with truffle to cook from the inside.  And they are served on a handy spoon. 

Sea Urchin crustini on a urchin-infused Bloody Mary.  This  tasted a bit like a rock pool.

Fungal Fun

This was my favourite.  Pigeon with hazelnuts.  The giant hazel nuts are actually foie gras covered with chocolate and sprayed with gold...stuff.  Amazing!

Where ever we went there seemed to be a lot of glasses in a line.  Beautiful wine, great friends and even some Europop to top off a brilliant weekend.

So we have been home for a couple of weeks now and we are still trying to acclimatise to our old lives.  Tonight for example, I am having to cook my own bloody jacket potato and I'm clean out of Urchin Tears and Foie Gras!  

Is it nearly Christmas yet?

Today I have mostly been inappropriately dressed.  

My wardrobe is in complete denial about the change of season and there are only 68 shopping days left until Christmas!

My house, on the other hand, can't wait for Christmas.  I'm itching to hang these stockings I bought from Love Lottie Knits at a fair I did in early September!  I BLOODY LOVE them. You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Lovelottieknits

Bought a few other non-festive bits too...

Oh and then went back for this....

So I'm ready for Christmas now.

And I don't want to worry you but shouldn't you be thinking about soaking the fruit for the Xmas pudding about now?

Fun of the Fair

Yesterday was Newark Antiques Fair - my favourite place in the world to freeze to death! I was really very excited about some gorgeous dolls from a 1920's French factory and delved around here with my little basket for a good 45 mins.

And then there was the weird and wonderful world of Taxidermy....

What home is complete without a Begging Fox?

Or a Hunting Hare?

Oooh I know what I need! Two stuffed squirrels playing cards and smoking acorn pipes! Brilliant nut currency!

But always a favourite for me are the vintage mohair dogs - gorgeous xx