Of late...in pictures

I had a brilliant time taking my family away for an activity weekend in a little luxury lodge. I worked hard and saved money and paid for it and made sure everyone had a great time. We did horse-riding, archery, fencing and tree-top assault course as well as swimming and have spa treatments. One the sunday we had a huge christmas-style dinner as we knew we werent going to see each other much over the festive month and had presents I gave to everyone and enjoyed table top games, home baked food such as the profiteroles by me and the bagels by my very excellent dad! It was a great weekend and a great time building memories and good times! I'm proud of myself for organising and pulling off what was a great little get-away!

Love this picture of one of the last glorious days of indian summer

Went with my godson for his first ever visit to Santa!....he was more fascinated by the lights than the man himself...!

The nights have gotten colder and everyone is already snuggling up for cosy warmth...including Indy the piggy!

Went out with my girlies for a girly lunch which was brilliant as always especially to catch up with them and consume lots of wonderful food!

I really been enjoying this change in the seasons, especially with my mind set of looking and taking in the small things for what they are and enjoying the beauty they offer. Be it natural beauty...

artificial beauty...

Beauty from the streets...(its a real banksy!)

...and beauty with my loved ones and all the things we do.

I got to meet one of my heroes a few days ago! I'm so happy I got that chance!
I met Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, a British celebrity chef, tv personality, journalist, food writer and campaigner for "real food" and the owner of River Cottage franchise/restaurants. He inspired a lot of my cooking to date, and because of him I now always look and ask where does my food come from, the welfare of animals as after all healthy animals gives good meat and to date he is the sole reason why supermarkets now primarily stock free range chicken and eggs. He knows we cant be organic and vegetarian but he asks us to respect all food and enjoy it at its best. He also for me, inspired seasonal cooking. Why would you cook something pass it's best our of its growing season and we are all so badly out of touch with where and when our food comes to us. Total respect to this man! plus...he loved my hair! (i had a fan-crush and blurted out "I dyed it for you Hugh!" total cringe-fest!)
Made my day, week and month for sure!

Oh...and my bangs are back!

If you are curious of what I'm getting up to and don't see any posts here, you can check out me out on instagram riiiiiight here (click it here man!)

hope you are all well!

Birdie Love to you all
xxx

vintage browsing

I recently went on another trip to Ashburton, purely to get me out the house and visit the wonderful shops there. most of these pictures were taken of a beautiful vintage shop that is also part tea shop and held some of the prettiest things there you could find of which I took pictures. This'll hopefully give you a clue of the wonderful goodies there was on show and all at reasonable prices too!


Whilst browsing, outside came the noise of a marching band and from the window I caught sight of these weirdly and wonderfully dressed people in medieval costume!

What are they doing?
Where are they going?
Well I later found out and it makes for a veeeeery interesting blog post for later date, where you get to see an old and ancient british custom I and others know very little about that Ashburton is the only town that still practises it today!

I'm hoping to keep posting, I will admit I'm finding it very hard to do so at the moment as my depression is so bad and morale is low. I'm just taking things slowly and doing what i can so bear with me.

Birdie love.
xxx

Day Trip

earlier this week I went to Totnes, a rather unique market town in the heart of the southwest Devon area.

With very few of the high street shops but a lot more unique, boutiques shops, its a draw for people all over the region to spend a day enjoying the lovely picturesque town, take in some lunch at one of many resturants, bistros and tea shops and look at the goodies in independant shops.

This is probably the kind of place that summarises "britishness" to countries abroad and you can't blame them, the place is stunningly beautiful and the many photographers there endorses this.

I really like this bunting picture - given me an idea to try something similar myself for gifts in the future! (and loving the hello kitty liberty print tea set!)

 

probably one of the most popular tea rooms in the area, always busy and a favourite with my grandparents...and as you can see from the cakes in the window, its little wonder why!

 

Tea for two...and mother stealing piece of my chocolate fudge cake...tut tut...!

 

Sock monkies!!! If i had the patience and skill, i would make loads of these! And below, hello kitty duvet set in liberty print?! - mine!!!

 

I love the orignal features on the buildings, some with original windows. And that craft shop on the right in the picture above?...yeah, i went there and got some wool tops to do some project with as well as stock up on a few bits and pieces that were cheaper to buy there due to being out of town. Never can keep me out of craft shops...and comic shops...and clothes shops...and sweets shops...you get the idea...!

 

And many congratulations to my pops on his success of growing some carrots...don't worry they are suppose to look like this, they are some globe version and easier to grow in shallow soil. 

Some of these were roasted with homegrown beetroot in balsamic vingear, thyme, bay and a little sugar and makes a deliscious mixed roasted veg salad, eaten hot or cold!

 

Hope you are having an good start to the week.

Birdie love. xxx

Under the sea

Living coast, Devon. Something so hypnotic about watching these animals and fishes under the water, I'm a water baby myself but this is somethng else...! Its so relaxing to watch as well.

Birdie love.
xxx

Road trip and the search for the twinkie

Just a few pictures of the road trip to a few days away, where en-route we stumbled on a pretty amazing "garden centre" which was pretty a hodge-podge of various things under one roof.

Donut peaches...my favourite! Only available for a limited period each year due to the short season they have and primarily come from Italy where they are apparently a "poor man's Bellini." These peaches tastes so intensely sweet of peaches...you know that first bite where a fruit taste bland and watery, these babies dont!

 Shelves crammed with lovelies...making it an intensely pretty sight.

Such a colourful little guy no?

These are celestial parakeets and have an eerie glow to them in a certain light..such beauties

And an axolotl!

For a good few years I have been search for the ever ellusive twinkie, some american delicacy that featured as a much beloved snack in many american films but never makes it as far as being imported into the UK. Even after being to America and several of it's states, I've not encountered a twinkie in any shops until now...

In some random shop in Torquay...

Hooray!

A twinkie in all its cakey goodness...but it tasted like I thought it would...weird but creamy! We brits got a few cakes that can top these twinkies but at least I have now tasted one and the search is now at a rest! I love american sweets and food but the prices of these goodies after import charges is just stupid! 

I swear its cheaper to post to someone than buy it!

We dined out the second night in Torquay at No7 fish Bistro and the menu is just fish, fish, fish! I'm careful eating this stuff as I'm allergic to the more oily, stronger fishes but damn it's so good! I had Mussels for starter that literally melted in your mouth...never had mussels that do that and the sauce is divine!

 Cuttlefish starters in a wonderful tangy sauce...I reallyed liked this one too and cuttlefish is another fish I have now tried for the first time. 

  

Plaice filled with peeled prawns and cooked in a cheese sauce....to die for!

 Best of three selection which included a mini plaice filled with prawns in cheese sauce, bistro's own fish and chips and mildly curried salmon with banana chutney that tasted soooo good!

There was more but I didn't get the pictures as too busy eating. I loved the food, the dishes were well balanced and the flavours just sent you to seventh heaven. Only let down was the appalling service being the length of time between dishes and it took forever for orders to be taken and the bill to be paid. This let down the whole experience...I mean 40 minutes to chase the bill?! Really?!

More pictures to come. Just rushing to upload a few now to share!

Birdie love! xxx