May at the Cottage

May brings a beautiful abundance of fresh green shoots & leaves to our cottage garden. Each month of the year has their own beauty but I love the month of May the best of all.

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The garden is scattered with cherry, apple & pear blossom. Each tree awaiting the lovely fruits which will hang from their branches. How truly blessed I feel when you see this blossom each year, nature is a marvelous thing.

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Blue Tits are all around the garden bringing their pretty gentle song. Baby rabbits are back hopping around again, they are so sweet to see but we need to make sure the fence around the vegetable garden is secure.

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Lilly of the Valley, Violets, Lilac & Cowslip are flowering in the garden, the smell of May is heavenly.

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Cottage days are filled once again with weeding & planting up the vegetable garden.

The children find such joy in planting seeds & seeing them grow.

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Ma's Plain Cake

This is a recipe I use again & again, it is a 6 egg mixture & makes a lovely large cake.

The recipe is in Ma Larkin Perfick Cooking.

This cook book is on of our family favourites.

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We have had so many special moments since my last post.

We became Grandparent's for the first time.

Meet sweet Charlotte, how wonderful it was so hold her.

This little girl brings such joy to our lives.

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Another tea cosy finished inspired by the colours of one I saw at the James Herriot Museum.

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The twins celebrated their 7th birthday at the end of March.

Time flies, they are turning in to little ladies.

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We had a new addition to the cottage last month, a 1947 Aga.

It cooks like a dream & keeps us beautifully warm too.

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Lambing is now over in our village farm.

There were so many beautiful little babies born.

We were so lucky to be asked to watch as some were being born & Mary was amazed to be asked to pull a lamb out.

Mary is the type of child to just get stuck in, maybe we have a little James Herriot in the making.

This is Mary's lamb.

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We love to walk the lanes & fields around our village.

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Some beautiful magazine's I found from the thirties & forties.

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A selection of cakes using these vintage pre war recipe booklet's.

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Beautiful Bluebells in our cottage garden.

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Early Spring morning at the cottage.

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The twins making Yorkshire Scones.

They love to get involved in the baking.

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I finally finished this 1930's Bow Scarf, it had been sitting at the bottom of my knitting bag for a while.

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Our scullery & sweet George.

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Making London Buns.

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Recipe.

Beat 3ozs of sugar & 2 ozs of butter to a cream. Then add 2 tea spoons of melted Golden Syrup. Add an egg & beat well. Then add 4 ozs flour, 2 tea spoons of ground ginger, 1/4 tea spoon of soda, 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar & 2 tablespoons of milk.

Half fill little patty tins & bake for 15 to 20 minutes in a moderate oven.

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Off to a 1940's event a few weeks ago.

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Blue & white Forget me Nots in the garden.

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Kitty is rarely without flower's.

Apple Blossom.

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Some vintage finds.

I can't wait to use the 1950's picnic hamper.

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A birthday cake for Danny who turned 15.

He asked for chocolate cake with fresh cream & chocolate treats on top.

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Spring blooms in the cottage garden.

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Making Maids of Honor.

These are little jam tarts with a sponge topping.

Line little tart tins with shortcrust pastry & put a small amount of jam in them  I used homemade rhubarb jam.

The beat 2 ozs of butter with 2 ozs of sugar, 1 egg, 2 ozs of self raising flour & 1 tsp of almond essence.

Put a small amount of this on the jam & bake in a moderate oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

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Homemade rhubarb jam.

Our rhubarb has grown so well, it has been going in to all sorts of recipes.

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Baking a sponge cake together.

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Here is the girl's cake all decorated for tea time.

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A country walk last weekend through the church yard next to the cottage.

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& then a ride out to a party in our 1930's car.

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Thank you to all my dear readers for all their comment's, I have read them & am very sorry I have not replied to them all.

There has been a few things going on these last few months regarding our sweet Kitty.

We have decided to full time home school from September as we feel that would be best for the girls.

I hope everyone is having a beautiful Springtime.

Fondly Michelle

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Early March & a day with James Herriot

The days at the cottage are starting to grow longer, the garden is coming back to life & signs of Spring are everywhere. Daffodils, Grape Hyacinths, Hyacinths & Crocus's are blooming in the garden, it's so lovely to see the sun shinning & the Spring flowers in their full glory all around the village.

The buds are swelling & are ready to burst into life along the hedgerows. This is such a lovely time of year with new growth everywhere, things grow so quickly with changes happening every day.

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With the weather starting to change our daily lives gradually move from the kitchen to the garden. The rhubarb is sprouting up & soon we will be picking it to make the first jam of the year.

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Mary decorating cakes for tea.

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The twins learning to use a sewing machine, they are making little pillows for their baby dolls.

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Pumpkin Loaves.

This recipe was given to me by an American friend many years ago & it freezes well.

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This recipe makes two loaves.

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Grease two loaf pans.

Mix all dry ingredients together.

3 cups of plain flour.

2 cups of white sugar.

1/2 tsp baking powder.

2 tsp soda.

1 tsp cinnamon.

1 tsp ground nutmeg.

1 tsp mixed spice.

Mix pumpkin, oil & eggs together.

1 16ounce tin of pumpkin.

3 eggs.

2/3 cup vegetable oil.

Then combine all ingredients together.

Add raisins of wished.

Bake for 1 hour at 350

cool for 10 mins then turn out.

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!920's Vinegar Cake.

A recipe from an old booklet I have.

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Our two Kitty's playing with an old whisk.

A precious moment to capture.

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A friend on IG gave me this lovely recipe for Chocolate Orange Trifle.

It is made using chocolate sponge, tinned oranges & orange jelly.

With chocolate blancmange on top then double cream & chocolate treats.

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We are great fans of All Creatures Great & Small so a few weeks ago we had a day out in Thirsk, North Yorkshire & visited The World of James Herriot.

We have been there before when the twins were two so they did not remember it.

They love to watch the vintage tv show & also read the James Herriot children's books.

We had a lovely day visiting the museum & pottering around the old market town of Thirsk.

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Inside The World of James Herriot.

The house is the actual home & veterinary surgery were James Herriot worked & lived.

1950's sitting room.

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A perfect little tea cosy.

There was lots of inspiration.

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This was the breakfast room complete with the series running on the vintage television.

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Kitchen table with another beautiful tea cosy.
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We were right at home in this house.

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Pantry shelves

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The twins & myself outside the museum.

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We had a hunt round a few of the antique shops in our local town.

I was so pleased to find this beautiful 1940's or 1950's tea set.

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Some vintage finds found in our local antique shop.

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The hens are back to laying with the longer days.

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Fairy cakes for the children's lunches.

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With so many eggs we have had a few quiches, I always bake the quiche recipe in the Darling Buds of May cook book.

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Sidney had his 12th birthday at the end of February, how the years have flown.

He loves chocolate.

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Sidney's birthday tea.

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Apple Cinnamon Muffins.

These are a family favourite.

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Mix with a fork

9 ozs plain flour.

3 tsp baking powder.

2 tsp mixed spice.

4 ozs white sugar.

Then mix wet ingredients together.

5 floz milk.

3 floz vegetable oil.

1 egg.

Fold into dry ingredients.

add 6 oz of finely chopped apple.

pour into muffin cases, sprinkle with soft brown sugar & bake for 20 minutes at 375/390.

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Rearranging the kitchen dresser.

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I made Delia Smith's Chocolate Almond cake a couple of weeks ago for the first time, the children loved it.

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Saturday teatime.

Crisps are a treat on a Saturday.

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Another vintage tea cosy started while Bobby is enjoying the warmth of the fire.

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My family gave me this pretty Mothering Sunday cake.

So pretty with teapot & flowers.

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A rustic cob loaf for tea the other week, we had it with homemade leek & potato soup.

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Making patchwork dolls quilts for the twins for their Easter gifts.

I am using some vintage fabrics & vintage buttons.

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I am going to end this post with some wonderful news.

Early this morning our beautiful daughter gave birth to a little girl. I gave birth to Amy 22 years ago & now at the age of 22 she has given birth to her daughter. Amy & Dan are going to perfect parents, they have so much love to give to this precious little girl. I am so proud of them both & so happy for them.

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Thank you dear readers for your lovely comments, I appreciate them all.

Fondly Michelle.

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