"With Pomp, Power & Glory the world beckons vainly, In chase of such vanities why should I roam?While Peace & Content bless my little thatched cottage,And warm my own hearth with the Treasures of Home."*Beatrix Potter

Friday 24 July 2015

Golden Cottage Days & a Trip back to the 1940's

Our cottage garden has a golden glow about it as hot Summer days turn the foliage into mellow yellowness.  The garden has a sunny silence, the birdsong has now dimmed as young birds have fledged to start their lives soaring the skies.
The purples & creams of the Canterbury Bells fill the flower beds as the Oxe Eye Daisies mellow until another year. Hollyhocks now bloom everywhere, how I love the dear Hollyhock & its many blooms standing gracefully tall, elegantly swaying in the cooling Summer breeze. Honeysuckle fills the air from that same Summer breeze, it has such a heavenly smell.
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The beautiful wild cherry trees will soon be laden with red cherries ripe for the picking as long as we get there before the birds. 
Golden wheat fills the many fields around us ripening unto the near harvest. The wheat stands tall with it's heavy ears waiting for full ripeness. as we walk through the corn fields scarlet poppies are still plentiful. Soon our lanes with be busy with farm traffic & we will be thankful for the harvest.
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Banana Chocolate Muffins.
I make these quite often, the children love them.

Fork together 10 ozs plain flour, 1 teaspoon of soda & a teaspoon of baking powder.
In another bowl mash 4 medium bananas, add 4 ozs sugar, a beaten egg, 2 floz whole milk & 3 flozs vegetable oil.
Pour wet into dry ingredients & stir to just combined. Do not over mix.
Cut up in to rough small chunks a 100g bar of milk chocolate & add to mixture.
Fill tins & bake for 20 minutes or a little more at 375.
These are delicious warm from the oven.
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Andy has quickly put up a temporary fence to keep our little friends out of the vegetable patch.
We hope next year to do a permanent fence.
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Our first potatoes from the garden.
They are later this year.
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A funny little chocolate cake.
This recipe came from one of the books I found at Belton House, it is dated 1952 & you can see from the recipes that rationing was still a big part of people's lives.
It did turn out a funny shape but was a nice little cake.
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Our first raspberries picked.
They topped a cheesecake.
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Last weekend we went to Woodhall Spa's 1940's Weekend.
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This event happens every year & has got bigger & bigger.
It is now one of Britain's biggest's 40's event's & what makes it so special is the many fly pasts from the Spitfires, Hurricanes & Dakota's. The Lancaster is not flying at the moment & she was very much missed.
Everyone dresses up & it is such a wonderful happy weekend.
The air was filled with sunshine & many happy faces.
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The butchers shop all decorated for the day.
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A lovely vintage shop selling many beautiful things, I treated myself to a handbag.
There were stalls everywhere selling everything 1940's with live music & dancing.
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A sweet little caravan made by the owners of the classic car.
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Playing on the swings.
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Some of the many pre war cars that came to the event.
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All dressed up for the day.
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Cherry sponge for Saturday tea.
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I have just started knitting a 1936 pattern for a cardigan.
It has long sleeves & a long body & is knit using 4 ply, so it will take me a while as I am a slow knitter.
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The beautiful photo of the cardigan inside the magazine.
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I have just finished reading The Cranford Companion.
I have had this book for a few years now & have never read it fully, it was a great read with snippets of life & manner's from the 1840's.
I don't know why it has taken me so long to read a Miss Read book, I am hooked & am enjoying it just as much as I do the the Nella Last books.
Now I am on the hunt for the whole set, I do love the first edition one's with the beautiful cover's.
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A couple of Sunday's ago there was an open garden day for the Red Cross at our village Manor House. Sybil is a lovely lady & friend who opens her gardens up many times during the year for good causes. Her son has a large collection of classic motorcars, this car was once owned by Cary Grant.
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Sybil has many acres here, some set to gardens, farm land & a perfect lake with boat house.
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Bantams running around with the sheep.


Can you see the sweet dove at home.
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Going in to one of the little gardens.
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One of the many beautiful rose bushes in the Manor House gardens.
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The twins sitting in a  1904 Cadillac & they didn't even notice that big horn!


A beautiful dwarf wall looking down towards the lake.
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Playing in the beautiful sunshine before we walked home.
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I wish everyone a beautiful Summer.
Fondly Michelle
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44 comments:

  1. Wow! I adore your blog, and always look forward to seeing your fantastic photos, i'm adding chocolate banana muffins to my "to bake" list :) your daughters are beautiful, and your vegetable garden is flourishing! Hopefully ours will look like that eventually :)
    I love the look of that cardigan pattern, i'm currently knitting socks (a real eye opener!)
    Sophie @ Myempireofdirt xx

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  2. Thank you very much Sophie for your kind comment, we will see how I get on with the cardigan. I have never knitted socks & would love too.
    The muffins are yummy.
    Fondly Michelle

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  3. What a lovely post. I was baking today too - Banana Flapjacks and Raspberry Muffins. I love the sound of your Chocolate Banana Muffins and will try them out next week.

    Back to comment fully later.

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    1. I have not heard of banana Flapjacks, they sound good for the children, oats & bananas are always good.
      Fondly Michelle

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  4. A breath of fresh air! What fun you have had again. The raspberries are doing particularly well this year, according to Monty Don this very evening on Gardener's World! Don't they make a perfect finish for your cheesecake?

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    1. We have quite a few raspberry bushes in the garden so hopefully will have many berries throughout the Summer, I love to bake with them too.
      Thank you for your lovely comment.
      Fondly Michelle

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  5. How lovely everything is at your home, Michelle! Your sweater you are knitting is a classic. I hope you share a photo when finished. The event you and your family attended looks to be a lot of fun for all. It seems you live in an area that has many special fairs to attend. Have a wonderful weekend. ♥

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    1. There is plenty going on around us, Woodhall Spa is a lovely vintage village 10 minutes drive away & there is always something going on there.
      Thank you for your kind words.
      Fondly Michelle

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  6. Beautiful pictures Michelle. Thank you for taking us along in your lovely visit. :0)

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    1. So glad you enjoyed your visit Mari.
      Fondly Michelle

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  7. Back again. I think your 1952 vintage chocolate cake (we share a birthday!) shuold be called a Muffin Top Cake! The Cherry Sponge looks gorgeous too.

    What a classic cardigan that is - very stylish. You obviously have the figure for it.

    I love that little home-made caravan with the lead-glazed windows. Just darling.

    I'm glad I am not the only one who can own a book for a few years before getting around to reading it. I did that with one about Kilvert, and only wish I had read it when it was first given to me. The Cranford Companion looks lovely.

    What lovely days out you have had.

    What did your beautiful daughter think of her first Prom, btw?

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    1. Yes it did look very much like a muffin, it was a nice little cake to make.
      We have seen that little caravan a few times at events, I think the girls would love one in the garden.
      Daisy enjoyed the prom, they had a nice meal in a big hotel in Woodhall Spa.
      Thank you for your lovely comment.
      Fondly Michelle

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  8. Looks like you had a wonderful day. Your cardigan you are going to knit looks pretty, and those cakes and muffins look yummy
    Julie xxxxxx

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    1. Thank you Julie, we did have a beautiful day.
      Enjoy your weekend.
      Fondly Michelle

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  9. I would have loved to have gone to the weekend at Woodhall Spa but I was away at my daughters, sounds idyllic. Love the cardigan you are knitting I love the old patterns just not keen on 4 ply wool.

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    1. Yes 4ply does take a little time to get anywhere, waist band done now I have moved to slighter larger needles.
      Woodhall weekend was great, hope you can get there next year.
      Fondly Michelle

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  10. I have so enjoyed your beautiful sunny photos. I love going to events like this. We own a couple of classic cars ourselves and I would dearly like to own a cute little caravan like the one you pictured.

    I cant wait to see how your cardigan progresses, I think it will look just gorgeous.

    God Bless,

    xTania

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    1. What type of cars do you own, we are off to Norfolk tomorrow to view a pre war car.
      Thank you for your lovely comment.
      Fondly Michelle

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    2. Dear Michelle,

      Sorry I have just seen your question.

      We own two Zephyrs, one 1956 Mark 2 Ute and also a car from the same era. Both need sprucing up a bit but they do run well. My favourite is the Ute as they are fairly rare.

      xTania

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  11. Michelle you make some lovely cakes, is it possible when you blog again to show us some of your cookbooks?I would really like to buy some old style cookbooks and would value your recommendations.

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    1. Of course, I do have so many booklets from the 20's & onwards & then a whole cupboard full of cookbooks but I can give you a list f some of my favourite's.
      It will be a few week before I post again as we have family coming & the Summer is so busy.
      Are you after English or American books or both.
      Fondly Michelle

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  12. Thanks Michelle, I would love to see both, xx

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  15. Hi Michelle :-)
    Your garden is blooming lovely! ( pardon the pun lol ), and your baking looks just delicious, I could just fancy a slice of the cherry cake!
    The 1940s weekend looks great, just my cup of tea! I adore anything like this.
    The cardigan you have begun knitting is really lovely and I really like the colour.
    I am so happy to hear you are enjoying Miss Read! If you would like to read them in order, the website Fantastic Fiction lists them in order, as does Goodreads which is linked in my blog post :-)
    I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend,
    Take care,
    Melanie x

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    1. Thank you Melanie, I was going to look on the internet next week to get them in order, I need to get the first one.
      The 1940's event was fantastic, such fun & happiness.
      We are off to view a 1937 car today, exciting.
      Fondly Michelle

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  16. Lovely post and beautiful photos! I always love to reminisce about days gone by and miss many things from "back in the day". You have a very nice blog, thank you so much for sharing.

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    1. Thank you very much Linda for your kind words, I love back in the day too.
      Fondly Michelle

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  17. Ooooh, what lovely summer days you are having in your corner of the world! All the flowers are so lovely and your garden is having a great yield. The girls look so sweet in their hats--- and those books! What perfect books to curl up with and enjoy. So glad to get a peek at your summer!~

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    1. Thank you Heather for your sweet words.
      No hats needed at the moment, we are having days of rain.
      Fondly Michelle

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  18. With your love of the 1940's I'm sure your family fit right in at the 40's event. It looks like such a wonderful celebration. I really enjoyed all your photos--they are always so picturesque!

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    1. So glad you enjoyed the post Cathy.
      Fondly Michelle

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  19. When I come and visit you here, my darling Michelle, you always move me, your posts are always so touching for they're true windows open on the past, and I love it so much, you make me feel such wonderful moments which our everyday reality doesn't know !
    Thank you for making me dream in this wonderful way
    With all my love and gratitude
    Dany

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    1. Thank you Daniela for your sweet comment, I am so glad you enjoy the blog.
      Enjoy your dreaming.
      Fondly Michelle

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  20. Looks like a lot of fun adventures. Thank you for stopping by and leaving your nice comment. Have a wonderful day, Heather

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  21. Hi, I really enjoyed this lovely post and am away to browse your site.

    Diana

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  22. Hi, I enjoyed your lovely post. When I was a children, I travelled a lot on a caravan like that...I really love love it!!! :)
    Un baiser
    Roberta
    La Sportina

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    1. Thank you Roberta,
      The caravan is so sweet inside.
      Fondly Michelle

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  23. I am always very fond of your posts! This is no exception. What a lovely summer time you have shared! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!

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  24. Lovely photos and very nice cardigan to knit. :-)
    Cranford is one of my favorite movies ~ I'll have to look up The Companion. :-)
    Have a nice day! ♥

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  25. Hi Michelle,
    I have been a pokey neglectful blog visitor this summer, and I have missed so much!! This was an especially sweet post close to my heart! I just loved all the vintage images so nicely expressed! And the sweet twins always warm my heart when I see them!!
    Many blessings and warmth, Linnie

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