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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Quiet January Days at the Cottage

I love the month of January after the business of December, 

a time to catch up & finish many projects.

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We had a lovely Christmas Day at the cottage. Our oldest children came & spent the day with us, it's lovely to see all our eight children together.

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The village now has a softness to it at this time of year, a beautiful quietness surrounds the streams and fields. Up to a few days ago we have been having a mild Winter, trees are budding in the garden & bulbs are beginning to bloom. The mild weather had brought birds to the garden, playing in the abundance of Ivy along the church side of our garden which gives them much needed food at this time of year.

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Now the weather has turned into a cold snap and we sit fireside enjoying the warmth that it brings.

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Kitty with Betty the tea trolley on Sunday.

The twins do like to push her into the sitting room.

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 I found this old 1950's recipe booklet a little while ago but just have not had a chance to make anything from it.
Last Sunday I pulled it out of the drawer & decided to make these scones.
I am so glad I did, they were lovely & rose beautifully.

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The twins were given two Gingerbread House kits for Christmas.

Here are the finished result, they spent two enjoyable hours making these.

One was for Saturday tea & the other was for church the next day.

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As this week has turned very cold I have been baking a lot.

These are a recipe I have done many times, Ruth Motts cheese puff's.

So simple to make & so tasty for weekend tea.

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Orange Fruit Tea Bread.

I found this recipe in a book I found in a charity shop.

The book is an old Marks & Spenser's book about food for your freezer.

Its was so orangey.

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This is our favourite Banana Bread.

We had it for Sunday tea and also for breakfast with some fruit as the recipe makes two loaves.

It also freezes well.

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Using a mixer beat 8 ozs of white sugar, 4ozs light brown sugar & 8 ozs of margarine.

Mash 8 banana's with a masher & add them to the sugar & butter mix with 4 eggs & 1 teaspoon of almond essence.

Add 4ozs of wholemeal flour, 6 ozs of plain flour, a little grated nutmeg & 2 teaspoons of baking soda.

Fold together & put into greased loaf tins.

Bake at 350f for about 1 hour, check after 50 minutes.

Cool in tins & remove after 30 minute.

Enjoy

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Some of my beautiful Christmas gifts from the children.

A little shelf in the scullery now filled with green & cream things.

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These are a few finds we have found lately, I love these late 1920's Woman's magazine's.

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We had ordered some new Laura Ashley chairs for the sitting room.

Just after New Year they were delivered, they are so comfortable.

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Daffodils bringing a little sunshine to the kitchen.

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We just love a Victoria Sponge cake.

I made this using my basic cake recipe which I have posted before.

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Our first Grandchild a little girl is due at the end of March.

I have been busy knitting a little cardigan for her.

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I thought you might like to put a face to the name.

Here I am all ready to go grocery shopping.

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We are eating plenty of soups at the moment & I have been experimenting with different breads.

This bread is a Country Grain Plait.

I made Tasha Tudor's Vegetable Soup to go with it.

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Honey & Ginger Cake I made the other day for the children's lunch boxes.

This recipe came from this little vintage Stork Teatime booklet.

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This is a little dolly outfit I made for Kitty just before Christmas.

I love the way green & pink look together.

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Here are some photo's of Christmas time at the cottage.

I am sorry they are late.

We had laptop issues but now we have a new one, this is why I have not posted in a little while.

Sorry for the photo heavy post.

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George helping with the wrapping.

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A visit to see Father Christmas.

Such a magical morning.

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Mince pies on Christmas Eve.

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I couldn't put George's gift under the tree as he would have ate through the paper.

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Some baking with the twins.

I found these lovely coloured cherries in a cake decorating shop.

They made melting moments with them.

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Christmas Eve tea.

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Christmas Day desserts & puddings.

Trifle, Christmas Pudding & Tangerine Jelly for the twins.

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Little Mary on Boxing Day.

We always have Brandy Snaps filled with cream on Boxing Day.

My Grandmother always did that, so we are keeping the tradition going.

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Wishing all my dear readers a belated Happy New Year.

Thank you for all your lovely comments.

Fondly Michelle 

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