Jumble post

Busy week here again as we continue with the renovation of the cottages and we feel the pressure of next years deadline looming. It's all going well but it can get a little stressful with builders and suppliers and everything else all at once.

We did have a very exciting moment one evening last week when a hot air balloon landed in the field next to the house. At one point we thought it was going to crash on our neighbours vines but it did turn out the man steering the balloon knew what he was doing and he skillfully placed in down in the ploughed field. The kids were beyond excited and are still talking about it.

Also up in todays jumble post I made a Rose and Blackberry Cake. No sugar just honey and maple syrup. Plus its half and half white/wholemeal flour. Not guilt free cake but certainly on the way.....

Oh and it turns out if you loose your trusty sieve (?!!!) you can use your zester to sprinkle icing sugar over. Remember where you heard it first........

And just as I was taking photos of the cake our neighbour turned up with a whole carrier bag of table grapes. He grows a small row of these just for himself alongside his cognac vines. Zero food miles - yay!

Another bake was Passionfruit and Coconut scones for the after school club (aka the slightly tired and hungry rabble) They went down well.

Infact so well that my daughter made me this beautiful pipe cleaner cocktail ring as a thank you. Bring on the next dinner party I say.....

Finally a few photos of the house. Its being sandblasted at the moment so that the landscaping can begin. After two years of living with the courtyard looking like a builders merchants I'm ready for lawn and pointy trees. Good things come to those who wait (and those who have a husband who breaks their back doing it, right?)

One last photo of the new roof going on one of the Phase 2 cottages in the corner of the courtyard.

Its exciting to see the progress......