Getting Hygge With It

Hygge is an old Danish concept that helps Danes get through their long dark winters. Originally an old Norwegian word for well-being, it roughly translates to coziness. It's all about creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. I approve, not only because of my Scandi crush, but because I think it's a good blueprint for life generally. Denmark is officially the happiest country in the world, I think more Hygge is required all round.

Last Saturday I had the best Hygge evening. Listening to Lisa Tarbuck on the radio and knitting by a roaring log fire. Pendragon meanwhile was experiencing her own Hygge moment enjoying the underfloor heating in the kitchen.

Happy Days

I don't know if you all saw the 'Eat Well for Less' programme the other evening. Basically Greg Wallace and award-winning greengrocer (whatever that means), Chris Bavin were purporting to help families eat healthily while saving money. What they actually did was swap the branded products the couple normally bought for cheaper alternatives. Good in itself as it did save them money, but they didn't tackle food waste, balanced diet, proper menu planning, food management, i.e. cook once eat twice, nor the possibility of them growing some of their own fresh produce. Amazingly they also ignored the elephant in the room, the £1000 worth of excess food they already had in their home. No, they sent them out to buy more. I thought the programme failed on many levels and I'm sure that many of my fellow frugally clued up blogging chums will feel the same.

It did get me thinking though about balance and harmony in the home and how important it is to me and my husband that we live and eat well and make the most of all of our resources. A strong waste not want not ethic. Since I stopped working full time I have had the luxury of being able to spend more time making sure we get the best value for money on everything we 'consume'. This gives me a great sense of contentment. Money is hard earned and should be spent mindfully. That's not to say we don't spend when we think something is worth it and will enhance our life experience.

Sue over at Frugal in Suffolk  has just written about finding pleasure in small things and how it can make you happy. I couldn't agree with her more. For me, having everything in order at home is my life base from which everything else stems. It does indeed make me happy. Yesterday I made a lamb casserole in the slow cooker for dinner last night and cooked up a batch of roasted red pepper soup to have for lunch today and froze the excess for another time = happiness.

Because we don't waste our money we have more disposable income then friends who earn more. I feel it's a strong framework for a happy life.

It also means we can book tickets to go and see a poptastic icon of the 60s.

A warm welcome to my latest Google Friend Connect follower Carol, thanks for joining my site.

Homespun Pursuits

I've been slowed down on the gallivanting front this week due to a lack of sleep. Frankly I'm knackered. Not due to any joyous or exciting activity, just bloomin mighty menopausal temperature swings. Just thought I'd share that. I suspect some of my blogging chums may empathise.

Anyhoo, moving on. Rugs. The homemade kind. I've finished my first, peg loom rug. I know, so exciting isn't it? Life in the fast lane.

This is it just after 'liberating' the rug from the loom.

Finished and 'installed'. Also above, showing the peg loom in all it's finery, as requested.

I am pretty pleased with it. I got my inspiration from an Irish Crofter's room set, during last year's Wool Week at Somerset House. Our bedroom now has that curated feel, ha ha.

More domestic goddess activity, in the kitchen this time, with home made soup. Actually I saw a post on Rosemary's blog which spurred me on to harvest the last tomatoes from the greenhouse.

I added more chilli, celery stalks and leaves and a few other bits and pieces, but essentially used her recipe. My it was good.

Harmony & Tranquility

The mister and I have just returned from a few days in Suffolk. We went to celebrate our wedding anniversary and to catch up with some dear friends. We had a smashing time, I will post about that in the next couple of days.

Today I want to share with you an incredibly moving and beautiful film. It concerns an elderly lady who has found a peace and happiness through her relationship with her natural surroundings, in particular the sea.

The film was made by a Faroese filmmaker called Heidrick a Heygum. The film is called a portrait of Maria a Heygum.

I so love the sound of her voice and her delicate language. Click on the pink text to link to the film and if you have time, please watch all of the film, you'll be so glad you did.

Simple Pleasures

I have a queueing system at the moment for the projects I would like to tackle. This week I repainted an old 1950s magazine rack as I wanted something stylish and period to store my Long Players in. It's a nice glossy black now with squeaky clean bright red plastic ball feet, you know the kind I mean.

Next on the list is the ghastly orange pine trio of small tables that I got from one of my local chazzas. They are a perfect size for drinks and nibbles, and will fit nicely alongside my sofas without taking up to much space. Then a big project, to strip and decorate a chest of drawers, that's gonna be a very dusty job, yuk.
Then repaint a small rocking chair and yarn bomb a big stuffed toy goat.

When all that is done we will probably be in the depths of Winter. Perfect time of year to make a soft toy. I bought this beautiful kit from Alicia Poulson, who is based in Portland USA. Some of you may be familiar with her delightfully heart warming ,blog Posie Gets Cosy. The materials are top notch and everything has been thought through. Step by step instructions with coloured images, full size patterns and every little thing needed has been provided. I'm especially looking forward to using the Liberty Tana Lawn fabrics, and trying my hand at some fine embroidery.

I'm really pleased that the tiny Lavender plugs that I planted out last year are just starting to flower and spread across our little garden path that runs along the back of the house. The plants share the bed with our Roses. I cut them back almost to the ground a few weeks ago, as Monty Don told me to, and they are growing strongly and look mighty healthy.

We've settled on a place for this small bust, a replica from one at Charleston Farmhouse, and I love the way the Rosebuds are beginning to wind around his face. Simple pleasures.

A warm welcome to my latest Google Friend Connect follower Lyn. I can't tell you how much pleasure it gives me to see my numbers growing and to be able to see who is connecting with me. It's starting to feel like a real community.

Super Easy Bread Making

It really doesn't come any easier than this. I made this irish soda bread a couple of weeks ago and it was so tasty and quick to make I thought I should let you all know about it. The recipe calls for a mix of flours but I just used the economy Morrison's strong white flour and it was just dandy. Buttermilk is another ingredient but I substituted skimmed milk and low fat Greek yoghurt from Lidl. Did I mention this was a super thrifty recipe too?

Ingredients

795 g strong white flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
680ml approx buttermilk

I used 500g of flour and rounded the other ingredients down, but then I do love to muck about with recipes.

Method

1. Sift flour, salt and soda into a large bowl. Stir in enough buttermilk to mix to a firm dough.

2. Turn dough onto floured surface, (it is really really sticky so put some flour on your hands too), knead until just smooth. Shape dough into a 20cm round, place on a greased oven tray.

3. Cut 1cm deep slashes in the dough in a cross shape (like quarters) , brush with a little milk. Bake in a moderate oven about 50 mins. Lift onto wire rack to cool.

I estimate this cost me about 60p. If I had bought it in an 'artisan' bakery it would have been nearer £3.00.

Happy baking everyone.

Simple Pleasures in My life

Our first radish, we thought about naming it and keeping it but decided to eat it instead.

Our presently not so grumpy cat Pendragon enjoying the sun.

















Understated delivery

Shaving Money Off My Shopping Bill

Dearest reader my thoughts have latterly turned to economy. Probably not so much of a surprise given the amount we have recently spent on our house renovations.

It's true to say I am always mindful of cost, but only in relation to quality. I really do not want to seek out the cheapest of goods or food, rather the best value. 
I work hard for my money and spend it in a balanced way.

We eat very well and almost everything is prepared from scratch. 

We are meat eaters, but I'm very concerned about the welfare of animals, and will not buy 'suspect' or cheap meat or chicken.

My latest notion is to cook more vegetarian meals, which should not only be cheaper but more healthy. As long as they are not supplemented by huge amounts of cheese, (always a temptation).

This morning I had fresh soups on my shopping list. I do make them usually, in fact I made a very warming carrot and ginger one at the weekend, but I fancied something a bit more unusual.

I tootled along the aisle in my local supermarket but couldn't find any inspiration, then I saw a nice pot of Minestrone. Hang on I thought, I must have all those ingredients at home, I should really make it myself.

Within 30 minutes of getting home I had a huge pot of Minestrone bubbling away on the stove. I filled the big saucepan, thinking cook once eat at least 4 times, for both Mr.S&P and myself, (the pan holding 4 litres)

If I had bought the soup ready made it would cost (Asda price) £1.97 per 600 gr carton. I think the whole 4 litre pot probably cost less than £2.50. 

So a good start. 
I thought I would share my 'new' recipes as I cook them. You never know I might inspire you, I do hope so.

I didn't really measure out any ingredients, just gauged it by eye, so I hope that works for you too.

Take a big pot and pour in a glug of olive oil. Add carrots, celery and leaves if any, and onions all roughly chopped into bite size pieces.

Next  some chopped greens,( minus the bloomin caterpillars) and basil, ours were both grown from seed in our green house.

Stir all until wilted and coated with oil then add chopped garlic.

Heat through for a couple of minutes then add 2 x tinned tomatoes and a tin of beans. I bought these on special offer, but you could use any beans you want, obvs.

Lastly, top up the soup almost to the brim with stock, then add a small amount of dried Oregano and a couple of handfuls of dried pasta. 
This is a great recipe for using up the small amounts of dried pasta that get left in bags when they aren't quite enough for a main meal.

Scraps into the compost pot of course.

Garden Happiness

Well good morning my little butterbeans, it's now the official start of garden bliss. Yes, the greenhouse is now up and from today will be housing some darling little seeds.

Our lovely neighbour popped into view the new local attraction and brought with him some pepper plants, yeh Nick :) Can you see them in the corner?

The garden furniture is finished, after 4 coats of paint. But I have to say the paint has caused me some problems as it seems to be peeling off when even a litle bit of water gets on it, particularly bad on the table top. Can't understand that as I have actually used a 'garden' wood paint, go figure. Possibly it was in the preparation, but I did use an electric sander for the job.

Anyhoo problem solved as amongst my little stash of fabrics there was a piece of oil cloth, and it was exactly the right colour and just enough to cover the table.

We've got to be totally on the ball to keep it looking good, and will keep it covered when we're not using it, that way it should last for this year at least.

Our lovely roses which have been languishing on the floor amongst a lot of overgrown grass have been given a face lift and are looking very peachy indeed. This lovely rose is called anniversary and was given to us last year on our 10th wedding anniversary. 

I don't think this is a formal way of supporting roses, but I think it looks delightfully rustic and the supports are from our garden so are free.

I'm orf to my knitting group now, and will be back soon to show you some gorgeous images I have taken for an advert for this very blog, which has been kindly offered to me by Vintage Life magazine. They used some of my knitwear images last year and have given me a free advert in exchange. Jolly good I say.

Poor Girl's Cassoulet

Sausage casserole has never really appealed to me. Don't get me wrong I love a good banger but next a nice fried egg or in a sarnie, yum. It's got to be good quality mind, lots of free range meat and herbs, The Black Farmer's or Duchy's are my favourite, I always snap them up when they're reduced at Waitrose and store them in the freezer.

Then this week I discovered a new breed of sausage .........

So now I'm thinking more on the lines of Cassoulet, so much posher, so much more me somehow. 10 deliciously chubby little sangers mixed with sage, mixed pepper and thyme, perfect for one of my slow cooker specials.

I had a rootle in the fridge and found some 'essential' celery, mushrooms, peppers, onions, garlic, coriander leaves and some left over red wine and plum tomatoes.

Browned the sausages off, took them out of the pan then cooked the veg in the same pan, added it all to the slow cooker including the celery leaves, then slow cooked all day whilst I got on with other things.

Well pop pickers it was a taste sensation, super quality, super thrifty and best of all enough for another meal saving time and energy, 'cook once eat twice'. You could bulk it up even further with some white beans or lentils and it would easily feed 5 people.