Found you at the beginning of the pandemic, along with the 5 minute gardening - so helpful, especially for a procrastinator. Love your refreshing (and hilarious) honesty about family life.
My Virginia garden is lush & beautiful right now with astilbe, daisies, lilies, and ferns; a little wild, if not exactly a meadow. The heat & awful humidity are coming and it will languish soon.
Regarding hand stitching, beautiful neat stitches. When recently asked to define my most useless skill, I responded with hand embroidery; but really, why not make useful things beautiful? Lavender sachets, pillowcase borders…
I have a mini meadow too - I don’t chop it until end of August (little paths cut through it for access) - I might strim the top in July for those things that have gone over / brown - but that’s it! (Teacher - thrilled GCSE English exams are over at least - feel your pain - my children are 6 and 7 and already dreading)
This is an excellent Meadow compromise THANK you! And yes, I’m not surprised you’re girding your loins for their GCSEs… where is the JOY in brilliant writing? What have they done? 😫
I am late to the party on this email - absolutely loved so many parts of it and I share a similar feeling about Tax returns - they always seem so painful but now I try to do some of it as I go along - like recording charity donations so they are easy at year end. But enough talk of Tax - Ugh!
On a MUCH more interesting topic I wonder if you might consider another post on your top tips for getting enough protein. I too assumed that 100g of stake was 100g of protein until recently. Also trying to increase the amount I eat. Your recipes here were great (except i don't eat meat - haven't since i was 16 and now fast approaching the five oh - 15 days to go! help!).
Thanks as ever for your wonderful words - they always bring a smile and joy! Happy Wednesday and enjoy the sunshine. x
You have reminded me that I totally forgot to count my charity stuff! Argh! And yes I will absolutely do a protein thing…my family are utterly sick of me banging on about it so it might quieten me down a bit! Do you eat fish or are you fully veg? X
The charity bit is usually pretty easy to work out (if it’s helpful - I set up a folder in my emails called donations, so as soon as I sponsor anyone the receipt goes straight into the folder and then voila! Hopefully easy to log). And yes I’m a pescatarian - I eat everything - just not meat. Thank you and enjoy this wonderful sunshine! I feel like I’m on holiday just being in England! x
I sympathise with the tax return avoidance it is the most hideous thing. I also intended to do it in June but not sure I can face it (although maybe if we have a very rainy day?) and usually end up being pretty last minute with it - cue much anguish! The meals sound yummy. I'm also thinking lots about protein consumption! Also, I usually don't cut my meadow patch down until November or December although it is always extremely floppy by this point but I love the wildness. Maybe some Butter Wakefield style hazel and willow supports to edge the meadow and avoid the great flop?
She actually said this to me herself, but it would have to be quite a high fence! I think the real trick is to chop it early but I agree wholeheartedly with your love for the wild look!
Sending love and solidarity to you and your girl. (My daughter starts GCSEs next year and I already hate them. I was incandescent to discover that for English, she will not study one. single. writer who is not a dead, white male. Whither the joy?) But the meadow! These recipes! Now there I see joy. xx
Enjoy her enjoyment of literature before the exams squeeze it out of her with the endless obsession with stuff of zero delight. Personally I am fine with authors of either sex or any colour as long as they see the WONDER 😫… Thank you for being lovely as always xxx
One uni holiday I ended up working in the tailoring department at Harrods. All I did was invisible hems on mens' trousers. No men in them. But I LOVED the concentration and the trade. I shall have a look at the V&A course, so thank you for bringing it to my attention. My balcony is a medley (I think that describes a non-planned affair) of veg, herbs, flowers and various varieties of ivy. Oh and pride of prides a grape vine. Balcony minute. Just room for a small stool for me to perch on. With wine. Such good luck to all with exams - horrors!
Same, same, same! Putting off tax. Teenager at home. The other one is still taking a thermos of hot food to school so in theory I could just make more and serve it up for lunch. But it doesn't work because younger teen is very carb heavy and just wants pasta/rice/noodles every day but the one doing A levels is currently carb phobic and says she can't eat them at lunchtime as they send her to sleep. And it means I can't throw a loaf of bread at her either. ARGH!!!!!
And my garden is a wilderness! Love the stitching!
I mean….i do NOT want to give anyone the impression that my children actually EAT what I cook. Eldest has just returned from biology exam, took one look at lunch and asked for money for a sandwich 😫💚🫠
Your stitching is really beautiful Laetitia, please show us the finished product when you get there, it sounds so lovely! I am a big fan of hand stitching (though that wasn't always the case) and especially sashiko. Do you know Arounna Khounnoraj (@bookhou on Instagram)? I could watch her stitch all day, which sounds weird but IYKYK.
I have so many pages in my copy of Shelf that are bookmarked… I went to mark the butter bean recipe to find I had already done it! Must make that for lunch.
The benefit of getting old… this is the first year of no tax return!
I hadn't seen that dressing and hell's teeth that looks right up my street, thank you thank you. And for general waffle including the link to my recipe you queen! Thank you again
Love reading this on a Monday morning. GCSE’s urgh (I teach, but Art so I’m lucky) your course sounds amazing. And thanks for all the recipes too am going to try some….
Also thoroughly sick of GCSEs, speaking as mother of a Y11. And also as a teacher. Never felt so empathetic to a cohort of kids as I've watched my own flesh and blood navigate the nonsense of 4 straight weeks of this. In greener news, am also navigating floppy meadows delights (corncrake, chefs kiss) alongside a bouncy puppy.
Greetings from Los Angeles where the s**t is big time hitting the fan. My kids are not swatting for GCSEs (they are in their late twenties) but are taking cover from rubber bullets in Downtown L.A.. Proud to see them out there fighting for Democracy! I on the other hand am out in my garden pruning my roses, Chelsea-Chopping my Rozannes and taking a break to read your wonderfully soothing newsletter. A moment of sweet sanity and normalness and humour in a dangerous and stressful world... I would say pray for us but I am totally anti-religion and don't Believe. What is the atheist version of "Pray for Us?"
Found you at the beginning of the pandemic, along with the 5 minute gardening - so helpful, especially for a procrastinator. Love your refreshing (and hilarious) honesty about family life.
My Virginia garden is lush & beautiful right now with astilbe, daisies, lilies, and ferns; a little wild, if not exactly a meadow. The heat & awful humidity are coming and it will languish soon.
Regarding hand stitching, beautiful neat stitches. When recently asked to define my most useless skill, I responded with hand embroidery; but really, why not make useful things beautiful? Lavender sachets, pillowcase borders…
lavender bags FOREVER Beth!
I have a mini meadow too - I don’t chop it until end of August (little paths cut through it for access) - I might strim the top in July for those things that have gone over / brown - but that’s it! (Teacher - thrilled GCSE English exams are over at least - feel your pain - my children are 6 and 7 and already dreading)
This is an excellent Meadow compromise THANK you! And yes, I’m not surprised you’re girding your loins for their GCSEs… where is the JOY in brilliant writing? What have they done? 😫
I am late to the party on this email - absolutely loved so many parts of it and I share a similar feeling about Tax returns - they always seem so painful but now I try to do some of it as I go along - like recording charity donations so they are easy at year end. But enough talk of Tax - Ugh!
On a MUCH more interesting topic I wonder if you might consider another post on your top tips for getting enough protein. I too assumed that 100g of stake was 100g of protein until recently. Also trying to increase the amount I eat. Your recipes here were great (except i don't eat meat - haven't since i was 16 and now fast approaching the five oh - 15 days to go! help!).
Thanks as ever for your wonderful words - they always bring a smile and joy! Happy Wednesday and enjoy the sunshine. x
You have reminded me that I totally forgot to count my charity stuff! Argh! And yes I will absolutely do a protein thing…my family are utterly sick of me banging on about it so it might quieten me down a bit! Do you eat fish or are you fully veg? X
The charity bit is usually pretty easy to work out (if it’s helpful - I set up a folder in my emails called donations, so as soon as I sponsor anyone the receipt goes straight into the folder and then voila! Hopefully easy to log). And yes I’m a pescatarian - I eat everything - just not meat. Thank you and enjoy this wonderful sunshine! I feel like I’m on holiday just being in England! x
I sympathise with the tax return avoidance it is the most hideous thing. I also intended to do it in June but not sure I can face it (although maybe if we have a very rainy day?) and usually end up being pretty last minute with it - cue much anguish! The meals sound yummy. I'm also thinking lots about protein consumption! Also, I usually don't cut my meadow patch down until November or December although it is always extremely floppy by this point but I love the wildness. Maybe some Butter Wakefield style hazel and willow supports to edge the meadow and avoid the great flop?
She actually said this to me herself, but it would have to be quite a high fence! I think the real trick is to chop it early but I agree wholeheartedly with your love for the wild look!
Sending love and solidarity to you and your girl. (My daughter starts GCSEs next year and I already hate them. I was incandescent to discover that for English, she will not study one. single. writer who is not a dead, white male. Whither the joy?) But the meadow! These recipes! Now there I see joy. xx
Enjoy her enjoyment of literature before the exams squeeze it out of her with the endless obsession with stuff of zero delight. Personally I am fine with authors of either sex or any colour as long as they see the WONDER 😫… Thank you for being lovely as always xxx
One uni holiday I ended up working in the tailoring department at Harrods. All I did was invisible hems on mens' trousers. No men in them. But I LOVED the concentration and the trade. I shall have a look at the V&A course, so thank you for bringing it to my attention. My balcony is a medley (I think that describes a non-planned affair) of veg, herbs, flowers and various varieties of ivy. Oh and pride of prides a grape vine. Balcony minute. Just room for a small stool for me to perch on. With wine. Such good luck to all with exams - horrors!
I love your balcony minute … with wine…how refreshing x
All brilliant. Thank you.
Thank YOU for this kind message
Same, same, same! Putting off tax. Teenager at home. The other one is still taking a thermos of hot food to school so in theory I could just make more and serve it up for lunch. But it doesn't work because younger teen is very carb heavy and just wants pasta/rice/noodles every day but the one doing A levels is currently carb phobic and says she can't eat them at lunchtime as they send her to sleep. And it means I can't throw a loaf of bread at her either. ARGH!!!!!
And my garden is a wilderness! Love the stitching!
I mean….i do NOT want to give anyone the impression that my children actually EAT what I cook. Eldest has just returned from biology exam, took one look at lunch and asked for money for a sandwich 😫💚🫠
Your stitching is really beautiful Laetitia, please show us the finished product when you get there, it sounds so lovely! I am a big fan of hand stitching (though that wasn't always the case) and especially sashiko. Do you know Arounna Khounnoraj (@bookhou on Instagram)? I could watch her stitch all day, which sounds weird but IYKYK.
I’ll definitely show it IF I finish! Thank you for the @bookhou pointer… looking forward to it now x
Oh how I loved this Laetitia
thank you Jo!
I have so many pages in my copy of Shelf that are bookmarked… I went to mark the butter bean recipe to find I had already done it! Must make that for lunch.
The benefit of getting old… this is the first year of no tax return!
Have you done the pulled pork vindaloo? HIGHLY delicious… and how joyous to be tax return free!
No… another to add to my list!
I love the fig soda bread with star anise! Wonderful for breakfast
I hadn't seen that dressing and hell's teeth that looks right up my street, thank you thank you. And for general waffle including the link to my recipe you queen! Thank you again
That chicken vinegar recipe is ON REPEAT here, so thank YOU
Love reading this on a Monday morning. GCSE’s urgh (I teach, but Art so I’m lucky) your course sounds amazing. And thanks for all the recipes too am going to try some….
Try the beans!!! X
Corncockle*
Also thoroughly sick of GCSEs, speaking as mother of a Y11. And also as a teacher. Never felt so empathetic to a cohort of kids as I've watched my own flesh and blood navigate the nonsense of 4 straight weeks of this. In greener news, am also navigating floppy meadows delights (corncrake, chefs kiss) alongside a bouncy puppy.
Did you detect my rage? They seem to have managed to drain every ounce of delight from every subject (particularly English). It’s so sad 😞 x
Ps yes the English GCSEs are awful - rest assured- all the English teachers HATE them too - Gove is enemy number 1.
🤬
Greetings from Los Angeles where the s**t is big time hitting the fan. My kids are not swatting for GCSEs (they are in their late twenties) but are taking cover from rubber bullets in Downtown L.A.. Proud to see them out there fighting for Democracy! I on the other hand am out in my garden pruning my roses, Chelsea-Chopping my Rozannes and taking a break to read your wonderfully soothing newsletter. A moment of sweet sanity and normalness and humour in a dangerous and stressful world... I would say pray for us but I am totally anti-religion and don't Believe. What is the atheist version of "Pray for Us?"
Pruning and chelsea chopping are the MOST soothing of activities....more soothing sometimes than prayer. Sending THOUGHTS x
Thank you! ♥️