What a glorious weekend, both the weather and length were appreciated here. And there was plenty going on, as well as the usual domestic chores we made time for an eighteen mile cycle in sunny Kent, cocktails, barbecues, pizzas, some pottering in the greenhouse, relaxing on sun loungers and getting my nose into a book.
At Home in the World by Tsh Oxentreider is a book I've had since it came out and one I've been meaning to read for a while. I follow her blog and this book is of how she and her husband travelled for a year with their three kids. I'd read the preparation posts on the blog as they prepared to leave and so was keen to see how it all went. Already it's obvious it's an amazing experience, and I'm in the final three months and (in the book) currently in Rome. I' not sure if I hadn't already been following Tsh's blog, or unless I was tempted to up sticks myself, if I'd be so interested in reading this book, and I guess that's not something I can answer. I'm enjoying the family's progress on their trip though.
And what better way to celebrate the return of the good weather, than with cocktails? MOH took the hint and so I quickly picked enough mint for the garden and he set about making Mint Juleps. There's a recipe in the most recent Good Food magazine, and rather tasty it was too.
So we had another one!
The steak was on the barbecue and the garden candles were lit. Each of the evenings have been warm haven't they - but sadly they haven't been bug free. There's been bites, but just small ones, not the nasty sort I've had recently. Thankfully the sting from last weekend is calming down now. Not a bad view is it?
It's been nice to eat breakfast outside too. Yesterday buoyed by advice from last week's Celebrity Masterchef MOH tried poached eggs, and had his most success ever. Which is good as I'm a big fan of poached eggs!
Shortly after breakfast there was a bit of a flapping commotion inside the house. Confused as to what it might be, we headed inside to investigate. I don't think either of us expected to see this.
It was huge and the most beautiful green - which sadly isn't showing in the photos - windows were opened and fittingly The Garden magazine was used to shepherd it out into the open.
After an allotment visit we left with more runner beans and counted many more borlotti beans ripening. Runner bean pasta is on the menu this week I think.
Our weekend finished with pizzas in the pizza oven. The pizza dough I'd frozen worked well and was nowhere near as sticky as I'd expected it to be so I'm counting that as a success. There were no pizzas left so that's a success too.
And remember those dropped apricots? Well, we had another go, which was much more successful - and tasty too. And there's enough left over for my lunch tomorrow too...
How was your Bank Holiday weekend?