It’s been a quiet Sunday. I've relished the dark dankness of today and stayed in the warm embrace of the kitchen. After a busy week sometimes the thought of spending a day cooking seems too much and then other-times, like now, it seems to soothe and comfort. So today chicken and leek pie with a rich pastry and a tangy lemon cake took most of my time, but it was time given gladly. The boys played and watched TV and listened to music and squabbled and generally behaved like three boys should. And all the while I chopped and sautéed and stirred and grated and roasted until the pie filling was made and the pastry was chilling in the fridge. As I write now I am guarding the lemon cake. With two dogs in their basket in the kitchen I can never rest easy while cake is cooling for fear that the temptation might be too much. A while ago I read someone write about a dog line - a zone above which things were safe from doggy investigation and below which they most certainly were not. I have yet to fully establish where this line is in my own kitchen, hence the watchfulness.

Hello Winter. Time to snuggle up!