weekending

This weekend was a real mixed bag. On Friday we had our first barbeque of the summer season. Kevin chopped some wood and we lit the fire and before long we were eating lamb and herb chipolatas, homemade beef burgers and salmon cooked in little tinfoil parcels to stop it from burning. After, while the embers were still hot enough, we toasted marshmallows and using chocolate digestives made our version of s'mores. To say the three boys were happy would be an understatement. At some stage though, deep into the night the rain arrived and it stayed and wrapped us in its grey, dank blanket for the whole of the following day. And then today, Sunday, dawned a little gloomy like someone having a slight huff having not got their own way but slowly, slowly the day decided to smile rather than frown and we got to have the warmest, most summeriest day so far this year. But now as I write, with the children showered and tucked up in bed, the rain is pelting down and the darkness has drawn in and that sunshine seems like it belonged to another day...

outside in the sun

We have been blessed with warm, sunny and extremely welcome Spring weather. Out in the garden the boys set up their teepee tent and made it den-like with blankets and cushions and books and toys. They played all day out in the sun, swinging in the trees, inventing complicated games and not-so-complicated ones. Food and feeding moved outside too. Lunch was leek and smoked bacon tart. Later that evening we chopped some logs and lit our ancient cast iron barbecue. The air, full of woodsmoke, was a reminder of summer days. As we cooked over the crackling heat the excitement of cooking in such a simple way brought home to us how complicated we sometimes make our lives. What could be better than wood, fire, smoke and heat from the sun and having the time to enjoy it all?