5 things Friday

It’s Friday, it’s a bank holiday weekend and it’s sunny – how could you want for anything more?

I’ve been signed off work this week due to having a viral infection and laryngitis, which has really knocked me about but I finally feel like myself again and by feel like myself, I think a glass of something French and made with grapes will be on the cards tonight.

I’m so looking forward to this weekend because the handsome one has been on holiday in Vegas for the last week, whilst I’ve been coughing and snoozing, so I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with him and doing all of the below.

Birds

As a self-confessed bird nerd, I’m looking forward to sitting outside, watching the swallows and house martins skimming the fields, weaving in between the horses and over the lake, landing on the telephone line above our heads, so I can see this gorgeous faces. We’ve put houses up for the house martins and swallows so I really hope they use them, especially as when we moved in there were signs they had nested there before. I also want to spend time with our gorgeous bantams who I feel like I’ve not cuddled and kissed enough in the last week.

Bluebell Walks

Last weekend I thought I was feeling better so I took Bella to Foxholes Nature Reserve, near Burford to see the bluebells and was also hoping to find some wild garlic. I overdid it and didn’t walk around the entire woods, so I would like to go back with the handsome one and perhaps go to one of my favourite spots in Broadway. There’s a spot I know where there’s an abundance of wild garlic and Dormy House is only just up the road. Two birds, one stone and all that jazz!

Gardening

I’ve neglected my duty in the past week and not given my seedlings and plants enough attention. Having chickens also means they are naturally drawn to your vegetable patch, as that’s obviously the only place they can scratch around. Therefore fencing needs to go up to so my beetroot, peas and lettuce can actually have a chance at survival.

Tomato and chilli plants need to be repotted, more night phlox, soapwart and night scented stock needs to be sown so I’ve got gorgeous scents in pots for those lovely summer evenings. Especially the ones where you’re sat outside enjoying the sunset, with a glass of wine in your hand, admiring the view and having the waft of scented flowers blowing over you.

Cooking

I love cooking, I love being creative with food and I LOVE eating it. As a big advocate of Meat Free Monday but still a meat eater, it has opened my eyes even more to the welfare of animals, so I try to no longer buy meat from supermarkets and if I do, I only buy from Waitrose because of their ethics. Living in a rural village, we have access to local meat, where I see how the animals live, see them enjoying the outdoors, having a life, and knowing the abattoir is less than three miles away so they are not traumatised or stressed by spending hours in a trailer. However, buying free range produce is more expensive so I am making more plant and fish based suppers; not only am I feeling better in myself, I’m really enjoying seeing how creative I can get with a bag of dried beans!

Exploring the Cotswolds

Before we bought our house, we spent our weekends discovering new places in the Cotswolds which gave us some amazing memories. One which I’d like to recreate is stumbling upon a field of boxing hares – I know we were incredibly lucky and it the most incredible sight but I’m hopeful we could see this again, even if it is a bit late in the year.

Whatever it is you’re up to, have the best weekend and enjoy making some memories.

A x