Summer Holidays - Seaside trips and summer knits

The summer holidays officially started here on Friday! We celebrated by heading over to my parent's place for a few days and taking a little day trip down to Barry Island (of Gavin and Stacey fame) to paddle in the sea, dig in the sand, explore rock pools and eat fish and chips and ice cream on the promenade...

End of Summer...

So Roo went back to school today.

Part of me let out a huge sigh of relief. Getting anything constructive done over the last six weeks has been hit and miss at best of times. I have managed to keep on top of the bike shop paperwork (well the important bits anyway...) but Forest Flower and this blog have suffered from a lack of attention. Now my little monster darling is back at school I can get my working routine back in place.

I have so many plans for the next few months. Business plans, home plans, bloggy plans and I am itching to get on with them!

But a big part of me feels sad too.

That's another summer done and dusted.

At least it was a good one. Somehow the prospect of cold and dark days ahead doesn't seem quite so depressing now we have had a long overdue reminder of how good a continuous spell of warm sunny days actually feels like!

We didn't do all the things I wanted to do through the holidays - mostly because this summer Roo discovered Lego Indiana Jones on daddy's xbox and, as is his way, became totally obsessed! He also discovered fake tattoos, but that's another story...

We went on some lovely days out. We walked in the woods; we went swimming; we played in the park; we ate lots of ice cream. We ate lots of homegrown rasberries too!  We went to the seaside and the zoo. We even managed a trip to the cinema - to see Monsters University - and it didn't end in either leaving early coz Roo wouldn't keep quiet (Kung Fu Panda 2) or Roo missing film completely coz he snoozed all the way through (Ice Age 4).

what we did in the summer hols!

 Another summer has come and gone.

Roo is back at school and this year he has moved up from reception to year 1.

My little boy is growing up.

*sigh*



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Sunshine days are numbered...

Apparently this is the week the weather will break. Maybe today, maybe tomorrow but definitely very soon.

I am not surprised. We are off on holiday on Wednesday - just a few days down in Devon, near Ilfracombe - so of course this glorious sunshine is going to end just in time for our once a year trip to the seaside.

 *sigh*

Actually it may not be that bad but I am not counting my chickens and making sure I pack plenty of activities for Roo. Just in case...

Yesterday, however, was glorious so we had a little day out with Nonny and Roo's Great Great Auntie. We stayed local, calling by at Lydney harbour (we'll be coming back with a picnic later in the holidays!)...

one boy and his Nonny

A log bench with rope carving

boats!

exploring the locks

view down the River Severn from sea gate

...then on to the park. There is a great little cafe here, plenty to keep Roo occupied and some lovely flower beds, mature trees and a pretty fountain to look at. I even managed to get my crochet out while Roo was playing :-) Unfortunately there is nothing like this in our home town and we have to travel 20 mins or so in the car (when we can get a lift) or catch a bus. But it's well worth it!

Big slide!

monkey boy...

at the top

swings and shadows

me and my shadow...

We had a really nice day. Fingers crossed it's not the last day of summer...

#VegBoxChallenge - Grilled Mediterranean Veg

I haven't done a veg box post for a while - not because I haven't had lovely veg boxes but more because it's been so hot I have had to get the contents in the fridge asap and have completely forgotten to photograph the contents!

Dinners the last couple of weeks have consisted mostly of salad, of the leafy, potato or grated/chopped veg variety. There are very few veggies that really cannot be eaten raw in a salad. Grated carrot, courgettes and beetroot, finely chopped (very fresh) mushrooms, small florets of broccoli, fennel, chicory, all manner of  leaves, tomatoes, peppers, slivers of onion, fresh chopped herbs and dressings of olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar or mayonnaise mixed with a little plain yoghurt and chives from the garden have graced my plate.

(The Other Half, however,  is still resolutely clinging to his beans on toast and bacon sarnies... )

One dish I love in the summer is roasted Mediterranean veg - aubergine, courgette, peppers, onions, garlic and cherry tomatoes, chopped into chunks, tossed in olive oil, seasoned and roasted in a hot oven for about half an hour. I love how the onion caramelises and the individual cloves of garlic taste so sweet cooked this way!

Look what was in my box this week! There was a large courgette too but I couldn't fit it in the piccie... plus I still had a bulb of garlic left from last week's box! All the ingredients I need for my favourite summer food.

Except we still don't have an oven that works...

So I decided I would grill it instead!  I prepared the veg just as I would normally and placed the roasting tin lower down in the oven than I would when grilling, say, fishfingers, then turned the grill up to full heat. I had to give the veggies a good stir every five minutes or so but they were done in about 15 minutes!  Less than half the time they would take 'roasting' normally!

I tossed them into some pasta that already had a little red pesto stirred through it and served with some torn mozzarella.  I would have loved to have added some fresh basil too but unfortunately I don't have any right now.

Doesn't it look tasty? It was gorgeous. Who needs an oven?*

*well me, actually. I really don't think you can grill cake and cookies and boy do I miss home baked cake and cookies...

Summer fete fun

Nothing says 'summer' more than school fetes! This year I was invited along to the Heart of the Forest School fete along with my craft fair partner in crime Miss Willow to show off my makes and help raise a little much needed cash for this fab community special school.

It was a beautiful sunny day - ok it was a swelteringly HOT day!  Luckily most of us had gazebos or garden parasols for shade and there was even an occasional hint of a breeze to take the edge off...

The fete was everything a good school fete should be. There was plenty to keep the kids occupied - bouncy castle, coconut shy, skittles, a zip wire, a police car and a fire engine for them to climb about on (and set off the siren in...) not to mention the fabulous play ground that has recently been completed!

We all had a great day - met some new customers, made some new friends and donated 10% of our takings to the school fund too.

Here are a few pictures of our day...

Hurrah for gazebos! Not only do they keep the sun off but they also make handy bunting display space too!!

Lots of lovely stalls...

No, I wasn't in trouble (for a change ;-) ) it was a there purely so the kids could play with the siren. Which they did. A lot...

Live music

Lovely vintage motor!

Roo helped out a bit too - here he is in a rare 'not-playing-up-for-the-camera' shot, modelling his favourite 'Sweet Lavender Kitty'...

 

...and a more normal 'properly-playing-up-for-the-camera' shot!!

We had a lovely day and after years of rubbish summers I think schools around the country must have breathed a collective sigh of relief that this year the summer fete season has truly felt like summer!!

#SilentSunday 29/07/12

#SilentSunday - 27/05/12

Summer... #JustBecause

...and breathe... summer is here (at last)