Bringing the Outdoors In

My most favourite thing about this season is the excuse to fill the house with winter greenery. Sure, I have flowers in vases in the summer, and even the odd house plant that survives long-term neglect. But none of this compares with squeezing an entire tree in to your front room. And it just isn’t Christmas without the smell of pine needles.

This year we’ve found ourselves without an armchair (you’ll now find it in the new kitchen) and no way to buy one before Christmas. So we had the perfect excuse to fill half the room with a tree far too big to be sensible.

I felt seven years old all over again, feeling so excited about how ridiculous big our tree is. I loved last year’s tiny tree, but this is the real big-kid hang-your-stockings-santas-coming deal. I am revelling in it, and it hasn’t even got lights yet. The 25th is still a while away after all.

Singing in Wolverton Hall

December has arrived! There’s so many things that make me fall in love with this month: pine needles, sharp blue starry skies, wrapping paper with twine, and singing carols. We welcomed in 1 December with tangerine sugar’d mince pies, champagne, and a roaring fire. But the Christmas cheer started late November for me, singing in the fabulously atmospheric Wolverton Manor.

This grand old 17th century house is tucked away off a tiny lane out in the West Wight. The couple that live there hold concerts in their hall throughout the year. It’s perfect for a relaxed cheery festive celebration. The small audience all crowd in to the kitchen for wine in the interval, and the choir use the snug family lounge as the green room, warm from the wood burner and with every surface full of generations of photos.

The old fireplaces, creaky staircases, rambling rooms, and deserted wings give the whole place an air of Brambly Hedge’s Secret Staircase. And filling it with wintry songs really does make it feel like a midwinter festival. I’m ready to relish all the festivities of December, and I’m starting with this tune.

Chasing Light

On short winter days the sun slips away so quickly it’s easy to miss. Even heading out as early as three o’clock felt late, as the sun was already hiding behind the hills. We started on the slippery mud path by the old stone wall but soon lost the track, chasing the light on the west side of the hill. We ran ridges of sheep trails, steeply lined above and below us, before circling around to find the West Wight filled with late light.

We were the perfect kind of lost. Standing on unfamiliar ground in the middle of familiar landmarks: Tennyson Down to the West, Culver Cliff to the East. Quiet cold air filled our ears and distant car lights picked out country lanes below. Sometimes being short on daylight just adds to the magic.

Inaugural Sunday Brunch

Brunch is my favourite meal. I love the excuse for sweet and savoury on one plate (pancakes and crispy bacon!) and morning boozing (mimosas!) The timing of brunch sets you up for a perfect lazy day, so far removed from the quickly crammed toast of a Monday morning or the snaffled sandwich in front of a computer screen. Brunch says ‘Take your time guys, and can I get you seconds?’

And brunch is the perfect way to celebrate a lovely shiny new kitchen. We’ve been dreaming for years of a bright new kitchen, to max out the space in our little terraced house, and bring in as much light as possible. And this is the result…

We’re so excited to have it all finished. We’ve got more space, more light, and no horrid beige! Open shelves mean we have to be tidier. At the moment the novelty of it all means that we’re keeping on top of the washing up and choosing only pretty mugs for the shelves. We’ve still got some cupboard space to hide the ugly essentials like super noodles..

We invited the Rusts round for a celebration brunch, to show off the kitchen and put it to work. Coffee, mimosas and bacon sandwiches were an easy win. Smitten Kitchen struck gold once again with a delicious ginger spice pancake recipe. Pancakes are my very favouritest, but they are a pain to cook for a crowd. This baked version is an easy alternative I’d heartily recommend. This is the first of many meals I can’t wait to share here.

Night Running

It’s that time of year when we leave for work before sunrise and return home in the dark. It’s not the season for impromptu beach barbecues or a sunny spin round the block. Last weekend’s sunshine passed us by as we were busy finishing off our new kitchen (photos to follow!) So, I’ve been sorely lacking in fresh air and decided I couldn’t let the cold dark wind stop me from getting out. I have to admit that if Tom hadn’t been up for a run too, I’d be very happily still curled up the couch with a large bag of M&Ms (and I don’t care what the bag says – they are not for sharing.)

Our route takes us straight up a hill: a good way to warm up quickly and beat the bitter cold wind. I’m grateful for my many merino layers and wouldn’t go anywhere without ear warmers and woolly mitts. There’s no way to look cool in hi-viz. But it sure does make you feel happier to be running down little country lanes in the dark, dancing in front of the bright lights of cars. Once the cars are gone, the darkness feels like running on the spot in thin air. The long flat stretch of seafront feels just as tough as ever, but the lights on the water and across to the city make a change from the sailboats and strollers of the summer months.

This was my first run in the dark (I am a newbie after all). There’s no denying it’s hard to drag myself off the couch, but it felt great to be outside in the wind, and all the sweeter to get the fire roaring on our return. Just remind me of that when that bag of M&Ms comes calling..