inspiration for a well curated life

 
 

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Oh, I know they’re the ultimate instagram cliché, but seriously, HOW pretty are peonies? I could admire their blousy prettiness all day long. I had to buy four bunches (only £16 total) from @morrisons to get the effect I was after, but I have to say, their flowers generally last brilliantly - this bunch is already three days old and still looking really good. I’d be even happier if you could switch to some kind of compostable or paper wrapper though, Morrisons! 🌸 In other flower related news, I’ve been idly planning my garden (idle because it can’t even be considered until we have finished our extension, which isn’t going to begin until next year), and contemplating some sort of cutting garden, possibly including peonies (I have literally no idea how hard they are to grow, beyond a swift google suggesting it was doable). My garden was recently described by a more green fingered friend as The Hunger Games for plants, but I do love a good bunch of flowers, and growing my own seems like a logical extension of that. 🌸 Contemplating flowers, which led to me contemplating a cutting garden, led to me further contemplating (gosh, I should get some work done one day instead of all this contemplating) my daily internal outsourcing vs insourcing debate. I have a strong tendency, whenever I see something I want, to go, “I could do that,” and occasionally lose hours, days or more, developing a skill so I can make something rather than buying it. Sometimes it’s great - candle making, for instance, I find hugely enjoyable and satisfyingly frugal, and the results are at least as good as shop bought ones. Curtain making, another tick (have you SEEN the price of getting them made?!). Cushion cover sewing and spoon carving, not a success. Do you like to outsource, or do you prefer to make it yourself? And if you have a cutting garden, do let me know if it’s worth it.
Honestly, I could browse Pantone colour books all day. I’ve been working with @kettlewellcolours on their 2019 ranges, and this is my current favourite page - all those effortlessly stylish barely there shades. Apparently they want some actual colours 😂, so I did manage to flip over to some of the brighter pages too. 💜💙💚💛🧡❤️
Flashback to camping last weekend. This is possibly my favourite view to wake up to - the peak of our beloved 5m bell tent, complete with highly outdoorsy and intrepid tea light chandelier. ⛺️
We are not, it must be said, remotely adventurous campers - my neighbour joked, while I was unpacking the car on returning from this trip, that she was waiting for the kitchen sink to come out. But we do camp a *lot*, and like to at least play at being a tiny bit adventurous, on sites with no electricity or marked pitches. I think we spent almost four out of last year’s six weeks of summer holidays under canvas, as well as the odd trip before the holidays even began. ⛺️
Camping seems to work on all five of us to reset our balances. It might take a day to settle into a rhythm on some trips, but we inevitably end up feeling like proper Swallows and Amazons adventurers, hugely proud of ourselves for accomplishing the most mundane everyday tasks, and we are all nicer, calmer people to be around after a few days in a tent. I think everyone should try it. Although possibly not my poor sister in law, who we spent two years persuading to go camping, and when she finally came she broke her leg after three hours. We’ll let her off trying again.
Some days are cake days. Heck, most days are cake days round here.⠀ 🍰 Two of my children are sensitive to gluten (I'm not sure I'd even go as far as calling it an intolerance, but they are both definitely better with minimal refined wheat) and we've recently mastered the art of gluten free sponge. Probably everyone knows this except me, but if you use 2/3 gluten free flour and 1/3 ground almonds, you get a proper spongey sponge without that weird powdery taste that you can so easily get from gluten free flours. (Gluten free baking education courtesy of @camillawhitesomerset 😘). 🍰 So many of our weekdays are super busy, with clubs and commitments for one or other child, it's lovely to slow down with a proper 'tea time' in the garden on the days when we are able to.⠀