witches cauldrons

What a nice treat this morning, to be able to sit out in the courtyard for a late breakfast in the warm bright sun, it managed to reach 20C today, now that´s more like it! First time this year, the weather has been really cold this winter, very unusual.

Rebecca came up for a few days and we had a great time, chatting, baking, planning, and experimenting. We made a new batch of lip balm, a crème to sooth headaches and then a lovely lavender body butter.  We whipped the body butter so that it had a nice fluffy light texture, rather than the harder lip balm.

We used coconut oil, shea and cocao butter, beeswax, vitamin E, and essential oils. Bit like ubble bubble toil and trouble lol

Very therapeutic though and a wonderful result. The butter is smooth and light enough for the face, but also for harder areas like elbows, hands and with the sandal season soon upon us its great for heels, especially when applied at night as the lavender spread on the feet is a great aid for sleep.

I mentioned about making Leocia a fox hat/cowl and some beanies, so here as some pics,

Without a model it´s hard to see the fox shape but hopefully Leocia will model it for me. She has been in the Philippines with her sister, Mummy and Daddy for 5 weeks so now they are back in the UK I can send it to her. The beanies are not my favourite colour, but I´m told it´s a ´bloke´colour!!

These are some of the fingerless gloves I made,

and a few cotton hot pads/wash cloths

I have made and sold over a dozen more of the mittens for various people, end of season now

We baked a lovely chicken pie

I like to buy quite a big bird because it lends itself to so many different meals, a lovely roast to start, then the choice of cold meat with salad or sandwich, or a chicken supreme to have as it is or to make a pie.  Then I like to make stock with the bones and vegetables, especially the hard ends of things like broccoli etc

We were getting hungry whilst all this was going on so I decided a quick tapas was needed.

These are aubergine slices coated with a flavoured rice flour (garlic granules, black pepper and spicy red pepper powder), dipped in egg, then bread crumbs with grated sheeps cheese, baked for 15 mins they are delicious,

One of our 5 a day, or should that be 10 a day now, anyway they are great for drinks nibbles tapas

All this talk of food.....must go and continue with cooking the supper

take care

xcx

Hello again

Here we are again!

I left you last time with photos of our newbie, well I thought you might like to see him now

Dino, aka Baby monster

Shall I sing while you work?

He is six months now, still crazy and into everything.  He follows Chris around like a puppy and cries pitifully if he is excluded. As he was so small when he arrived, he loved to nestle upon our chests and snuggle to keep warm, he still does this, cuddling up under the chin, only thing now he is so much bigger it gets a little more difficult to accommodate him lol, but at least he has grown into his ears

I am trying an experiment in regrowing certain veggies, starting off with lettuce and celery

its working!

I have received my order of various herbs from the UK, there are about 6 different Basil´s alone, so I shall have to start organising and sowing them

I have made little cloches from water bottles for protection, just need a little more warmth now

 We have been having some very odd weather conditions here this winter, flooding, cold, damp, very windy and even large snow falls, we have only managed a few afternoons in the sun in our naya not like the usual nearly every day. As we don´t have central heating, it´s getting a bit much now! even our Spanish neighbours are complaining.

I have been mainly knitting, especially fingerless gloves, our Spanish neighbours loved them and asked for 6 pairs, must have made a dozen or more. Chris wanted a beanie to wear when he goes skiing again, a lacy waistcoat just needing the collar doing and a nice jumper. Shine also asked me to make a special hat/cowl for Leocia which is in the shape of a fox. Being so cold outside, it makes a nice craft to sit in the lounge with the log burner. 

Piccies to come.

Another weekend here already, have fun what ever you are doing

take care

xxx