It’s hot here and we are thirsty all the time. But, we’re fed up of plain water, juice is too sticky and I’m refusing to buy fizzy drinks.

The solution?

A big jug of homemade Still Ginger Lemonade to keep in the fridge. I like it neat over ice (but it is very sharp), the boys dilute theirs with sparkling water.

Tony and I both like it with vodka!

Here’s the recipe (can’t remember where it came from originally, sorry) from my family favourites recipe book.

Do, you see that little date stamp at the bottom?

I bought it from WHSmiths the other day and now everything gets stamped.

Maybe, I should have been a librarian!

letting them play cars

in the garden

in their school uniforms

whilst I made dinner

was such a good idea.

He used to write poetry in bed

but has recently given it up in favour of inventing.

Here is his latest invention:

You will need: a book, an elastic band, a track, pliers and some marbles

The book falls on the pliers, cuts the elastic band, the elastic band falls with the marbles. The marbles land on the track.

The benefits to humankind this unique invention will bring have yet to be fully researched.

Daddy was fully briefed at 6.23am this morning and experiments have been scheduled for the weekend.

Watch this space!

My friend Charlotte has a cake making business.

Yesterday, she asked us to taste her new range of fairy cakes with the posh buttercream toppings

and let her know what we thought of them.

And so, just to help Charlotte we have munched our way through cakes with mint choc chip, chocolate orange, strawberries and cream, caramel and hazelnut, banoffee and cappuccino toppings.

Let me tell you, they are all seriously delicious. 

We’re giving her 10/10.

Our lovely Henry is 5 years old.

Already.

Five.

Of course, he would say finally 5 years old. 

Before I had children

I didn’t know what ‘the days are long but

the years are short’ meant.

But boy, I do now.

I’ve been trying to design a new baby quilt for a while now.

This turns out to be much harder than it sounds. How to do pure and innocent without being sickly sweet and twee?

I was about to give up when I suddenly had the idea of using vintage embroidered tablecloths as a base.

The design came together by itself after that. I love it when that happens.

So, I’m imagining someone appliqueing little rabbits to a tablecloth hand embroidered by their grandmother and then wrapping a precious new member of the family up in it.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

The rabbit is one of my jointed applique templates and the pattern will be available in my shop soon.

Sunday’s entertainment was snail racing (we got the idea from Spring Watch).

First, find yourself a snail (educational in itself. Where to look?)

and then brand it with Tippex.

Next mix up some sugary water and paint it on the outside of the kitchen door.

Attach your snail and rush inside to watch through the glass.

Wait. And wait.

Henry’s snail refused to move much at all. Whilst, Joe found himself a very brave, adventurous one.

Who knew snails had such personality?

On Saturday, we got up and decided that it would be strawberry picking day.

But, when we got to the pick your own place they said it was too early for strawberries.

We could, however, pick gooseberries instead.

I wasn’t so sure (after all, gooseberries are hairy green sour things which grow on thorny bushes) but the boys were determined.

Once home I managed to make something similar to this with them.

Which turned our surprisingly well.

So, we actually do like gooseberries (with plenty of cream and sugar).

But not as much as strawberries, obviously.

P.S. You can see what my boys did (for free) whilst I was in New York on my Dad’s blog. He has also posted a photo of Tony, who has otherwise managed to remain ‘hidden’ for the last two years. So, are you curious to see him?

Coming home to dear old Blighty I looked out of the plane window just in time to see the fields in all their patchwork glory and inspiration struck.

So, this morning, after a few days of looking at maps and general thinking I made a start

on some blue striped linen.

I have also been looking at the wonderful boat paintings of Alfred Wallis whilst listening to the shipping forecast.

I think I may be onto something.

Well, what can I say?

It was fantastic!

We took a boat trip to the Statue of Liberty, stood on top of the Empire State Building, went to see ‘9 to 5′ the musical in Times Square, had ice cream soda’s in a diner and of course, shopped. 

I loved Anthropology!

I also took myself to the Folk Art Museum which was lovely, and saw an exhibition of Kaleidoscope quilts by Paula Nadelstern. 

I got back full of ideas and happy memories to find this dead bug on the kitchen table.

Henry had very kindly saved it for me….

There’s no place quite like home, is there?