Hello! How has your week been? The sun came out today. Oh yes! It was good. And we ordered a new mattress too, I am already looking forward to it's arrival. No more waking up with achy hips and a stiff back. Anyway, here is my Friday night round-up of the little pockets of goodness I noticed and recorded throughout my week.
1. Waking to sun and blue skies last Sunday morning and eating breakfast in the garden. I like any meal in the garden but breakfast outside - especially at the weekend when you don't have to clock-watch - is especially lovely. Don't be fooled by the grapefruit - lots of butter and marmalade smothered toast was consumed as well.
2. Sunday was also John's birthday and I baked a Victoria sponge cake to celebrate, filling it with fresh cream, jam and strawberries. I only seem to make this cake in the summer, and it really is the perfect cake for the soft fruits season.
3. Celebrations continued in a nearby American diner-style restaurant. It was amazing. I ate barbecue ribs with sweet potato fries followed by key lime pie. So good. I took these photos while we were there. Angus is in this phase where, as soon as he sense someone might want a nice photo of him, he starts clowning around and pulling faces, or hiding. It's annoying, but funny too.
4. But then he brought this tile artwork home from school this week. Do you know the book We're Going On A Bearhunt? His class went on a bearhunt in the school woodland area, through swishy-swashy grass (the green corner) a river (the blue corner), and so on. and then they each created a tile from air-drying clay and decorated it. This one won't be going in the recycling bin.
5. While running with my friend Kate this morning, I happened to notice this Hornsea biscuit jar in the window of one of our local charity chops. I nearly tripped over, so quickly did I stop. About an hour later, showered and carrying my purse, I went back for it. £5 well spent. I love the olive green and repeating pattern, and the wooden lid goes nicely with my Orla Kiely tea caddy.
See, I knew there was a reason I went running.
Oh I love your new biscuit jar!!! And the biscuits look pretty good too!
ReplyDeleteLinda in VA
Oh I love your new biscuit jar!!! And the biscuits look pretty good too!
ReplyDeleteLinda in VA
That is the BEST reason to go running!!! The photos of Angus are so funny, and probably far cuter and a much nicer memory for you than if he had just sat there looking all perfect. He does look a lot like his Dad! xx
ReplyDeleteBrekky in the garden sounds lovely, and that cake is truly AMAZING! Well done on your buy. Have a great weekend, Chris x
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely happies....and oooh, that cake looks yummy!
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend,
Xx
If I could find things like that on the way, I'd run more often myself. Angus is changing so much! He looks a lot older in these pictures. John's cake looks delicious, you're such a super baker. I need to come over and get some lessons. :)
ReplyDeleteLove orla kiely designs so much. They remind me of the kitchens from my childhood- all 1960s Orange and brown flowers.
ReplyDeleteWell done on that cake - it looks absolutely delicious. x
ReplyDeleteLove how the Hornsea jar sits so well with the Orla. Running past charity shops that is multi-tasking! Have a good weekend Gillian xo
ReplyDeleteYour photos really made me smile. Lots of happies for you this week and your post made me happy too!
ReplyDeleteJacqio xx
Love the photo shoot, my littlest boy always does a huge fake smile when I try and take his photo. It was his sixth birthday this week, and I made him a Victoria sandwich with jam and cream and strawberries as well. It's his favourite cake, and just right for a June birthday. Breakfast in the garden is special isn't it? There's a sort of quiet stillness that early in the day. Don't think we'll be out there today though! I hope you guys all have a good weekend with lots more happies. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteI love We're Going on a Bear Hunt (we're going to catch a big one...), one of out family favourites! Lovely strawberry cake, happy birthday to the Mr xx
ReplyDeleteOne of my favourite things is to sit outside in the sunshine with my first cup of tea of the day and still in PJs (which means it's not a work day!). The cake looks gorgeous - might make something similar for my August birthday. Also love Angus' tile - definitely a keeper. x
ReplyDeleteHello Sunshine :)
ReplyDeleteI would love to heve breakfast in that garden with a slice of that sponge cake ;)
Lovely pictures and family
Happy days Gillian
xoxo
Lulu
Another good week. :)
ReplyDeleteWishing you a great weekend too. X
Oh that sponge cake.......bet it all got eaten up in a flash! I still haven't discovered a reason to go running yet....let me think for a moment........... S xo
ReplyDeleteSounds like another perfect week.
ReplyDeleteI know ' we're going on a bear hunt very well", my grandchildren love the book and we went to see it on stage last summer. Your son's little tile looks terrific!
I have my mum's Hornsea storage jars in my loft. They are a biscuity colour with a honeycomb looking design. I wonder, should I retrieve them from the loft and start using them?
Yes! Or sell them too me.... ;-) x
DeleteLovely Friday Happies post, especially Angus clowning around. Hope you have a lovely weekend and take care.
ReplyDeleteBelated happy birthday wishes to your husband.
ReplyDeleteGreat new biscuit jar.
Love the bear hunt tile. When my son was little they held a bear hunt activity hour in the local library garden. For the swishy swashy grass they had to walk through shredded paper but the one which went down the best was jelly for the mud!
Lisa x
Oh my, that cake looks so delicious, I could just dive straight in. I'm having a "thing" for strawberries & cream at the moment, so that cake is ticking a great big box for me!!
ReplyDeleteI am loving these Friday happy posts. And I'm currently swooning over your cake. Strawberries? Jam? Cream? Yes please.
ReplyDeleteSlán leat,
Giselle
Why do I never encounter such cute biscuit jars when I go running ?? (Ah well maybe because I jog in a forest ;-))))... Time to go jogging elsewhere I think !)
ReplyDeleteAnd the clay tile Angus made, is réally beautiful ! I think there's a proud mom, now looking for a nice spot to display it , isn't there ?
Xxx, Ingrid
I remember the "faces" stage, when you can never get a decent picture of them. He is adorable.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
I love eating in the garden but unfortunately it is a rare treat for us. Angus bear hunt tile is definitely a keeper, it is so joyful and imaginative. Well done Angus. I also love the photos of Angus clowning about. It'll be nice to remember these days of careless happiness when he is a teenager too cool to fool around (like my oldest). Happy belated Birthday to John. I hope next week is as full of happy moments as this past week. x
ReplyDeleteBreakfast outside always has a holiday feel to it somehow... we tend to gorge ourselves on pancakes during slow, sunny weekends. A healthy meal just wouldn't feel the same (unless you're in a Special K advert).
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks good. Cakes with cream are the best, aren't they?
I admire you for going running. I just can't do it. But yes, that biscuit jar must have been payback for your hard work :)
S x
Everybody runs for a different reason and scoring great finds can be one of them! That's how I found the wooden stepstool last week!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness: I really want to sink my teach into that Victoria sponge!
ReplyDeleteYikes - I of course meant my 'teeth'... time for a holiday, I think!
DeleteAlways great to catch up. Running does seem to have come up trumps there! Jo x
ReplyDeleteHey Gillian,
ReplyDeleteScore with the jar. I made a victoria sponge with cream and strawberries for my brother in law's birthday last weekend too. It was scoffed before I could sample any. And by the way I love the pictures of Angus. And the way that you have made a montage out of them. And the tile is deffo a keeper.
Leanne xx
That is one handsome birthday sponge! Well done on spotting the biscuit jar. Seeing yours reminds me we were given a couple of similar storage jars as a wedding present. I have no idea where they are.
ReplyDeleteLately, as I contemplate our now all but empty nest - just one of the four now lives here permanently - I think how great it would have been if blogging as we know it today had been around when my lot were small ... such happy memories you've captured, and far more comprehensively than would be possible in any kind of photograph album.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the Hornsea jar ... what a lucky find :)
Annie, that's been exactly my thought over the past few days!
DeleteWhat great happies, dining alfresco, birthday celebrations and finding a reason for running too!
ReplyDeleteThere is something so indulgent about a leisurely breakfast outside, isn't there? Ah, it is just the best, with the morning air...and a fantastic cake!!! Lucky fella! Glad you had fun at the American diner - it's been a while since I've been to one, I tend to get homesick! But oh my, you speak of ribs, now I might have to visit one, I'm craving...Angus is funny, such a great age, silly and creative and the sky's the limit with the adventures! I have the Bear Hunt story memorised, and I must say, his crafty rendition of it is splendid! Enjoy the rest of the weekend, thanks for sharing these happies! Chrissie xxx
ReplyDeleteLooks like a good week. I love the Biscuits font on that jar, a great find. Now that I've seen that photo of your son behind the pencils I just want to go and do some colouring...
ReplyDeleteWhat a great week! Love your Hornsea find, and Angus's tile is lovely. xx
ReplyDeleteLove your Hornsea. It does go perfect with the Orla. I think we do have very similar taste Gill. Bah to shoddy kitchens, Ours is the same, the carcasses seem really well built, but the laminate is coming off, the worktops are marked and It isn't what I would have picked myself (although we moved in to a new house, we got a deal as the original buyer dropped out)
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks delicious! I have a few pieces in that Hornsea pattern but not that marvellous biscuit jar. What a good reward for running!
ReplyDeleteThe picture with the pencils is fantastic and I love your new Hornsea pot. They make a great pair. Hope this weekend has been as good as last! x
ReplyDeleteSuch Happy Happies! I love Hornsea pottery, we used to go for beach days when I lived in Yorkshire and would always pop in for a piece to take home, my mum has a fabulous collection! x
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderfully happy post Gillian - Happy Birthday to John, wonderful tile by Adam, and great biscuit jar find - AND great pics once again too! Your life is brimming over with happies and I'm very happy for you!
ReplyDeletexoJoy
great find, well done on the running! Heather x
ReplyDeleteI love breakfasts outside too. My favourite thing is to get up early when the sun is shining and make my first cuppa and sit out in the garden. It's not boiling yet but bright and lovely......and it's still really quiet! IT's my favourite time of the day and I ADORE gorgeous weather to be able to do it. We're Going On A Bear Hunt is one of my favourite books. It was the most used one in my stash when I was teaching as the children loved it. I read it to my youngest lots still.
ReplyDeleteHave a super week
Vanessa x
Such a happy post, Gillian! Your cake looks so good. I could eat a piece right now! And Angus's artwork is wonderful - definitely something to keep and display. I hope you are having a great start to the week!
ReplyDeleteRunning and biscuit jars ... I'd never linked them before!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great find in the charity shop. Looks like it was made for you.
ReplyDeleteLovely happy things! How good does that cake look?! Yum. I love the photos of Angus and John....so sweet. I'm wondering now if I should take up running...!
ReplyDeleteMarianne x
oh that cake looks amazing… I wish I had a nice big slice here! that tile is lovely too x
ReplyDeleteThe cake looks amazing Gillian! I might do one for my birthday... such a lovely collection of happys.Angus' tile is superb! Love the jar too! Great find!
ReplyDeleteThat Hornsea jar is a great find! x
ReplyDelete