A bit later than usual. It's been a busy weekend, and when I did have time I didn't have internet connection for some mysterious reason. It's sorted now - John troubleshooted the problem by turning the modem off then back on again.
1. Blackberries/brambles. (Is a bramble just a wild blackberry? I am always confused by the way these names are used interchangeably). The season is ending now and I've been picking as many as I can at every opportunity. With apples in a crumble, eaten with custard.
1. Blackberries/brambles. (Is a bramble just a wild blackberry? I am always confused by the way these names are used interchangeably). The season is ending now and I've been picking as many as I can at every opportunity. With apples in a crumble, eaten with custard.
And in jelly. There was a tiny bit left, not enough to bother scraping into a jar, so while it was still warm and runny I stirred it into some Greek yogurt. It was amazing. And so pretty!
2. We've spent a large part of our weekends lately assisting Bella with her homework. I have to confess I have resented the amount of time we've spent on various projects, but the result was her truly beautiful watercolour copy of a very well known painting by Kandinsky. It is currently stuck in her Learning Log but I've warned her that, at the first opportunity, I'll be removing it, framing it and putting up on a wall somewhere. I like to embarrass her like that.
3. An abundance of gladioli. John came home one day laden down with five bunches. "They were reduced to 15p." he said. So he bought enough to fill all the vases in our house. Part of me was thinking thanks, but did you have to buy so many? One bunch would've been lovely. But you'll be pleased to know I kept those thoughts in my head.
4. Fun with Bella's Fimo modelling clay. I love this stuff! I made a necklace. Something about those colours is very pleasing to me.
I hope you've had a pleasant weekend. We've cooked, entertained, drank, laughed, walked, flopped around and generally had a pretty nice time.
Sounds like a perfect weekend ours was similar ... we had apple pie, homemade by my little girl. xx
ReplyDeleteYour weekend sounds very similar to ours, as well. Lots of family time, birthday celebrations, cooking and baking, and a little gardening. The jelly in greek yogurt looks delicious, and so pretty! I love Bella's watercolor painting. I would definitely find a special spot to display it. And your dining room space, it just could not be more lovely. Hope you have a great week, Gillian!
ReplyDeleteSounds a great week Gillian. I love Bella's artwork - that's most definitely worth displaying. Love the necklace too - simple idea yet beautiful and original. X
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely sounding weekend and well done to Bella; that painting is definitely a keeper. x
ReplyDeleteFrame that painting as soon as possible !! It is lovely !!
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the five bunches of gladioli, better to get too much flowers than none ;-) !
Sounds like a lovely weekend! I just love your wall of books Gillian. So perfect. I also love Bella's painting! Hope you have a lovely week! Bee xx
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful weekend. Homework is the bane of my life on a Saturday at the moment as well. But Bella's painting is beautiful, no doubt she enjoyed doing it. It will look lovely in a frame, something to treasure. I wish our homework was this nice! I've been picking blackberries here and there too. Some we've had in crumbles and some are in the freezer, ready for the winter. Lovely happies today Gillian, I'm glad you had such a good weekend. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have had a very lovely week, minus he homework of course. Hugs to you,
ReplyDeleteMeredith
Bramble is the plant, blackberries are the fruit. I love your dining room bookshelves!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely weekend, Bella is very talented :-) I think blackberries are the fruit of the bramble plant, that's how I understand it anyway!x
ReplyDeleteAnd the homework just gets worse! Or more time consuming anyway. Matt plays sport for school on Saturdays - which he loves, but are often the majority of the day if it's an away game, and then Sundays seem to require 4-5 hours homework, on top of the work he does during the week. I hope it settles down soon. I don't like to leave him whilst we go out and have fun, it just doesn't seem fair.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a happy week. x
Lovely happies! Blackberry is the fruit, bramble is the plant.
ReplyDeleteLove the yoghurt, beads and Bella's painting. I don't understand why Schools are so dictatorial regarding the use of parent's time in doing homework and can see how some parents end up doing it themselves just to get it done. I know the argument is it is good for the child to have parental support and that is why they give them exercises that need parental involvement. However, the deadbeat parents still wont engage and the good parents suffer from ever increasing amounts of school control. Perhaps schools should look to the quality of the input they provide during school hours instead of outsourcing it to parents for young children and filling their every waking hour with formal activities.
ReplyDeleteThe colour of the yogurt is amazing! Glad you had a good weekend.
ReplyDeleteJacqui x
Oh my God, I LOVE your bookcase! I dream of having a library in my home one day and right now I'm working hard on buying enough books to fill it! ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove that painting, though I do despair that schools seem to think that the way to build confidence and creativity as an artist is to get children to copy real masters, though in this case it worked! I love Kandinsky, does Bella know he had syaneasthesia which meant he saw music in colour. Xx
ReplyDeleteI love the painting, it will look lovely framed. Sounds like a lovely weekend
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely weekend, love Bella's picture. We've been enjoying the blackberries too but I must stop putting them in the freezer now as I need space for other things too! I always thought that 'bramble' referred to the plants in general of which blackberries are the fruits they produce, but now I don't know: the term 'bramble jelly' throws it all into confusion as you only use the fruits of the plant to make it. Oh nooo, too much for my small brain on a Monday morning! :o) Have a great week Gillian.
ReplyDeleteJane xx
Sounds like a fab weekend. At 15p per bunch I would have bought several bunches too! Your daughters painting is lovely.
ReplyDeleteGillian, I know I should be looking at the gladioli, but I just can't keep my eyes off those lovely bookcases filled with books, books, books. Right up my street! As is the crumble with custard :-)
ReplyDeleteYour weekend sounded great!, I made Apple and Blackberry crumble last week Yummy!, I love the colours for on your necklce by the way!
ReplyDeleteA very alive Kandinsky painting, it's great, I would put that up on my wall! X
ReplyDeleteI had that very same blackberry question this weekend at the cabin and looked them up in an old oxford book of wildflowers and plants. It showed the tight ones as blackberries and the squishier, larger beaded ones as 'dewberries' which I was intrigued to read. They all go into a crumble though don't they. we have made 2 gallons of wine with ours!! Jo x
ReplyDeleteI echo the bookcase love. Sounds like a fab weekend! X
ReplyDeleteI never knew what bramble berries were, now I think I do! I love blackberry crumble, actually any crumble, plum, apple, rhubarb, yum yum..
ReplyDeleteIn season homemade food, flowers from your hubby (even if a bit over the top), and some play time - all good. We did some painting also this weekend - a first for the little babe. Got a bit messy!
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone else. The Bramble part is the plant and the blackberry is the fruit produced on the plant. like an acorn and an oak tree. Love the necklace!
ReplyDeleteAnother perfect weekend. Blackberries have been in abundance this year and are so delicious. I love the work of art, I love it when my grandchildren give me a drawing or painting, it takes pride of place on my fridge door.
ReplyDeleteI am so anti weekend homework for kids, and I was a teacher! Adults general work 5 days a week and we shouldn't expect more than that of our children. But otherwise it sounds like a great weekend :)
ReplyDeleteJust thought I should clarify that that's a criticism of the system, not of Bella's school.
DeleteA post full of glorious colour! The Mini Kandinsky is beautiful, what a talented gal! Those beads are just scrumptious...oh and how I love a wall full of books! Cxxx
ReplyDeleteBella's artwork is super, definitely worth framing. Oh those Learning Logs, my son had them weekly in Yr 5 and I used to joke that any house points he earned from them were really mine!! X
ReplyDeletea lovely weekend! the painting is lovely, I don't blame you for wanting to frame it! x
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely weekend (apart from the homework fun and games), just a nice relaxed one, which is always lovely.
ReplyDeleteS x
I love the Kandinsky, very vibrant and alive! I would hang that on my wall indeed. X
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love your library full of books!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, the good old 'turn off turn on' trick :-) Usually works for me too!
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