Constable at Petworth

In the summer of 1834 Constable visited Petworth House on two occasions.  The second time he stayed for two weeks and during these visits he sketched and painted many local scenes.  I don't claim to be any kind of expert when it comes to art (in fact I'm no expert at all!) but as the old adage goes 'I know what I like' and what I like are watercolours and this small, but perfectly formed, exhibition delivers.  Petworth is mainly known as the haunt of J.W.M.Turner and Lord Egremont was a generous patron to him and consequently Constable didn't get much of a look in.  There are forty paintings in all and show ordinary life and everyday landscapes in and around Petworth.  Two paintings jumped out at me, mainly because we'd visited these places in the last few days.  'Wicked Hammond's House' a study in pencil, which I instantly recognised as a pub we'd been to the previous night, now going by the name of The Grove Inn and a watercolour of the church at Tillington with it's rather crazy tower. We stayed in the village only a few days ago and had a room with a wonderful view of the church tower, as written about here.  Anyway, I love a good story behind a painting and this one caught my imagination.  Constable made this drawing on the 25th September 1834 and it's now in the collection of the V&A.  The exhibition catalogue  tells of how Constable  made the drawing while on a joint sketching excursion with Charles Robert Leslie, that Leslie records the excursion as follows: “I recollect spending a morning with him, he drawing the outside while I was sketching the interior, of a lonely farmhouse which was the more picturesque from its being in a neglected state, and which a  woman we found in it told us was called ‘wicked Hammond’s house’: a man of that name, strongly suspected of great crimes, having formerly been it’s occupant.  She told us that in an old well in the garden some bones had not long ago been found, which the ‘doctor said were the arm bones of a Christian‘. (Constable at Petworth; Loukes, A; 2014,  National Trust Catalogue).  A story like this really brings a painting to life I think.

{Wicked Hammond's House - Constable 1834}

{Tillington Church - Constable 1834)

 

 

'Constable at Petworth' runs until 14th March 2014 - advisable to book.

 

The Horse Guard's Inn, Tillington, Sussex

 

It's been a full-on week as I've raced around the country; from London to Newcastle, to Northumberland, back to London and then to Sussex.  It would be fair to say I feel pretty tired and jaded by life at the moment so a night away in a cosy pub was just what the Dr ordered!  I first came across this little pub when we were staying nearby and we tried it out for Sunday lunch.  It was a hit on all fronts and when I saw they had three rooms above the bar, I filed it away for future use. 

The Horse Guard's Inn, perched precariously on the slope of the village hill, is old.  About 350 years old and it shows in every nook and cranny.  There are low, wonky beams; sloping floors and miniscule doorways.  There are open fires in each of the downstairs four rooms but it's usp has to be it's quirky vintage décor.  Everywhere you look are brocante finds that have been utilised and upcycled.  The bar dominates the main room and the other rooms are home to a myriad of old pine tables and mismatched chairs for diners.  There is only one small sofa and I guess if there's one thing that I think is missing at the Horse Guard's it's somewhere comfy to collapse after eating their delicious dinner!  Talking of dinner - all their food is sourced locally and they display their suppliers on a chalk board.  Their fabulous garden is also home to many of the vegtables and herbs that find their way to your plate.  Between us we had venison with purple sprouting broccoli and roast potatoes and a griddled pork chop with bubble and squeak and curly kale.  The venison was deliciously pink and gamey and the pork was perfectly cooked, succulent and 'piggy'!  We also sampled their homemade bread which literally was like manna from heaven - served with their organic olive oil and pomegranate molasses (I'm so going to steal that idea!) to dip it in.  By the time we got to puddings we were beaten!  But for those who can always fit in a dessert you could take your pick from a chocolate torte, a ginger parkin sponge with ginger wine sauce and ice-cream, local cheeses as well as a variety of homemade ice-creams and sorbets. 

We slept well in a cosy beamed room with a wonderful view of the village church opposite before partaking of a hearty English breakfast.  We had been hoping for a walk before we headed back to London, but the weather put a stop to that; we watched as the rain was blown horizontal by the fierce winds and decided that an hour by the fire was a much safer option - I even tried my hand at some knitting (left for customers to pass the time away in good old-fashioned style).  This is a fantastically relaxing place to unwind and let life's cares drift away.  The only regret is that the weather wasn't conducive to sitting outside and enjoying the country garden, but you know what that means?  I have to go back in the summer...

Love is in the air...

Whoever, and wherever you are, wishing you a day filled with love and happiness, in whatever form that takes...

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The January Cure

I blogged about this month-long project here and although I haven't completed as much of my list as I'd have liked, I did manage to get some stuff done!  Some time ago I inherited a very large ornate mirror frame.  It was a very dark finish so I sprayed it white, leaving it a bit patchy for interest and variety; a sort of vintage look.  I got as far as putting it up on my newly painted wall with an idea for a gallery wall, within the frame. It sat there empty for many weeks.  A few more weeks.  I kept looking at it and thinking I must complete the project but I had one major problem.  In the summer I bought these prints at a market in Tynemouth:

I loved them.  But, they've sat in a cupboard for the last 6 months waiting to be framed.  I always do this.  It's one of my less endearing traits.  So I started hunting for thin black frames 10x8".  Seriously - how difficult did this become?!  I went everywhere and the only frames I found were priced way over my budget; then, quite by chance I noticed some black frames on a supermarket website.  A quick trip later I was the proud owner of three black frames at a bargain price of £1.98.  So, my gallery wall is now complete.  Here it is in all it's glory.  I love it.  One thing to strike off that list too...

An omelette and a glass of wine

When I'm feeling a bit under the weather I tend to nurture myself with comfort food.  It could be a hearty rich beef stew and herby dumplings, or maybe dense cheesey macaroni and bacon; sometimes tho' I want something altogether lighter; something smooth and easy to eat and digest and at those times I turn to the trusty egg.  I love boiled egg and sourdough toast or buttery scrambled eggs, but for me the omelette is the main event.  Once upon a time there was a very famous hotel in France, on the Mont St Michel off the coast of Normandy.  Here the proprietress, a Madame Poulard, became famous, or even infamous, for her omelettes.  Many tried to second guess her secret to this most amazing, yet simple dish until she put the matter to rest in a letter:
Monsier Viel, Here is the recipe for the omelette: I break some good eggs in a bowl, I beat them well, I put a good piece of butter in the pan, I throw the eggs into it and I shake it constantly.  I am happy, Monsieur, if this recipe pleases you.  Annette Poulard

So that is the recipe for success.  Simplicity.  Fresh eggs, butter and you're done.  Here is what Elizabeth David says of the omelette:

As to the omelette itself, it seems to me to be a confection which demands the most straightforward approach.  What one wants is the taste of the fresh eggs and the fresh butter and, visually, a soft bright golden roll plump and spilling out a little at the edges.  It should not be a busy, important urban dish but something gentle and pastoral, with the clean scent of the dairy, the kitchen garden, the basket of early morning mushrooms or the sharp tang of freshly picked herbs, sorrel, chives, tarragon.  And although there are those who maintain that wine and egg dishes don't go together I must say I do regard a glass or two of wine as not, obviously, essential but at least as an enormous enhancement of the enjoyment of a well cooked omelette.  Hear, hear!!

Here is her recipe; it's as good as any and more delicious than most!

Omelette Moliere
Beat one tablespoon of finely grated parmesan with three eggs and a little pepper.  Warm the pan and put in half an ounce of butter, when it bubbles and is about to change colour add the eggs.  Add one tablespoon of gruyere and very thick cream and tip the pan towards you easing some of the mixture away from the edge.  Then tip the other way tipping the egg back into the space with some of the still liquid egg.  By the time you have done this twice the gruyere should have melted and the omelette is ready.  Fold it over in three with a palette knife and serve immediately on a warm plate. 

With a glass of wine, obviously.

image:  Manger

Wednesday Words -~ Me Time

When I read this I did a bit of a double-take.  It really hit me as a truth I needed to own.  Having been through a pretty awful last few months, where I felt as if I was taking the brunt of keeping everything going, for everyone else, I then began to feel unwell.  I guess that's no surprise really, as in the busyness of taking care of others, I totally forgot to take care of me.  As they say on the planes; put on your own oxygen mask first, or you won't be able to help anyone else!  I now have to find that fine balance between being the anchor and keeping myself afloat too. 

What do you guys out there do when you need to keep yourself afloat...I'd love you to share...

My Top iPhone Apps

I recently upgraded to a new iPhone (actually, should have done it in the summer but didn't get my act together!) and in the process of switching over I went through my phone noting the apps that I had - those that I used a lot and those that I didn't.  I've done a bit of a clear out as a result and not all of the downloaded apps will make it onto the new phone.  So far these are my favourites that have made the cut...

Food and Cooking:

Nigella

Waitrose

I use these apps over and over.  Nigella's recipes are so easy and this app comes with a shopping list that you can collate as you go along.  Waitrose's app is updated regularly which means there is a constant source of inspiration and you can save your favourite recipes in a separate section to return to whenever the culinary urge takes you.

Lifestyle

Meditation

This app gives you over 30 sounds to listen to (beach, ambient music, grasshoppers, heart sutra, Tibetan chant, rain etc) to choose from.  You can then either choose to listen to that sound alone, or, mix and match the sounds to make your own soundtrack, save it and then use it as your very own meditation backdrop,  complete with timer.  It's perfect for when you're on the move and means there is no excuse not to be mindful!

Goddess Inspiration Oracle

This is a bit of fun mixed with some inspirational words that give you food for thought throughout the day.  Based on the Goddesses of different traditions this app enables women to tap into the ancient wisdom of these powerful figures. Each 'card' gives you the traditional story behind the Goddess and what she stands for, including key words to meditate upon.

Photography:

There are sooooooo many photgraphic apps out there and I'm not saying these are the best...these are just my choices to date:  Aside from Instagram (obviously!) I use these the most:

Toy SLR

 I like this app because it's so simple.  You take a photo, you choose the size, shape and intensity of the blur and it's done.  

PicFrame

This was the first fame app I ever downloaded, and although I've tried others since, I keep going back to it to put together my collages.  There's a big choice of frames, it's easy to add your photos and share.

Vimeo

I was VERY late to this particular party I have to say!  But, now I'm here I love it.  Shoot your own videos (very short) that are then shown in a loop.

 

I got this app quite recently because I really like the idea of turning my camera photos into cards really quickly.  This app allows you to choose your photos and turn them either into a postcard or a card for a small fee.  You can buy 'credits' up front and then it's even quicker to send a card.  I've used this to send a few postcards when I've wanted to send them as the idea occurs to me and the quality of the finished card is excellent.

There are so many different apps coming out it's hard to judge which are the best/most useful.  I tend to go by friends' recommendations...so, what are your favourite apps?  Any I should be looking to get?

Letters of Note

I Like Words

I can't tell you how excited I was to open a Christmas present and find one of the most talked about books of Christmas nestling inside the wrapping.  It was of course Letters of Note  that was compiled by Shaun Usher.  The book was born from his successful website of the same name; an on-line museum of correspondence that has had millions of visitors.  The book is a collection of one-hundred plus amusing, inspiring and intriguing letters that range from Virginia Woolf's heart-wrenching suicide letter, a recipe for drop scones from Queen Elizabeth to Eisenhower to Nick Cave's letter to MTV rejecting his nomination for Best Male Artist on the grounds that 'my muse is not a horse...my muse may bolt! May abandon me completely.'  However, I think so far (I'm still a long way from finishing all the letters)my very favourite letter is from copywriter Robert Pirosh to a variety of studio executives asking for a job as a script writer.  Maybe we could all learn something from his creative approach! Here is the letter to whet your appetite...

 (Source: Dear Wit.)

Dear Sir:
I like words. I like fat buttery words, such as ooze, turpitude, glutinous, toady. I like solemn, angular, creaky words, such as straitlaced, cantankerous, pecunious, valedictory. I like spurious, black-is-white words, such as mortician, liquidate, tonsorial, demi-monde. I like suave "V" words, such as Svengali, svelte, bravura, verve. I like crunchy, brittle, crackly words, such as splinter, grapple, jostle, crusty. I like sullen, crabbed, scowling words, such as skulk, glower, scabby, churl. I like Oh-Heavens, my-gracious, land's-sake words, such as tricksy, tucker, genteel, horrid. I like elegant, flowery words, such as estivate, peregrinate, elysium, halcyon. I like wormy, squirmy, mealy words, such as crawl, blubber, squeal, drip. I like sniggly, chuckling words, such as cowlick, gurgle, bubble and burp.

I like the word screenwriter better than copywriter, so I decided to quit my job in a New York advertising agency and try my luck in Hollywood, but before taking the plunge I went to Europe for a year of study, contemplation and horsing around.

I have just returned and I still like words.

May I have a few with you?

It seems that his novel approach was successful as he went on to land a job as a junior scriptwriter with MGM and in 1949 he won an Academy Award for his 'Battleground' script. 

This book gives such a wonderful insight into peoples lives, motivations, highs and lows.  For me, it is the book of 2013.

image: book

The January Cure

Whilst I was aimlessly browsing on-line yesterday, an email popped into my inbox about a project that I'd forgotten I'd signed up for!  Called The January Cure, it's a month-long project that promises to clear your home of clutter and make it a more organised and pleasurable space to spend time in. Well, I'm all for that! So the first assignment... go round your home room by room and make notes of any grot spots; jobs that are half-finished, areas that need de-cluttering, re-organising and tidying. The instructions say very clearly not to dive in and start 'doing' anything; today we are just noting and making my very favourite thing...A LIST! Yay....  So, off I went.  I started off with blank pages and before I knew it I had a very long and heart-sinking list; three pages to be exact...

I was relieved to read that once my list was done I was to take a highlighter and choose only 3 or 4 items on the list for every room to focus on...phew...So here's my typed up list; just a few things to do!

 

My List:

Front Garden: (this isn't strictly the house but it's the first thing I and others see)

• reorder recycling bins (someone stole them!!!!)
• replace cracked refuse bins
• sweet up leaves
• move empty flower planters to back garden

Hallway:

• clear shoes from under chest
• wash down paintwork and front door
• replace entrance mat

Living room:

• tidy/clear alcove cupboards
• clean rug
• wash sofa covers
• complete gallery wall project
• re-hang pictures
• get black and white prints framed

Dining Room:

• clear sideboard and tidy

Utility Room:

• paint white
• clear cupboard over washing machine
• get rid of random bits of wood behind the door
• buy some laundry containers
• buy ceiling dryer

Kitchen:

• re-paint
• clean unit doors
• clear baskets on top of units
• tidy out cupboards and throw away accumulated pots and pans that are NEVER used!
• buy battery for radio

Bathroom:

1. Clean tiles

Bedroom 1:

• Empty and tidy cupboards over wardrobes
• clear out desk
• clear out alcove
• tidy and clear UNDER desk (big dumping ground!)

Bedroom 2:

• empty cupboards over wardrobe
• empty/clear/get rid of accumulated clothes/clutter from spare wardrobe

Bedroom 3:

• clear out cupboard over wardrobe

Loft:

• systematically clear and throw away (there's baby stuff up there and my kids are now 18/22!)

That's it!  My list in all its glory.  I'll live-blog my progress with this project as I go along through the month so keep watching for updates.

 

have you got any big projects lined up for January?  If not and you want to join in the January Cure, you can sign yourself up here.

 

Image:  Apartment Therapy

Resolve



 Happy New Year!  Welcome to 2014 and wishing all my readers a wonderful, happy and healthy year. 

 

Now, I know that we all (or nearly all) make some resolutions at this time of year...eat less, move more, etc etc and whilst I'll be hoping to do that too, here are some more reflective resolves that I'm hoping to achieve this year....

 

 

Make sure I spend time with people that I love; people that make me feel good about myself; people who make a positive contribution to my life

 

 

I'm going to find time to reflect; time to be still; time to let the small worries melt away

 

 

I'm going to find time to visit places I haven't been to before; fill my days with new experiences and stretch and broaden my horizons

 

 

Make the everyday more magical; time for fairylights, candles and romance

 

 

Indulge my inner child; stamp in puddles, jump waves, soar on a swing

 

Whatever your dreams ...

 

 

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Post-Christmas Curry

 Having spent the last few days eating rich and traditional food, my taste buds were more than ready for a change of scenery!  In comes the curry...but not, I hasten to add, a turkey curry.  The turkey left-overs went in a risotto with bacon and peas and the left-overs of that went into a leek and turkey soup.  Anyway, one of my resolutions during my long summer break was to attempt to learn to cook some proper Indian curries.  For a variety of reasons that didn't come to pass, so, I was chuffed to be given Rick Stein's India as a Christmas present.  I spent a very hungry hour browsing through the recipes and decided as I'm a bit of a curry novice, I'd start with something very easy - a chickpea curry, or as it's more properly known, Chana Masala.  It was quite easy, it's time-consuming, more just because you have to measure out lots of spices etc.  I substituted the two green chillies for two red ones and maybe that was a mistake (although it was all I had!) because it was blisteringly hot to eat, so I'll go a bit more cautiously next time.  Anyway, it was delicious despite that and had a cleansing effect on the palate after Christmas dinner et al!  However, the best bit of the meal was the basmati rice!  That's because I always have problems cooking it and usually end up with a plate of stodge.  Not so following Rick's instructions; now I can cook a proper pilau rice that doesn't need to be used in place of grout for the bathroom tiles!  Anyway, here are some pics, they aren't that great as I took them on the iphone, in the evening!

The raita was a last-minute addition to attempt to take away the heat of the two chillies!  Anyway, it's back to the left-over, left-over turkey for tonight's supper...what to cook...?

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know that us Brits aren't traditionally 'Thanksgivingers' (totally made up word!) but I say anything that brings people together to eat, drink and be happy, is a tradition I want to muscle in on...So although my extended family won't be able to make it for dinner, here's what I would serve them if they could...

BROWNED BUTTER + SAGE CROSTINI

INGREDIENTS

• French baguette, sliced and toasted
• Prosciutto
• Buffalo mozzarella, sliced thin
• Fresh sage leaves
• Salted Butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Butter slices of French baguette and toast under the broiler until golden. Set aside

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3. In a small skillet melt butter over medium low heat. Add fresh sage leaves and cook until sage is crispy and butter begins to brown in bits on the bottom of the pan. (you may need to remove sage before butter is browned).

4. Top toasted bread with prosciutto and cheese. Bake at 375 until cheese begins to melt.

5. Remove from oven and spoon browned butter over crostini. Top each with a crispy sage leaf or two.

6. Serve while hot! Enjoy.

These delicious morsels are exceedingly moreish and the brown butter dressing literally elevates the dish to something else altogether.  Serve with a cold glass of prosecco before moving on to the main event....

THANKSGIVING TURKEY

This recipe hails from Sweet Paul Magazine and combines the sweet flavours of maple syrup and apricots to create a glaze that will give your turkey a magnificent bronzed hue, as well as tasting pretty good too!

Of course, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie and my final offering would be a ginger-crust version served with cream, crumbled with amaretti biscuits to finish it off.

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart Living, gorgeous photo by Chelsea Fullerton

Here's wishing everyone celebrating a very happy Thanksgiving...eat, drink and be merry... 

image sources: 1,2,3