winter rain

Summer rain is delicious. Thunderclouds sprinkle a cooling elixir on humid weariness and the parched ground quickly laps up its unexpected refreshment.  When it's brief and fleeting we call it playful and dance about in its glory. When it lingers though, it's tiresome.

Ah but Winter rain. Its misty shroud invites cocooning. Wrapping ourselves in layers of fine wool and curling fingers around mugs of steaminess. A small hole in the gutter sends  a rhythmic drop of crystal into the pool below and the windows haze over from the warmth in here and the cold out there. Soup becomes a staple -  as does tea. 

As the ground outside swells and lights are turned on indoors, sheet tents are erected and stay up for days with decorators adding and subtracting new elements as they leap into new stories; new adventures. Pilled woollen blankets are thrown over every siting spot and empty tea cups litter the table. While the clock feels lonely due to lack of admirers our lunch meanders slowly with eager hands helping to create something warm and satisfying. Often the floor is carpeted in cookbooks and we salivate our way through each page turn searching for that perfect warming treat. The table is laid and with the triumphant bing of the oven we gather to nourish our bodies and warm ourselves.

Time slows for a little on rainy Winter weeks and the soft light deepens the richness of our home's colours. These watery days help me to notice the subtle nuances of play and friendship in my babies and I consciously cast aside my ever growing "to do" list. With a yearning to nest I find stale craft projects and peruse them with renewed interest and my knitting needles cry out for new yarns to loop together. Quiet, no where to be days full of block towers, toast and hot lavender tea. And then there is always tomorrow's promise of muddy puddles to hunt out.

Steph x

Lunch has become a feasting time of sorts lately and we join together to create and then devour something warm and tasty.  We made cheesy scones using this recipe substituting the 2 cups of self raising flour for 2 cups of spelt flour and 4 teaspoons of baking powder. Sprinkled with a bitey cheddar and served with butter, room temperature tomatoes laced with olive oil and sea salt and basil from the garden it was indeed a banquet.