UK summer visit

 We visited the UK in July, and bagged some of the best weather all year. Here are a few pictures from our lovely trip

Lucius piloting her sand boat

 With Nanna and Keith at Cabford-Cliffs Chine

 Lucius about to nobble Ava in Langton Matravers

 

Grand-Nanna looking fantastic (at 93!) in her floppy sun-hat

John B on his Dad's boat

 View of the boat-yard in Poole Harbour

 Pickle at Honeybrook Farm

 And her first ever pony ride!!! She aced it

 Honeybrook Farm

 Elaine took part in her first ever Pub Quiz at the amazing Bat and Ball pub

 Neil collecting the winnings

The team: Beanfeast International

(wake up Neil)

A wonderful afternoon

 Today was around 27 degrees with a cool breeze, so we spent the afternoon in the garden under a cherry tree, teepee up, deck-chairs out, tea-party on.

Lucius swinging from the same cherry tree as in this photo: click , which feels like it was taken only yesterday (This, by the way, is Lucius's favorite summer outfit)

Kit

Here's my kit for last weekend's 3 Peaks Challenge laid out and ready for the off. 

The weekend went perfectly, despite the terrible weather. We bagged a time of 21hrs 25mins from the base of Ben Nevis to the base of Snowdon, 22hrs 03mins if you include touching the sea at the beginning and the end (opinions vary on the 'official' requirements). More pics and video to follow

Lego Superstar

Boucle De Merdanson

A quick edit of a training walk near my home in the French Pyrenees. Training for the 3 Peaks Challenge, taking place on the 23rd June

Further info here:
rumoursoftraining.tumblr.com

justgiving.com/ptmgn

Too Good!

We're picking amazing strawberries everyday at the moment!

Mother's Day

 Today is Mother's Day in France. We kicked it off with a card featuring Lucius's 'lunch face'

Followed by lovely roses. We had boiled eggs and spelty soldiers for breakfast. Then came the task of putting lunch together. Ottolenghi supplied all of the recipes, so it was bound to turn out well

 

 Lunch included amazing broad beans from our garden

 Which became a broad bean, radish and leek salad

 Accompanied by a cous-cous, lentil, saffron and leek salad

 

Flanked by roasted potatoes, lemons, garlic and olives

 

 Followed by giant vanilla meringues

 Which oozed sweetness after 2hrs of slow cooking

 A grand accompaniment to strawberries, peaches, mint & creme-fraiche.

Job done

Rainy Day

Uncommonly wild weather had us working on our baking and cozy skills

 After 3 years of baking I'm starting to get closer to my preferred crumb. This one's a spelt and poppy-seed loaf using a bit of sourdough starter (the sourdough starter lives in the fridge, and has been named 'Dooha' by Lucius)

A bread and soup lunch put us in the perfect frame of mind for an afternoon in a snug indoor teepee

Sunday Hike

 I found a peak to hike, which we can see clearly from our house, that has similar height and distance to (one of) the 3 Peaks which I'll be walking in June. You walk in a loop around a natural bowl, scramble up to the peak, and follow the ridge down the other side

 

 The base was very green and teaming with life

View of the peak from about halfway up

At the peak (cuppa tea in hand)

 North from the peak

According to the GPS I was actually on a trail at this point, with views south towards Spain

 

One of the clearer trails down

 It was a good day for a kit test, the boots in particular

(feet stayed warm and dry btw)

Spring Update

 It's been a couple of weeks since we updated, so here are a few choice pictures from our Spring

The daffodils have come and gone, briefly gracing us with their delicate swaying crowns

 Our weather has swung between biblical storms and the dense heat of high summer

 We've had amazing macarons, which Elaine bought back from a great new place in Paris

 The last of our winter crops are being heartily consumed

 As are our new crops, rhubarb crumble indeed

 Lucius has her first umbrella

and we continue to lunch at Le Berry in Pau every Thursday at 12pm