Five on Friday - A Reading List

It seems like a long time since I wrote about the books I've been reading so I've picked five recent reads to share with you for Five on Friday

1. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

I resisted picking up Me Before You for quite a while, mostly because it had received a lot of hype and I thought it might not live up to it all but I was pleasantly surprised. It tells the story of the unlikely relationship between bubbly and funny Lou Clark, a very ordinary girl with very few expectations from life and Will Traynor, a previously high flying businessman who has been left quadraplegic after a motorcycle accident. It cleverly tells of the impact they have on each others lives with humour and empathy. I think it is a serious book about serious issues but cleverly presented as a romance and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm wondering if I'll enjoy the film as much.

2. The Beauty of Murder by A. K. Benedict

This was our book club choice back in September. It is a murder mystery with a difference as it involves time travel and it is also set in Cambridge which gave added appeal as I always enjoy reading about places that are familiar. I actually quite enjoyed it and it presented some interesting ideas but the writing style became irritating after a while. For me it seemed so obvious it had been written by someone who had taken a degree in creative writing as it was packed full of far fetched metaphors and at times an over flowery style. So it was no surprise to find that A.K.Benedict has an MA in creative writing. It wasn't an overly popular choice in our book club and one of the biggest questions was whether the author was male or female! (I'll leave you to find out!) But I found it quite an entertaining read.

3. The Cake Shop in the Garden by Carole Matthews

This was one of those books that I popped into the trolley when I was supermarket shopping. I admit I didn't have high expectations and I was seduced by the title, a light read and the idea of a cake shop in the garden. But I have never read such drivel in my entire life. Fay Merryweather (yes, I know even her name says it all) runs a cake shop and cafe in her garden where she also has a canal boat moored in the canal at the back of the house. She is put upon by her cantankerous bedridden mother, taken advantage of by her horrible selfish sister, treated terribly by her boring boyfriend but all the time poor old Fay soldiers on with a smile... what a martyr! And all the time you know that eventually the chap who has turned up on a boat to do odd jobs will be her knight in shining armour. He just takes 422 pages of repetitive, long winded, highly predictable drivel to do it. And before you ask, I have no idea why I actually bothered to finish it!

4. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Fortunately my brain was prevented from turning to mush by our October book club choice All The Light We Cannot See which was brilliant. Set in the second world war it follows the parallel lives of a young French girl, Marie-Laure who happens to be blind, and a young orphaned German boy Werner, who is recruited to the Hitler Youth because of his talent for fixing radios. Their lives are linked by the impact of radio during the war and the devastation in the walled town of St. Malo where their lives eventually converge. It is a well written and beautifully crafted story and it was an extrememly popular book club choice.

5. When We Were Bad by Charlotte Mendleson

I have just finished When We Were Bad and found it a quick and entertaining read. It tells the story of the Rubin family, Rabbi Claudia, her husband Norman and their four "grown up" children and how they collapse into one big mess after their beloved eldest son does a runner on his wedding day. It is witty and warm and although the story doesn't really go anywhere it is a nice little observation of human behaviour. A fun read!

I'm currently reading In Order to Live by Yeonomi Park, which is a harrowing autobiography by the young Yeomoni telling of her escape from North Korea, via human trafficking in China. Have you read any good books lately?

There is no Five on Friday link up this week but as I'd already written this post and it's Friday, I'm sticking with it!

Five on Friday - My Week

It's not all cake and baking in my house you know... Although you would be forgiven for thinking that! So just to prove otherwise a quick round up of my week and I'm joining in with Amy for Five on Friday

1. Dog walks

 The weather really has been wonderful around here lately. Although the temperature has dropped we've had some fabulous bright days and Hector and I have been out for several walks every day.... I tell you, I'm nailing that Fitbit target! I was practicing his "Sit & Wait" while I took the photo. He was practicing his "What on earth for?" look.

 The colours of the leaves and berries have been spectacular.

 

2. Sunsets

 

Our last walk in the evening has coincided with some spectacular sunsets. I'm trying to enjoy them and ignore the fact that it is dark way too early!

 

 3. Foraging and Jam making

I've come back from walks laden with crab apples and rosehips in an attempt to recreate the wonderful apple and rosehip jam we had on holiday. I failed because I've made a concoction that tastes only of sugar... but it's a pretty colour and tastes okay on toast. And talking of jam I've "lost" eight jars of apricot jam that I made in the summer. We haven't eaten it, I've not given it away so I must have put it somewhere safe. Where on earth does anyone hide eight jars of jam? No... I don't know either but I'll let you know if I find them.

5. Halloween

 

I carved a pumpkin for the doorstep and then worried I'd made it too scary. But I'd underestimated the children of our neighbourhood. "Your pumpkin is awesome" from the mouth of a five year old! I think I took inspiration for his teeth from my Victoria Sponge.

5. Baking

Okay, I tricked you... I have been baking... just a little bit. No cake but I did make these gingerbread biscuits for the Brownies' halloween party. And then just because they were fun to make I made more for the Farm Shop.

So that's pretty much my week. There has been some sewing too but that can wait for another post and now I'm back to making cakes. Three this weekend but is meant to be wet so it's a good excuse to be inside.

Whatever you are doing, have a lovely weekend!

                     

Love Made My Home

Five on Friday... By the skin of my teeth!

What a silly expression that is... Skin of my teeth! But I've made it just about with still a few hours of Friday left. As ever ideas for blog posts pop into my head and just as quickly pop out again and I don't seem to get around to them. So instead a rapid round up of my week under the guise of Five on Friday, before I head off teaching at my last ever summer school at Missenden Abbey next week.

1.Birthday Cakes

Two special birthday cakes that speak for themselves really. These are my favourite type of cakes to make and decorate... a bit of a challenge and fun to do.

2. Crochet

One of the benefits of Open Studios being so quiet was I had hours and hours to read, sew, knit... and crochet. Which means I have finished my Frida Kahlo blanket. This was going to be the subject of a blog post all of its own but I've run out of tiime this week and you can pretty much see what it looks like thrown over the sofa. I'm pleased with the way it has turned out but I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with it now!

3. The Farm Shop

 

For four weeks I have spent a whole day a week baking cakes and cookies for the farm shop and the response has been luke warm to say the least. What seemed to sell one week was left on the shelf the next and each week I was bringing back home as much or more than I sold. I was at the point of thinking maybe it wasn't a great idea but this morning I delivered a whole batch of mini loaf cakes. Nothing else, just loaf cakes in different flavours. And I got a message earlier this evening that they have flown off the shelf... like hot cakes! So guess what I've done this evening... yep, made a load more to deliver tomorrow! 

4. Hector

My little puppy has started to look like a grown up dog! He is only just four months but look how much he has grown! We've moved from puppy class to puppy cadets and he continues to make us laugh... and occasionally despair. But it is lovely to have a dog around the house again.

5. What... no five

Does it count to leave you with more cake? Or am I bending the rules of Five on Friday? But cake has suddenly become such a significant part of my life I fear I am going to bore you with cake... and just when you've had enough... even more cake

These cherry bakewells were made as part of a big order of cakes for a friend this week

Joining in with Amy for Five on Friday

Five on Friday... A snapshot of my week

I'd like to report that I'm feeling perky and back to my usual self but I'm still struggling to pick myself up and get motivated...  I need someone to come and give me a good talking to! My foot has been painful this week too which doesn't help... and although I try to keep politics away from my blog I feel depressed at the news this morning in the UK. But nevertheless life goes on and this is a snapshot of just some of the things occupying my time over the past few days

1. Lavender

I don't teach my regular machine embroidery class in the summer term. I'm not sure why, it's historic. I inherited the class about eight years ago and was told they didn't do the summer term because the ladies liked to spend the summer in their gardens rather than stitching. Hard to believe looking out the window at the torrential rain as I start to write this post on Thursday, but I digress. So, once a month throughout the summer the ladies abandon their gardening to meet up for afternoon tea. On Tuesday I joined them at Hitchin Lavender, where I had a very nice buttered scone, bought a bag of lavender and came home inspired to make some lavender bags. There will be virtually no new artwork on the walls at my Open Studio this year but I'm hoping to divert attention from the fact by bribing visitors with cake, puppy cuddles and lavender bags!

2. Birthday Cakes

June... sigh...  Three family birthdays in the space of two weeks but I managed to get away with only two cakes. Son no. 3, Joe, has reached the grand age of 27... Husband no. 2, Stewart is a bit older than that (but still not as old as me as he likes to point out). Both had chocolate cakes. I'd had the idea for the anti gravity Guinness cake for a while but it looked a whole lot better in my head than the reality. But at least it still tasted good and they both enjoyed their cakes.

3. A Commission

There was a third birthday cake but this was not for family members. I was commissioned to make this cake several weeks ago by a couple who had found me through an advert. My brief was a square fruit cake for Nancy, a keen sportswoman who cycles and plays golf and her daughter Jade who is a play therapist...  Really... you want me to make a cake to incorporate all that? I confess I was stumped by this one for quite a while but eventually came up with the idea of a golf course with children playing in the bunker. The hand prints feature on Jade's promotional leaflet. I was a little taken aback when Nancy's Mum, who commissioned the cake expressed disappointment that I hadn't included a bicycle, but overall I think they were pleased. I hope so!

4. Brooches

Not much to say about these flower brooches. They are useful little projects for those odd spare moments and they are great for using up fabric scraps. More Open Studio fodder! I was thinking of writing up a little free tutorial for them... That of any interest to any of you? I don't think I've done this before but humour me if I have!

5. Puppy School

Do not be fooled by those innocent eyes... He is a pest! He was a star at puppy class last week... Good eye contact and sitting on command, very well behaved... Everyone thinks he's gorgeous. Then the minute he gets home he digs up my vegetable beds again... Naughty puppy! Back to school again this morning.
Wishing you all a good weekend.

Joining in with Amy for Five on Friday

Five on Friday... or Four books and one puppy!

Are you sensing a theme here... I've come to realise that thinking I can post more than once a week is unrealistic so I thought I would join in again with Five on Friday with a round up of books I've read. But then I realised that I haven't actually read that many books over the past month! But I have also come to realise that posts about books attract the least amount of comments whereas puppy posts get lots of attention. I know it's a cheap trick and I'm shameless!

1. The Dressmaker

As I typed the title I realised I have already told you about The Dressmaker which I read last month. I really am losing the plot! I'll be banished from Five on Friday forever! But did I tell you I saw the film too? Subtle differences to the book but I loved it equally and Kate Winslett was excellent. It was very dark and sad but also hilariously funny.

 2. Picnic in Provence

I borrowed Picnic in Provence from a friend and absolutely loved it. Elizabeth Bard is an American married to a Frenchman. They move from Paris to Provence where they set up home, have a baby and start a new business. It is an entertaining memoir, which is well written and peppered with the most amazing sounding recipes that made me just want to cook. I loved it so much I have ordered my own copy!

3. Isabel's Daughter

When I started reading Isabel's Daughter I wasn't sure I liked the style of writing but I'm now half way through and can't put it down. My usual time to read is when I wake up in the morning. I like to sit up in bed with a cup of tea and read for half an hour before I get up. But I've been sneaking this downstairs and catching the odd chapter here and there during the day too.... as well as reading before dinner in the garden with a glass of wine It's a bit of a mystery set in New Mexico about orphan Avery James who unravels the mystery of her mother, with lots of food and textile references thrown in too!

4. Portland Place

A copy of Portland Place, Secret Diary of a BBC Secretary written by my friend Sarah also arrived this week and is my next book to read. Some of you may remember I read this in June last year when Sarah self published and it was available on the kindle. Well it proved so popular that she found a publisher and this week it has been released in hardback to great aclaim. Joan Bakewell has reveiwed it in The Telegraph, Sarah has been interviwed on Radio London (about 1.14 hours in), it is going to be available as an audio book and I am very much looking forward to reading it again. I wrote a review here and I can thoroughly recommend it. I'm also somewhat chuffed that Sarah has mentioned me in the acknowledgements for championing the book on my blog last year... I didn't know until I saw my copy yesterday afternoon. Do buy a copy and read it if you get a chance as it is not only about the unlikely romance between Sarah and Frank but it also conveys the sense of the era absolutely perfectly. It transported me right back to being a teenager in the 1970s.

5. Hector

And to make up my five things this Friday... the obligatory puppy pictures. Here he is hiding under the kitchen chair because there was a big scary lawn mower in the garden!

And looking very cute, sleeping on his cat. Although he's not been so cute the last few days. He's chewing everything, including our feet and hands given half a chance and he has found his voice. He's got a very loud bark for such a little chap! We're off to training classes next week so we'll see what he makes of that!

Joining in with Amy for Five on Friday

Five on Friday... or Four cakes and one dog!

I had forgotten how busy life can be with a new puppy... And what a challenge it is trying to run a business baking cakes at the same time! I just get started in the kitchen, wash down the surfaces, wash hands, don apron... and then the puppy needs to go out. Remove apron, see to puppy, come back, wash hands again, put apron back on, oops, now time to feed puppy, remove apron etc... you get the idea. My hands have never been so sore from washing! But there have still been cakes - it just all takes a lot longer, especially as I am still not very mobile. So I might just manage to post this on Friday... if Hector stays asleep!

1. A Wedding Cake

As a rule I won't usually do wedding cakes because I don't really feel I have the necessary skills... and I have a friend in the village who has a business just doing stunning wedding cakes. But this was for another friend who just wanted something informal and I felt I could cope with that. Should I admit that the decoration was entirely influenced by where there were little cracks in the icing... no, probably not!

2. An 18th Birthday

I do get some interesting briefs when people come to me for cakes... I've got one coming up later this month that is going to be a real challenge, but mostly they are fun. This one was for an 18th birthday cake for a young lady mad about ponies. It had to be pretty but definitely not pink, preferably funky colours. Her grandmother later told me she was so thrilled she almost put her glass down!

3. Butterflies and Bees.

This was very straightforward... I was asked for a square sponge, with white icing, pink and yellow flowers with butterflies and bees and "Happy Birthday Esther". I'm hoping this will make a little four year old happy tomorrow.

4. A 140th birthday!

Well obviously not one person who will be 140... but three people so three cakes. A father who is 70 and his two daughters who are 40 and 30 the same year. I pretty much had free reign on this one so opted to make three separate cakes that reflected their different interests. An engine for Michael who is keen on trains..

pulling a carriage to reflect Kirsty's interest in surfing...

and finally a camera carriage for Ashlie. Their party is on Saturday so I hope they are pleased (I am assuming they won't be reading this but their Mum might!)

Not easy to get a decent picture of all three together.

5. The Puppy

Just because I needed to make it up to five... this is what the puppy does when I am baking. He's not always very impressed at being confined to his end of the room!

Joining in with Amy for Five on Friday

Five random things on Friday!

Five random things from my pretty random week...

1 Flowers

Four weeks since I broke my ankle and my house is still filled with flowers that make me smile and cheer me up. Lovely gifts from friends, including roses and freesias from my husband.

2. Embroidery

For the first time since my accident I worked a full day teaching this week. I was apprehensive as I'm still getting very tired and most afternoons have a couple of quiet hours with my feet up. But despite my fears it went well and these are the little stitched pictures made by the ladies in the class at Art Van Go - many of them just beginners. I was shattered by the time I got home but it was worth it. Now I'm steeling myself for a whole weekend away teaching and wondering how I will cope being away from home.

3. Crochet

 I'm keeping up with my Frida Kahlo Crochet Along blanket and love the crazy colourful flowers on this week's block. 

4. Cake

Well there's not a week goes by without cake, and after the outrageousness of Elvis popping out of a D.I.Y. disaster last week, this week's cake seems very tasteful. My brief was for a white Christening cake, with minmal decoration... perhaps a few flowers, a name and maybe a touch of pale pink. I reined in my natural instinct for over the top decoration and think I've met the brief. I hope Abigail's Mum and Dad think so!

5. Puppy Love

No words really... just can't wait for this little chap to move in with us!

Joining in with Amy for Five on Friday.