Happy Birthday Hazel!

Happy Easter everybody. I hope the Easter bunny has been kind to you. And a big Happy Birthday to Hazel who is my niece, 17 today.

Apart from doing maths and science A levels and generally being very clever, Hazel is also very creative and has been designing, making and selling her own jewellery for many years. Above are some of her previous bracelets. I think they’re so pretty. Lately she has been using new techniques to make gorgeous pendants and you can check these out on her Instagram page @hazelgarretthandmade. She also repairs jewellery, undertakes commissions and is very reasonably priced. I know I am completely biased as her Auntie, but I think she is amazing. Well done Hazel!

It is a funny time to have a birthday in lockdown but at least Hazel has had a gloriously sunny day in the Cotswolds. I know she wants to learn to drive, but she’s going to have to be a bit patient about this as we’re not allowed out at the moment. Don’t they grow up fast? Now I’m probably embarrassing her.

I hope you’ve all been enjoying the sunshine too. I am so into my garden at the moment. This morning I was out planting some sunflower seeds behind the potatoes in my veg patch, to hopefully grow up the wall and also some in a couple of pots. I think I tried this once before and the seeds didn’t grow so fingers crossed I’ve been more successful this time.

As I went on a little tour of the estate, as we like to call it(!), I took a few pictures this morning to share with you. I didn’t see any butterflies today but there were some really big, fat bumble bees. A couple of kites played around high up in the sky.

This is our front garden.

I still can’t believe that we own these lovely trees. We have a copper beech that goes a stunning colour in autumn, a small silver birch and a lime tree.

The back garden I consider a true oasis, especially at the moment. It is so good to be outside but away from other people.

I love the tree behind our back fence. I think it’s an ash. It moves beautifully in the wind and it has a great shape. I can see this tree while lying on my bed upstairs. I like to have the curtains open a bit so I can see it. They want to build 450 houses on the land where this tree is. We have been fighting this development and it is on hold for now. It would break my heart to lose this tree, the view from our bedroom and the general tranquility we have in the garden, along with all our wildlife.

Here’s the patio, obviously…

And here are some of our plants…

Looks very Christmassy, but this was taken this morning.

We have a few of these orange plants, I forget what they’re called, but I really like them and they are growing noticeably every day now.

This is where the blue tits live..

And last, but not least, here is the veg patch with the triffids.. I mean rhubarb!

The bare earth you can see has Arran pilot potatoes underneath, and the pots have sunflower seeds in. Next to the pots is rosemary, just snipped off some of this for our Easter Sunday roast lamb dinner.

As I type there is the most delicious smell wafting from the kitchen of garlic, rosemary and lamb. The leg of lamb brought by Ocado is massive, much bigger than the one I’d intended. I nearly turned vegetarian having to manhandle the heavy bony leg into the roasting tin. But now it’s cooking I’ve quickly got over that as I just want to gobble it all up as it smells divine. I made loads of slits with a knife and pushed in a garlic and rosemary butter rub and rubbed it all over. I will serve this with roast potatoes and green beans, and I might attempt to make a red wine gravy. Tomorrow I may spend most of the day sorting out the leftovers… I’m thinking batches of lamb curry for the freezer and lamb rissoles, a blast from the past. Right I’m off now to peel the spuds etc. Bon appetit my friends and I hope you’ve had a good day and are having a fantastic birthday dinner, Hazel xx