The Courts Garden {National Trust} #HDYGG

Last week I took the camera out to look for the Autumnal seasonal changes at The Courts garden. This is a 'go to' local location for us and I visited it here on the blog back in May half term too.
Autumn colour was still the strongpoint although there were signs that Summer was desperately clinging on - and this was the tail end of October!

Strawberries still waiting to ripen in the kitchen gardens alongside an array of potted plants - that I admired with no clue as to what they are.

 Happy to find some Autumnal scenes with carpets of leaves showing reds, browns and oranges.

 Trees and plants just call out to be explored - hug a tree, get up close to its trunk, touch its leaves - it's amazing how different how they all look, sound, smell and feel.

Finally, a look ahead to all things Christmassy and a sign that Winter is next in line. Bold red berries hanging like bells adding to the Autumn colours just perfectly.

Linking up with the amazing Annie and her How Does Your Garden Grow? #HDYGG

x x x

Festive Peppermint Chocolate Bark

Apologies for mentioning Christmas already but I am a big planner - it comes with the territory of my job - and I'm already looking ahead to this Christmas and thinking about festive gifts!
I'm a believer in the saying, "If it ain't broke don't fix it" and my Festive Peppermint Chocolate Bark was such a success last Christmas I have decided that I will definitely be making it again this year.
Last Christmas I made a big batch of the bark as gifts for teachers and teaching assistants for staff at my children's school and for my own colleagues.

Here's how to make it!

You will need:

• 200g bar of good quality dark chocolate
• 200g bar of good quality white chocolate
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• peppermint candy canes

Line a bun tray with festive paper cases - I like these ones here.
Put a few candy canes in a bag and bash away the day's stresses until they are broken up into small chunks.
Melt the dark chocolate, with 1 teaspoon of the oil, in a bowl over boiling water.
Add 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract and mix in.
Divide this mix between the festive paper cases and refrigerate, for about an hour, until set.

Repeat the above process with the white chocolate, oil and peppermint extract and spread this mixture over the set dark chocolate.
Then sprinkle crushed candy canes on top and refrigerate again until set.

Once set bag up a few chocolates in a cellophane bag and tie with festive ribbons.

The above will make about a dozen chocolates depending on the size of paper cases and thickness of chocolate that you make.

My advice would be to buy extra chocolate bars and just go for it!

If you don't want to make individual chocolates in cases you can always spread the mix on a flat baking paper lined tray then once set just smash it into random pieces - it will taste just as nice!

x x x

 

Disclaimer: This post is an entry for a blogger competition with dotcomgiftshop. 



Autumn's Best Bits

Autumn has long been my favourite season.
A colourful window of burnt reds, browns, oranges and yellows nestling between the long, warm Summer days, of Saltwater sandals and tan lines, and the long, cold nights of Winter.
Crisp, yet sunny, days followed by a warming mulled cider to see me through the lengthening dark evenings.
Leaf peeping and spotting the Autumnal hues as the canopies of the trees change day by day.
The crunch of leaves beneath my boot clad feet.
The smell of bonfire lingering in the air.
The never-ending carpets of fallen leaves changing the green lawns to deep rich shades of browns and reds.

Then it all gets destroyed...
I hear the heart warming sound of infectious chortling.
Then I see how such a simple thing has made them so happy.
Because who can resist the temptation to destroy the perfect carpet in the name of fun?!

 

Those are Autumn's best bits for me.

What are yours?

 

x x x

 

Disclaimer: I am entering 'Autumn's Best Bits' with @Sykescottages. You can find more at tinyurl.com/autumnsbestbit 

Project 365 #44 {Autumn Half Term}

The Autumn half term has always been my favourite break from work.
A gap between two long terms to unwind and enjoy all that Autumn has to offer.

Project 365 #44

 

Day 299
A hard day in the garden was spent digging over the vegetable patches, clearing an overgrown bed and planting some tulip and allium bulbs. I am such a rubbish gardener so fingers are crossed for some flowers next Spring.
Day 300
Having to wait in today for another internet engineer we went a bit chocolate mad today with some baking. Sugar has been needed a lot this week to calm down the stresses of a very iffy internet connection that just can't seem to be fixed.
Day 301
Time to get out and about for one of our favourite Autumn places, Stourhead. You can see more Autumn colours at Stourhead here.
Day 302
A bit of a mild damp day at home today but we needed some fresh air so went for a walk across the local fields. This involves crossing the railway line where I got told off by the children for pausing to take a picture. Bad parenting skills I know.
Day 303
I took the children to The Courts for a couple of hours today. The carpets of leaves were a delight and obviously we had to play in them.
Day 304
Halloween today! I'm not a big fan of trick or treating but love to carve pumpkins - and roast the seeds and use the flesh in cakes and curries. Tonight we had a garden fire and ate outside, baking our own bread over the flames.
Day 305
Just me and the kiddos this afternoon so we went for a wander around the surrounding villages. I donned my favourite Nike trainers and had a silent weep at the fact I haven't ran in these for eight months. I should have another go, but I must take it easy.

Linking up with The Boy and Me...

x x x