apples

Our weekend revolved around apples, odd shaped juicy nuggets of green and red. We've been busy making cider, you might have seen here on Istagram. We moved to our home, just over two years ago, not realising quite how many apple trees there were in the garden - 16 I think and amongst them many different varieties. We've no idea what they are, some sweet and fluffy, others crisp and sweet, and some edgy and tart. 2011 gave us a bumper crop not only did will fill our freezer but we managed three whole days of cider making - around 50 litres. So far this year it's just been the one day and we've probably enough apples left for half that again. It's a long slow process, and though we didn't make an early start we were still pressing on in the dark. Firstly there's lots of cleaning and sterilising of equipment, then we collect the apples using those that have fallen first before picking from the trees, wash, chop into chunks removing any bad and the core, pulp with an attachment on the drill, and press using a large fruit press into a bucket that takes an age to fill. Tonight we'll test the sugars then leave to ferment before bottling and storing till next year. I say we, but really it's D who's the master cider maker here, my department is collecting the apples, washing and chopping - the easy bit. 

If you're wondering what it's like, yes we have already dipped into last years brew and we love it, the taste and the way it makes us giggle of course! It's quite dry and really more like a wine than a store bought cider (nothing like a Bulmers or Strongbow).

charleston

 

 

The main reason to head south last weekend was to visit this place, Charleston Farmhouse, home to Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant from 1916 - artists and members of the Bloomsbury set. The house where they lived and entertained their circle of intellectual, artist and writer friends. This heavily decorated house with barely a surface left untouched is truly inspirational, they themselves were inspired by Italian fresco paintings and post-impressionism. There is quite a collection of paintings to see, including works by Renoir, Sickert and Toulouse-Lautrec casually sprinkled around the house, but it's the murals and decorated surfaces that are truly marvelous, the colour palette so pretty and the little touches; ornaments, vessels, vases and collected objects placed throughout the house that I loved so much. A true artists home not just painting but pottery too, by Vanessa's son Quentin Bell, I loved the quirky colander style lampshades that hung in the rooms. We visited on a Sunday and each room had a knowledgeable attendant to fill us in on what was what and helpfully point things out that we might otherwise have missed. Photography wasn't permitted in the house itself hence lots of pictures of the gardens! You'll need to visit to see for yourselves what a marvel it is. Have a look at the website for a taster of what's inside. Just up the road in Berwick you'll also find a church where they painted murals on the walls, it looks just like any other typically English church until you step inside. Again no pictures but some of the pretty churchyard with the South Downs peeking through the hedgerow. 

pockets full of pebbles

I love walking along a pebble beach, my eyes pretty much glued to the ground, looking for that perfect pebble. I always bring a few home with me, perfect in their own ways, smooth from the oceans kisses, little sculptures, no two exactly the same.

Also found some rather exotic looking blooms along the way.