Author Archives: birdonthehill

Life is just a bowl full of cherries

Posted in At home, Cherries, Food, Fruit by
A bowl of Cherries

A bowl of Cherries

On my way home from work this week, I stopped by a local store, I think it’s best described as an emporium full of exotic foods from the Middle East. I must admit, it’s not usually the sort of store I visit as it’s unfamiliar and I think I’ve been conditioned to prefer familiarity.

At any rate, I am running low on Rosewater and spying the words “Middle Eastern, Continental and English Foods” on the banner outside the store, I thought this must be a good place to try instead of going all the way to the Edgware Road.

There in the store was not just a shelf full of different brands of Rosewater, but other types of floral waters, most of which I have no idea what to do with. I do have an idea for an Orange Blossom skin lotion next, so the store was very useful for this as well.

Cherries displayed outside a local foodstore

Display of fresh Cherries

I purchased the Rosewater and Orange Blossom Water and as I was leaving the store, the cherries displayed outside seemed to call out as if to say “Eat Me”.

July and August are the best months for Cherries and if you can get them as fresh as possible, I think they are best eaten just as they are.

In winter months, they are delicious made into a Cherry pie or a Cobbler.

I love them, they are both sweet and sour, the ripe bouncy flesh yielding to reveal the juicy tart and sweet flavour,

I used to stone them before giving them to my kids when they were toddlers. Now I no longer have to worry, every time we have cherries in the house, they are gone in a matter of minutes.

Cherries, by the way, are also very good for you, they are full of antioxidants, they’re great for the skin (you can read about them here) and apparently, 16th July is National Cherries day in the UK. How apt as I bought these today.

If I haven’t persuaded you to get a bowl of cherries, perhaps listening to this might:

There’s something about swing music that instantly lifts my mood. I’ll add a few more tracks to this listing when I get the chance. Please do drop by and let me know if you have any recipes for Cherries to share.

Hand made Calamine & Coconut After Sun lotion to the rescue

Posted in beauty, Skincare, Wellbeing by
Home Made After Sun Lotion

Home Made After Sun Lotion

It is nearly the end of term and with it the annual tradition of the School sports day. This year, my eldest had opted out of taking part. (Apparently it’s optional at her school) Instead she watched the event with some of her friends.

When I returned home that evening, both she and my husband were glowing bright red from where they had been sitting in the sun.

When they were much younger, I would run around after both of my kids with a bottle of sun-lotion, smearing them from head to foot to keep their delicate skins protected from the sun.

Unfortunately, I was at work when they caught the sun.

In previous years, my go to remedy for sun stressed skin is Calamine lotion or cream from the pharmacy. The pink liquid is by far the fastest way of cooling down hot skin. It is also good for sensitive skins, the zinc in the lotion reduces any rash faster than anything else I’ve tried.

My daughter now considers herself to be way too cool to be using a lotion that she thinks is for kiddies. She turned her nose up at it declaring “it stinks”. I must admit it’s got quite a chalky medical aroma to it.

This is an argument that I’m unlikely to win.

I have therefore created a lotion that still has the cooling properties of the calamine, but, with all natural healing properties that will look and smell great.

So here’s how I made it:

6 Tablespoons of Calamine lotion (the type you get from the Pharmacy)

4 Tablespoons of Cold Pressed Organic Coconut Oil

2 Tablespoons of Sweet Almond Oil

1 teaspoon of Stearic Acid (orderd online from natural Heath & Beauty store)

Home Made After Sun Lotion

Ingredients for Home Made After Sun Lotion

For the scent, I added the following essential oils: 7 Drops of Lavender essential oil (Great healing and skin soothing properties) 5 drops of Lemon essential oil (good antiviral and antiseptic properties and a refreshing scent), 1 drop of Citronella (just one drop, as it can overpower everything else, it’s a good bug repellent during the summer months).

As this was the first time I made this lotion, I tried out a very small amount first to see if it would work.

The Calamine lotion is water based, mixing it with the oils would need something to bind them together to stop them from separating.

I used Stearic Acid as this is a natural ingredient and works to act as an emulsifier, I simply added this to the mix in quarter teaspoon amounts.

This meant it was easier to whisk into a creamy consistency, switching to Sweet Almond Oil once I’d gotten to the bottom of the jar of Coconut oil.

I continued to alternate between the Calamine and the oils, adding the stearic acid whenever I felt the mix started to look too thin. I kept going until It was the consistency of a soft cake batter, in a pretty pink colour.

Essential oils were added at the end,  which was whisked into the mix.

As there are no chemical preservatives, I’ve kept the quantity small, enough to last a couple of weeks for the whole family to use.

The mix was poured into an empty clean recycled bottle that used to contain a hand wash. I designed and added a lable and some clear vinyl to make the label waterproof.

I think the finished result wouldn’t look out of place in a beauty store. My husband was first to try the lotion, no adverse reaction from my Hub, no adverse reaction from me or from my kids.

The texture and smell is a lot better than the original lotion.

Do let me know if you’ve made your own  sun lotion, or can recommend one to try.

Home Made Calamine and Coconut After Sun Lotion
Calamine & Coconut Sun Lotion Ingredients lable – Teal
Ingredients lable
Calamine and Coconut lable for the lotion bottle
Calamine and Coconut lable – Teal
Ingredients for Home Made After Sun Lotion
Whisk Calamine Lotion, Coconut oil, Sweet Almond Oil and Stearic Acid together
Stearic Acid in Pouch
Lables for the Home Made After Sun Lotion

I got Lushed for my birthday

Posted in Bathroom, Skincare, Wellbeing by
Lush shower Gel, Lush black currant shower gel and Lush bath fizz

Lush bath treats

For my birthday last week, my husband got me Lushed. I’ve always wondered what the store held.

Each time I’m in Wimbledon, the store is just by the train station and as you walk past the storefront, a blast of scent hits you. It’s sometimes over powering, to the point that I wonder what concoctions are being created, like a witches cauldron full of mystery.

I’ve never been in the store in case I get an overwhelming desire to buy everything and anything I can lay my hands on.

Well I guess I got my wish, as a little bag of delights were handed to me by my grinning daughters and a sly looking husband who said that I might like to try these out since he’d watched me experimenting in our kitchen over the last month, whisking up home made deodorants, foot soaks and the like.

I’ll update this post as soon as I’ve tried each one of these little treats. The cherries and coconut jelly tub looks particularly yummy, but as I’m not entirely sure how it will get from the pot onto me, without it washing away in my hands, I’ll let everyone know tomorrow how I get on with it.

Update – Sunday morning

The Shower  Jelly was an interesting experience. Exactly as the tub described, it looked and smelled like a pack of Rowntrees Jelly before you add water and make it into a jelly, which means it was a little hard to scoop out of the tub with your fingers.

It also smelled like a delicious tub of sweeties, the kind that you know is not good for your teeth kind. It rubbed on and lathered up, but didn’t have a load of bubbles, it was a fine lather. I’d say it’s best to use in the bath-tub as it kept slipping out of my hands. A lot of fun, I think my youngest will enjoy in her bath tonight. Worth trying just for the fun of it.

Lush shower jelly

A first perfume and a decade of firsts

Posted in Chanel, Perfume, Scent by

Chanel & Sony WalkmanIt was on the first holiday abroad, that I discovered what I consider my first perfume. Until that moment, fragrances were the sort that you wore because your friends at school wore them, like Le Jardin by Max Factor or the Avon perfumes that one of my friends who was an Avon rep sold to some of us at school.

As we looked around the duty free shop, I was drawn to the simple yet elegant bottle square bottle shape of Chanel No 5. As I sampled the scents however, it was Cristalle that I liked most.

It reminded me of the strong scent of Jasmine that grew at the front of the house that I lived in briefly as a young child.

Cristalle is a light floral fragrance, delicate and powdery fresh. I wasn’t sure I could describe it well enough to bring the scent to life, so I got in touch with Chanel’s PR department and they very kindly provided me with a description of the perfume. As I read the words, I was overwhelmed by their significance. The Perfume was created over 40 years ago in 1974 by Henri Robert, which means it has stood the test of time.

Then, it struck me how similar the description of a perfume is to the way I used to write essays around music. Perhaps this would be a good way to explain how the combination ingredients combine to create it’s distinct character and personality and why it’s a personal favourite.

So here goes:

The melody in any music composition is instantly recognisable, you can hum a tune and recognise it immediately. Cristalle’s tune is delicate, the lemon’s citrusy scent acts as the top notes, honeysuckle acts as the harmony, the sweetness and fresh outdoor nature it invokes is at the perfume’s heart. Finally, the bass and accompanying rhythm is integral to the completion of any piece of music.

Scented Jasmine

I think the bass in music is so important that sometimes it defines whether it is a hit or not, like the bass in U2’s song “With our Without You”. It is the same with Cristalle, the base of Jasmine is the scent that hits me the moment I spray the perfume on.

I think of Cristalle’s personality like a music composition by Mozart. At the time that Mozart was composing, symphonies had yet to fully defined. His influence on Beethoven can be heard. I think Cristalle’s influence is evident in a number of perfumes.

There is a crystal like transparent quality, there is also hidden depth, like a diamond with many facets to make it sparkle. When you hear a piece by Mozart, it has that same quality, the melodies are easy to recognise, but they have depth and complexity that manages to capture a range of emotions. I think of Cristalle in a similar way.Music Score of Don Giovani by Mozart

Through the years, I have tried many perfumes, but there is always a bottle of Cristalle in my small collection. I cannot part with it. It reminds me of so many firsts, a time when everything lay ahead, career, experiences, travel, love, marriage, kids, making a home.

If you were a child of the 80’s, you’ll remember some of these things. We were righteous; causes were our thing – Live Aid, Comic Relief, lots of demonstrations against the establishment.

Chanel Cristalle, Eau de ToiletteIt was the first time I felt independence, living away from my parents.

Music of the time was both bright and shiny as well as a commentary of the political times we lived in.

Before U2 became the global brand they are now, their songs were of urban unrest in Ireland. Madonna blazed the trail for future female singers. There are so many tracks from the 80’s and there were so many music genres.

I’ve made a play list, chosen for a variety of reasons – some just because, others well, lets’ just say they meant something deep at the time, but now no longer represent the youthful angst that I felt.

If I’m wearing Cristalle and listening to these songs, I am transported back to a time when I think I was the most optimistic.

The tracks are in a playlist on spotify and is included in this post if you have time to listen. You’ll find a Classical selection to listen to as well.

There’s a phrase in one of the lyrics by Black, that I think we’d all like our experiences to feel like:

Becuase Life Should Never Feel Small - Black

Please come and share your memories of your favourite scent, by adding a comment, or you can create a new playlist or follow the account here:

https://play.spotify.com/user/birdonthehill

(NB – At the time of writing, Prince has withdrawn his music from a number of music sharing sites, so I have removed the following from the playlist – Mountains, Kiss and Starfish & Coffee)

I’ve included a listing of the music selection on a Pinterest board if you’d like to download it here

photo credit: One of the Jasmine Family via photopin (license)
photo credit: Composer’s score for Don Giovanni via photopin (license)

English Rose Garden and a Summer Picnic

Posted in Places Visited by
English Rose Garden

The Rose Garden in Morden Hall, Greater London

Before the next Post on Perfume, I couldn’t resist writing about the picnic we had on Saturday afternoon.

We had been planning to go for a picnic for a while, but each time we got the food in, the weather for the weekend turned against us. Last Saturday, however, seemed the perfect picnic weather.

Morden Hall is a National Trust park open to everyone, free of charge and open nearly 365 days of the year.

Along the edge of the park is the river Wandle, which in industrial times had a watermill and is the site where William Morris produced the lovely fabrics and furniture during the Arts and Crafts era. We live so close to the park, about a two-mile walk, that we sometimes make a point of walking instead of getting the bus or driving.

Within the grounds are a Wedding registry office and a rose garden, which was planted during the 1930s and currently undergoing renovation. It is a beautiful setting and popular for weddings.

This Saturday, we sat under the shade of a tree within the rose garden and watched the spectacle of a wedding take place while enjoying the simple pleasure of eating the food we had prepared for the picnic.

Chicken drumsticks which had been marinated in honey and apple juice to make them tender and oven roasted, they took 45 mins to cook while we had breakfast.

Mozzarella, basil and tomato rolls, along with some traditional Melton Mowbray pork pies (bought from M&S).

Summer fruit in a cup with mint

Summer fruit with mint in a cup

For dessert, we had summer fruits, these were washed and put into a plastic container. To add a little fragrance, I laid some fresh mint leaves in between the layers of fresh strawberries, blueberries, nectarine pieces. I cut the nectarine into pieces to be eaten with our fingers straight out of the plastic bowl. I brought a small pot of honey for dipping the fruit into.

The picnic was simple in preparation, wrapped in cling film for the rolls and foil for the chicken, placed in a cold bag along with the iced tea we decanted into water bottles. The plan being to eat with our hands and minimise on washing up when we got home.

As I didn’t think our old picnic rug or food we wrapped in cling film and foil would be particularly inspiring to look at, I have included some photos of the roses and the walled enclosure with a clock tower.instead.

The girls managed to get themselves wet in the stream which they had gone to explore and paddle in while we sat and watched the wedding. I love days like these when we just chill and do nothing for a whole afternoon.

As for the summer fruit in the plastic tub, I have prepared this again tonight, it is a little more pleasing to look at as a dessert. This time in a short tumbler, with mint laid between the fruit layers to add fragrance to the fruit, together with a drizzle of honey over the top and fruit juice splashed into the glass with the tiniest amount of rosewater. It took all of 5 minutes to prepare, and enjoyed in about the same amount of time, for our tea tonight.

Summer Fruit Cup with English Mint and Rosewater
1930s Fragrant Hybrid Musk roses
Morden Hall Clock Tower

Perfume – the ultimate accessory

Posted in Chanel, Perfume, Scent by

Perfume, Jo Malone Jasmine and Mint Cologne, Chanel Crystalle, L'occitane Vervine

I’ve been holding off writing about the very essence of this blog, scent and perfumes.

I think when you are wearing a great perfume, it becomes a part of your personality and describes better than words how you want to be known.

Over the years, I’ve chosen to wear a number of scents, some have been a passing fad, others, have stayed with me longer.

No matter what life throws your way,  a spritz of perfume, or a slick of a favourite lipstick, a hug from your child as you leave for work, these things have the ability to make a day less ordinary.

I think most will agree that anything that makes you feel great is something to hold onto and treasure.

“No elegance is possible without perfume. It is the unseen, unforgettable, ultimate accessory.” Gabrielle Chanel

I came across this quote by Gabrielle Chanel, she spoke eloquently about fashion, about life. She was also one of the most elegant women of the 20th Century.

Embed from Getty Images

Elegance is something that some are born with. For me it’s a work in progress and I’m still working on it. So, for now, a spray of perfume, together with a hug from my daughter is the daily ritual that carries and prepares me for the day that’s ahead.

I thought I would write about some of the perfumes I’ve encountered, from past to the present and share some of the things of the period, discoveries, experiences made. Come back if you liked this post, and check out the next post about Perfumes.

English Garden Mint and Iced Tea

Posted in At home, Drink, Food, Home, Uncategorized by
Iced Tea with mint and fruit

Iced Tea with mint and fruit

For a lovely summer drink, I can think of nothing else than iced tea that instantly hits the spot in terms of quenching thirst.

It has to be icy cold of course.

To make it up fresh is much better than the type you can get pre-made. At any rate I think they are too sweet to taste. I prefer the sharpness of fresh lemon and lime to cut through the taste of the tannin in the dark tea.

The version shown is simple to make.

In a jug, pour hot water, about 90c (not boiling), into this add two tea bags. this can be green tea or any blend you prefer. For a more traditional taste, I’ve used an English Breakfast blend which is great as it is refreshing without being too strong or smoky dark.

Add slices of lemon and lime and let them steep in the hot water with the tea bags. I like to leave the lemon and lime peel on the slices so that the scent of the peel infuses with the juice and tea. You can of course experiment with any citrus fruits, oranges or grapefruit works well too.

When the jug has cooled, remove the tea bags, you can remove the lemon and lime slices too, but I think they look lovely in the jug and when they slip into the glass tumblers.

English mint and Strawberries

English Mint and Strawberries

English mint is at their best in summer, you can of course get mint ready cut and trimmed from most supermarkets at any time of the year, but I think they are best when in season, cut fresh from the garden.

I’ve bruised the leaves to release their lovely scent. You can add this to the drink, just before serving, I think the scent of the mint really lifts the drink.

As we had a bottle of vanilla syrup in the cupboard, I added just a splash of this to the cups along with some slices of fruit. You can add sugar or honey to sweeten the drink as well.

Vanilla monin Syrup

Vanilla monin syrup

I think Vanilla and Strawberries work great together, so in they went into the cups along with lots of ice cubes to make the drink icy cold.

To vary this, you can add different pieces of fruit when serving.

I hope everyone in the U.S. is having a great time celebrating the 4th of July.

Please let us know by dropping a comment on what’s your favourite drink for summer.

 

Summer Party and 10 tips for stay put make up

Posted in beauty, Chanel, eye care, Foundation, Health & Wellness, Make-up, Skincare by
Summer Heat Proof Make-up tips

Summer Heat Proof Make-up Tips

Although this post is not particularly about scent, I feel it might be helpful now that we are in high summer, to share 10 beauty tips I’ve learned over the years.

The company that I work for decided to throw a summer party this year in celebration of it’s 150th year anniversary, it also happened to be on my birthday.

While everything was being prepared, what we hadn’t accounted for, was that the date scheduled for the party happened to be the hottest day of the year.

Since I was determined to enjoy myself without having to worry about  makeup sliding off my face, I applied every tactic I’ve learnt to keep my make-up intact and ready for the party.

Some years ago, I had a number of make-up lessons for my wedding from various make-up artists from various brands. What I learnt about wedding make-up was that it needed to be flawless, fade resistant and take you from day into evening with the minimum of touch-ups.

Here’s the 10 tips I’ve learned for stay-put make up:

1) A good Oil Free Moisturiser: Before applying make-up, and after you have cleaned, toned your face, the moisturiser should be oil free and best quality you can afford as this would protect and act as the base for any primer and foundation.

No7 Beautifully Matt Make Up Base

No7 Beautifully Matt Make Up Base

Chanel’s Makeup artist’s tip on applying makeup was to let the moisturiser sink into the skin before applying a primer or base.

2) Mattifying primer/base: To maintain a shine free complexion, apply a mattifying base over the t-zone area or whole face. The one I have discovered recently which works very well at keeping my face shine free is from Boots No7 Beautifully Matte Make-up Base.

3) Oil Free Foundation with high SPF: Leave the primer to settle for just a little while before applying any foundation. The one that I am currently using is the CC Cream from Clinique as the oil free formula, combined with the SPF30 is a great way to have coverage whilst keeping everything looking natural during the day. As soon as I finish this however, I am going to try the Chanel Vitalumière Acqua that I discovered on Ravishing Roses’ blog here. and use it along with Clinique’s oil free Super City Block SPF 40 that I use alone at the weekends.

4) Concealer for eyes: Apply a primer over the eyelid area, this will prevent eyeshadow from creasing and blur any wrinkles. I always use a base for my eyes – Clinique’s All About Eyes concealer, which I find works great as a concealer and primer in one.

5) Set with Powder: Applying a light dusting of powder will set and help make-up last longer in heat and humidity – the one I’m using is Clinique’s Blended Face Powder, Transparency 3.

Clinique Transparency 3 face powder with CC Cream and Foundation

Clinique Face Powder, CC Cream & Foundation

Over the years I have tried many face powders, but this one is the one I keep returning to. It is mineral based and natural looking, you forget that you’re wearing it and is also long lasting.

6) Use good quality products for eyes:  The tip from my make up lesson from Chanel was to use a tiny bit of water to mix in with the eyeshadow to create a more intense look, it will also last longer. You can use it even as an eye liner, with the darkest shade in the eye shadow palette.To line the eyes, I used Bourjois Khol and Contour eye pencil in a dark grey, I find this is a good quality pencil and easy to blend. I took the Bourjois Smoky eye trio in Gris Party a very dark instense grey pallet to use for the party.

Kanebo Sensai 38°C Mascara

Kanebo Sensai 38°C Mascara

7) Smudge free mascara: To compete the eye make-up, the mascara that I use is Kanebo Sensai 38°C in black, this stays put in any heat. As it is smudge proof and suitable for contact wearers, it’s helped me avoid the dreaded panda eyes. Best of all it only comes off with warm water that is over 38 degrees. I have been known to bulk buy this so that I do not run out. You can now order this online through Harrods website. I have also discovered that Clinique has a similar product called Lash Power Mascara Long Wearing Formula which I’ve not tried yet so can’t tell you if it stays put as well as Kanebo’s.

8) Lip line the whole of your lips: The final tip from the make-up artists, was to use a lip-liner, a natural shade close to your own lip colour and fill in the entire lip, that way you don’t get the circle of colour around the mouth.

9) Long lasting lipstick: My all time favourite lipstick is Chanel’s Rogue Coco in Légende which has a slightly blue tone and is a perfect match to my lip colour, it adds a slight iridescence and I love the subtle scent of rose.

It tends to last and last so I never really have to remember to re-apply more than one or two times in a day. Although it’s pricey, I find it lasts 2-3 times longer than budget brands and that means for me, better value and a little bit of luxury that makes me smile.

For the evening, I chose Revlon’s Super lustrous lipstick in Revlon Red 730, which is a vintage red, that suits any skin tone. This is also a great quality moisturising lipstick which has very dense pigment is also very long lasting.

10) Use blotting paper or loose fine powder: Finally, I have always kept blotting paper in my bag for the occasional touch-ups. My favourite is the little booklet of Lehacresor Papier Poudre which is now only available to buy online. Since I had run out of this, I took the Bourjois Java Rice Powder that I use occasionally as

Bourjois Java Rice Powder

Bourjois Java Rice Powder

a subtle highligter for days when I think my skin needs help.

This powder looks like powdered mother of pearl. Although it is a soft delicate pale creamy pink, it is very fine and is translucent with a lovely light rosy fragrance which as you apply wafts around you, making the air feel soft and fragrant. I love the retro packaging.

By the time of the party, the office had literally melted in the heat, we had a power outage in the morning which meant most of the building had been without power and with it no air conditioning or fans to keep everyone cool.

I gave up on any idea of taking off the day-time makeup and re-applying fresh make-up for the party. Instead, I opted to dust the Bourjois powder over my face to revive my skin.

As the heat of the sun begun to fade, the open roof-top terrace was transformed into the maritime themed party, complete with a bar in the shape of a ship’s deck serving cocktails. The humidity and heat was forgotten as everyone turned up in fancy dress and partied on the lawn. I slipped away to get home early enough, just in time to unwrap a few of the birthday presents my kids had made for me before their bed-time.

How to use Star Anise with Coca Cola and Gammon

Posted in At home, Food, Kitchen, Uncategorized by
Star Anise

Star Anise used to flavour Gammon

These wonderful starshaped hard seeds have been used by the Chinese for generations. It was always a go to spice that my parents would use to make any ordinary piece of meat, chicken or pork transform into something that we would find irresistibly tasty.

The smell of Star Anise is as the name suggests similar to aniseed or fennel and has been used by the Chinese for cooking. It is the major ingredient in Chinese five spice and it is also used for medicinal purposes.

A few years ago, we came across a recipe from one of Nigella’s cookbooks – I think it is from Feast, where she writes and provides recipes from all over the world and explains some of the cultural relevance of special events.

Whenever we cook with Star Anise, the smell of the cooking transforms the kitchen and instantly transports you to somewhere exotic, even with everyday ingredients. Just one Star Anise will do the trick used with any meat and even Tofu. When combined with Soy Sauce, Star Anise is going to instantly conjure up the smell of a Chinese feast.

Nigella’s recipe is one which steeps a piece of Gammon in a can of coca cola. The combination of sweet sugary cola along with the saltiness of the Gammon combine beautifully. Best of all it’s as simple as putting a piece of Gammon into a pot along with the cola, a stick of celery, an onion and carrot stick if you have these to hand and letting it all cook on a low gentle simmering heat for as long as possible. The longer you cook the Gammon, the more it takes on the sweetness of the Cola and all the other ingredients in the pot.

To be honest, we didn’t even look at the cook book to start cooking the Gammon. I think that’s a sign of a good recipe, one that you can remember and don’t have to worry about measuring out anything. The basic principals of the dish allow you to be creative and experiment.

Gammon with Coca Cola, Cinamon and Star Anise

Gammon with Coca Cola, Cinnamon and Star Anise

We added our twist by including one Star Anise and a stick of Cinnamon. The result, the most wonderfully fragrant meat, soft and tender. The cola, along with the star anise and cinnamon stick has combined to make a liquor that can be poured over the meat and any accompanying side dishes.

For an everyday Saturday afternoon meal with the kids, it was as easy as putting the Gammon on the stove to simmer away.

To accompany this dish, this week’s organic veg box included broad beans which arrived still encased in their pods and the potatoes looked as if they had been given to us with their mud still on to protect them.

It was only right to cook them as simply as possible to let as much of their natural flavour to come through.

My youngest helped shell the lovely broad beans and once the muddy new potatoes have been washed, they revealed tender skin beneath so we left them on, I think the skins make the potatoes fuller in their flavour, which simply means you just cook them until they are tender and add a little knob of butter just before serving.

I think when you have the quality of freshly picked vegetables, whether they are from your own garden or carefully sourced from an organic farm, they taste best when you do as little as possible to them.

Our Saturday tea which was originally just plain Gammon, with chips from the freezer and peas, turned into something else, we couldn’t resist using the vegetables from the organic box (we usually try and stretch to last two weeks). and used up most of the box this weekend.

What was going to be an ordinary meal ended up being a little more exotic – best of all, there were no left overs, which means it was a hit with the kids.

Sliced gammon that has been cooked with Star Anise, Cinamon and Cola
Broad Beans still in their pods
Cooked Broad beans with Carrots
Organic Muddy New Potatoes
Organic New Potatoes, gently cooked
Organic carrots trimmed

Cucumber, Witch Hazel and Rosewater Eye Mask, a delight for sore eyes

Posted in beauty, eye care, Skincare by
Cucumber, Witch Hazel and Rosewater Eye Mask

Cucumber, Witch Hazel and Rosewater Eye Mask

I’ve not written a post for a few days, quite honestly this is because there have been a few late nights, combined with the summer heat, contact lenses and staring at a computer screen, my eyes feel sore. I mean really sore, the kind that feels as if you have sharp sandpaper in your eyes and are on fire.

By the time I got home last night, I needed something to help soothe my eyes. I’ve used cucumber slices before and they do help, but I needed something that would be potent and act quickly to relieve the sore tight feeling in my eyes.

I thought about this on the commute all the way home and I decided the best way to get results would be to mash up cucumber slices so that all the juice from both the flesh and the skin could be used.

I had recently purchased a bottle of Witch Hazel to try and make a Rosewater and Witch Hazel toner that was featured in Janis Natural’s blog. She’s got some great tips about natural beauty.

This was a good combination I thought. Witch Hazel is a natural astringent and is good for helping to soothe bruised skin. (It lists this as one of it’s many uses for Witch Hazel on the bottle I bought) Cucumber has lots of health benefits that is widely known and written about.

So here’s what I made:

Cut 4 thin slices of cucumber and chopped them up thinly. In a pestle and mortar, I mashed the cucumber up as much as I could.

Sliced Cucumber

Sliced Cucumber

Into the mortar a poured some Witch Hazel and added some Rosewater.

I combined this with the cucumber and let it sit until the cucumber, witch hazel and rosewater had infused and mixed with one another. I poured this mix into a small bowl over a small sieve so that all the solid bits of cucumber were removed. The remaining liquid was a lovely cool green colour and had a lovely cucumber scent.

Cucumber with Witch Hazel & Rosewater liquid

Sieved Cucumber, Witch Hazel and Rosewater

Using a couple of cotton wool pads I dipped them into the mix and squeezed out the liquid so it would not drip into my eyes.

I put these pads over my eyes once I’d removed my make-up and contact lenses and let them do their work for about 10 minutes – basically, I was so tired yesterday, I fell asleep in my daughter’s bedroom with the pads on my eyes as they were so lovely and cool.

When I awoke, my sore eyes felt much, much better.

There’s enough mix for a couple of days. Which is about right as I don’t think it can keep any longer than this, as it’s the freshness of the cucumber that I think makes it so powerful at combating sore and puffy eyes.

Do let me know, if you have a remedy for tired sore eyes, I’d love to find out about other ways to help de-puff sore eyes.

(BTW apologies for the slightly blurry, wonky photo in this post – I didn’t have my glasses or contact lenses in, which means I was as blind as a bat, when I took the picture.)