May 31, 20224 min read

Welcome June

Updated: Apr 3, 2023

Blog, Instagram, Vlog

That's life (that's life), that's what all the people say

You're ridin' high in April, shot down in May

But I know I'm gonna change that tune

When I'm back on top, back on top in June

Frank Sinatra

Hello and a massive welcome to June - Chapter 6 of 12. I feel like this is going to be an exciting month.

Things I am looking forward to in June :

The Jubilee celebrations this weekend, warm sunny days, raspberry and strawberry season, peonies in full bloom, my kitchen being finished and the summer holidays approaching.

I got this beautiful illustrated invitation from Polar Post.

My gorgeous David Austin Rose a Shropshire Lad has started to bloom.

I got this from the Castle Howard garden centre (if you are local you must go, it has a lovely selection of plant) and it has just grown and grown. My knowledge about gardening is not great, but I am enjoying it and I hope one day to have a beautiful garden. I might have to take my rose with me though if it will travel. Another garden centre I love is call Vertigrow on the outskirts of York.

Those of you that have been following me on my vlog and instagram, you will see we are renovating our kitchen. We moved into this house 3 years ago and it was always been on our list to do but as the pandemic hit all our plans halted and finally now we are starting work again. Our current kitchen is falling apart so it is very much needed! I will be writing a full blog about our kitchen renovation and where everything is from but for now this is the kitchen we went for; it is called The Helmsley in frame kitchen and we used Tony to plan it all for us and put everything we needed in our basket on the DIY website. I cannot recommend Tony’s services enough.

This month I am listening to ~

Music

I went to see Bonobo LIVE at the O2 academy in Leeds. I think my favourite song is Tides.

Podcast - Fern Cotton, Happy Place - Minnie Driver

Audiobook ( as we all know I am dyslexic and audio is my preferred choice) I am listening to Red Notice.

This month I am eating ~

I absolutely love asparagus and courgettes so I am currently looking up recipes for these.

We have been practicing our sponge cake recipes ready for the Jubilee. Charlie always has the best recipes:-

Victoria Sandwich

Ingredients

170g softened butter

170g caster sugar

170g self-raising flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 tablespoon of water if needed

2 tablespoons of strawberry jam/fresh strawberries

150 ml double cream whipped

2 tablespoons of icing sugar

Heat the oven to 180c or use the baking oven of the Aga with the plain cold sheet

Grease and line the base of 2 x 18-20cm cake tins with baking paper and grease the sides of the tin

Cream together the sugar and butter and beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla essence and gently fold in the flour and add the tablespoon of water if needed (light dropping consistency)

Pour into your prepared tin and bake for about 25-35 mins or until risen and golden on the top, test with a skewer in the centre and if it comes out clean its done!

In the Aga you can use the plain cold sheet to ensure the top of the cake doesn’t burn

Let the cake cool slightly and turn out onto a wire rack, carefully peel off the paper and allow the cake to cool before adding the cream and jam

Whisk the double cream and add in the sieved icing sugar and whisk a little more to combine

Spread the strawberry jam on one half followed by a layer of the cream and carefully lower the other half on top. (you can use fresh strawberries cut in to quarters)

Using a sieve sprinkle a little icing sugar on the top before serving.

On another note if you don't already follow Charlie then you need to. Here is a link to her instagram page.

This month I am buying ~

Fashion ~

Aurelie - This week I went to visit Lucy in her studio in Harrogate. We got to try on clothes from her new summer collection and I picked up this yellow dress. She has some lovely new dresses in and I have put my email in for when this Delphine Gingham Mini Dress comes back in stock.

Here are some photos of our day out with Fran, Marlenka, Lucy, Beth and Bridget. We went for lunch at The Ivy in Harrogate after when we enjoyed some complimentary champagne from the (ad/pr)

Home Accessories ~

In our new kitchen we have a shelf and I have had this shelf in my head for years. I have ordered this pear and apple from Charlested and this training plant from We are Little Buds