Hello,

Happy Easter weekend! Hope you’ve had a lush week.

I’ve had so much fun out and about. This photo is from a sunrise walk I had yesterday with my sister, up Kingston Ridge. It’s one of my favourite views, looking out over Mount Caburn and Firle Beacon. Yesterday morning there was low lying mist in the valleys and a bright, buttery sun. Gorgeous!

Iris and I have packed our days with activities – we’ve been swimming, trampolining, crafting in the woods, twitching and sliding down steep banks. We spotted an adder – more to follow, and went on a walking challenge with friends. 

Workwise, I’ve been putting the finishing touches to our Joy special edition, out next month - be one of the first to get this edition delivered. 

What We’ve Been Up To 

Playing in the Woods

Iris and I went to a Forest School session at Wilderness Woods earlier in the week. The leader Heidi had laid out so much great activities and crafts. Iris made a large family of ladybirds from air drying clay. There was fire-lighting, hapa zome, tools to experiment with, a painting station and mud kitchen.

One of the other mamas there was a musician who I’ve long admired – Heloise Pilkington. I felt a bit fan girly! Her song Lady of Avalon was on my birth playlist – it feels magical to get the chance to share how someone’s art has touched me. We had both done the same training in Glastonbury and it was lovely to reconnect and remember that whole experience.

One of the activities we did in the woods was make damper bread with dandelions (a tasty addition to a simple recipe).

Here’s how to make it: Add 1 cup of flour, pinch of salt, 1 tsp sugar/honey, handful of dandelion petals and ½ cup of water to a bowl and mix until you have an easily kneadable dough (not too sticky). You can add more flour if it’s too sticky, or wet. And if it’s too dry, add a little more water.

Divide into four portions. Take each portion and roll into a long sausage shape. Wrap it around the end of a stick, then hold over the fire, above the flames, until it’s cooked. This usually takes about 5-10 minutes. There’s no easy way to tell if it’s cooked, but it will have browned a little. Allow the bread to cool and eat straight from the stick! You can serve with butter or spread and jam, or just eat it as is. 

Spotting an Adder

Iris, my niece and I spent the day at Pulborough Brooks this week. An RSPB reserve that covers 160 hectares, it’s located in the Arun Valley within the South Downs National Park.

There were lots of birdwatchers there and I wondered how we'd go down with the serious crew.