My mother has always had a tea-towel hierarchy. Such are the ways of the rare domestic goddess hailed from the 1940s. Her tea-towels are pressed and folded to perfection and assorted in various piles depending on their social status. The Queen Bee(s) of the tea-towel assembly, surface at Christmas and special occasions only, where they rarely lower themselves to work. The mere wipe of a tea cup or glass is as much as any blue blood cotton cloth should endure. No, these elegant beauties are folded and displayed for the most part for all to revere.
Guests Staying for Christmas
I know it’s still September and planning for Christmas and it’s festivities this early on is so so frowned upon … but dare I beg to disagree?
Since moving to the countryside, I fear no longer the impending busy high street stores with it’s overbearing glitz and jingle bells on repeat. No – I very rarely venture into a city at all, let alone when the Christmas mania sets in. I buy what I need online, over a cup of tea … and look forward to the postman delivering it to my door, stress and hassle free. (My postmans mantra “don’t rush … this is Cornwall …”).
Country NikNaks Blog
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Welcome to the new Country NikNaks blog.
Country NikNaks is based in Cornwall, nestled in the beautiful Tamar Valley, right on the Cornwall / Devon border. This blog is an area where I hope to share with you my countryside knowledge that I’ve gathered to date, whilst being lucky enough to live in this part of the world. I will share the ups and the downs … from countryside crafts, baking, hen keeping, bee keeping (thanks husband!), home brewing (wine & beer … thanks again husband!), foraging, bread making and home remedy tips to heal animals … to my obsession with country interiors and all things pretty.
We live in a 19th century modest miners cottage with three bedrooms … where we have just about got the downstairs habitable, with the help of local builders and lots and lots of back breaking, arm aching work undertaken by myself and my nagged husband.
The upstairs … is still very much in a state of flux, so as I pull down old plasterboard, begin to lime plaster walls, and start to point and point and point again (!!!!!) old granite walls, I’ll keep a diary incase you find it useful.
Along with my ever suffering husband who is relentlessly subjected to a barage of gingham and polka dots, we share our house with 14 hens, 2 bee hives (kept in the field up the lane) and two rather rambunctious waggy chocolate labradors called Rhys & Thom.
Plans coming up soon … starting the upstairs … chipping off 70’s plaster to unveil the 160 year old granite blocks … (romantic) … and mouse / squirrel / spider / wasp nests within (not so romantic) … planning a supper party for October that will include foraged ingredients … along the lines of hawthorn jelly and pheasant … homemade honey beer IPA the step by step guide … getting ready for Christmas … how to make Sloe gin … and orange / cinnammon and pine dried decorations … beeswax candles … how to make them … and so on …
I’ll also post some articles on what’s gone before … tears, tantrums and DIY renovation … favourite mad chocolate lab pastimes … making honeymead … blackberry and blackcurrent wine … bee keeping for beginners and lots more …
Bye for now
R!
xx