Thoughts and feelings

Another week, another way to feel inferior, it seems.

I love looking through other blogs, and I sign up to a lot of great sites on Facebook all about nourishing food, Greener living and Homestead/sustainable living.

I have dreams. 

I have plans.

I have doubts. Doubts about my ability vs. my desire, about my gifts, about whether I can do the things I want to do in life.

Will God bless me with the house I would love when I am rubbish at keeping my present house clean?

Can I look after chickens, when I struggle to find time to walk my dogs every day?

Can I grind flour, soak recipes, grow food, bake bread, teach kids, and bring up more babies, if the Lord so blesses us, all every day, day after day?

In short, AM I EXPECTING TOO MUCH!!???

I read a great post this week, about not crying about what you sign up for. Very inspiring, and I DID sign up for this. I signed up for homeschooling 4 children. I begged my husband to let me cook from scratch and to try to eliminate more of the processed foods from our lives. I also begged him for another puppy, because one wasn't enough!!

I love my life, I really do. I love the life we have chosen. I love spending time with my kids, and I love feeding them nourishing food, lovingly prepared. 

If I want to follow my dreams, can I?

Can I do all these things? Can I learn? Or can I just be patient and wait until Abba Father moves and equips me with the skills I need to do the things HE asks, not what I want. 

Right now, I'm not feeling very patient. But that doesn't mean I can't be. With a little Help from my Father....

Oil Pulling...Yummmmyy!!???

I have real trouble with my teeth. 

All of my life, my teeth have been very soft, along with my bones and nails, which bend. (my nails, not my bones. I think.)

I have come to believe that this is to do with my diet, and the INCREDIBLY sweet tooth I have always had, and am now doing something about it. 

However, sometimes, we have to expect the consequences of our former actions.

So I have had a filling fall out recently, and I keep getting a very sore gum, and a small abscess that keeps coming and going, and it stops me eating sometimes!!

I have always used mouthwash to deal with any infections previously, but since starting this real food, greener living lifestyle, I am a little reticent to put something in my mouth that is a) full of Fluoride, and b) makes my mouth burn and strips it of saliva!!! (can NOT be good!!!)

My search inevitably started on Google, as most of my queries do, and I came across Oil Pulling. At first I was like, "You do WHAT!?" but the more I looked at it, I started to think that anything must be worth a try, to get rid of this current infection. (Did I mention my extreme fear of dentists??).

The first day, I tried it with the only oil I had in the house, which was olive oil. I used a tsp of it, and put it in my mouth and swilled, like mouthwash. I have to say, the texture wasn't as bad as I had thought, but I could not keep it going for more than about 7 mins before needing to swallow, so I spat it out. As the tutorials say, it should be milky white. Well, obviously, I didn't do it for long enough because it was still yellow oil, very thin, as it gets mixed with your saliva, but not what it should be. 

The first thing I realized though, was why they say to do it on an empty stomach!! the taste of the Olive oil, which I enjoy normally, was sat at the back of my throat, and made me gag a little!! If I had've eaten breakfast, I would definitely have lost it!!!

The next day, I tried again, and got to 10 mins, and no gagging. From there, I have had 2 more days, and and am getting better. I have reached the milky white, and my gum really is starting to feel better. I have some coconut oil coming this week, so I may try with that, instead.

I am always interested to try new things, and some things just need to become acquired tastes, because the benefits outweigh the discomforts.... like oil pulling, for instance.... 

Weekend Links

As I mentioned yesterday, I love looking at and talking about food, so most of my recommendations are along these lines, but I found a few other gems along the way...

10 Reasons Homemade Bone Broth Should Be Part Of Your Diet by The Nourishing Gourmet

100 free printables from Red and Honey

Frozen smoothie pops for a child's fever over at the Mommypotomus. (Definitely trying these next time Little Bud is sick...or just because they are yummy...)

Strawberry Coconut Almond Smoothie Via Eat Drink Paleo (Although we are not following a Paleo diet, there are still some lovely nourishing recipes!!)

homemade protein packed peanut butter cups from The Humbled Homemaker - Being English, these are not a part of our cultural awareness, but my boy is practically BEGGING me to try them!!!

There are lots of things that I have flitted through, but these are some of the best.

Enjoy!

Friday Recipe: Fish Pie

So I was looking at the blog, and noticed that I do a lot of talking about food, but not much by way of producing the good on the recipe front, so I have decided to try and do a Friday Recipe each week. This may be some tried and tested family recipe, or something new we have done just this week.

Today, is the new variety.

This week we had some delicious white fish left over, so I decided to try a fish pie. 

Now, I have to confess, the only fish pies I have ever eaten have been the frozen sea captain variety, and I have never been keen. 

I also have to confess to never really having much luck with any dish that requires mashed potato topping!!! It ends up everywhere, and never really looks appetizing!! But this would be fine, right......??????? 

Fish Pie (feeds 6)
Ingredients

4 large fish fillets
10 medium potatoes, peeled chopped and mashed with butter and milk
1/2 cup sweetcorn (I used frozen)
400ml whole milk
1/4 cup butter
2 tbsp flour (I used white, as it was just for sauce)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
Grated cheese for topping ( optional)


Method

• While your potatoes are boiling, use milk to poach the fish in a pan (watch that it doesn't boil over and lose all of your milk!! Go on, ask me how I know...)
• When fish is cooked, (about 10 mins) scoop out the cooked fish with a slotted spoon and lay in the bottom of a large oven proof dish. Break up a little.
• Reserve the milk to one side, and in the same pan, melt the butter on a medium heat.
• Still on the heat, add the flour, and whisk briskly to combine, making a paste.
• Slowly pour in the warm milk, whisking as you go, to prevent lumps. 
• Continue to whisk as you heat through, and the sauce will begin to thicken. Don't let it get too thick now, as it will thicken more in the oven. Add the salt, pepper and herbs, or to taste, and pour sauce over fish in the large dish. 
• Mash your potatoes, adding your milk and butter, (or cream, or however you prefer to make mash!!) 
• Now I used a piping bag for the first time here, and it worked so much better than the 'splat and spread' methods I have previously used!!
• Top with cheese, if using and put in the oven, at 200c for 15 mins, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
• serve with vegetables of your choice

We served with cauliflower and broccoli cheese and carrots.

As if I should have been surprised, but the whole family LOVED this dish and have requested that it go on the regular list, and even the Boy Who Hates Potatoes love the mash on the top!!!!

Win, win, I think!!!

Enjoy!!

Tea and Sympathy

I've been visiting a friend this morning.

This friend is an elderly lady, who lives on her own, and is wheelchair bound.

This friend is a particularly difficult lady to get on with. 

This friend drains me when I visit.

This friend is a great blessing to me despite all of the above.

I have been visiting her for about 3 months now, and God really had to move me strongly to be willing. He nudged me probably as much as 10 months ago, but because this lady is very harsh and abrupt, and I have never been very good at holding my tongue, I though God had the wrong person at first. 

And I told Him so.

I had every excuse, I didn't have a car, I would not be able to keep my mouth shut, I would make things worse. I told God all of this, but you know what, He wanted me to go anyway.

So I arranged with another friend to take and collect me and I bit the bullet. 

I could not believe the compassion I felt for this lady. 

When everyone, including her own family had been driven away by her tongue and her mean attitudes, God gave me a great pity for the broken lady inside all that hate. 

She is someone who never has a good word to say about anything, or anyone, and this can be very draining, in the natural world, on my mood, but there is always a flash, usually near the end of the visit, of a very lonely, very hurt lady, and she has flashes of sweetness that make me think God knew what He was doing in giving me a burden for her. 

I can not imagine not being able to take care of myself and having to allow strangers into my home to clean and take care of me. This is a proud lady who has done great things for God in her life, but seems to have taken against everyone and everything in frustration. 

I pray that God will allow me to love her in practical ways, as He loves me, and that she will see that Jesus loves her, despite her rough exterior, and wants to heal her hurts, if she will give them to Him. 

I pray that every one of will realise that. 

Show us more of Your glorious Love, Abba. 

Weekend Links

I've had quite a nice week around the blogesphere this week.

I found a few new recipes to try and found another site for my raw milk!!

• This is our new go-to YUMMY bread recipe!! Made it twice, came out amazing both times! - from the Elliott Homestead.
• Loved This Link about making your own butter from Food Renegade.
• Thanks to following her on Facebook, I'm in love with The mommypotamus. some great posts, great recipes and great info of all kinds.
• And I may need to try another Supplier for my milk and *gasp* CREAM!!!

Good week, many recipes to try, need....more....time.....

Happy browsing.....

Patience is a Virtue

I have been struggling lately.

Struggling to slow down and release my expectations and standards.

Our Little Bud is the one I'm struggling with.

Of our 4 children, he is the one I am most challenged by. He doesn't see the world as we do. He is showing a lot of signs of being on the Autistic spectrum, erring more toward the Asperger's side.

As he was our foster child first, we have notice a lot of changes since he first came to live with us, and were always told that Looked After Children display signs of Autism as part of their attachment issues.

As any mam knows though, a mama knows her child, and with the last psychological assessment telling us he had a secure attachment, this just doesn't ring true. Little Bud has been with us almost 4 years now, and home educated for 4 months, and it is this close-up, 24 hr living that has brought it to the forefront.

It's hard to remember all this when trying to patiently think of an alternative way to explain a feeling that is obvious to everyone else, but he misses completely. Or trying to coax an ending out of a boy who does not know how to create, only copy. 

Part of me wants a diagnosis, but I fear it would just be for my own justification. There is nothing they can do for him, and I have support at church, and he doesn't need another label on him. 

He's perfect just the way he is, even if he does try my last nerve.....

Slowly slowly fill the pantry..

Do you ever get an urge to clear out and start again?

This is how I get every few months. I get slack with things and then need a jump start.

At the moment it's my kitchen appliances.

I REALLY need would like a stand mixer at the moment. I have a small hand mixer, but a lot of the recipes I would like to make more often are made a lot easier by having one. 

So I do my usual, I begin researching, and trawling Amazon and Ebay to find just the one I want. 

I have no means to buy one yet, that's the problem.

I have a list on my refrigerator of all the things that I would slowly like to add or replace in my kitchen, and it's just not happening quickly enough for me!

My list includes (but is not limited to...)

• The aforementioned Stand Mixer
• A Grain Mill
• A Dehydrator
• A Slow cooker
• 2 more Cast Iron Frying Pans
• A Pizza Stone
• and a new collander!

I know it's a small thing, and I know that Jesus is teaching me patience at the moment, but today, I am not being a very good student. 

I am very blessed to have a working kitchen, I know this, and I know I need to wait and add slowly, I'm just feeling impatient today.

Is there anything that you are waiting somewhat patiently for? 

Wait with me, and we can wait in joy together. 

From tomorrow morning.......

Search me Oh Lord

It can be a scary thing to look at yourself.

I don't mean in a mirror, (although after Christmas, that's a little scary too!) I mean in a reflective, deep down inside, "what are my motives" kind of way.

It is quite something to realise that you are capable of attitudes and thoughts that you hate! I cant stand it when others begrudge good things happening to someone they know, it's mean and no-one knows what the other goes through.

Plus God has an individual plan for each of us!

But when I was told someone close has good news of something that I am waiting for God to do for us, I hate to admit that all those thoughts ran through my head! 

Well, not begrudging, as such, but unfair thoughts about .... I can hardly say it... but that's supposed to be me!!!

I love the person so very much, and I am happy for them, I truly am. The pain that went through my heart was real, it was strong and my mind, unfiltered, was not very charitable.

And my God does not want me to stay that way.

He has to be the one who deals with my hurt, I can't, the other person cant. 

My Abba knows the plans he has for me.

In times like this, He always takes me back to what I know. Not what I feel, what I KNOW.

I KNOW my God loves me. I KNOW my God never changes. I KNOW He promised us. I KNOW Jesus can be trusted. I KNOW I can take my troubles to Him. He is faithful.

So while my feelings rage, my spirit is quiet, as my Abba has shown me myself. But He hasn't left me there.

Thank You God. 

Yummy Taco Soup Recipe

We have been trying to vary our usual meals and thought we'd give taco soup a try.

Well, what a hit it's been! I thought I'd share it with you.


Taco Soup

2 tbs butter
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves of Garlic
400g beef mince
1 large pepper, diced
2 tbsp taco seasoning
1 can tinned tomatoes
300ml homemade chicken stock
1tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Garnish with grated cheese and tortilla chips

Method
1. Melt the butter in a large pan, add diced onions and fry for 2-3 mins, until clear. 
2. Ad garlic, fry for 2 mins and then add mince. 
3. Brown the mince, then add the peppers.
4. Add the taco spices, stir, and tinned tomatoes.
4. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, simmer for 20 mins
5. Serve with garnishes.

Mmmmmm, so yummy, we make this virtually every week!!

Enjoy!

School's in.

School is back in at the Gee house.

We have already been at the negotiating table, as Haribo catches up in his maths book.

After we had a month off the books doing Christmas stuff in December, it is actually very nice to be back in some kind of schedule, and we have been spending the last week settling down back into writing and maths!!

We have had a trip to the library and re instituted our quiet reading time, and planned the term ahead. 

Here in lay the negotiations.  

Haribo has always struggled with his maths. At mainstream school, he was receiving extra help, but in all honesty, after so long struggling with something, I really feel he lost his confidence in his ability. 

As a consequence, when we began homeschooling, he started at a lower level in his Maths than in his other subjects.

He has really moved forward in his confidence, but he is still behind. 

So, we found a great incentive to motivate a 12 year old boy: Lego!! 

We made the deal that if he could catch up to where he is on all the other subjects in 7 months, he can have a full Lego set. 

For a boy who was born playing Lego, this was just what he needed to give him a new perspective on Maths!!!

What sort of things do you use to motivate your children?

Back on the real food wagon, please!!!

WHY is it so hard to go back to good wholesome eating after Christmas???

Is anyone else struggling with this?

We had a really steady Christmas period, only the odd one or two nights where we binged a little, but now..... I can't seem to get my sugar cravings back under control!!!

The sugar monster is well and truly back, and I am actually regretting ever putting the sweet poison back on my lips, because now I CAN'T CONTROL IT!!!!!

I am in need of a detox once more.

Nooooooo!!!!!!!!!!

One big benefit though, is that we have been continuing to eat healthy real food dinners. We have begun our Raw Milk journey (so much more tasty and healthy than store bought milk), and we have added a few new favorites to our staple meal lists (Taco soup, anyone??!)

So it is only a blip, that I need to get under control, rather than a serious detour back into the land of processed food.

I have seriously noticed the difference though. 

We all feel so much more lethargic, our skin has got worse, we are sleepy after a binge, and our appetites are getting bigger!!! AARRRGGGGHHHH!!

And as with all good changes, we are going to start on MONDAY!! Hahaha.

I am not looking forward to the headaches, and the crankiness, but next time I'm tempted to overindulge, I may have to scroll back through to this post and remind myself just what it takes to get back on, and it may just prevent me jumping off!!!

What's a girl to do?

So the new year is almost upon us, and it's that time again, where we take stock of the past, and make plans for the year ahead.

So I ask you, how have you grown in the last year, and what are your goals for next year?

In the interest of fairness, I'm going to share my thoughts. (if that's ok)

Taking stock of the last year, I can see that I have grown in Grace towards others, and am much more likely to give people the benefit of the doubt than I ever would have. I KNOW this is because my Abba Father has had many occasion to give me the benefit of the doubt over the last year!!!!

I have grown to trust Abba more, through a series of events, and fulfilled promises, after a long wait and many toddler tantrums on my behalf!! (See what I mean about Him being gracious!?)

I have learnt new things about my husband and children, and I have made new friends and had to say goodbye to a few too. Letting go is something I have found hard, but God has smoothed the way when I have given my expectations to Him.

I can honestly say that, although I still have a LONG way to go, through God's grace and patience, I feel that I am a better person now than last year.

So looking forward, my goals are to continue to learn how to feed my family healthy, nutritious meals, to continue to learn about my husband, and the wife he needs and deserves, to try to model to my children a real life with Christ, not a religion, but a relationship and the ups and downs and mistakes and forgiveness that entails.

I want to get more active, (but I say that every year), and I want to read more books, (I say that every year too, but I usually do this one!!) and I want to believe that this year will be another year that the Lord adds more children to our family.

But most of all, my goal is to draw closer to my Abba, because apart from Him, I can do nothing. Without Him, I will be the same next year as this. Without Him, I will be alone. Without Him, I AM nothing.

Praise You Yeshua, my Saviour King. 

How do you stop...

We have so much chocolate in our house!!!!

For Christmas we were inundated with gifts of chocolate, biscuits, sweets of all descriptions, and are now flooded!

My no sugar rule seems to have gone out of the window, and I am feeling very lethargic for it. 

How do you stop people buying sweet treats for gift or for your children???

Does anyone have any ideas? 

I feel mean just getting rid of it all, as the children are old enough to know who bought them it and how much they have left, so I cant even sneak it out!!!

My kids are very good at only having it when they are told, but it's me!!!! there is so much temptation around, it's driving me crazy!!

I can't wait to get back to eating our usual food ALL the time! 

Raw Milk arriving in a few days, so let the healing begin!!

And then it was all over......

How crazy we all get for just a few days a year!!

I hope and pray that your Christmas was a blessed one, but it always amazes me how much pressure we put ourselves under at this time of year!!

I'm thinking about this because I took our trimmings down today. 

For me, Christmas is done on my birthday, which is 27th, and since I don't want to do a lot on my birthday, they usually come down the day after. I was sick yesterday, so I have made the effort after church today to take them all down and get cleaned up in the house. 

As I look around my bare room now, it makes me think of all the fuss that goes into Christmas.

I'm not talking about being prepared, I'm talking of the stress over things being just so for the in-laws, or making sure we have enough this or just the right that! 

I like to spend Christmas just us in our home, after many of my younger years were spent working, but Boxing day is usually our time for visiting with family. This year, we were the guests at my mum's. We usually host her, but with DH work commitments, she invited us to her house, and we had a lovely time. I am very lucky to have a relaxed family, with no formalities or rigid traditions to govern me, and it was a relaxed, lovely time. 

On Christmas day itself, we spent time in the morning thanking Jesus for all the generosity we had been shown with all the gifts we had received and Christmas dinner was ready when it was ready!! 

We had a lovely quiet family day, and there was no stress, just the peace and joy of time spent together and with the Lord. 

As Christmas should be.

I am truly blessed. 

Consumerism gone mad??

Is it just me, or has Christmas just got more and more about "STUFF"???

As we approach this special day, every year seems to become a competition of who can spend the most amount of money on the most amount of stuff for the most amount of people and win!!

When did this happen???

I didn't grow up in a Christian house, so it was never really about Christ, unfortunately, when I was a kid, but we always spent time together, watching various films as a family, and just enjoying each other's company, with good food and a gratefulness for the things we did get!!

Now that I have grown up ( a little....), I want to instill some of the same things in my children; spending time with those you love and a gratefulness for what they have, but also an appreciation for the greatest gift mankind was every given.

A way back to God.

This holiday is not about Stuff. Jesus was given meaningful presents by the Magi, and a small, thoughtful present is the most we have done this year. Instead, our focus will be along the lines of the American Thanksgiving. We give thanks for our family around us, who have thoughtfully given us presents. We are thankful for the special treats and food we can put on our table, and the means to do so. We are thankful for a roof over our heads and heating and lighting. 

But most of all, on Christmas day, Santa falls by the wayside in the presence of the KING of kings and the Lord of lords, our most precious gift, Jesus Christ. 

So there is no mad rush on Christmas Eve in our house, there are no £££££ signs in our children's eyes as they stare at a mountain of useless "STUFF" that will be forgotten by suppertime. There will be fun and laughter, thanksgiving and prayer, and Jesus.

Amen.

Shop til you drop....off to sleep

So It's the Friday before Christmas. 

I'm not just stating the obvious, I'm letting that sink in!! 

Today is the final shop for us, the Food Shop!!!!!

How do we beat the crowds, I hear you ask. It's mayhem, why leave it so late, you say.

Well, my hubby has developed a secret weapon over the years...... nighttime shopping!!!

We go at 11pm when the store is so much quieter, and we can get all we want, in peace and quiet, without getting pushed or shoved or screamed at, and we can get it home and put away before the children are any wiser at the goodies coming into the house!!!

Now there are downsides to this:

• If you have little ones, it may be hard to get a babysitter at that time of night, if you cannot ask a family member.
• The store usually stocks up at night, so they may be out of a few of the things you want.
• You either have to stay up late, or get up REALLY early, and I struggle with both of those options, so a nap in the afternoon will ensure I stay awake for the lesser of the two evils, late night shopping.

We have decided on a pared down Christmas this year, on the food front. For years, we have gone mad at Christmas, boxes of sweets, gallons of fizzy drinks and alcohol, and tubes of crisps. Not so this year. we are spending our money on good fats (goose fat, butter,) Nuts and seeds, and meat. My Bone broth will make it into almost every meal, and so will our good fats, so that when we do occasionally indulge in sweet things, (like at nan's on boxing day) then our bodies are equipped to handle it from the goodness we have been getting the rest of the time!!

That's my plan, now this sweet tooth junkie just needs to stick to it.

I figure, if I don't buy it, I can't eat it........right??........

Christmas time, Mistletoe and wine.....

It's Almost CHRISTMAS!!

Anyone who knows me well, knows that Christmas is my MOST favorite time of the year!!

I just love the cozy nights, the twinkling lights, and the fact that we take the whole of December to do Christmas crafts and watch Christmas films (a hundred times each, much to DH's disapproval!)

So our Christmas craft list looks a little like this:

1. 3D Christmas trees
2. Christmas cards for our church
3. Night time chalk pictures, winter scenes
4. Silhouette Christmas theme pictures
5. baking ginger cake
6. baking Christmas shaped cookies, and of course the good old favorite,
7. paper plate snowmen!!!

Our 3D trees are beautiful, but the refuse to stand up for more than 30 seconds at a time, but our church Christmas cards were a HIT!!! Simple, (just some colored card with a stencil drawn on the front with our Christmas cookie cutters!!) but very effective when colored in with metallic pens and each of the kids' personal touches on!!

I love homemade cards and gifts, I just think it shows you are thinking of people in a personal way. It's extra special when it's your children who make them!!!

So we are having great fun with this Advent, how about you???

Fight the Christmas Blues

I don't know about you, but wintertime brings the germs, and everyone around you is coughing and spluttering, and every child has to be told 20 times to "PUT YOUR HAND OVER YOUR MOUTH!!!!!!!"

This year, after our real food/health conversion, I didn't want to plough us all with the over-the-counter cough and cold remedies, so I turned to my favorite blogs to see what others have used to combat the dreaded Flu season. 

I have managed, with my newly tuned taste buds, to acquire a taste for the good old favorite, Honey, Lemon and hot water, and this help immensely.

I also found, through quite a few blogs, but in particular this one, from Red and Honey, that there are certain essential oils that you can use, to diffuse, but especially to rub on the soles of your feet, that help with this season.

So that's what I did.

I used eucalyptus oil on my feet, and burned Peppermint and eucalyptus oil in my oil burner, and drank my lemony honey brew, and ate copious amounts of satsumas. (abundant at this time of year, of course) and my cold lasted a sum total of 3 days, start to finish!!!!

Very pleased with that, and was able to sing at the local carol concert on the Sunday!! (was getting sick on the Tuesday, and my throat is the first thing to go and the last to come back!!!) 

Very happy bunny!!!

The link above gives SOOO many great uses for essential oils, and they are not just for making the place smell nice!! 

Who knew!!!??

Oh My, Oh My!!

Wow!! It's been a while since I have blogged!!!

Life has gotten in the way, and the first thing to go was the diary entries, I'm afraid.

So what have we been up to?

Well, we've had a week in the middle of nowhere in Scotland, we have been training with our Murphy, who is now 9 months old and bigger than his mama (!!) and we have been considering our diet, as DH has been diagnosed with Diabetes!

This has prompted us to take that last step to eliminate all the processed food left in our diet, apart from the odd treat on a Saturday night!!

• We are investigating the benefits of Raw Milk, and providers we can have access to where we are, ready for the new year.
• We have cut out the sweet treats, after looking at damaging effects of refined sugar , A staple in my diet, and realizing I am HIGHLY addicted to it.
• We have begun eating a lot more butter, live yogurt and animal fat.
• I have made my first batch of lacto-fermented-sauerkraut and it tastes delicious!!! (DH is getting used to the taste...)

So all that on top of Homeschooling all 4 children now, with the challenges that Little Bud presents, and getting ready for....um, what was it,....oh yeah CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (my favourite time of year!!) 

Phew!!!

I will try to be more forthcoming!!

Here is the beautiful view from our holiday cottage just to be going on with...