FILMING AT THE MANOR HOUSE - BARCLAY'S INSURANCE

Last week, we had a very exciting day here when advertising agency Mccann Erikson

came to film a 'mannequin challenge' for Barclay's home insurance.

For those of you who are not familiar with a mannequin challenge, it's a viral video

craze that is sweeping the world featuring people freezing for the camera imitating mannequins whilst music plays in the background.

This is the result....

 

GREENERY IN THE HOUSE

Pantone have recently announced their 'Colour of the Year 2017'. 

It's called 'Greenery' (Pantone 15-0343).  

'A refreshing and revitalizing shade - symbolic of new beginnings - 

a fresh and zesty yellow-green that evokes the first days of spring.' 

source

I understand the sentiment behind this colour but large amounts of Pantone's 'Greenery' is not a colour for our house. The photo above has just enough green for my liking. In fact the recycled shelves, bottles and leaves look great 'but' and there's a big 'but' and that is - the photo is mainly filled with white with a little emphasis on green.

 source

  

So this is the thing (well as I see it anyway)....this new colour for 2017, 

in order for us to embrace it, can only be used as a hi-light - mainly in the form of house plants then teamed with a lots and lots of white, which is the best colour in the world.

 

 

Funny as it is, I think we've got the balance correct in the spare room already!!

DINING ROOM - ON THE WALLS

With Christmas only 23 days away, 
it's got me thinking about our first Christmas at The Manor House.

We were deep in the middle of having the dining room renovated.
Finishing off the room, was getting less and less likely as Christmas drew closer. 
Our builders worked frantically to finish but unfortunately there just wasn't enough time to complete it.

 In a mad panic and knowing we were having lots of family to stay, 
what could we do to 'spice up' the dining room for the festive time?

Richard had the bright idea to get Alfie and Jemima 
to paint the walls with all the family members coming to stay.  

These were the results...
 

We had a fantastic family time, lots of food and games, laughter and happiness.  

It was a lovely Christmas.

The room felt cozy and warm and the paintings added a unique fun element.

  

It was a sad moment painting over the 'art' when the room eventually got finished but I'm glad we have these photos to remember what they looked like.

Our dining room looked very different last year at Christmas and with a few more members added to the family (Scarlett 6, Albie 3 and Boo 2), we managed to all sit down around the table and have another happy meal together.  This time, my super talented photographer sister,  Charlotte took this image to capture the magical moment.

KITCHEN : LIGHT AND BRIGHT

Sometimes when the day is a bit dull because the weather is awful and the skies are full of much rain and I'm thinking I wish we were on holiday in a sunny part of the world.... it's then that I have a reality check and realise how lucky we are to live in this house, whatever the weather.  

We have achieved so much with our home. 

We bought it knowing that it needed updating and renovating. 

The room that I favour most, has to be the kitchen. 

It's a room that we all naturally gravitate towards, 
whether it be to sit and read a book or listen to music or to make and eat food.  

It has an advantage that it's always filled with natural light (even on the darkest of days) - north, south dual aspect windows  
enhanced by any light bouncing off the white painted walls.  

 

I like to remind myself of what the room looked like when we arrived......

BEFORE

BEFORE

It's changed a lot!!

WINDFALLS FROM THE ORCHARD

It's still very Autumnal here. 

Leaves are slowly leaving their branches

and we're collecting numerous 'windfalls' from the orchard.

 

 

One particular tree has some lovely juicy red cooking apples.

We can't eat them quick enough before more fall. It's difficult to decide what to make with them as we have apples 'coming out of our ears', 

 but today I made three small upside-down toffee apple puddings.

They are perfect for a Autumn pudding and delicious with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Here's the gorgeous recipe -

 Instead of making three little cakes as I did, 

you can combine all the ingredients to make one larger size which shows off 

the pretty fan shaped apples.

Serves 6- 8

topping

75g (3oz) light muscovado sugar

50g (20z) butter

 
3 red dessert or cooking apples, core removed and thinly sliced

sponge 

100g (4oz) butter

100g (4oz) caster sugar

2 eggs

175g (6oz) self-raising flour plus 1tsp baking powder

zest of 1 small lemon

Grease a 20cm (8") deep cake tin and line the base. 

Measure the ingredients for the topping into a pan.  

Place on low heat, stir until just melted and pour into the prepared tin.  

Lay apple slices in a spiral on top.

Measure the ingredients for the sponge together into a bowl, beat until smooth.  

Spoon over the apple (the mixture is fairly stiff) and spread out evenly to cover.

Bake in a preheated oven 180C/160CFan/Gas 4 for about 40 - 45 minutes.

Leave to cool for a couple of minutes in the tin.

 Invert onto a serving plate, 

remove the paper and serve warm with custard, cream or crème fraîche.

Taken from Lucy Young - Aga Easy

AUTUMN IS HERE

 Autumn has definitely arrived.

 

  

The nights are getting darker, 

we're noticing colder weather and the leaves are changing colour

from green to rusts, to yellows, and oranges.

 

 The leaves are beginning to drop in the orchard,

 

and in the garden by the house. 

 

 

Autumn evidence from the kitchen window.

 

 

 

We've harvested herbs that grow in the vegetable garden.....

rosemary, sage, thyme and marjoram.

They're hung upside down to dry, afterwards stored for use throughout the winter season. 

 

And look there's two pumpkins!

Undecided yet, they'll either be put outside for Halloween night 

or made into a pumpkin pie.

HOMEGROWN TOMATOES

It's been a while since I've written here, 

so thought it might be good to come back with a look at our homegrown tomatoes.  

Yes they are green!!!! and yes they are on the window sill ripening....

  

but look there's one that is red...

and we're positive that with the lovely sunshine that we're experiencing, 

they'll all be red soon.

Can't wait to eat them!!!