busy? me? nah...

I apologise for the lack of blogs recently - to say we have been busy is a tremendous understatement, but I plan to remedy this with a whole bagful of blogs over the next couple of weeks, about all sorts (but especially having a greener crimbles), so watch this space.

So - what have we been up to? Here is the (link filled) rundown...

Well - first we went to Bruges and wondered at some fantastic Belgian creations. We didn't do the skating in the square as I have a duff knee, but we drank gluwein and ate chips with mayo. Bruges is a wonderful little place, and demonstrates how well the Belgians can marry very old spaces with modern interiors...exciting, respectful and beautiful.

I went to a fantastic meal with the folk of Saville Jones Architects, at Graze in Hove, which specialises in local, seasonal and organic food. We had a seven course tasting meal, which comprised of truly some of the most wonderful food I have ever eaten, with impeccable service. I highly recommend it.

Then we went to dig up our fantastic Douglas Fir tree at Wilderness Wood, who we have named Frank (after Sinatra, who we listen to when we decorate the house). He is perfectly formed and smells wonderful. We then celebrated by having a mug of Sussex tea and a cranberry filled shortbread tree biscuit outside in the watery sun, and watched everyone else transporting their own special Franks from the plantation to the barn. For me, this is what the season is about - family, nature and togetherness - not plastic, sales and the credit crunch.

Sunday saw the launch of the 2009 Green Pages - the eco alternative to the Yellow Pages by Sarah Lewis and the Brighton Peace and Environment Centre. We picked up our free copy of the directory (which will now be distributed across Sussex) at the Hove Farmers Market and attended the 'swishing party'. Our bag of swapping clothes was a bit random, and included a pair of Rodeo ski goggles and an earflap woolly hat with orange reindeer on. I even donated a few of my own handknitted hats. The reindeer hat was swapped in seconds as it was about 2 degrees outside. In return, I refilled our cotton bag with other peoples cast offs. Great. We then had a very nice cup of mulled cider (at 10 in the morning...) and bought some local wine from The Iron Railway Vineyard and had a free homeopathic remedy tailored for our ills by the wonderful and knowledgeable practitioners based at Revitalise in Hove, where they run a drop in Homeopathy Clinic.

And today I am posting my cards - fully reclaimed and recycled - made from flyers left over from our show gardens this year. (will show you how I made them in another post...)

What a great week. Here's to more celebrations eh?