SUMMER?

I've been reading a lot of blogs lately talking about the end of summer but I don't quite feel like that. Despite the fact that these past few months we have had more sun than England has seen in a long time, for me it feels like summer has not quite hit yet. "Summer" still feels inextricably tied to the six-week break at the end of the school year. This means that although I started to enjoy summer since as long ago as May by experiencing it alongside other people who had actually finished for the "summer", grabbing days or evenings to take time out as the days got longer, I haven't been able to fully embrace it. A part of me has been waiting for my break to properly welcome summer.

In two days time I will be finished. The end of three years . The first "summer" in a long time when there will be no essay, exam or placement lurking in the distance. This next month will be filled with exploring, food, family, friends, sun (hopefully) and lots of not-doing-too-much.
Bring. It. On. 

I will be so happy when autumn arrives. It's my favourite season. It always signifies change and a whole will be changing come autumn which is exciting....but I am more than happy to squeeze some adventures in before it does. Especially in the spirit of living life today.

One thing I am extra excited about is travelling around Italy for two weeks. 
Here is a playlist to accompany my "summer". Quite a random selection, some old favourites, some new, low-key-chilled-out mixed with anticipation and excitement. This pretty much sums it up.

THE FINAL PIE.

I did it. Twelve pies. Twelve months. A whole lot of pastry.Yes it has sometimes been difficult to squeeze in time to bake especially when chilling pastry, blind baking and other essential "pie-stages" take their time BUT I have really enjoyed giving myself a little project and trying something different. It has been fun. Cooking from scratch is something that seems normal to me. My mum always has and I have such happy memories from throughout my childhood of helping her out in the kitchen. I still enjoying helping her out whenever I'm home. I love that baking reminds me of her and it's really fun even if it doesn't always go perfectly. Which is never really has. Getting to eat pie at the end has always made it worth it.

I snapped a few photos of the process this time.

YUM. 

Project pie is officially complete.

Find the recipe here.
Check out the other pies I have made over the past year.

THOUGHTS

I am coming to the conclusion that I'm a grown up. Not in the sense that I know everything and have it all together but that I've lived away from home for awhile now, decide what I do everyday and basically look after myself. Being in my twenties, I'm not necessarily where I thought I would be in my life but I have learnt, changed and achieved a lot over the past three years. One thing this has especially helped me to realise is that making plans and dreaming ahead means I might miss the good stuff that comes from focusing on now. I used think "wouldn't it be fun to do that more" or "one day I will go there" but something often got in the way or I would find that it was tomorrow and it hadn't happened.

God has been teaching me this lesson too. I don't need to wait to be a certain age or to have reached particular milestones to be acceptable or useful to him. In fact I never will be able to make myself that. I just need to seek him each day and be open to him. The place that am in in my life right now is where I need to be and it should be embraced whole-heartedly.

I have learnt (and am still learning) to be intentional and make actual plans to just do things that I love, try new experiences, visit different places and be brave enough to just go for it. Today. 

Back in January I set myself 25 goals to achieve before I hit 25 years old. I have included things to learn and try and experience. This seemed achievable but if I don't manage them all then at least I have tried. I'm hoping through this I will grow and learn new things, if only about myself and have fun along the way. I am working my way through and will share them with you as I go. Starting this blog actually ticks one off the list!

Coincidentally two of my best friends have an incredible blog based around some amazing resolutions... 

PROJECT PIE

I was given a sweet little recipe book for Christmas 2012 but never had a reason to make a pie. I love baking but always tend to go for cakes. To correct this I asked for a pie-dish for my birthday nearly a year ago and set out to make one pie a month. August is the last month so in the next week or so I will be making the final one! It's been fun to bake something I wouldn't normally try and on the whole it has been a success. (Each one has tasted good at least).

SEPTEMBER/ apple and blackberry
OCTOBER/ chocolate cream
NOVEMBER/ pecan
DECEMBER/ pumpkin
JANUARY/ peanut butter and chocolate chip
FEBRUARY/ key lime 
MARCH/ marshmallow and chocolate cream pie
APRIL/  caramel cream pie
MAY/apple pie
JUNE/ coffee and walnut pie
JULY/ blacksmith pie
AUGUST/ I'll get back to you...


Originally documented on Instagram.

GENTLEMAN OF THE ROAD

In the last two years I have seen nearly every musician on my list to see!  Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to spend a weekend in Lewes with some of my favourite people seeing some of the best bands in the world, including the last few on my list. Originally I booked to camp for the weekend with my lovely friend Jeni but in the end three of my sisters, my brother in law, and Jeni's sister booked to come along.

It was SO much fun and I made a little video of the weekend. 

I apologise for the poor video quality (I don't have the best camera) and the amateur editing skills. Hopefully it's not too bad for a first attempt.