Comfort Seeking

It's been a difficult week on the home front, it always is when there are germs lurking. Poor Little Man (although not so little these days) was knocked off his feet by a virus and spent four days battling it. He is a good ill child mind you, spending the days 100% horizontal in a nest of cushions and blankets on the sofa, very still and quiet. And yet it is surprisingly draining being at home with him in this state, although I'm not quite sure why exactly. Could be the unsettled nights we have both been dealing with, the continuous underlying low grade stress that mothering a poorly child brings. On Friday, Little B was also knocked off his feet, so I had two ill boys jostling for recovery space on the sofa. It was a difficult end to a difficult week.



To deal with the low-grade stress, I found myself in full on comfort-seeking mode. First up fresh flowers. Got to have a jug of fresh flowers on the table when there are germs lurking.



They add comfort and colour, and a reminder that Spring is just around the corner.



The other thing (aside from crochet) that I always, always do when the Little People are ill is bake. It's an instinctive act, something that seems to happen so predictably when illness hits, that it makes me proper laugh at myself. I am a funny thing for sure.



I made the naughtiest, most indulgent, comforting thing I could think of :: Tiffin. I made it partly for J (it is his absolute favourite, and it was Valentines day), and partly cos I had this extra special need for a mouth full of chocolate. This is a no-bake recipe and utterly divine, the recipe is here.



I also baked a carrot cake which turned out very well indeed, the recipe is here.

This morning (Saturday) I am very happy to report that both my boys are very much better. Still not 100% but oh it is good to see Little Man actually able to use his legs again after a week of The Wobblies, and to see Little B playing and smiling again and not laid low by a rocketing temperature.



I spent some time this morning doing a little Home Blessing. Cleaning and tidying, folding blankets and plumping cushions, picking up a whole mountain of toys, books, clothes and miscellaneous crud from the floors and surfaces. What a job. You should have seen behind the sofa....on second thoughts, maybe not. We found lots of Long Lost Things though (a toy canon ball, a wind up torch, a tape measure, a steering wheel, a bouncy ball, several keyrings, lots of lego bits), so that was a bonus.

I took away my gone-over pots of bulbs from the mantel and replaced them with pots of bright new shoots. Such a pleasurable job! These little yellow pots of narcissi are from the local supermarket and only 50p each, I love having them in the house so much.

My comfort reading has been this delightful book, oh how I LOVE to be inside these pages! This was never a part of my childhood reading (they were written in 1980 when I was twelve) but I so wish it had been. I have a similar feeling about Sylvanian Families, I know I would have loved them so much as a child. This book is one of four seasonal "Brambly Hedge" stories by Jill Barklem, such sweet tales about a community of hedgerow mice, but it is the illustrations that really make the books. The one I've been reading this week is Spring Story and I also have Summer story, both bought second hand. I see on Amazon that you can buy a very lovely little box set which contains all four books, it's called " A Year in Brambly Hedge "..think I might have to invest.

I was sat in the Big Chair earlier with a mug of frothy coffee, having just re-read the Spring Story again. I turned round and looked at the room I was sitting in and was overwhelmed with a sense of relief and gratitude. Home. My boys are on the mend, the floors are clean, I've new green shoots on the mantel, Yellow daffodils on the table and Spring is round the corner. Thank goodness. Thank goodness for Home and all it's little comforts.

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Comments

[Gabriela]

It's an amazing piece of writing in support of all the web people; they will get benefit from it I am sure.

[Ina]

I have made your carrot cake last weekend. It was utterly delicious! Easy to make and so divine! My whole family loved it, even my youngest daughter who is normally not very much into cake. Thanks for the recipe! (NB your chocolate caramel shortbread is also a family favourite)

[Lori]

My daughter (who is now 28) had a Brambly Hedge poster framed in her bedroom when she was little. I adored it! Thanks for bringing back such a happy memory and posting the picture to pore over!

[Marilyn]

Hi Lucy! I am an avid follower of your blog, I love it! You have an amazing talent of expressing yourself in a way that we all can relate to, I adore your honesty about low-level stress in this blog. (I know*exactly* what you mean). I am a mum of 2 lovely girls; a spirited tiny 4 year old and a huge 6 month old who is the most peaceful relaxed baby to ever...er...*roll* on the planet. :D I am English but I live in Norway near Stavanger....let me know if you are ever headed in that direction! :) you blog gives me a little fix if England, I love looking at your pics of the surrounding area where you live, especially, funnily enough, when they display the weather in that special shade of English Grey. :) I tried to reblog this post onto my fairly new blog, as I wanted to share the tiffin recipe which I will try on Sunday. But I realized that that isn't going to work as you usd typepad and I use Wordpress... any tips? If I can't reblog direct to your site, perhaps I could copy your tiffin picture with an intro and link to your site?
Anyway, thank you so much for your fantastic blog and tutorials. I am currently using one to make a ripple banket which is called 'spring fling', there is a pic on my blog and I give you credit of course:) lots of love from surprisingly sunny Scandanavia:) xxx

[melissa]

I did some math and some research and came up with my own version of Tiffen, the measurements are more "american friendly". Thanks for such a great recipe Lucy!! I give you credit and a linky from my blog.

http://chunkinmytrunk.blogspot.com/

[Fiona]

Love Brambly Hedge. I don't have the season stories but do have 'The High Hills', The Sea Story and Poppies Babies. Frederick loves the High Hills one. I just love all the illustrations and can look at them over and over, each time finding a new little detail. Fiona x

[JoJo]

Ahh Brambly Hedge a part of my childhood too, whenever I see those beautiful illustrations I feel safe and secure. I've still got the jigsaws my Mother bought me as a child from Woolworths (one still has the Woolies price sticker!)Happy times :)

[Laura]

Lucy, I gasped with delight when I scrolled down and saw Brambly Hedge! I had these books when I was a child (was 3 in 1980) and have always loved them, so much so I welled up when Mum dug my old copies out last year. Now I have my own Little One I can't wait until he's old enough to spend hours looking at those incredible illustrations just like I did. You've cheered me up no end!

[Rosanne USA/California]

My tiffin is in the refrigerator! I had to go buy a scale so the measurements would be accurate. Can hardly wait for it to set.

[cindee]

Shall I tell you that I have Brambly Hedge china for my tea? I have loved those little mice from the first moment I saw them and their perfectly homey homes. My kiddos and I had our afternoon tea with that set for many years. Glad to hear the kiddos are on the mend and spring is in the air . . . or at least on the mantel.

[Bari Jo]

I love Brambly Hedge so much that I purchased a tea set with the characters on them years ago and have really treasured it. The stories and illustrations are so sweet. Thank you for the fun post!

[Jess]

Oh so beautiful! I'm sorry your little ones have been ill, but thankfully they are getting better! Hopefully back to full-speed soon! I too feel the need to make things comfortable (yet easy!) when there is sickness in the house. Be it getting some soup (which we don't eat often) or extra hugs, there's something about finding a spot of happy while one's throat and nose are wonky that makes the moment better. :)

[Jennie]

Hi Lucy-
I'm so glad your boys are better and the home is tidied- what relief! :)
I was thrilled to see you mention The Brambly Hedge books. I LOVE those to bits and have always been inspired by them as I actually did grow up with them being born a couple years earlier then they came out. :)There are others aside from the season ones, but I must say the seasonals are my very favorites.

[Lexi]

I loved Brambly Hedge as a little girl. Glad to hear your boys are on the mend, and thank-you so much for the yummy tiffin recipe!

[Taylor]

Sorry your little boys were sick :(. I'm glad they are feeling better. Your baked treats looked delightful! I'm sure the family loved it. Hope the days continue to be bright, because you always bring a brightness to mine!

[Joanne from Colorado]

I'm going to work on getting these books! They look adorable and I'm not familiar with them. We've got the flu virus going through here as well. Glad your week is behind you and you were still able to find joy - as you always do! Thank you.

[Beckie]

Hi I read your blog all the time but do not comment. I am a dish collector and noticed that your red/spotty plate is suffering the effects of crazing and can be dangerous to continue using. You can read more about crazing here, http://pottery.about.com/od/glazeproblems/tp/craze.htm.

thank you for inviting us in to your cozy world =)

[A Little Patch of Heaven]

There is nothing quiet like home when it's as beautiful as yours :)

[Mrs Flowerpot]

I have the Brambley Hedge books...from my own childhood! One has an inscription, as it was a gift, with the date December 1981.

[Sophie]

Ahh! So strange as I was looking at Brmably Hedge at the weekend too. My darling Mum used to buy them for me when we were little country mice too! They remind me of her (sadly she is no longer with us). The illustrations are so complex and warm. I was also 12 in 1980! And I love crochet and baking too...Hope this week is onwards and upwards for you..

[Hahnsmum]

Thank you for the Carrot cake recipe... Will make it as soon as l get some more eggs. Looks really yummy..Best Wishes, Hope yr boys are running around again.. X X X

[Mandy]

Totally agree with you. There is no place like home and yours seems especially full of comforts. X

[Kate]

If you like Spring Story try Sea story. Very dreamy

[Sara Jenkins]

Hope you've all had a good day and been able to enjoy the rest of the weekend. Is it half term for you next week? We've had glorious weather in Sussex and I'm hoping that there are some more warm days to enjoy outside during the school break. Spring felt as if it had arrived here. xx

[Gillian]

So glad your boys are on the mend and I know exactly what you mean by the "low grade stress" that comes with ill children.

I adored Brambly Hedge stories as a child and recently bought them all second hand for my daughter. That picture you featured...my grandparents had a poster of that pinned to the wall in the room my sisters and I would sleep in when we stayed there. I used to stare at it for hours and recently bought a print of it myself, just so I could look at it again.

Gillian x