Winter Weekend

I wonder how many times I've talked to you about coffee in my one thousand, five hundred and ninety three blog posts? Rather a lot I think is the answer, especially in recent years since J decided he wanted to enjoy a slice of my enviable "cafe lifestyle" and now actively encourages a good many of our quick jaunts to enjoy a coffee together. The above photo was taken on Saturday morning after we'd finished our market food shop - a chance to sit still for a short while and practice some gratitude before the busy day continued to gallop away. Small, cosy cafés are the perfect place to be on a cold wintry morning, and I thoroughly enjoyed that mighty fine frothy cappuccino. 

Crochet time nearly always features in my weekend, and I'm forever grateful for this soothing creative pastime. Similar to my morning coffee break, I find that sitting down to crochet presents a really great opportunity for some mindful moments. I adore crochet for that - it's such great therapy, and very restorative for the mind and soul. My Harbour Colourwash blanket is now long enough to snuggle under while I'm adding extra ripples and it's ever so toasty under there.

On Sunday I had a deliciously slow start to the day and enjoyed some crochet in bed - oh the cosy factor was sky high! Tilly very rarely comes onto my bed, but I'm pretty sure those yarny stripes lured her in.

We took a short, bracing walk at Bolton Abbey, wrapped up in warm layers as it really was very cold.

I really enjoy coming down to this little river beach, the river is very still here (I find myself wishing for waves, even just teeny ones) but I still find it soothing to crunch along the pebbles and take in the watery reflections.

It felt really good to be out walking, even on a cold, rather bleak day....

....and there was beauty in the quiet stillness of the winter landscape.

The sheep were out and about enjoying themselves at Bolton Abbey too!

Back home, and one of the highlights of my weekend was the arrival of the first daffodils of the year. Yay!! I started this ritual many years ago (before the children were born) and absolutely love to begin the year with these cheery yellow blooms on my table.

I really appreciate that they are so readily available in the supermarkets these days - these bunches cost just 65 pence each so I splashed out and bought two. They bring such a lot of visual pleasure to each day, little rays of sunshine brightening up the room.

I always make time to enjoy a healthy breakfast every day, so there isn't any change at the weekends, but I do enjoy the slower pace of weekend meals in general.

I've got a new breakfast obsession - overnight oats made with coconut yoghurt. This past weekend I tried plain yoghurt with coconut for the first time and oh my word it is SO GOOD!! There is something about the creamy taste of the coconut paired with the slightly sharp flavour of natural yoghurt which makes me squirm with pleasure. This is quite a runny yoghurt so it's perfect for making overnight oats (they're hiding underneath all that fresh fruit in the above photo). I measure out 20g oats and mix with 100ml of yoghurt (it's this Alpro soya one), then leave in the fridge overnight, adding the fruit on top when I'm ready to eat. Yummmmmm.,,,happy me.

Fireside loafing always makes me happy too, and the grey dreary weather we're having right now can be totally ignored when I'm sat beside the hearth. Add in a warm crochet blanket and a mug of frothy coffee, and right there is a truly wonderful winter moment. I hope with all my heart that there will be many, many more happy moments this winter - did you know that there are only eight more winter weekends before the Spring Equinox? Holding that thought.

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Comments

[Tanja]

I love your coffee fotos although I do seldom drink coffee. But your pictures are the embodiment of cosyness . Thank you for all the years of wonderful pictures.

[Gloria]

I started the harbor blanket pattern and after row three it goes to row 5 and 6 and says repeat rows 3 and 4. But I can't find row 4. What am I doing wrong?

[Pat]

It is over 30 degrees Celsius outside and a bit humid, but I am a cool 22 with my air conditioning on.
Makes crocheting easy to work with.
Been playing with my embroidery machine as I haven't been able to use it for a couple of years.
I tend to forget all about my cuppa when I am crocheting and end up drinking it luke warm or throwing it out and making another. Then it is too hot to drink again!!!
I have a pod machine that makes coffee for the hubby and chai tea for me. Yum!! I love the frothy milk in mine too.

[Barbara]

I’m all for fireside loafing too, certainly the day for it here today. Always love your visits to Bolton Abbey. Happy memories of visits in the past. Hope you get plenty of fireside time today. Happy weekend. B x

[RL]

Have you considered "cafe lifestyle" themed blanket?

[Susan]

Thanks for a lovely post & your amazing photos. I'm very impressed with both your photography & crochet skills. Bolton Abbey looks good even in winter as I've only seen it in summer. Stay warm, take care & hugs.

[Yvonne]

A lovely read, wishing for cool weather our temperatures are in the 30's in Australia. I love Bolton Abbey, we have visited there a few times on holidays. There is such a calmness and beauty. I must try the coconut and yoghurt together. Happy crocheting

[Ruthie]

Delicious blog as always, Lucy. Your colour wash blanket is looking lovely x

[Laura Martin]

Lucy: thanks for writing!!! I love reading your posts.

[Pippa moore]

Hi Lucy
I'm loving the harbour blanket which will be a birthday gift for my daughter who lives in London. Now I'm going to order another pack but this time I think I'm going to do the colourwash for myself. I totally in love with the colours x have made many of your blankets quite a few which reside with my daughter up in London and get many ❤ from her friends xx I too love crochet for the kind of meditative calming effect it has on me x something I really need after a day working as a nurse in a busy nursing home x can't wait to finish my blanket and show my lovely residents many who are or have been keen crafts people xxxx

[Gillian Edwards]

Lovely blog as always. Love the cosy coffee shops you visit and the delicious looking frothy coffee. I feel very chilled after reading that. Thankyou x

[Geeha]

Great to see a positive outlook when so many in the Northern Hemisphere see this as the worst month of the year

[Jacqui]

Beautiful as ever!
Its been awful chilly down here and oh so grey.
I have yellow roses and lilys over my fire.

[Jo Hyde]

Greetings today from a grey Cornwall. When the sun shines it is glorious but when it drizzles its just GREY!! Its rather a lovely thought that people from different parts of the world are enjoying your walks in Yorkshire and sharing a cup of coffee at the same time and feasting the eyes on the lovely colours of wool! thank you.

[CJ]

The overnight oats with coconut yoghurt sound lovely, I always have overnight oats in the morning so I shall give them a try. I usually have a live yoghurt from a local dairy, but coconut is one of my favourite flavours, I was honestly thinking just this morning why they don't just make all cleansers coconut scented - I mean who really wants cucumber??? I rather like having a break from the gardening in the winter, but yes, it will be lovely when the spring is here. CJ xx

[Linda]

Sounds like a cosy weekend Lucy, overnight oats are my go to for breakfast usually made with my homemade yogurt but I will have try it with coconut now. I plan on getting some daffodils today they brighten up the dullest days. Take care. xx

[Lyssa Medana]

Love to see the daffodils. Thank you for sharing the pics of Bolton Abbey. I swear that they feel bracing!

[Anne]

I love visiting with you, Lucy. Going on walks and having coffee in a little cafe is such a delight. We are having snowy, cold, windy weather here in the Ozarks of Missouri, and it's such a relaxing visit to Bolton Abbey and to stop and have a coffee. I've visited with you for many years, and it's always comforting and uplifting. I had oatmeal with fruit for breakfast this morning, and will finish the day with a little crochet in front of our fire. :-)
Take care and keep warm,
Anne ♥

[Louise]

Down here in Kangarooland I've just finished writing about our warm, summery week at the beach. It's been hot and sometimes humid down here so your wintery post is nice and cooling! What is it about cats and crochet? Or cats and yarn? Our nutbag cat not only runs off with my balls of yarn like stealing eggs from a nest, he burrows under my crocheted blankets and hides away or ambushes us from under them when we walk past...

[Julia]

Your frothy cappuccino looks wonderful! I could spend hours sitting in a cozy coffee shop sipping coffee. The daffodils are so pretty and cheerful. I haven't seen those at our local market yet - although I have purchased tulips the past few weeks and they make me so happy!

[Cam]

Here in South Australia it is humid and 32 C
I’ve just finished the Yuletide with the air conditioner on and the blanket all scrunched up so I’m not under it for too long or I start to sweat!Love the daffodils.I am getting my yellow fix from sunflowers at the moment

[dorothy]

How serene and calming your surrounding look. Your overnight oats with coconut yogurt sounds soo good. Is that yogurt with coconut or yogurt made from coconut milk.would like to find here in USA.i am in Florida and we are having a bout with the cold 30 degrees in the a.m. past few days.Going to get back to my crochet sweater. Stay safe and warm Lucy. look forward to future posts.

[Sandra]

Coconut yogurt is very nice. I like plain yogurt with just a touch of date syrup. It's lovely on its own or with berries too. (Not sure I squirm with pleasure though.)

[Robin Summers]

Beautiful post as always. Daffodils and overnight oats are a huge hit with me. Love yogurt!!

[Linda from Boston]

I love the coffee pics!! Wish I could just reach in and take a sip!! Here in Boston we’re waiting for the blizzard on Saturday as well. However, there was a glimmer of hope…….weather people are now saying it may be shifting farther east. My fingers are crossed; I’d rather be crocheting than digging out of a foot of snow ⛄️!!!