The Weed Eaters

We came, we saw, we foraged.

In the hedgerows and on the beach, in the fields and in the reed beds....even in the garden right outside the house. And it was fascinating!

I learned so much this weekend....not just about gathering wild food, but about connecting to plants and to the landscape.

A big thank you to everyone at iDetox Holidays; and a specially big thank you to Robin Harford of Eat Weeds (this man really knows his stuff).

Can't wait to get home and see what plants I can now recognise and gather from the land around Dixon Hill....

A-Foraging We Will Go!

I love the word ‘foraging’.  And I the love the idea of it….wandering the fields and moors each day, plucking a leaf or two here, picking a few berries there, maybe unearthing the occasional mushroom.  Then carrying my bounty home in a little basket and feasting on fresh, wild food.

‘Tis a nice idea but, in reality, my foraged finds extend only as far as nettles, dandelion leaves, elderflowers, blackberries and bilberries.  Then I get stuck.  Not sure what’s safe to eat.  Not sure what tastes good.

So this weekend, I’m off to Suffolk to learn to forage from an expert.  Robin Harford of Eat Weeds will be teaching me and a few other folk how to gather our own dinners from Mother Nature’s larder.  And then we get to the feasting bit (no lessons required there).

I‘m so looking forward to it!  My little basket is at the ready….

Fresh Funky Skirts!

Tan-ta-ra!

A new shipment of funky skirts has arrived at Dixon Hill and you can find them here.  There is so much gorgeousness, you’ll be spoilt for choice!

There are no less than THREE new styles of skirt for summer.  Funky Floaty skirts are feminine and frilly.  Funky Funky have an even more riotous mix of fabrics than their predecessors.  And - best of all - there are two Funky Reversible skirts (there were three but I nabbed one - couldn’t resist!).  And, of course, there are still the Funky Originals we already know and love.

All the skirts are the longer length….which is actually perfect for summer.  They’ll look fabulous worn alone on bare-legged, sunny days; but will work equally well over jeans or leggings when the temperature drops.

These wondrous garments tend to fly off the shelves so don’t hang about.  Go check them out and stake a claim for your own piece of summer funkiness.

I’m a Professional Woman!

The amazing Melanie Martin has been interviewing me this week for her Professional Women series.  You can find her questions and my answers here.

While you’re on her site, make sure you have a mooch about.  She takes great pictures!

The Nature Table: May

It’s May….and there’s such an abundance of gorgeousness outside, the jam jars are spilling from my virtual nature table onto my virtual windowsills and virtual floor.

Impossible to show you everything….so here’s what grabbed my attention this afternoon.  The spoils of the day!

1.  Tulips.  Large and lush.
2.  Nettles.  The field is gradually being taken over by them.  All the better for my smoothies….
3.  How could I not show you May blossom?  The hawthorns are dressed like brides.
4.  Welsh poppies, popping up everywhere.  Love ‘em.
5.  My favourite - sweet William.  Have to make the most of its short season.
6.  Buttercups - irresistible.
7.  Bluebells - they’ve had the most spectacular year.
8.  Gorse - at its best right now.
9.  Clematis - must be a good year for these, too, ‘cause I’m noticing them everywhere.