a beautiful start

I try to take a walk every morning as it really sets me up for the day ahead. If I have managed an hour of solitude striding through the gorgeous Sussex countryside I know I am going to be more productive at work, more effective at home and a calmer, more playful mother with my children. This morning I slipped out of the house before anyone else was awake and walked until I came to my favourite spot. Just down a country lane, between two huge gnarled oak trees is an old wooden gate leading into a field. The field is backed by trees on the cusp of changing colour and I feel completely alone and at peace here. I like to climb up onto the gate and watch the sun rise over the hills. This morning the sun was almost orange as it rose and the moon was still full, transparent and silver, behind me. I sat on the gate, watched rabbits bounce across the field and as I breathed in and exhaled, it was as though I was breathing in union with Source. After a while I felt ready to come home and embrace the day ahead and the tumbling, excitable children that light up my day and leave me feeling exhausted by bedtime. Onwards.... 

books books books

A friend has leant me the Parent Effectiveness Training Book by Thomas Gordon, a Nobel peace prize nominee. Apparently it is a similar approach to Non-Violent Communication, which I am passionate about as a communication process and actually as a way of living. I have done quite a few courses in NVC and it is always heartening to see the effect that this form of communication has on family relationships. We are very much in each other's pockets as a home educating family but mostly we rub along very well together. My children have taught me SO much, I couldn't even begin to list the things I have learnt, but boundless love and patience and the ability to wait without fear or anxiety have to be some of the most important. Anyway, am going to start the book tonight, along with all the other stuff I am reading at the moment (never get a chance to read fiction any longer), which includes Designing and Maintaining your Edible Landscape Naturally, Toasters don't roast chickens, How can I stop climate change, There are no bad children, Hungry City and Setting up a Small School. There are a few other foodie books that I am rereading like Elaine Bruce's Living Foods Programme and Felicity Lawrence's Not on the Label. Hmmm, have a sort of information addiction at the moment, I think.

Today in the office

Well, no sun tea today due to rain and grey skies. So still using behemoth of a kettle to make the many cups of tea we drink. I spent some time today making strawberry ice cream for the kids because we went to a fruit farm earlier in the week and had about five punnets of strawberries and raspberries that needed action. I am trying to avoid sugar in our diet at the moment, as I feel it is an empty food stuff so I made ice cream using agave syrup. Its v simple and tastes pretty sublime (if I say so myself). 1 punnet strawberries, 90g cashews or macadamias, 40g agave syrup (the quantities are fairly approximate and you might want to mess around with them until you find what suits you in terms of sweetness and creaminess). Whizz in a food processor until smooth and then put it in the freezer. Take it out every two hours or so and give it a stir, otherwise it goes rock solid and is difficult to eat. I also stir some raspberry syrup through it (made with pureed raspberries and agave syrup) to make a homemade raspberry ripple type effect. As I said it's really yummy and fairly nutritious too. Picked some mammoth courgettes and salad leaves from the garden and made courgette bread for the kids. Got recipe from this magic new book How it all Vegan, which popped through our letterbox last week. Have already sampled quite a few of the recipes and they are really innovative and exciting. Has made me come over all bake-a-lot mum, which has to be a good thing! Jez and I had to finish off the proofing of the magazine today - it looks very fine indeed and am very pleased with the final look of it. Just three weeks to go now and it'll be dropping onto doormats around the world, hopefully bringing a little cheer and green inspiration to all our subscribers. Customers who get it from their local shop will have to wait a little longer - it's out on 24th July but we just heard that ALL WH Smith stores will be stocking The Green Parent from next issue so that's very exciting and means it will be easier to find. Hurrah!