I have not been well this week, so I cut back on commitments, stayed close to home, and have been resting as much as possible. I’d love to be out in my gardens or the orchards, but I’ve learned that if I don’t rest when I need to, it takes so much longer to get back on my feet.

So I’m being good, mostly, and it’s really helped. I slept ten hours last night – what richness! There’s nothing like a good sleep to renew your strength and spirits. We’ve been eating asparagus, Lebanese cucumbers, and all sorts of tomatoes from the gardens. It’s so nice to have healthy things to eat when you’re feeling blechy. Especially when you can just pop them in your mouth, no cooking required.

It’s been a good time to get caught up on wood-burning last minute Christmas orders. It’s been so nice to sit in front of the fan, etching fanciful designs onto spoons, cheeseboards, and rolling pins, while watching episodes of Murdoch Mysteries and other favorite shows.

I perked up a bit on Wednesday, and Bear and I spent a lovely day in Brisbane with truly lovely people. We ran errands, shared good visits over scrumptious gnocchi, and I got to finger-knit some reins for our medieval camel saddles while I chatted with dear medieval friends at a training night. My friends brought their oh-so-gorgeous 2-week-old baby girl, and there was much cuddling and swooning over her deliciousness.

It’s been a week of simple food, comforting things that nourish and strengthen. It started Sunday afternoon with the first meeting of the Cookbook Club started by my friend Karis and her blogging partner, Mel, from But first, we eat!.  The idea is to choose one cookbook each time for all of us to cook from. That way we get to taste numerous dishes from the cookbooks we all have sitting on our shelves.

Sunday was our first dinner and it was so fun! About ten of us, mostly strangers, met at Fort Lytton National Park and shared a prodigiously good meal. Our first cookbook was River Cottage Everyday, and we dined most happily on Lamb Burgers with roasted pepper relish, Warm Bean Leek Salad, Venison Burgers with Spiced Pears, Chicken Leek Pasties, Beef Lentil Salad, Cherry Clafoutis, Caraway Shortbread, Lemony Muffins, Beetroot Brownies, and Smoked Trout Dip. Everything was scrumptious and it was so great to meet kindred spirits who love food and a nourishing life as much as Bear and I do. We’re looking forward to our next meet-up very much indeed.

Bear and I liked the Warm Bean Leek Salad so much that I made it again the very next day, adding leftover sausages to make it a bit heartier, and served it alongside greens from our garden. Such comforting food.

Now it’s time for a rest as the rain begins to fall and the goats all rush to hide under the house until the storm passes.

Wishing you a beautiful weekend. xo