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Diary of a Country Girl

Living a country life in wonderful Norfolk. Gardening, cooking and farming – as keen as mustard and mad on dahlias…

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Month: July 2017

A feather headdress…
Country life · Craft

A feather headdress…

23rd July 201718th January 2022 KateLeave a comment

A few weeks ago we were invited to a joint 21st birthday party – the theme was black tie with a hint of the countryside. Being enthusiastic I thought I could make an accessory of my own that paid homage to the countryside. Although predictable I decided to make some form of headdress/fascinator – it… Continue reading A feather headdress…

There’s something about fresh bread…
Food & Drink · Norfolk

There’s something about fresh bread…

10th July 201718th January 2022 Kate1 Comment

A few weeks ago I saw a post on Facebook about a bakery in my local village. Having no idea where it was I soon found out that it was bijoux bakery that opens only once a week. Without having tried the bread, I already loved the idea of it. I loved it because someone who… Continue reading There’s something about fresh bread…

Harvest time…
Country life · Harvest · Norfolk

Harvest time…

5th July 201718th January 2022 KateLeave a comment

Here in south Norfolk, it’s harvest time. Unusually early, the fields are starting to come alive with tractors, trailers, balers and harvesters. It’s a truly wonderful sight. Many of the crops have been in the ground over winter and each day you can see changes as it grows. More recently the wheat and barley have… Continue reading Harvest time…

Pink tractor run…
Country life · Norfolk

Pink tractor run…

2nd July 201718th January 2022 KateLeave a comment

Each year, in south Norfolk, a host of women get together for the Pink Ladies Tractor Run. In this part of the world tractor runs are pretty common, events that see groups of tractor owners travelling on a set route to raise money for charity. Fourteen years ago, a local lady, Annie Chapman, decided to set up… Continue reading Pink tractor run…

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a_countrylife

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Life in the Norfolk countryside
🌸 Gardener
🐄 Farmer
👩‍🍳 Cook
As keen as mustard & mad on dahlias…

a_countrylife

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Oct 29

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When the weather sends you back into the kitchen after a summer off!

This time up, it’s amaretti cookies, inspired by my favourite sweet thing from the glorious @2magpiesbakery 

They’re crisp and chewy, almondy and moorish! When I can’t get to the bakery the magic can live on at home, all thanks to their super cook book!

#amaretti #baking #bakingjoy #almond #almondcookie #norfolk #homecook #diaryofacountrygirl

When the weather sends you back into the kitchen after a summer off!

This time up, it’s amaretti cookies, inspired by my favourite sweet thing from the glorious @2magpiesbakery

They’re crisp and chewy, almondy and moorish! When I can’t get to the bakery the magic can live on at home, all thanks to their super cook book!

#amaretti #baking #bakingjoy #almond #almondcookie #norfolk #homecook #diaryofacountrygirl
...

16 0

a_countrylife

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Oct 20

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The dahlias are still hanging in in there! Are yours? They might not make it through to early December (my own PB) but here’s hoping!

#dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #homegrownflowers #cottagegarden #norfolk #gardening #gardeningjoy #diaryofacountrygirl

The dahlias are still hanging in in there! Are yours? They might not make it through to early December (my own PB) but here’s hoping!

#dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #homegrownflowers #cottagegarden #norfolk #gardening #gardeningjoy #diaryofacountrygirl
...

33 2

a_countrylife

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Sep 28

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Rainbow season is well and truly here… 

#rainbow #rainbows #storm #stormysky #norfolk #norfolkskies #countryliving #countrylife #diaryofacountrygirl

Rainbow season is well and truly here…

#rainbow #rainbows #storm #stormysky #norfolk #norfolkskies #countryliving #countrylife #diaryofacountrygirl
...

24 1

a_countrylife

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Sep 22

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When lunch comes entirely from the garden…

Courgette and herb frittata, made using homegrown courgettes, spinach, spring onions, basil, parsley, coriander, eggs and tomatoes. A mouth-wateringly way to celebrate the end of summer - on the autumn equinox when it feels like winter is on its way!

#gyo #growyourown #eatwhatyougrow #growwhatyiueat #homegrown #countrygarden #countrylife #diaryofacountrygirl #igrewthat #lunch #itswhatsforlunch #norfolk #autumnequinox #equinox

When lunch comes entirely from the garden…

Courgette and herb frittata, made using homegrown courgettes, spinach, spring onions, basil, parsley, coriander, eggs and tomatoes. A mouth-wateringly way to celebrate the end of summer - on the autumn equinox when it feels like winter is on its way!

#gyo #growyourown #eatwhatyougrow #growwhatyiueat #homegrown #countrygarden #countrylife #diaryofacountrygirl #igrewthat #lunch #itswhatsforlunch #norfolk #autumnequinox #equinox
...

28 1

a_countrylife

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Sep 21

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A cacophony of dahlias!!!

I returned from the Norfolk and Suffolk Dahlia Society Show awash with gorgeously grown blooms and inspired by the flurry of advice from seasoned growers. 

These impressively nurtured flowers are a world away from my homegrown dahlias and it’s just amazing to hear how competition growers tend to their plants to really push them to their best. What an inspiration! 

#inspired #dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #blooms #gardening #gardeningjoy #countrylife #acountrylife #diaryofacountrygirl #dahliasociety

A cacophony of dahlias!!!

I returned from the Norfolk and Suffolk Dahlia Society Show awash with gorgeously grown blooms and inspired by the flurry of advice from seasoned growers.

These impressively nurtured flowers are a world away from my homegrown dahlias and it’s just amazing to hear how competition growers tend to their plants to really push them to their best. What an inspiration!

#inspired #dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #blooms #gardening #gardeningjoy #countrylife #acountrylife #diaryofacountrygirl #dahliasociety
...

82 14

a_countrylife

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Sep 20

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Did I tell you, I had an interview for the Great British Bake Off?!

So the short story is that I used to religiously bake all the technical challenges on the Great British Bake Off. Then one year, I applied to take part….

• I filled in the application form - 10 pages, 38 questions.
• I was invited to a telephone interview - the questions were hard!
• I didn’t get any further
• When the next series came out, I baked the technicals - again
• I applied for the next series and got an interview! Why? Because they asked the same questions as the year before and I now knew all the answers! 
• I was invited to second interview in person and was told to bring a sweet and savoury bake! 
• I made it to a screen test! An actual screen test for GBBO! 

Sadly, I didn’t make the final step to the show, but I still love the programme! While I’m not making the technical challenges this year, it has inspired me to get my wooden spoon out again, whack on the oven and make some of the more classic challenges we all loved on the show back in day! 

First up, the classic that is Battenberg! I always forget how delicious this is and made more so by the use of homemade fig and orange jam to sandwich it all together. The addition of a @silverwood_bakeware Battenberg tin is a game changer and cuts out all the faff of making sure you get equally-sized and baked sections of sponge! 🍰 

If you fancy trying your hand at the GBBO interview questions, head over to my blog via the link in my bio! 🔗

#greatbritishbakeoff #gbbo #baking #technical #norfolk #homebaking #diaryofacountrygirl #norfolk #battenburg

Did I tell you, I had an interview for the Great British Bake Off?!

So the short story is that I used to religiously bake all the technical challenges on the Great British Bake Off. Then one year, I applied to take part….

• I filled in the application form - 10 pages, 38 questions.
• I was invited to a telephone interview - the questions were hard!
• I didn’t get any further
• When the next series came out, I baked the technicals - again
• I applied for the next series and got an interview! Why? Because they asked the same questions as the year before and I now knew all the answers!
• I was invited to second interview in person and was told to bring a sweet and savoury bake!
• I made it to a screen test! An actual screen test for GBBO!

Sadly, I didn’t make the final step to the show, but I still love the programme! While I’m not making the technical challenges this year, it has inspired me to get my wooden spoon out again, whack on the oven and make some of the more classic challenges we all loved on the show back in day!

First up, the classic that is Battenberg! I always forget how delicious this is and made more so by the use of homemade fig and orange jam to sandwich it all together. The addition of a @silverwood_bakeware Battenberg tin is a game changer and cuts out all the faff of making sure you get equally-sized and baked sections of sponge! 🍰

If you fancy trying your hand at the GBBO interview questions, head over to my blog via the link in my bio! 🔗

#greatbritishbakeoff #gbbo #baking #technical #norfolk #homebaking #diaryofacountrygirl #norfolk #battenburg
...

56 6

a_countrylife

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Sep 14

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Sunday dahlia pickings! They’re still going strong (ish) but not loving this sudden dip in temperatures! 

The question is, how long will they last?!

#dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #flower #flowers #homegrown #flatlaynation #countrylife #flowergarden #gardening #diaryofacountrygirl #norfolk

Sunday dahlia pickings! They’re still going strong (ish) but not loving this sudden dip in temperatures!

The question is, how long will they last?!

#dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #flower #flowers #homegrown #flatlaynation #countrylife #flowergarden #gardening #diaryofacountrygirl #norfolk
...

26 3

a_countrylife

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Sep 9

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Now that’s what I call a dahlia!!

Say hello to Sir Alf Ramsay, the perennially impressive dinner plate dahlia. The real Alf Ramsay guided England to their World Cup win in 1966 and his namesake dahlia is equally momentous to all the flower fans out there!

We’re still getting lots of dahlia blooms but they have definitely reached their peak and I hope they will now continue, albeit at a slower pace, into autumn…

#dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #flower #flowers #flowergarden #norfolkdahlias #norfolkdahlia #norfolk #southnorfolk #countrylife #siralframsay #diaryofacountrygirl

Now that’s what I call a dahlia!!

Say hello to Sir Alf Ramsay, the perennially impressive dinner plate dahlia. The real Alf Ramsay guided England to their World Cup win in 1966 and his namesake dahlia is equally momentous to all the flower fans out there!

We’re still getting lots of dahlia blooms but they have definitely reached their peak and I hope they will now continue, albeit at a slower pace, into autumn…

#dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #flower #flowers #flowergarden #norfolkdahlias #norfolkdahlia #norfolk #southnorfolk #countrylife #siralframsay #diaryofacountrygirl
...

102 17

a_countrylife

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Aug 30

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A rather good year for tomatoes. 

Thanks to the warm, dry weather these self-seeded beauties are thriving in a gravel path - a legacy of fruits planted five years ago. 

#tomatoes #tomato #homegrown #homegrownfood #countrylife #acountrylife #norfolk #norfolklife #growyourown #gyo #diaryofacountrygirl

A rather good year for tomatoes.

Thanks to the warm, dry weather these self-seeded beauties are thriving in a gravel path - a legacy of fruits planted five years ago.

#tomatoes #tomato #homegrown #homegrownfood #countrylife #acountrylife #norfolk #norfolklife #growyourown #gyo #diaryofacountrygirl
...

25 1

a_countrylife

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Aug 27

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Norfolk skies…

#norfolk #norfolksky #norfolkskies #sunset #norfolksunset #thisisnorfolk #sunsetseason #acountrylife #thiscountrylife #countrygirl #diaryofacountrygirl

Norfolk skies…

#norfolk #norfolksky #norfolkskies #sunset #norfolksunset #thisisnorfolk #sunsetseason #acountrylife #thiscountrylife #countrygirl #diaryofacountrygirl
...

23 0

a_countrylife

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Aug 11

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What shall I do with all these figs?! 

What a year it is for this perfumed fruit, the harvest is non stop. So much so, it seemed a good time to share a recipe for fig and orange jam to bump start my blog again.

My fig musings are now live on my website, together with a recipe for a jam that will keep the summer well and truly alive throughout the winter months. Enjoy!

#figs #fig #figjam #preserving #jam #jamrecipe #jamming #countrylife #kitchengarden #fruit #fruitharvest #norfolk #recipe #recipeoftheday #diaryofacountrygirl #figandorange

What shall I do with all these figs?!

What a year it is for this perfumed fruit, the harvest is non stop. So much so, it seemed a good time to share a recipe for fig and orange jam to bump start my blog again.

My fig musings are now live on my website, together with a recipe for a jam that will keep the summer well and truly alive throughout the winter months. Enjoy!

#figs #fig #figjam #preserving #jam #jamrecipe #jamming #countrylife #kitchengarden #fruit #fruitharvest #norfolk #recipe #recipeoftheday #diaryofacountrygirl #figandorange
...

27 3

a_countrylife

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Aug 10

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Dahlia perfection - Cornel Brons. I’m always astonished at the sheer beauty of pom pom dahlias, they really are perfect in every way.

I’ve had a mammoth deadheading session today so hoping more will come this week to fill the house…

#dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #countrylife #gardening #acountrylife #diaryofacountrygirl #norfolk #southnorfolk

Dahlia perfection - Cornel Brons. I’m always astonished at the sheer beauty of pom pom dahlias, they really are perfect in every way.

I’ve had a mammoth deadheading session today so hoping more will come this week to fill the house…

#dahlia #dahlias #dahliasofinstagram #countrylife #gardening #acountrylife #diaryofacountrygirl #norfolk #southnorfolk
...

28 3
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Recent Posts

  • What shall I do with all these figs? (A recipe for fig and orange jam)
  • Pink Ladies’ Tractor Road Run – I’m hooked!
  • Pink Ladies Tractor Run – clutch control mastered (maybe)…
  • Pink Ladies Tractor Run – racing towards £1million…
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