From Dharana to Dhyana

The seventh limb of the eightfold path of yoga is Dhyana - Meditation

The mind is restless by nature and is constantly darting this way and that, which can lead to stress and feelings of being overwhelmed by the ups and downs of life. But there is a way to pause and take a break from the constant stream of thoughts, and to feel peace, calm and clarity instead - it's called meditation.

When Patanjali wrote his Yoga Sutras way back in the 2nd century BCE, meditation was considered so important that yoga postures were practiced specifically to enable the yogi to sit comfortably for long periods of time. Much has changed in our world since then and yoga practice has evolved in the West to be more about physical exercise than quiet contemplation.

When you meditate you are taking a step back from the busy "head stuff" and allowing yourself some time to pause and get quiet.  It's often a relief to sit and just "be" and you will hopefully notice immediate benefits of relaxation and calm that will make you want to meditate more often. A daily practice will positively affect all areas of your life - benefits include experiencing less anxiety and being able to make decisions more clearly. Although it might seem challenging to find 10 spare minutes in your busy day, think of it this way - you spend time feeding, cleaning and exercising your body each day so why not spend a little time doing the same for your mind too?

When you meditate you practice just sitting and being present in the moment. At first it might be frustrating as the mind often wanders off to think about other things, but stick with it. Gently bring yourself back when you notice you are thinking, back to the present moment, again and again. With practice the mind becomes less restless and you begin to look forward to your meditation as time to refresh and become centred.

There are many ways to meditate and you may want to experiment until you find one that works for you. The simplest way, I find, is by watching the flow of the breath like this:

As you breathe in slowly, follow the journey of your breath from its entry at the nostrils, into the throat and then into the lungs. Experience the sensation of the lungs filling gently with air and expanding your ribcage and then, as the breath turns effortlessly into an exhale, watch and feel as the lungs and ribcage soften and the warm air leaves the nostrils. Repeat for as many breaths as you like, then notice how you feel afterwards. Try it now, just for a minute or two. Close your eyes and notice your breathing....

If you are interested in finding out more about meditation then take a look at Headspace. This website explains, in a clear and straightforward way, the science of the benefits of meditation. It also offers you a free 10-day trial of its online meditation programme if you wish to test it out for yourself and get started with a daily practice.

This week I am visiting...  The Medicine Garden, Downside Road, Cobham, Surrey KT11 3LU

How best to describe the Medicine Garden? A cafe? A walled garden? A community space? A gift shop and garden centre? It is all of these things, and more.  Over the last 8 years this derelict, overgrown garden, once the vegetable garden of Cobham Park, has been completely transformed. 

I recommend a coffee or lunch in the Hothouse Cafe, and a wander round the outbuildings which are home to various artisan businesses. A new farm shop co-operative is due to open next week and the gift and garden shop always have lovely things to buy. There is a play area for children and lots of space for them to run around if the weather is fine. One word of warning though - on a rainy day in the school holidays the cafe can be a bit noisy!

The courtyard

If you've been before but don't know the story behind the Medicine Garden, click here to read about its evolution. And if you haven't visited yet and want a bit more info about it before you go click here to take you to their website. 

This week I am making... Sweet Potato, Wild Rice, Quinoa, Feta and Spring Onion Salad

I had this for lunch in a cafe recently and really liked it so I searched for it on the web and this recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi came up.  I get a bit overwhelmed with complicated recipes and like to keep things as simple as possible so I did a bit of cheating with this one and adapted it . 

The ingredients of this salad are very healthy - the grains contain protein, fibre, B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium), the sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, fibre and beta carotene. The feta cheese provides protein and calcium and adds a lovely salty tang to the salad and the spring onions bring their own unique flavour too.

I used half the measurements than those shown in the Ottolenghi recipe.

You will need:

1 medium sized sweet potato
1 packet of ready-to-eat spelt, red rice, quinoa and wild rice (available from Waitrose)
80g feta cheese crumbled
3 spring onions chopped into tiny pieces 
2 garlic cloves
a few mint leaves, chopped
half a teaspoon of dried sage and half a teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
olive oil for roasting and frying

Here's how I made it:

Heat the oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 5.
Peel and chop the sweet potato into small 2cm sized cubes. Put into a baking tray and coat with the olive oil and add a little salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until soft and tender.
Microwave the packet of grains and, when cooked, put into a bowl.  
Fry the garlic gently in a little olive oil and add the dried sage and oregano, being careful not to burn them.
Scrape this mixture into the bowl of grains and stir well.
Add the sweet potato, chopped spring onions, mint, lemon juice and crumbled feta cheese and stir into the grains mixture.

Serve warm or cold. I had a few spoonfuls of this for supper with a green salad and a jacket potato and have some leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Click here to follow the full recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi.

This week I am growing... well not so much growing but preparing the ground so that I can grow!

Just as you prepare for yoga by taking a few minutes to get centred so that you get the maximum benefits from your practice, so it is with the soil. A weeding and preparation session now, while the weeds are small and the ground is soft will pay you back big-time with better germination of seeds and stronger, healthier plants.

From this.....

...to this - ready for planting

To prepare your border, first cut down the dead stems from last year's perennial plants. You might already be able to see new shoots growing at the base so be careful not to damage them. Pull out any dead annuals from last summer. Then using a garden fork dig over the border, pulling out all the weeds. Bash any large clumps of soil with the fork so that they break into smaller pieces and give it a rake over - the finer the soil the better your seeds will germinate. If you have any of your own home-made compost ready and waiting in a corner of the garden, now's the time to spread it out on your freshly dug border. It will add nutrients, help improve the structure of the soil (a good idea if your soil is either clay or if, like mine, it is very thin and stony), and if you put on a good thick layer it will help to stop moisture evaporating over the summer and suppress the growth of new weeds.

If you have a large garden this task is a bit daunting - there seems to be so much to do.  But do one bit at a time and, little by little, it will take shape.

Gardening is a bit like yoga I suppose, in that it evolves slowly with your steady and determined effort. It doesn't need to be perfect - just getting out there and doing it is enough. When it is done you'll feel that you've really achieved something and your plants will reward you by flourishing over the coming months.

Describing Dharana

The sixth limb of yoga is Dharana - concentration.

Having drawn the senses inwards practicing Pratyahara (see last week's post), the mind has no distractions and therefore isn't resisting settling down and becoming quiet. The state of Dharana is the beginning of meditation. 

You sit comfortably, at ease but alert.  
Be content to sit quietly for a while. 
Notice the stillness that is present.
Bring your attention to one thing. It could be anything - an apple on the table in front of you, a candle flame, the sensation of the palms of your hands resting on your thighs - but the easiest thing to bring your attention to is your breath. It is always there, ready and available, soothing and rhythmic. Follow the journey of the breath into the body, through the nostrils and throat, filling the lungs. Then follow the journey of the breath out of the body. Repeat. And again. And again...
You become absorbed in following your breath.
That's it - there's nothing more to do except to keep your concentration directed to this one thing. It's simple but not easy - your mind might want to jump away and start thinking about something else, but keep focusing. Stay steady and clear, aware and peaceful. 
This is Dharana.

This week I am visiting ... Triyoga in London www.triyoga.co.uk

Triyoga offers yoga classes and wellbeing treatments at three locations in London.  This weekend I visited the Chelsea studio and the Primrose Hill studio to do some classes. It's good to be taught by different teachers - each one has something new to offer.  

Triyoga offers 270 different classes each week, so there is one to suit every body and every ability. To find out a bit more about the different styles of yoga offered at Triyoga click here and take a look at the weekly schedule. 

The three venues (there is one in Soho too) have a reception area, a small shop selling books, cds, and a small selection of yoga clothes, plus changing and showering facilities with lockers. Classes take place in large light and airy practice spaces. The Chelsea and Primrose Hill venues have cafes too, offering healthy lunches, juices and snacks. 

One of the practice spaces

The reception area at the Primrose Hill studio

Triyoga has a fabulous introductory offer - 2 weeks of unlimited classes for £20. Why not expand your yoga experience and visit over the Easter break?

This week I am making... Zingy Citrus Salad Dressing

This recipe comes from a favourite website www.kriscarr.com. This inspiring lady is passionate about eating clean, wholesome food to enable you to live your life with optimum health and vitality. Her website offers some really interesting recipes - click here if you'd like to take a look.

Many salad dressings you buy in the supermarket contain too much sugar, salt, thickeners, flavourings and colourings. It's easy and cheap to make your own and you can be sure you're not eating any hidden ingredients that you'd rather not be putting in to your body. 

To make the dressing you will need:

• juice of 1 lemon + 1/2 teaspoon of rind
• juice of 1 lime
• juice of 1 orange
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• a pinch of black pepper
• a pinch of sea salt
• 1 pitted medjool date

The instructions couldn't be simpler:

• Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  
• Pour a small amount over your salad and toss the leaves to coat them all, adding more if required.

The remainder of the dressing can be kept in a lidded jam jar in the fridge. The consistency of the dressing is quite thin so if you wanted a thicker dressing you could use half the amount of citrus fruit juice and add extra olive oil.

This week I'm growing... more Hardy Annuals

It's prime time for sowing Hardy Annuals. As mentioned in my recent post about growing Calendulas, Annuals are plants which grow, flower, set seed and die in the space of less than a year, and Hardy ones are those which won't be killed by the frost. The Half-Hardy Annuals are those which are tender and will be damaged by frost - these don't need to be sown for another few weeks.

Here is my list of 5 Favourite Hardy Annuals that, for very little money and effort, will bring maximum colour to your garden this summer (photos from www.sarahraven.com):

Salvia viridis "Blue Clary" - Clary Sage (purple blue for the front of the border)

Centaurea cyanus "Blue Boy" - Cornflower (bright blue and taller for the middle of the border)



Escholzia - Californian Poppies (prolific orange flowers with feathery foliage for the front of the border)

 

Malope - Mallow (in pink and white, lots of seeds in the packet, grows to about 2ft so good for the middle of the border)



Echium vulgare "Blue Bedder" - annual Viper's Bugloss (bees love this, good for the middle of the border)

All of these annuals are easy to grow and flower best in full sun, so don't plant them in a shady spot. They all make good cut flowers to put in a vase too. 

You can sow all of these seeds straight into the ground now as long as you have dug it over and raked it so the soil is fine and crumbly. You can either sow the seeds where you want them to grow and then cover them with a fine layer of soil, or you can sow them into seeds trays and plant them out in their final position when they are a bit bigger.

Growing your own plants from seed is extremely satisfying. There's nothing quite like watching tiny green shoots uncurl from the soil and grow towards the light. And there's nothing quite like picking your own flowers and thinking "I grew that!"

The Fifth Limb of Yoga and the Five Senses

The fifth limb of yoga is Pratyahara.  Continuing on from Pranayama (see last week's post) which is concerned with controlling and directing the breath, Pratyahara is concerned with training the senses.  

During your busy day you are being constantly stimulated.  Your brain is working hard to process all the sensations of touch, the images you see, the sounds, tastes and smells that are always present in life. Pratyahara offers you a chance to step back from sense overload and to look within, rather than outwards, to gain clarity and serenity.  

The easiest way to experience Pratyahara is in Savasana, or relaxation, at the end of a yoga class. When you close your eyes and sink down into deep rest, your senses withdraw. You are not asleep but neither are you aware of, or responding to, external stimuli.   

Maybe you have a hobby that you become completely absorbed with so you are no longer aware of sounds or images distracting you?  Musicians, artists and athletes often say they are so immersed in their activity that they don't notice their surroundings. I've done yoga classes in London where traffic is roaring by and there are people in the bar below noisily enjoying a Friday night out but I've been so focused on the yoga that I haven't noticed the distractions outside. 

It is important to remember though that the senses are part of our survival mechanism and warn us of impending danger. For example, if you pick up a hot pan you obviously need to react immediately to minimise the pain. 

However, regular practice of the Asanas (postures) and Pranayama (breathing practices) will teach you to notice whether you are being controlled by your senses. With practice you can become aware enough to make a conscious decision to eat the food, or not, rather than be enticed by the smell of it. You can make a conscious decision whether to respond immediately, or not, to the noise your phone makes when you receive a text and you can make a conscious decision to justify and defend yourself, or not, if someone criticizes you.

The fifth limb of yoga isn't widely taught, mainly because it isn't really something you can just decide to do, rather it evolves out of the other practices of yoga and is part of the journey towards enlightenment.  

I hope this makes some sense to you, but it is all a little bit puzzling so I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't! This is one of the reasons Pratyahara isn't taught very much! Next time you get to the end of your Savasana take a moment to listen to the sounds outside, feel the air on your skin and take a look at your surroundings - you might realise you've been doing this elusive practice without even trying! 

This week I'm visiting... Whole Foods Market, 305-311 Lavender Hill, Clapham Junction, London SW11 1LN

Whole Foods is a US store selling healthy, high quality natural and organic products.  It has a growing number of branches here in the UK and I'm looking forward to more!

You can't quite call Whole Foods a health food shop - it's more than that.  I'd call it a supermarket that sells good stuff.  It has all the sections you'd expect to find in a High Street supermarket - fruit and veg, chiller cabinets, cupboard essentials, household items and toiletries etc, but without the nasty chemicals that you'd really rather weren't in your food!  It has a cafe too, where you can get smoothies, juices and coffees and also a section for hot foods and salads if you'd like to take some of their delicious meals home with you.

decisions, decisions!

the organic fruit section

I spent a good 40 minutes wandering around the Clapham Junction store on Saturday afternoon, choosing lots of interesting ingredients including, amongst many other things, vegetarian Worcester Sauce (the traditional stuff has anchovies in it), gluten-free lasagne sheets, pure grade Maple Syrup and chemical-free shower gel.  As we'd come by train, we packed it all into backpacks and carried our bounty home again.

the enticing cosmetics section

Take a look at the Whole Foods website here to find the most convenient store for you to visit, and check out the other resources too - lots of healthy recipes for you to try, meal plans, a blog and, if you can't get to a store, there is the option to do your shopping online.

This week I'm making...Almond and Honey Face Scrub

This is a very quick, easy and cheap way to make your own chemical-free face scrub.  I also used it on my hands and it made them feel really soft and smooth.  

It uses whole almonds which are ground up into fine particles. I didn't grind mine quite enough the first time so the pieces were a little too big and a bit rough on my skin, but I think that the ready-ground almonds that you buy in the supermarket would be too fine and powdery.  A little experimentation is called for!

You will need:

50g whole almonds 
1 tablespoon almond oil, or you could use olive oil
1 teaspoon of raw honey (a lot of honey that you buy in supermarkets has been heat-treated so all its beneficial enzymes and anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties get destroyed - check the label says "raw").
Optional: Two to three drops of your favourite essential oil

How to make it:

• Grind the almonds to a fine consistency. I used a spice grinder attachment I have for my hand blender.
• In a bowl mix the ground almonds with the almond oil.
• Add the honey and mix well.
• Add the essential oil if you are using it and mix well again.  I used Lemon oil for its astringent qualities but this might be too zingy if you have sensitive skin. 

How to use it:

• Dampen your face with water.
• Scoop out about a teaspoonful and massage gently all over the face.  Remember its an exfoliator and will remove dead skin cells, so be gentle and don't scrub too hard.
• Rinse off carefully and pat your skin dry.

It will keep in a sealed jar for a couple of weeks but if you're using it to do hands, feet, elbows and knees it probably won't last that long!


This week I'm growing... Chillies

If you like a little spice in your cooking, why not try growing your own chillies this summer?

"Hungarian Hot Wax" Chillies

There are many different types of chilli, varying in size, colour and intensity of flavour.  The seeds need to be sown now as they need time to flower, fruit and ripen before the frosts come next autumn. Here's how to do it:

• Fill a flower pot with multi-purpose compost - I used a 12cm pot.
• Evenly space 5 seeds on top of the compost.  The seeds are tiny like tomato seeds, so you'll need to do this carefully.

• Cover with a fine layer of compost.
• Label them so you don't forget what they are.
• Water them.
• Cover the whole pot with a  clear plastic bag and secure with an elastic band.  This will create a moist, humid environment which will aid germination. 
• Place on your kitchen windowsill as they like warm, bright conditions.

Once the seeds have germinated you can take the plastic bag off.  When the seedlings have 2 pairs of leaves you can carefully pot them on into their own bigger pots.  This technique is called "pricking out" and I'll give you step-by-step instructions on how to do this in a couple of weeks' time.

Chilli seeds in their plastic bag on my kitchen windowsill

When there is no longer any threat of a frost (usually the very end of May is considered safe here in the south of England), the chilli plants can be moved outside.  You can either plant them straight into the ground or keep them in large pots if you prefer.  They will need watering regularly and feeding weekly with tomato food (which you dilute in a watering can) over the summer but other than that they don't need much looking after. You can harvest the chillis when they are green, or wait for them to ripen and become red, when they become a bit hotter.

Quick tip for watering newly sown seeds:  if the seeds are big you can use a watering can with a rose (sprinkling nozzle) but if the seeds are very small they can get washed away out of the compost. Instead, fill a tray with water and stand the flower pot in it so the water soaks up into the compost from underneath and the seeds stay in place. Plastic strawberry cartons are ideal for this job if they don't have holes in the bottom.

Finally, here's a picture of my Calendula seeds today just two weeks after sowing - they're up already!

Breathing Practice? But I Know How to do That Already!

Continuing the series of brief overviews into the eight parts or "limbs"of yoga, this week I'm up to number 4 - Pranayama. 

Prana is your life-force energy and Yama means to regulate or control, so Pranayama is the practice of regulating your breath and therefore your energy.

Breathing is so simple that you probably don't think about it much at all, so why does it play such an important part in yoga?

Pranayama often forms part of a yoga class because of its centering and grounding effect. Counting and directing the breath gives the mind something to focus on, and then the busy thoughts that are almost constantly present can start to quieten down. As you breathe slowly and smoothly you start to notice a feeling of space in the body and the mind - a lovely sense of stillness and harmony.  Once you have "tuned in" to the rhythm of your breath, you can use it to help you with your yoga poses.  Breathing in, you stretch and lengthen the body and breathing out, you soften and relax. The breath becomes a guide - not just in your yoga practice but in the rest of your life too. When you are stressed the breath will shorten and become irregular and when you are comfortable and relaxed the breath is steady and smooth.

As well as leaving you feeling calm yet energised, the practice of Pranayama has many other benefits, including the following: 

• lengthening the exhalation stimulates the para-sympathetic nervous system which encourages relaxation and reduces anxiety,
• it lowers blood pressure,
• it lowers the heart rate,
• it improves asthma,
• it improves circulation and therefore the flow of oxygen around the body,
• it reduces muscular tension.

There are many different types of Pranayama practice, some of which you will come across in your yoga class, including Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing), Sama Vritti Pranayama (Equal Breath) and Viloma (Three-Part Breath). It is recommended that you learn Pranayama techniques under the guidance of a qualified yoga teacher as some, such as Bhastrika (Bellows Breath), are very powerful and not suitable for those with very high or very low blood pressure, or during pregnancy.

Did you know  that 10,000 litres of air move in and out of your lungs each day? Take a look here at this informative article from the British Lung Foundation about how your lungs work. 

And read this article too from The Huffington Post for more on how good breathing can help you not just in your yoga practice, but in your everyday life too.


This Week I am Visiting... RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey

I spent a lovely afternoon in the sunshine on Friday wandering round the Royal Horticultural Society's flagship site at Wisley in Surrey. Spread over 240 acres, the garden has lots to offer whether you're a gardener or not. 

The state-of-the art glasshouse is one of the main attractions at Wisley.  It is home to plants from around the world ranging from tropical plants from the jungle to cacti from the desert. 

There's always something interesting to look at each season: there are wonderful herbaceous borders in the summer, the many varieties of trees are ablaze with colour in the autumn, in winter the structure of the garden is revealed and right now the spring bulbs are in flower. 

There is really good Plant Shop which has a huge range of plants (you can often find more unusual specimens here) and, of course, a gift shop with an extensive book section. There are a number of cafes around the garden but they are a little expensive and the entrance fee to the garden isn't cheap either at £12.20. If you know someone who is a member, go with them as you'll get in free as their guest.  

Visiting Wisley will also inspire you to get out in your own garden and get planting for a colourful summer. For more information about RHS Wisley click here. 


This week I am making... Flourless Banana Pancakes

Oooh, these are good!  Surprisingly so, as I wasn't sure about the "flourless" bit! They are so very simple to make and very healthy too.

These pancakes have just two ingredients - bananas and eggs - making them an ideal breakfast for those on a gluten free diet.  I added a pinch of cinnamon to the mixture for a little extra flavour and served them with some Greek yoghurt, maple syrup and blueberries, which made for a good balance of protein and vitamins.

To make 2 pancakes you will need:

1 ripe banana
2 eggs
A little oil for frying (I used coconut oil)
Optional extra: pinch of cinnamon

Mash the banana with a fork.  In another bowl whisk the eggs. Add the cinnamon to the eggs. Add the mashed banana and mix together. Heat a little oil in a pan. Pour in enough mixture to make a small pancake. Let the mixture set for a couple of minutes. Check underneath to see if it is lightly browned, then flip the pancake over and cook the other side. Serve with your favourite fruit and yoghurt.


This week I am growing... Dahlias

I love dahlias. They fill the garden with their jewel-like colours and flower non-stop from the beginning of July until the first frosts. They make really good cut flowers to bring in to the house as they last for ages in a vase and, if you keep picking them, they will go on producing new flowers for weeks on end.

One of Sarah Raven's dahlia collections

Dahlias need a little TLC to get going as they don't like frost, but from the end of May they are quite easy to maintain. They are available to buy from garden centres now or from my favourite website www.sarahraven.com in the form of tubers. These strange-looking, potato-like things are the roots which, when planted in compost will produce shoots and grow into bushy plants. They cost between £1.99-£3.99 each, depending on the variety.

Here's how to plant up your dahlia tubers:

• Fill a 2 litre pot half full of general purpose compost.
• Place the tuber carefully on top of the compost.  You will see a central stem to which the individual tubers are attached - make sure this is pointing upwards.
• Cover with more compost so that the tubers are just under the surface.
• Water well and label them.
• Place the pot in a frost free place which has good light, such as a greenhouse or by the window in a shed.
• Water regularly to keep the compost moist.
• When they have grown to about 10cms high, pinch out the tips of the shoots.  This sounds harsh but it will encourage the plant to send out side shoots and will make it much stronger and bushier.

The tuber and it's stem

Cover the tuber with compost

After the first frosts of winter, the leaves of the plant will go black and then you will have to make a decision: will you take a chance and leave the tubers in the ground in the hope that they will survive, or will you dig them up and over-winter them inside?  I take the first option as my garden is very free draining. I place an upturned flowerpot filled with compost over the remains of the plant to protect the tubers from the cold and wet, but I always buy some new tubers each spring as an insurance policy. If you decide to dig the tubers up you will need to store them in a dry shed or garage in a tray filled with dry compost, and then plant them up as above next spring. I'll let you know soon if my dahlias have survived our sodden winter - fingers crossed! 

Asanas - The Postures of Yoga

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll have seen my last two posts which give an overview of the first two limbs of yoga (scroll down for a look).  You'll know that, centuries ago, the sage Patanjali wrote a text on yoga which divided the practice of yoga into 8 parts or "limbs" as a guide for enlightened living. Asanas - the postures that you do in your yoga practice - are the third limb.  

To live life in the most balanced way the body needs to be as healthy as possible.  The Asanas strengthen and stretch the body completely while allowing the mind and nervous system to be quiet - something that is rare in our busy, hectic culture.  In this quiet space, you can really feel how each posture is affected by your breathing and the careful placement and alignment of the body.  

A varied Asana practice moves the body through its range of movement, builds up muscle tone and strengthens bones.  As the body grows stronger, you notice that the poses you found challenging when you first started yoga are now done with less effort and more ease. This knowledge that your practice is evolving is empowering - you have self-belief.  

At the same time that your body is growing stronger, it is also becoming more flexible.  The Asanas stretch the muscles and connective tissues, reducing aches, pains and tension.  The postures teach you how to breathe so that the muscles relax and, again, they invite you to be in the space where the mind is quiet. 

The goal isn't to make your yoga postures perfect, but to be fully present, experiencing how the body feels in each pose. With regular practice, movement of the body becomes free and easeful, and this feeling of light energy becomes the natural way of being.  

This Week I am Visiting... Pinnock's Coffee House in High Street, Ripley, Surrey

This cafe is a bit different. It has a whole range of coffees to choose from with enticing descriptions such as Finca Santa Maria from Honduras which has flavours of dark chocolate, nuts and tropical fruit and Grumpy Mule from Bolivia which is caramelly and nutty.  I was a bit of a heathen and asked for a decaf cappuccino before I realised what a fabulous menu there was! The coffee is made by a special process in which it slowly drips through filter papers to give it a really smooth taste.  If you're not one for coffee, they serve an array of teas and hot chocolates, and offer delicious cakes, breakfasts and lunches too.  

Downstairs

Pinnock's has a lovely ambience.  It is in a beautiful, old building with wooden floors and beams, and the upstairs is furnished with squashy armchairs and sofas so you can really get comfortable. The staff are really friendly and made me feel very welcome, and I will be going back next week to try another interesting blend of coffee.  My photos don't really do this lovely place justice, so take a look at their website here where they have lots of their own to show you what it is like. 

Upstairs

This Week I am Making... Coconut Porridge

As an experiment on food intolerance, I'm not eating wheat at the moment.  This makes breakfast a bit tricky - no toast, bread, bagels, museli or cereals!  Oats, however, don't contain the same protein that can cause wheat intolerance so porridge is a good option.  It's filling and nutritious and you can make it more interesting by adding extras as I've done here. 

For a serving for 2 you will need:

1 cup Porridge oats

1 cup Coconut milk 

1 cup Water 

Almonds or other favourite nuts

Dried cranberries 

Honey or maple syrup (but just a little!)

Put the oats in a saucepan and add the coconut milk and water.  Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes (see packet for exact time), stirring often.  Put the porridge into your cereal bowl and stir in half a teaspoon of honey. Sprinkle with nuts and cranberries.  

This Week I am Growing... Calendulas

Its time to sow Calendulas for colour that lasts all summer long. Also known as Pot Marigolds, Calendulas are easy to grow and need very little looking after. If you sow the seeds now they'll be flowering by the end of May and will keep on going right through till the frosts next winter! They are hardy annuals (meaning that they'll grow quite happily outside in a cold spring, and that they will grow from seed, flower and then die all in this current year). They will self-seed gently, so you should get brand new plants coming up next year without having to do anything. That's super-easy gardening for you! They're extremely good value for money. I bought this packet for £1.85 and have sown one long row in the veg patch and two seed trays and, as the germination rate is quite high, I am expecting a decent amount of plants for very little effort.

Lots of seeds for £1.85

The seeds are a little strange - flat but curved

You can sow the seeds straight into the soil where you want them to grow, or start them off in a seed tray and plant them out into the garden when they're a bit bigger. 

For sowing straight into the garden: fork over the area, removing any weeds and breaking up any big lumps of soil.  Make a shallow channel with your finger or a stick to a depth of about 1cm deep.  Sprinkle the seeds along the row as evenly as possible. Gently push the soil back over the seeds so that they are just covered, pat down and water if the soil is dry. Label them so you don't think they are weeds and dig them up in a month's time!

The row of seeds in the veg patch

If the area of your garden where you want the Calendulas to flower is waterlogged, needs some major renovation, or you just can't decide where you want their final position to be, you can sow the seeds in seed trays and then plant them out into the garden in a few weeks' time:  Fill a seed tray with multi-purpose compost and pat down gently so the surface is level. Place the seeds quite sparingly on top of the compost - you don't want them to grow too close together or they'll be competing with each other for light and nutrients. Then cover them with a fine sprinkling of compost, label them and water gently.  Put the seed tray somewhere sheltered where you won't forget to water it - mine are up against the patio doors for a bit of extra warmth and protection from the weather. When the seedlings are up and looking sturdy and leafy they can be potted on into bigger pots to keep them growing steadily.  I'll share this process with you in a future post. 

The seeds in a seed tray